Roger Corman, RIP....

[MikeKozlowski]

...Growing up, movies were a frequent treat for us - drive ins were still a thing, and we had an honest-to-God Palace Theater downtown (still there and still in business, BTW) and we loved trash horror movies, especially from American International studios.

They were often low budget, but there was often a thoroughly stylish quality to them, especially if they were directed by Roger Corman. For decades, he turned out cheap, entertaining, and beautifully made movies, and as they got more successful he got more money and rolled out some classics - every last doggoned one of them on time and under budget and the vast majority of them profitable to an extent that no other director has ever gotten close to. Corman was known as a demanding taskmaster who took no nonsense, but he also engendered a powerful sense of loyalty, especially from stars like Vincent Price and Ray Milland, whose careers he helped revive with movies like The Conqueror Worm and The Pit and The Pendulum.

Now, don't get me wrong - his bread and butter was true and genuine schlock, and that made up the bulk of his work - but he made up for movies like Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women and Navy vs. The Night Monsters with classics like Masque of the Red Death and (my personal favorite) The Raven. He also mentored an amazing number of Hollywood directors, all of whom warmly respected him and acknowledged their debt to his work. James Cameron - who admits to no one but himself in his success - happily admits that he learned at Corman's feet.

Corman passed away yesterday at the age of 98 - he'd been working up to 2018. And best of all, he got to see the recognition he genuinely deserved. Hollywood studios scream for a Copplola, or a Howard, or a Cameron...but they pray for a Corman.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Corman#
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Corman_filmography

Mike

[jemhouston]

A lot of people who went onto bigger things got their start under his tutelage.

[Micael]

Quite a pity to hear that. He was a master at his craft.

[1Big Rich]

Sad to hear. I enjoyed his work; still watch Death Race 2000 whenever it's on.

I recall an interview with Mike from MST3K (Mike Nelson, comedian) where the interviewer asked, "What's the cause of most bad science fiction?"
Mike's two word response: "Roger Corman"

There used to be a trilogy of videos on youtube of Roger, Rob Zombie and Bruce Campbell talking about low-budget film making. I can't find it now, but it was very enlightening.

May God have mercy on his soul.

[Rocket J Squrriel]

His "St. Valentine's Day Massacre' is quite good. It was a film where Roger didn't use most of his shortcuts and later said it was one of his favorite films.

[Nathan45]

I remember discussions with friends comparing two Roger Corman cheap horror movies. Galaxy of Terror and Forbidden World. Forbidden world honestly is just a cheap Alien knockoff. Galaxy of Terror is actually a pretty decent flick in its own right, with some good performances, intriguing premises and one truthfully very memorable death. When he wanted to, he could make a good movie on about 1/100 the budget of hollywood now.