ROGER CORMAN BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:
Roger William Corman was born on April 5, 1926 in Detroit, Michigan. In 1947, he graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor’s degree in engineering. He tried an engineering job for three days, but decided that the profession just wasn’t for him. Corman quit and took at job at 20th Century Fox as a messenger boy, eventually becoming one of their story analysts in 1949. Discontented with the studio, he left to England, where he studied modern English at Oxford. Upon his arrival back in Hollywood, Corman temporarily worked as a literary agent.
However, he also wrote his first film for “Highway Dragnet” (1954), which was sold to Allied Artists, who let him be co-producer. With the money he made from the prior, he made “The Monster from the Ocean Floor” (1955), his debut film as an independent producer. It cost somewhere between $12-18,000 and took six days to make. It also set the precedent for most of Corman’s movies: inexpensive productions shot in the shortest amount of time. Additionally, he showed that films could be produced with a small amount of resources and still achieve success. American International Pictures was so pleased with his work that they asked him to produce a number of low-budgeted pictures for them. He complied, and many of them became popular hits. The variety in the films was extensive; he would produce films that ranged in genre from western to sci-fi to teenage. He also put out a lot of them. In fact, in 1957 alone, he produced nine movies, some of which took only two or three days to create. Also, Corman had become involved in directing some of his features. The first of these was the western “Five Guns West” (1955), and he continued to direct about an eighth of the movies he produced.
In 1960, he produced and directed the cult classic “The Little Shop of Horrors”. It was a horror comedy about a floral shop assistant who invented a carnivorous plant that fed off of human blood. The movie took only two and a half days to construct, but was later spun off into a couple stage musicals and a remake. Because of the commercial success of many of his other pictures also, including “The Fast and the Furious” (1954) “The Beast With a Million Eyes” (1955), “Gunslinger” (1956), “The Undead” (1957), Jack Nicholson’s debut film “The Cry Baby Killer” (1958), and “Attack of the Giant Leeches” (1959), earned Corman the nickname “King of the Drive-In”. This fame furthermore enabled him to produce films with much larger budgets.
Soon after, Corman began to enter his most acclaimed period of work. He started adapting Edgar Allen Poe’s horror pieces into movies. Corman adaptations of the author’s work include “House of Usher” (1960), “The Pit and the Pendulum” (1961), “The Premature Burial” (1962), “Tales of Terror” (1962), “The Raven” (1963), “The Haunted Palace” (1963), “The Masque of the Red Death” (1964), and “The Tomb of Ligeia” (1964). These movies featured a fair amount of up and coming filmmakers like Jack Hill, Jack Nicholson, Dennis Jakob, Monte Hellman, and Francis Ford Coppola. After the filming of “The Raven” (1963), the producer actually used the extra days he had of shooting time to create another picture, “The Terror” (1963). It followed some of the same basic principles of the Poe adaptation, but instead of ending with a fire, ended with a flood.
During this period he also shot “The Intruder” (1962), starring William Shatner. It focused on Shatner’s character, a southern racist, and his reaction to the desegregation occurring at the local school. While it fared well with critics, it did not do as well at the box office and became Corman’s first commercial flop. In 1966, he produced the first biker movie “The Wild Angels”. A year later, he released the psychedelic “The Trip” (1967), which starred and was written by Jack Nicholson. He next went to a production company, 20th Century Fox, to produce the gangster drama “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” (1967).
In the 1970's, Corman, upset over the extensive processes that occurred in major studios, formed New World Pictures. It rapidly became one of the United States’ largest independent motion picture distribution companies, providing such entertainment like “The Student Nurses” (1970), “Gas-s-s-s!” (1970), “Big Bad Mama” (1974), “Death Race 2000” (1975), “Grand Theft Auto” (1977), and “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” (1979). He also acted as the American distributer for foreign films such as Ingmar’s “Cries and Whispers” (1972), Federico Fellini’s “Amarcord” (1974), and Volker Schlöndorff’s “The Tin Drum” (1979). In 1983, Corman chose to sell New World Pictures so that he could continue producing films without having to deal with a large and growing distribution business. A day after selling his company, he announced the development of his new venture, Concord/New Horizons. His new production company put out exploitation films that exploded with violence and sex like “Moving Violations” (1985), “Sorority House Massacre” (1986), “Summer Camp Nightmare” (1986), and “Stripped to Kill” (1987). He also produced a string of martial arts and horror flicks that were poorly created and unoriginal. Only a few of the titles Corman produced around this time actually had some merit. Some of these films include “Bloodfist” (1989) and “Not of This Earth” (1988).
In 1990, Corman made a surprise return to his directing career with “Frankenstein Unbound” (1990), but that was his final effort as director. In his more recent years, he actually became involved in front of the camera. While he appeared as extras in some of his early works like “Monster From the Ocean Floor” (1954) and “Blood Bath” (1966), more recently he has appeared in larger productions like “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991), “Philadelphia” (1993), “Apollo 13” (1995), “Scream 3” (2000), as well as others. He still continued to produce films, however, and is to this day involved in the production of many features. He has expanded, though, and now includes television shows and movies in his repertoire. So far he has produced almost four hundred pieces and directed over fifty films. His most recent production work includes the pictures “Road Raiders” (2011) and “Stealing Las Vegas” (2011), in addition to the TV movie “Piranhaconda” (2011).
For his work, he has received an Honorary Academy Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as well as numerous other honors from associations not limited to the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, American Cinema Editors, Eyegore Awards, and Society of Camera Operators. He will most importantly, though, always be remembered as one of the only filmmakers that has achieved greatness without spending his entire wallet. You can read Corman’s story in his autobiography “How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood without Spending a Dime” (1990).
Filmography
2011 Piranhaconda
2011 Stealing Las Vegas
2011 Road Raiders
2010 Sharktopus
2010 Dinocroc vs. Supergator
2010 Dinoshark
2010 When Life Gives You Lemons
2009 Splatter
2008 Rachel Getting Married
2008 Cyclops
2008 Death Race
2007 Searchers 2.0
2007 Supergator
2007 Cry of the Winged Serpent
2006 Scorpius Gigantus
2006 The Hunt for Eagle One: Crash Point
2006 The Hunt for Eagle One
2006 Saurian
2005 Bloodfist 2050
2005 Asphalt Wars
2004 The Manchurian Candidate
2004 Dinocroc
2004 Rage and Discipline
2003 Looney Tunes: Back in Action
2003 Barbarian
2003 Operation Balikatan
2003 Firefight
2003 When Eagles Strike
2002 Slaughter Studios
2002 Shakedown
2002 Sting of the Black Scorpion
2002 Wolfhound
2002 Escape from Afghanistan
2002 My Brother's War
2001 Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song
2001 Raptor
2001 The Arena
2001 Avalanche Alley
2001 Black Scorpion
2001 A Girl, Three Guys, and a Gun
2001 Hard As Nails
2000 Scream 3
2000 The Doorway
2000 Up Against Amanda
2000 Kyoko
2000 Aladdin and the Adventure of All Time
2000 Moving Target
2000 Dangerous Curves
2000 Nightfall
2000 The Suicide Club
1999 The Practice
1999 The White Pony
1999 The Haunting of Hell House
1999 The Phantom Eye
1999 Born Bad
1999 The Prophet
1999 Stray Bullet
1999 Desert Thunder
1999 Shadow Dancer
1999 Don't Sleep Alone
1999 Cybermaster
1999 Shepherd
1999 Knocking on Death's Door
1999 Star Portal
1999 The Protector
1999 Enemy Action
1998 Club Vampire
1998 Black Thunder
1998 A Very Unlucky Leprechaun
1998 Alien Avengers II
1998 Criminal Affairs
1998 Watchers Reborn
1998 Detonator
1998 Termination Man
1998 Hard Rock'n
1998 Running Woman
1997 The Second Civil War
1997 Future Fear
1997 Death Game
1997 Inferno
1997 The Haunted Sea
1997 Spacejacked
1997 Time Under Fire
1997 Alien Avengers
1997 Under Oath
1997 Starquest II
1997 The Unspeakable
1997 Falling Fire
1997 Not of This Earth
1997 Black Scorpion II: Aftershock
1997 Macon County Jail
1997 The Sea Wolf
1997 Eruption
1997 Overdrive
1996 Carnosaur 3: Primal Species
1996 Vampirella
1996 Humanoids from the Deep
1996 Baby Face Nelson
1996 Inhumanoid
1996 House of the Damned
1996 Black Rose of Harlem
1996 The Flight of the Dove
1996 Bloodfist VIII: Trained to Kill
1996 Bio-Tech Warrior
1996 Rumble in the Streets
1996 Ladykiller
1996 Subliminal Seduction
1996 Marquis de Sade
1996 Last Exit to Earth
1995 Apollo 13
1995 Droid Gunner
1995 One Night Stand
1995 Bloodfist VII: Manhunt
1995 Piranha
1995 Body Chemistry 4: Full Exposure
1995 Alien Terminator
1995 A Bucket of Blood
1995 Black Scorpion
1995 Twisted Love
1995 Virtual Seduction
1995 Sawbones
1995 The Alien Within
1995 Suspect Device
1995 Dillinger and Capone
1995 Carnosaur 2
1995 Bloodfist VI: Ground Zero
1995 Hellfire
1995 The Wasp Woman
1995 Where Evil Lies
1995 Caged Heat 3000
1995 Terminal Virus
1995 Captain Nuke and the Bomber Boys
1995 The Crazysitter
1995 Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfolds
1995 Burial of the Rats
1995 Not Like Us
1994 Runaway Daughters
1994 Watchers III
1994 In the Heat of Passion II: Unfaithful
1994 Stranglehold
1994 No Dessert, Dad, Till You Mow the Lawn
1994 Cheyenne Warrior
1994 Reflections on a Crime
1994 The Unborn II
1994 Dinosaur Island
1994 Point of Seduction: Body Chemistry III
1994 One Man Army
1994 Caroline at Midnight
1994 Bloodfist V: Human Target
1994 New Crime City
1994 Revenge of the Red Baron
1994 Saturday Night Special
1994 Demon Keeper
1994 Angel of Destruction
1994 The Fantastic Four
1993 Philadelphia
1993 Body Bags
1993 Fire on the Amazon
1993 Dragon Fire
1993 Little Miss Millions
1993 Live by the Fist
1993 Carnosaur
1993 Eight Hundred Leagues Down the Amazon
1993 Angelfist
1993 Stepmonster
1993 To Sleep with a Vampire
1993 Dracula Rising
1993 Kill Zone
1993 Blackbelt II
1993 The Liars' Club
1993 The Skateboard Kid
1992 Bloodfist IV: Die Trying
1992 Crisis in the Kremlin
1992 Body Chemistry II: Voice of a Stranger
1992 Barbarian Queen II: The Empress Strikes Back
1992 Quake
1992 Munchie
1992 Body Waves
1992 Blackbelt
1992 Dance with Death
1992 In the Heat of Passion
1992 Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight
1992 The Berlin Conspiracy
1992 Raiders of the Sun
1992 Beyond the Call of Duty
1992 Ultraviolet
1992 Final Embrace
1991 The Silence of the Lambs
1991 Future Kick
1991 To Die Standing
1991 Deathstalker IV: Match of Titans
1991 Kiss Me a Killer
1991 Curse of the Crystal Eye
1991 The Unborn
1991 Dead Space
1991 The Terror Within II
1991 Dune Warriors
1991 Immortal Sins
1991 Killer Instinct
1991 Battle Gear
1990 Frankenstein Unbound
1990 Bloodfist II
1990 Full Fathom Five
1990 Slumber Party Massacre III
1990 Watchers II
1990 Schweitzer
1990 Ultra Warrior
1990 Overexposed
1990 The Haunting of Morella
1990 Streets
1990 Sorority House Massacre II
1990 Play Murder for Me
1989 Last Stand at Lang Mei
1989 Heroes Stand Alone
1989 Transylvania Twist
1989 Back to Back
1989 Ministry of Vengeance
1989 Masque of the Red Death
1989 Bloodfist
1989 Under the Boardwalk
1989 Lords of the Deep
1989 Dance of the Damned
1989 Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II
1989 Crime Zone
1989 The Terror Within
1989 Stripped to Kill II: Live Girls
1989 Primary Target
1989 Time Trackers
1989 Hollywood Boulevard II
1989 Silk 2
1988 Watchers
1988 Emmanuelle 6
1988 Beach Balls
1988 Not of This Earth
1988 Daddy's Boys
1988 The Drifter
1988 Apprentice to Murder
1988 Saigon Commandos
1988 The New Gladiators
1988 Andy Colby's Incredible Adventure
1988 The Lawless Land
1988 Two to Tango
1988 Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell
1987 Deathstalker II
1987 Big Bad Mama II
1987 Slumber Party Massacre II
1987 Summer Camp Nightmare
1987 Munchies
1987 Stripped to Kill
1987 Sweet Revenge
1987 Beyond Therapy
1987 Hour of the Assassin
1986 The Devastator
1986 Sorority House Massacre
1986 Amazons
1986 Vendetta
1986 Mountaintop Motel Massacre
1986 Chopping Mall
1986 Shadow Play
1986 House
1986 Eye of the Eagle
1985 Naked Vengeance
1985 Barbarian Queen
1985 Wizards of the Lost Kingdom
1985 School Spirit
1985 Cocaine Wars
1984 Swing Shift
1984 Oddballs
1983 Suburbia
1983 White Star
1983 Deathstalker
1983 Space Raiders
1983 Love Letters
1982 The State of Things
1982 Android
1982 Forbidden World
1982 Sorceress
1981 Galaxy of Terror
1981 Smokey Bites the Dust
1981 The Howling
1981 The Territory
1980 The Georgia Peaches
1980 Battle Beyond the Stars
1980 Humanoids from the Deep
1979 Galaxy Express 999: The Signature Edition
1979 Rock 'n' Roll High School
1979 The Lady in Red
1979 Up from the Depths
1979 Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider
1979 Saint Jack
1979 Screamers
1978 Outside Chance
1978 The Bees
1978 Avalanche
1978 Piranha
1978 Deathsport
1977 The Godfather: A Novel for Television
1977 The Ransom
1977 Ilsa the Tigress of Siberia
1977 Thunder and Lightning
1977 I Never Promised You a Rose Garden
1977 Grand Theft Auto
1976 Cannonball!
1976 Moving Violation
1976 Fighting Mad
1976 Eat My Dust
1976 Jackson County Jail
1976 Hollywood Boulevard
1975 Death Race 2000
1975 Capone
1974 The Godfather: Part II
1974 Big Bad Mama
1974 Cockfighter
1974 Down and Dirty Duck
1974 Candy Stripe Nurses
1974 Caged Heat
1974 T.N.T. Jackson
1974 The Arena
1973 Tender Loving Care
1973 I Escaped from Devil's Island
1973 Savage!
1973 The Twilight People
1973 Sweet Kill
1972 The Dirt Gang
1972 The Unholy Rollers
1972 The Big Bird Cage
1972 The Hot Box
1972 Boxcar Bertha
1972 The Final Comedown
1972 Night of the Cobra Woman
1972 The Cremators
1972 Night Call Nurses
1971 Women in Cages
1971 The Velvet Vampire
1971 Angels Hard as They Come
1971 Private Duty Nurses
1971 The Big Doll House
1971 The Beast of the Yellow Night
1970 The Student Nurses
1970 Scream of the Demon Lover
1970 Gas! -Or- It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It.
1970 Angels Die Hard
1970 Bloody Mama
1970 The Dunwich Horror
1969 Naked Angels
1968 Targets
1968 The Wild Racers
1968 The Shooting
1968 Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women
1967 The Trip
1967 The St. Valentine's Day Massacre
1967 Devil's Angels
1966 The Navy vs. the Night Monsters
1966 The Wild Angels
1966 Queen of Blood
1966 Blood Bath
1965 Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet
1965 Ride in the Whirlwind
1964 The Masque of the Red Death
1963 Dementia 13
1963 X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes
1963 The Haunted Palace
1963 The Terror
1963 The Raven
1963 Operacija Ticijan
1963 The Young Racers
1962 Tales of Terror
1962 The Intruder
1962 The Broken Land
1962 Premature Burial
1962 Battle Beyond the Sun
1961 Pit and the Pendulum
1961 Creature from the Haunted Sea
1961 Atlas
1960 Last Woman on Earth
1960 The Little Shop of Horrors
1960 House of Usher
1960 Ski Troop Attack
1960 Battle of Blood Island
1959 Attack of the Giant Leeches
1959 The Wasp Woman
1959 Beast from Haunted Cave
1959 A Bucket of Blood
1959 T-Bird Gang
1959 High School Big Shot
1958 The Brain Eaters
1958 Night of the Blood Beast
1958 Hot Car Girl
1958 The Cry Baby Killer
1958 Teenage Cave Man
1958 Machine-Gun Kelly
1958 War of the Satellites
1958 Stakeout on Dope Street
1958 I Mobster
1957 The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent
1957 Sorority Girl
1957 Teenage Doll
1957 Rock All Night
1957 The Undead
1957 Attack of the Crab Monsters
1957 Not of This Earth
1957 Carnival Rock
1957 Naked Paradise
1956 It Conquered the World
1956 Gunslinger
1956 The Oklahoma Woman
1955 Day the World Ended
1955 Apache Woman
1955 The Beast with a Million Eyes
1955 Five Guns West
1955 The Fast and the Furious
1954 Monster from the Ocean Floor
1954 Highway Dragnet
