Roger Corman is a cinematic maestro who sadly passed away late last week, and the outpouring of affection continues. Even though he’s regarded as retired, there’s still some output. He’s executive producing and I can’t wait for the release of Little Shop of Halloween Horrors, a reboot of the movie that made me a fan of his works. Technically, I first saw the musical and upon learning right away that it was based on a darker version, I had to see it. Afterwards, I had a tough time deciding which one I loved more. Both have their merits.
As for being a filmmaker at the height of his career, the 60s, he gave many young talents getting into the industry that break. He also helped mentor them to be even more successful than he was. At the time of writing, the outpouring of affection from Ron Howard and John Carpenter say more than what I can put to words. There’s also bound to be more social media posts from other industry leaders. Even the heads from Shout! Studios, an early distributor of his works, have paid tribute.
Instead of echoing what’s been said already, I’ll look at how he’s shaped what I love from pop cinema and in the development of the cinematic narrative. His no holds barred DIY approach is unique. The reason is not really about what he could afford to produce but concerns milking what can be done given the constraints. Some works are pulpy and others try to be serious. I’m sure he’s the one responsible for naming films like Machine Gun Kelly, but if anyone is to say they’ve enjoyed his early B-films like The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent then my hats off to them.
Although some of his early material was lowbrow affairs, there are others which are more serious. He even attempted to make Marvel Comic’s Fantastic Four (which can easily be found on YouTube), and that deservedly needs to be buried. He even had the rights to make Spider-Man and thankfully, that project never got off the ground. His rise to fame came from his contributions to the horror genre. He adapted Edgar Allan Poe’s best tales and two of his most famous are The Pit and the Pendulum and House of Usher. In addition to those works, there’s also:
- The Premature Burial (1962)
- Tales of Terror (1962)
- The Raven (1963)
- The Masque of the Red Death (1964)
- The Tomb of Ligeia (1964)
They are all worth checking out, and even I’m hard pressed to say which version of Red Death I like more, Corman’s 1964 work or the 1989 take he produced but not direct. To see other works sort of within this cycle and remastered through Film Masters was a blast of the past; the bonus features included helped remind me why Corman is special. He was a tour de force in the entertainment industry, and he’ll be sorely missed. For anyone wanting to sample his works but don’t know where to look, Tubi has a terrific catalogue available to view for free.
Disclaimer: the following are summaries from this company’s website and the headers are linked to my reviews where possible.
The Terror
The two sides of Roger Corman are represented with The Terror (1963) and The Little Shop of Horrors (1960). Corman’s Gothic, spooky side is on display in The Terror, an atmospheric horror tale of a French soldier whose encounter with ghostly leads him to a mysterious castle full of dark secrets. The pairing of a youthful Jack Nicholson as the soldier and veteran Boris Karloff as the castle’s owner makes The Terror a memorable example of Corman’s mid-sixties Goth period.
Though Corman is credited as director, several others took a turn behind the camera, including Nicholson himself, Monte Hellman, and Francis Ford Coppola. Meanwhile, Corman’s more whimsical side is on display in The Little Shop of Horrors. This legendary cult film features a bumbling florist’s assistant who creates a giant plant that craves human blood. The usual Corman stock company is on hand, including Jonathan Haze and Dick Miller, plus a cameo by Nicholson as a dental patient with a high threshold for pain.
Devil’s Partner
Roger Corman and his brother Gene founded The Filmgroup to distribute their own films. Occasionally they picked up projects by other filmmakers, such as The Devil’s Partner (1961), a macabre tale of an elderly man who regains his youth after making a deal with Satan. This tale of folk terror from director Charles Rondeau stars Edgar Buchanan and Jean Allison.
Special Bonus Feature: Creature from the Haunted Sea (1961), Corman’s spoof of crime films where a gangster knocks off his crew members, blaming their deaths on a legendary sea monster. These two were often paired as a double-feature during the summer and fall of 1961. Beware of the creature with ping-pong ball eyes!
Also included in this filmmaker’s release are these films:
Beast from Haunted Cave
Get ready for a crash course in Corman! Acclaimed as the king of low budget movies, Roger Corman produced dozens of films that were both hilarious and thrilling, such as Beast from Haunted Cave (1959). Directed by cult favourite Monte Hellman (Two-Lane Blacktop, Cockfighter), Beast From Haunted Cave is a suspenseful tale of criminals being terrorised by a bloodsucking spider-like thing.
Special Bonus: Ski Troop Attack (1960). Upon wrapping Beast from Haunted Cave, Corman directed this World War II drama using the same South Dakota location and much of the same cast and crew. For Corman, economy was key!
The Swiss Conspiracy
A Swiss Bank president hires an American investigator to ferret out a group of blackmailers that have been terrorising his clients. Meanwhile, American gangsters hit the streets of Zurich intending to kill a Chicago mob figure, one of the blackmail victims. Other blackmail victims include a beautiful Zurish resident, a Texas businessman, and a wealthy Dutchman. The investigator (David Janssen) identifies four potential suspects, including the bank vice-president’s mistress (Elke Sommer).
Adding to the intrigue is that the Swiss Federal Police suspect the American and are soon making his job more difficult. Ultimately, the investigation leads to the bank paying the chief blackmailer in uncut diamonds, which results in a dramatic showdown in the snow-covered Alps and a surprise revelation. The cast also includes John Saxon, John Ireland, Senta Berger, and Ray Milland.
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