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There's nothing a horror movie does better than a featured cameo, and there are many actors who give their all to a single scene of a scary movie and are remembered for it forever. Within the horror genre, most characters are expendable. When actors only have one moment to sell their performances, it's because they're an early victim who demonstrates how the monster or magic works. However, these films sometimes flip the script and have the long-awaited villain only appear in the final moments of the story to increase the impact of their arrival.

Though one scene might not qualify, some actor's performances in horror movies are often highlights of their careers, allowing them to step out of their comfort zones. Horror films are a place for actors and audiences alike to explore their anxieties, fears, and existential questions within a safe environment. Additionally, there's less pressure on a performer...

An underrated Jason Statham movie is being added to Max next month. Death Race, a remake of the 1975 film Death Race 2000, is set to debut on the streamer at the beginning of December.

Max subscribers won't need to wait long to stream Death Race as the Statham-led action thriller will be added to the streamer on Dec. 1. "Framed for a murder he did not commit, three-time speedway champ Jensen Ames (Statham) finds himself at Terminal Island, the country's toughest prison, but he gets an unexpected chance at freedom when the warden offers a choice: Compete in the Death Race as a mythical driver called 'Frankenstein,' or rot in a cell forever," reads the movie's synopsis. "Riding in a car equipped with flamethrowers and grenade launchers, Ames must survive a gauntlet of vicious criminals to win his freedom -- or die trying."

Related November 26 Will Be a Frustrating...

Jason Statham is undeniably one of the silver screen's most celebrated action superstars, and since his dazzling film debut in Guy Ritchie's 1998 black crime comedy Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, he has steadily become one of the most famous faces of the adrenaline-pumping genre. Known for portraying cool, calm, and tough-as-nails characters, Statham has emerged as one of Hollywood's most bankable leading men and his exhilarating movies have grossed more than $1.5 billion while also attracting a passionate fanbase along the way.

Statham has starred in a slew of big budget extravaganzas throughout his impressive cinema career, appearing in popular flicks like the Transporter trilogy, The Mechanic, The Expendables, and the enduring Fast & Furious franchise (to name just a few). Despite being a major box office draw, the charismatic actor has also been in his fair share of critical duds (even if audiences felt differently), with respected film...

The 1970s was a huge decade for cinema. In 1975, Steven Spielberg's Jaws hit theaters in June after being delayed for several months. Originally, Jaws was supposed to be a Christmas release, but due to complications with production (like the mechanical shark constantly breaking), the film was delayed. Jaws wasn't expected to do well due to the summer release date, but Jaws sold so many tickets that it single-handedly created the summer blockbuster phenomenon.

Jaws isn't the only iconic film to come out of the 1970s, though. The '70s gave birth to Halloween's (1978) Michael Myers and Alien's (1979) xenomorph. This decade saw rapid advancement in what could be accomplished for convincing movies. It also had an abundance of cheesy movies that were as iconic as they were cringey. Movies like Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) go down in cinema history as some of the funniest and cheesiest movies ever made.

Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. To keep up with our latest features, sign up for the Weekly Edit newsletter and follow us @mubinotebook on Twitter and Instagram.NEWSQueer.Mubi has canceled its annual Turkish film festival—Mubi Fest Istanbul—after the Kadıköy District Governorate of Istanbul barred a screening of the opening film, Luca Guadagnino’s Queer (2024), citing its “provocative content.”During Warner Bros. Discovery’s quarterly earnings call, CEO David Zaslav waxes optimistic about Donald Trump’s reelection, arguing that it “may offer a pace of change and an opportunity for consolidation that…would provide a real positive and accelerated impact on this industry that’s needed.” Meanwhile, other industry execs share concerns about the impact of high tariffs on the international film market.Multiple cinematography organizations have condemned an op-ed penned by Marek Żydowicz, the founder and CEO of Camerimage, the Polish film festival.

The Bloody Disgusting-powered Screambox is home to a variety of unique horror content, from originals and exclusives to cult classics and documentaries. With such a rapidly-growing library, there are many hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

Here are five recommendations you can stream on Screambox right now.

King of the Ants

While Stuart Gordon cemented himself as a master of horror with early works like Re-Animator and From Beyond, his later output is also worthy of exploration. 2003’s King of the Ants kicked off a trio of intense thrillers (alongside Edmond and Stuck) that would end up being Gordon’s final features. It was also one of the first productions from The Asylum, who would go on to create Sharknado, Z Nation, and Black Summer.

Based on the 1992 novel by Charlie Higson, who also wrote the screenplay, the film’s unusual structure makes it unpredictable. Struggling to make ends meet,...

The prequel film we have all been waiting for is finally here and I am really happy to say that it is as brilliant and bombastic as the original film. Obviously, we are talking about Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, the prequel to George Miller‘s 2015 Mad Max: Fury Road. Directed by Miller from a screenplay by Nico Lathouris and Miller, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga follows the story of a young Furiosa as she is taken from Green Place of Many Mothers and tries to survive in the wasteland while trying to get back home but the war between great biker horde’s warlord Dementus and Immortan Joe makes it harder. Replacing Charlize Theron from Fury Road, Anya Taylor-Joy takes over the role of Furiosa in the prequel film and it also stars Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Lachy Hulme, John Howard, Angus Sampson, and Nathan Jones. So,...

Jack Nicholson's tearful tribute captured the essence of Roger Corman's impact on his career and life, starting with Little Shop of Horrors. Hollywood legends like John Carpenter and Ron Howard recognize Corman's influence. Corman's financial success in low-budget films and ability to inspire others cemented his status as a Hollywood icon, leaving a powerful legacy.

As the world mourned the loss of Roger Corman, one particular clip from the archives went viral across social media. It was not a clip of Corman, or from one of his many movies, but of an emotional Jack Nicholson breaking down in tears while talking about the impact Corman had on his life and career. Roger Corman passed away on May 11, at the age of 98. As the director of around 50 movies and producer of up to 500, the unique and legendary Hollywood icon was still working right up to the end.

It was...

Joe Dante and Roger Corman are teaming up with Brad Krevoy for another shot at Little Shop of Horrors.

Per Deadline, Joe Dante and Roger Corman have joined producer and Mpca CEO Brad Krevoy for a reboot of Corman's 1960 horror-comedy hit, Little Shop of Horrors. Corman will co-produce alongside Krevoy, while Dante is slated to direct the film from a script by Charles S. Haas. Dante previously directed Gremlins 2: The New Batch, which was also written by Haas.

Related Daisy Ridley Teases Her 'Brutal' Role in Die Hard-Inspired Action Movie Daisy Ridley addresses her starring role in the new action movie from GoldenEye director Martin Campbell.

The original Little Shop of Horrors hit the silver screen in 1960. The film was produced and directed by Corman, written by Charles B. Griffith, and starred Jonathan Haze, Jackie Joseph, Dick Miller, and a young Jack Nicholson in his fourth role in a feature film.

Roger Corman & Joe Dante are teaming up for a new Little Shop of Horrors remake. Joe Dante returns to working with Corman, who he started his career working for. Expect a fresh take on the original movie, with no details yet on the upcoming Little Shop of Halloween Horrors, but stay tuned for updates.

Little Shop of Horrors looks to be getting a remake after all, with B-movie legend Roger Corman returning to his creation along with Gremlins director Joe Dante. This will be a reimagining of the story of an alien plant that attempts to take over the world, and follows the abandoned Chris Evans-starring remake that was in development but cancelled after pandemic delays.

The Little Shop of Horrors NRComedyFantasy Horror Release DateAugust 5, 1960DirectorRoger Corman, Charles B. Griffith, Mel WellesCastJonathan Haze, Jackie Joseph, Mel Welles, Dick Miller, Myrtle Vail, Karyn KupcinetRuntime70Main GenreComedyWritersCharles B. GriffithTaglineThe funniest picture of the year!

The 1986 version of Little Shop of Horrors has an alternate ending where Audrey II takes over the world, which was originally intended but changed due to audience preference. Little Shop of Horrors has had multiple iterations including a 1960 film, a 1982 musical, and a 1986 movie musical, each with their own unique endings. The tragic ending of Little Shop of Horrors, where the main characters die and the villain wins, would have been a more consistent and emotionally effective choice for the 1986 version and any potential future remakes.

The 1986 version of Little Shop of Horrors concludes with Audrey II's defeat, but the film's alternate ending saw the alien plant take over the world. It's often said that Hollywood doesn't have any original ideas anymore, which is, of course, an exaggeration. Plenty of original films still get released, however they often don't get the same theatrical and marketing push that the latest superhero blockbusters or franchise sequels receive.

The 1986 musical "Little Shop of Horrors" started its life as a zero-budget monster comedy that Roger Corman legendarily shot over the course of two days and a single night. Rehearsals were only held for the three days prior, and it was filmed on sets that had been left standing for the production of "A Bucket of Blood," which had just wrapped filming. A young Jack Nicholson appears in the film as a masochistic dental patient. The 1960 film is a prime example of low-budget tenacity at work — all one needs is gumption, a portion of an idea, and a few actors willing to read lines.

The film is about a nebbish named Seymour (Jonathan Haze) who discovers a talking alien plant (Charles B. Griffith) that thirsts for human flesh. In order to appease his boss and impress his would-be girlfriend Audrey (Jackie Joseph), he feeds the plant his own blood and,...

Producer Mike Finnell (Joe Dante’s long time producing partner) joins Josh and Joe to discuss a few of his favorite movies.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Avalanche (1978)

Airport (1970)

Earthquake (1974) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Matinee (1993) – Illeana Douglas’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s review, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Hollywood Boulevard (1976) – Jon Davison’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing

Deceived (1991)

Newsies (1992)

Milk Money (1994)

Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979) – Eli Roth’s trailer commentary

The Howling (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings

Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)

Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s 4K Blu-ray review, Tfh’s 30th anniversary celebration

Explorers (1985) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Innerspace (1987) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

The ’Burbs (1989) – Ti West’s trailer commentary, Tfh’s ’Burbs Mania

Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

Small Soldiers (1998)

A Matter of Life and Death (1946) – Glenn Erickson’s...

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By Hank Reineke

I turned age three one month prior to the January 1965 U.S. release of Roger Corman’s The Tomb of Ligeia. The film had been first released in England in November 1964 - which was only fair - since both The Tomb of Ligeia and its predecessor The Masque of the Red Death (also 1964) had been shot at Shepperton Studios and in the neighboring English countryside. I’m guessing that I only became acquainted with Corman’s octet of Poe adaptations when the films were televised on New York City’s 4:30 Movie in the mid-1970s.

I didn’t know quite what to make of the Aip Poe films at first. These were horror films without monsters and, at age fifteen, I had no particular interest in - or understanding of - “psychological horror” pictures… I wanted rubber-suit monsters sporting...

Roger Corman began his boom year of 1957 with a marvelous bit of ‘way-out’ sci-fi — a ‘Tidal Wave of Terror’ no less. This note just arrived from Donald J.’s Seafood Emporium: “You puny, dunderheaded humans, don’t let the campy title fool you! Soon you will be ‘absorbed’ into our crabby super-mentalities, heh heh heh. We atom-age crustaceans are made of electric anti-matter — it’s incredible! Our telepathy is the best telepathy ever — everybody says so! It is what it is!” The new Blu-ray will charm fans seeking prime ‘fifties monster nirvana.

Attack of the Crab Monsters

Blu-ray

1957 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 62 min. / Street Date August 25 , 2020

Starring: Richard Garland, Pamela Duncan, Russell Johnson, Leslie Bradley, Mel Welles, Richard Cutting, Beach Dickerson, Tony Miller, Ed Nelson, Charles B. Griffith, Maitland Stuart.

Cinematography: Floyd Crosby

Film Editor: Charles Gross Jr.

Assistants of all stripes: Maurice Vaccarino, Charles B. Griffith, Lindsley Parsons Jr., Beach Dickerson,...

You’ve asked questions. Prepare for the answers.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Sweet Smell Of Success (1957)

The Beguiled (1971)

Tenet (2021? Maybe?)

Smokey Is The Bandit (1983)

Robin Hood (2010)

Hollywood Boulevard (1976)

The Devils (1971)

Song of the South (1946)

Gremlins (1984)

Dillinger (1973)

Marcello I’m So Bored (1966)

Jeremiah Johnson (1972)

Big Wednesday (1978)

Swamp Thing (1982)

Forrest Gump (1994)

Payback (1999)

Bell, Book And Candle (1958)

Blowup (1966)

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Medium Cool (1969)

25th Hour (2002)

Apocalypse Now (1979)

Palm Springs (2020)

Groundhog Day (1993)

Mandy (2018)

The Sadist (1963)

Spider Baby (1968)

Night Tide (1960)

Stark Fear

Carnival of Souls (1962)

The Devil’s Messenger (1961)

Ms. 45 (1981)

Léolo (1992)

The Howling (1981)

Showgirls (1995)

Green Book (2018)

The Last Hurrah (1958)

The Best Man (1964)

Advise and Consent (1962)

The Candidate (1972)

The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

Seven Days In May (1964)

The Seduction of Joe Tynan (1979)

The Man (1972)

Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (1970)

Four Lions (2010)

Pump Up The Volume (1990)

Nightmare In The Sun (1965)

The Wild Angels (1966)

The Omega Man (1971)

The Nanny (1965)

Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)

Live Like A Cop, Die Like A Man...

A new Little Shop of Horrors remake is currently in the works, and according to the rumor mill, Taron Egerton and Scarlett Johansson are in talks to star in the upcoming movie. Back in 2016, it was first announced that Warner Bros. was spearheading another iteration of the classic story with Greg Berlanti directing the project using a screenplay from Matthew Robinson (The History of Lying). Updates since then have been few and far between with very little new information, but it now appears that the movie has begun its casting process.

In an exclusive report from Full Circle Cinema, Taron Egerton is reported to be in talks to star in the upcoming Little Shop of Horrors remake. As this would be for a starring role, it's likely Egerton would be playing the role of Seymour Krelborn, the role played by Rick Moranis in the 1986 version. Oddly enough, this wouldn't be...

By Hank Reineke

There’s a long-standing Hollywood tradition of blending filmdom’s most bankable but seemingly disparate genres – horror and comedy – but a successful marriage of the two is a tricky business at best. The gold standard films of these hybrid would be, generationally, Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), Young Frankenstein (1974) or, I suppose, Ghostbusters (1984) should one choose to go “modern-contemporary.” Parodies of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde would serve as a virtual cottage industry of horror-comedy fusion, these pastiches encompassing the silent era, animated shorts, features, and even pornographic films. Having already challenged the Frankenstein monster, Abbott and Costello would eventually take on other classic movie monsters, including Boris Karloff’s Mr. Hyde in an entertaining 1953 Universal Studios production. I like that one a lot.

Charles B. Griffith’s Dr. Heckyl & Mr. Hype is one of the odder entries. It’s difficult to exactly pinpoint this production’s various misfires,...

Roger Corman’s ‘sick sick sick!’ horror comedy is still a delight, and Olive’s Signature edition accompanies it with some excellent Elijah Drenner extras, including a video interview with the beloved star Dick Miller. Walter Paisley is the patron saint of underachieving artists everywhere, and this special edition has director Corman and writer Charles B. Griffith on tap to sing his praises. It is by will alone that I set my mind in motion: “Be a nose!”

A Bucket of Blood

Signature Collection Blu-ray

Olive Films

1959 / B&w / 1:85 widescreen / 66 min. / Street Date September 24, 2019 / available through the Olive Filmswebsite / 39.95 Starring: Dick Miller, Barboura Morris, Antony Carbone, Julian Burton, Ed Nelson, John Brinkley, John Herman Shaner, Judy Bamber, Myrtle Damerel, Bert Convy, Jhean Burton, Bruno Ve Soto.

Cinematography: Jacques R. Marquette

Film Editor: Anthony Carras

Art Direction: Daniel Haller

Original Music: Fred Katz

Written by Charles B. Griffith

Produced and...

Austin Film Festival has unveiled the first batch of films that will screen at its 25th-anniversary program taking place October 25 to November 1. Among the lineup is Boy Erased, the Joel Edgerton-helmed coming-of-age Lgbtq drama that stars Lucas Hedges, Russell Crowe, and Nicole Kidman.

In addition, Melissa McCarthy-starring biopic Can You Ever Forgive Me?, directed by Marielle Heller, will get a regional premiere at the fest, while Nia DaCosta’s directorial debut Little Woods, starring Tessa Thompson and Lily James, and Hannah Fidell’s comedy, The Long Dumb Road, with Tony Revolori and Jason Mantzoukas are also set.

World premiere films include The Black String, which stars Malcolm In The Middle alum Frankie Muniz as well as family cult drama Fishbowl, faith-based flick Speaking in Tongues, and high school football documentary Fathers of Football.

Furthermore, Aff will host a screening of Roger Corman’s 1957 film Rock All Night, as part of its retrospective series,...

Roger Corman’s crew of associates must have had some pretty wild times in the 1950’s, scraping around Hollywood and Venice Beach trying to bust into the film business. Perhaps these semi-bohemians stimulated writer Charles Griffith’s cynical humor gland, for the first modern black comedy feature in a horror vein became an amazing low budget ‘sick’ accomplishment for the uniquely creative Corman.

A Bucket of Blood

DVD

Olive Films

1959 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 66 min. / Street Date May 29, 2018 / available through Olive Films / 14.94

Starring: Dick Miller, Barboura Morris, Antony Carbone, Julian Burton, Ed Nelson, John Brinkley, John Herman Shaner, Judy Bamber, Myrtle Damerel, Bert Convy, Jhean Burton, Bruno Ve Soto.

Cinematography: Jacques R. Marquette

Film Editor: Anthony Carras

Art Direction: Daniel Haller

Original Music: Fred Katz

Written by Charles B. Griffith

Produced and Directed by Roger Corman

When queried about his prolific output of science fiction pictures for drive-ins (1954-1960), producer-director...

Paul Bartel’s 1975 road race movie Death Race 2000 is one of the great exploitation films of all time, a model of how to use the creative freedom of working with limited resources within a marketable genre for the purposes of subversive satire. Produced by Roger Corman, it has a deliciously nasty premise: in the (then) future, the population is kept pacified by gory reality entertainment in the form of a cross-country road race in which drivers receive points for mowing down pedestrians. Bartel and screenwriters Robert Thom and Charles Griffith milk this conceit for all that it’s worth, ramping […]...

Gas-s-s-s – Or – It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It.

Blu-ray

Olive Films

1970 / Color / 1:85 widescreen/ 79 min. / Street Date October 18, 2016 / Gas-s-s-s / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98

Starring: Elaine Giftos, Robert Corff, Cindy Williams, Bud Cort, Ben Vereen, Tally Coppola, Lou Procopio.

Cinematography: Ron Dexter

Film Editor: George Van Noy

Original Music: Country Joe and the Fish

Written and Produced by George Armitage

Directed by Roger Corman

Roger Corman finally accepted himself as an iconic filmmaker for this, his final show for A.I.P.. Barely released and long considered a failure, Gas-s-s-s – Or – It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It sees Corman and his writer associate George Armitage attempting a Mad magazine- like amalgam of all the counterculture trends of the late 1960s. That tactical mistake becomes eighty minutes of unfocused and unfunny satire. Armitage’s script and dialogue might occasionally hit some serendipitous notes,...

Revenge of the Blood Beast

Blu-ray

Rarovideo

1966 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 79 min. / Il lago di Satana, La sorella di Satana, The She-Beast / Street Date January 17, 2017 / 29.95

Starring: Barbara Steele, John Karlsen, Ian Ogilvy, Mel Welles, Lucretia Love

Cinematography: Gioacchino Gengarelli

Film Editor: Nira Omri

Original Music: Paul Ferris

Produced by: Paul Maslansky, Michael Reeves

Written and Directed by Michael Reeves

It’s back into the genre argument pits with the interesting director Michael Reeves. Reeves has persisted as a cult figure far longer than most directors with only three credited feature films. The movies are uneven but promising, and certainly the artistic equal (or better) than most of the work being turned out at the time by American-International and the majority of the Euro-horror crowd. The second half of the 1960s saw a general depression in the horror field, with Hammer losing touch with its audience and continental fare turning to sex content to generate interest.

Seb Patrick Dec 19, 2019

The Rick Moranis-headlined version of Little Shop Of Horrors is a special piece of weirdness.

This article comes from Den of Geek UK.

We should start at the end, seeing as it’s the thing people talk about the most when it comes to Little Shop of Horrors. In one of the most commonly-known pieces of "lost movie" lore, many of you will already be aware that Frank Oz’s 1986 movie adaptation of the cult stage musical made it to cinemas in December 1986 with a completely different ending from the one that had originally been shot. Rather than the bleak ending in which loveable nerd Seymour and his beloved Audrey are eaten by the fearsome Audrey II plant, which then breeds into a super-race of giant plants that dominate the globe, the amended movie ending instead sees Seymour destroy the plant and happily marry Audrey.

It sounds like typical Hollywood sanitizing,...

Seb Patrick Dec 8, 2016

The Rick Moranis-headlined version of Little Shop Of Horrors is 30 years old this month. But why is it so special?

We should start at the end, seeing as it’s the thing people talk about the most when it comes to Little Shop Of Horrors. In one of the most commonly-known pieces of 'lost movie' lore, many of you will already be aware that Frank Oz’s 1986 movie adaptation of the cult stage musical (itself an adaptation of the 1960, equally cult Roger Corman movie) made it to cinemas in December 1986 with a completely different ending from the one that had originally been shot. Rather than the bleak ending in which loveable nerd Seymour and his beloved Audrey are eaten by the fearsome Audrey II plant, which then breeds into a super-race of giant plants that dominate the globe, the amended movie ending instead sees Seymour destroy...

Roger Corman's Death Race Race 2050 burns rubber on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD on January 17th courtesy of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, and to help hold fans over until that day arrives, the official cover art, trailer, and release details have now been unveiled.

Press Release: Universal City, California, October 6, 2016 – A delirious blend of high-octane action, razor-sharp political satire and full-throttle mayhem, Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050 arrives on Blu-ray™ combo pack, DVD and Digital HD January 17, 2017, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The highly anticipated reboot of the cult classic Death Race 2000, the Universal 1440 Entertainment original production straps viewers into the driver’s seat of the ultimate auto showdown, a blood-splattered no-holds-barred virtual-reality show that gleefully pits hardened road warriors against each other — and their audience. Exclusive bonus features reveal how filmmakers transformed the deadliest competition on wheels into a hair-raising, savagely funny game of life or death.

'Worst Movie Ever?'   No way. But neither is Wayne Berwick and comic Jackie Vernon's tacky cannibalism tale a piece of art. When I say it's interesting, it's more as a study item than entertainment. Bad movie -- but a terrific restoration! Microwave Massacre Blu-ray + DVD Arrow Video 1983 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 76 min. / Street Date August 16, 2016 / 34.95 Starring Jackie Vernon, Loren Schein, Al Troupe, Claire Ginsberg, Maria Simon, Lou Ann Webber, Anna Marlowe. Cinematography Karen Grossman Makeup Effects Robert A. Burns Original Music Leif Horvath Editor Steve Nielson Written by Thomas Singer, Craig Muckler Produced by Craig Muckler, Thomas Singer Directed by Wayne Berwick

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

"Well, the only problem is, I can't make love to a woman, unless I eat her." Just as there are celebrities famous simply for being famous, there are movies that are famous for being bad. Last March I took the curiosity plunge and reviewed the notorious Manos,...

Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, and Tom Stockman

Happy 9oth Birthday to a legend! Roger Corman has directed more than 50 low-budget drive-in classics, produced and/or distributed 450 more, and helped the careers of hundreds of young people breaking into the industry. A partial list: Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Irvin Kershner, Monte Hellman, Peter Bogdanovich, Gail Ann Hurd, James Cameron, Jonathan Kaplan, Joe Dante, Robert Towne. Considering Corman’s own films, Jonathan Demme has stated. “Roger is arguably the greatest independent filmmaker the American film industry has seen and probably ever will see.” And he’s still going strong, currently producing the upcoming actioner Death Race 2050. We Are Movie Geeks has taken a look at Corman’s career and here are what we think are the ten best films that he has directed:

Honorable Mention. The Premature Burial

The Premature Burial (1962) is the ‘odd man out’ among the...

Though producer Roger Corman’s contributions to independent cinema are arguably unparalleled, the enduring quality of his directorial efforts is another story. By the end of the 1950s, Corman had directed about two dozen of his own films in roughly five years, many of these derivative genre efforts rivaling the quality of Ed Wood. But 1959 found Corman trying to switch things up a bit, and he delivered two of his more flavorful works. Besides unleashing the Susan Cabot headliner The Wasp Woman (which remains a fun, eccentric commentary on feminine standards of beauty), Corman would skewer the pretentiousness of self-important artists and the hypocrisy of what defines art in A Bucket of Blood, a much more salacious title than the material warrants. Written by Charles B. Griffith, (who would go uncredited next to Corman on his The Little Shop of Horrors a year later), the film is an early lead...

If you are of a certain vintage like me, Saturday morning cartoons in the 70’s were something special. I would make myself a bowl of cereal and stare transfixed as cartoon apes, dogs, and rabbits would drive across my screen in ridiculously shaped hot rods and blue and green Mystery Machines. Roger Corman, always on the lookout for the next profitable venture, transposed Saturday mornings to theatres and drive-ins alike with his dystopic demolition extravaganza, Death Race 2000 (1975) . He just never told anyone it wasn’t meant for kids.

Released in April by New World Pictures, made for $300,000 and bringing home $5,000,000, Death Race 2000 was another success for Corman and company. The mid-70’s was a time of vehicular fantasy on the big screen, especially on the B movie circuit. Everything from Race with the Devil (1975) to Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and beyond emphasized fast cars and explosive chases, with...

Here’s another gem from the Tfh Vault. From September 27, 2007, it’s Allan Arkush on Bucket of Blood.

“Life is an obscure hobo, bumming a ride on the omnibus of art.” The wit and wisdom of writer Charles B. Griffith, Roger Corman’s hipper-than-thou alter-ego, is in even fuller flower here than in his classic followup, “Little Shop of Horrors”, aided immeasurably by Dick Miller’s indelible performance as psychotic busboy Walter Paisley.

The post A Bucket of Blood appeared first on Trailers From Hell.

All This and World War II! continues at Trailers from Hell, with B-movie legend Roger Corman introducing "Ski Troop Attack." He describes the details of shooting this indie war picture for his non-union production company The Filmgroup on location in snowbound Deadwood, South Dakota. Shot back-to-back with The Beast from Haunted Cave, both from scripts by Corman warhorse Charles B. Griffith.

When a horror film sports the tagline "Based on" or "Inspired by actual events," the terror quotient almost always goes up, and the films often do big box office numbers. A great recent example of this phenomenon is The Conjuring, which cleaned up during its theatrical run this Summer. The idea that the film we are about to watch is rooted in some level of truth makes the film experience more intense; even if the plot is 99% fiction, the experience is still enriched by the knowledge that there is even a shred of truth to what you are about to witness. Back in March, we ran a piece showcasing ten terrifying movies based on actual events, and due to positive reader response, we're now proud to bring you ten more horror films that take a cue from reality. A Haunting in Connecticut This 2009 film is inspired by the experience of the Snedeker family,...

Though perhaps not as legendary as the lost original 9 ½ hour cut of Erich von Stroheim’s silent masterpiece Greed or other lost footage and films from cinema history, in the years since its 1986 release, the original ending of director Frank Oz’s beloved cult musical Little Shop of Horrors has developed a mythology all of its own. Oz was famously forced to change the original ending of his masterpiece in response to negative reactions from preview audiences, but now, 26 years later, Warner Brothers has given the original Director’s Cut the Blu-Ray release that it deserves.

Little Shop of Horrors began its life as a low-budget dark comedy from director Roger Corman and writer Charles B. Griffith. Released in 1960, the film was famously shot in a mere two days on a paltry budget of $30,000, and featured a pre-fame Jack Nicholson as a masochistic dental patient (his small role in the...

This is the third in a series of four interviews related to the Austin-shot movie Saturday Morning Massacre (Jette's review), which recently premiered at Los Angeles Film Festival. Don't forget to read about our chats with producer Jonny Mars and screenwriters Aaron Leggett and Jory Balsimo, and look for the fourth interview later this afternoon.

Before he moved to Chicago to teach at Northwestern University, Spencer Parsons spent over a decade making movies in Austin. His first feature film, I'll Come Running, premiered at Laff in 2008 and also screened at Austin Film Festival that year. Despite the move, Parsons hasn't been able to escape Austin completely. His second feature film, Saturday Morning Massacre, shot locally, earned Parsons and crew a return trip to Laff earlier this month.

Jette and I sat down with Parsons and talked horror, the Austin film scene, his move to Chicago and (of course!) breakfast tacos.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is eyeing the Warner Bros. remake Little Shop of Horrors. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who is drafting the new Carrie remake for MGM, is in negotiations to write the screenplay.

If he officially signs on, the actor will play Seymour Kilborn, a meek florist who must continue to feed his gigantic plant, which feasts on humans, to secure his newfound fame and fortune. The role was previously played by Jonathan Haze in the 1960 version of The Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Roger Corman, and by Rick Moranis in Frank Oz's 1987 rendition, Little Shop of Horrors.

Marc Platt (Drive) is producing for the studio, although no director has been attached yet.

Little Shop of Horrors was released December 19th, 1986 and stars Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia, Steve Martin, Tichina Arnold, Michelle Weeks, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Levi Stubbs. The film is directed by Frank Oz.

The Little Shop of Horrors was released August 5th,...

Article by Dan Clark of Movie Revolt

We are about to embark on what will hopefully be a rather fun summer of movies. With that in mind I focused the second installment of Streaming for Pleasure on some films you should see before this summer hits. Having a familiarity with an actor or director’s career can often shine some light on what their future projects may have in store. Also it can help garner more motivation to see a film you would have otherwise avoided. Curious what the Avengers might be like? What Tom Hardy has in store for the character of Bain? Well check out some of these films and they just might answer some of your questions.

Following

Directed By: Christopher Nolan

Written By: Christopher Nolan

Starring: Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw, and Lucy Russell

Synopsis: Christopher Nolan writes and directs this odd, claustrophobic neo-noir film about a...

This week’s DVD and Blu-Ray Releases include a couple of films from the After Dark Horrorfest as well as two of Ron Howard’s earlier films and a Blu-Ray edition of Solaris. Check beyond the break for the full list.

All Descriptions of the following titles are provided by Amazon.com unless otherwise noted. If you plan on buying a flick from this list, please click on the links provided or click on the cover as it helps us pay the bills around here. Also, unlike most sites, we provide the Netflix widget which we think is pretty convenient to add these films to your queue. If you don’t have Netflix, feel free to click on “Free Trial” and try it out!

Death Hunter: Werewolves vs. Vampires

Format: DVD

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In a forgotten region of the desert, an unspeakable evil exists. By no choice of his own, John Croix...

Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, and Tom Stockman

Celebrated producer and director Roger Corman will be in St. Louis this weekend to help kick off the Vincentennial Vincent Price Film Festival. We Are Movie Geeks has decided to take a look at the directing career of the man known as .King of the B.s’, a Hollywood legend who.s discovered so much talent and gave so many future directors and actors their starts, that he has to be considered a one-man movie industry. Since we just posted the Top Ten Best of Vincent Price last week and included three of the eight Corman/Price collaborations in that list, we decided to leave off the films he made with Price this week and focus on other films that he directed. Roger Corman will be at the Hi-Pointe Theater at 1005 McCausland Ave. in St. Louis on Saturday May 21 to speak...

I hear you, pappy. But I can’t quite reach you.

When you hear the name Ron Howard, I would assume most would think either Opie, Richie Cunningham or one of the top directors in Hollywood today. But if one was to say action star, badass or driver extraordinaire, most would either scoff or think I was a bit nutty. But at one time, Ron Howard was making a splash on the big screen, behind the wheels of a race car in one film (Eat My Dust) and his future father-in-law’s Rolls Royce in the other (Grand Theft Auto). Both films are car centric, with a constant car chase going on throughout the running time of the film. Something the Fast and the Furious films wouldn’t dare today because of attention spans going the way of the Dodo, which is why I’ve held these films in such...

With the words “Action Packed” adorning the upper portion of the latest release from Shout! Factory and their long running series of genre films from the iconic B-movie God himself, Roger Corman, the latest Corman Cult Classics set is quite an interesting one.

A relatively bare bones triple feature, the “Action Packed Collection” edition of this series features three of Corman’s New World Films more action heavy products. Georgia Peaches, The Great Texas Dynamite Chase and Smokey Bites The Dust all get their day in the sun here. And while this release itself may not be the strongest features wise, these are three of the more interesting releases to see the light of day thanks to Shout! Factory.

Batting lead-off for this release is the middle release seen on the front cover, the 1977 release, The Great Texas Dynamite Chase. Directed by Michael Pressman, the film stars Claudia Jennings (seen in the fellow Corman release,...

Durham, Nc - The hard truth of cinema takes place at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, Nc from April 14-17. That’s four solid days of movies that don’t feature Natalie Portman’s face being digitally inserted on other bodies. Four days of real people doing real stuff. And you can get some great BBQ.

This years line up has enough goodness to make me have to make painful choices as what to watch. There’s only one screening unless a movie wins a major prize. It’s be there or miss out. Choice wisely. Here’s a few of the films I’m looking to catch:

The Hangman (Thursday 10:20 a.m.) appears to be a creepy classic as it probes the man who executed Nazi Adolph Eichmann. What’s he do now? He ritually slaughters animals. Windfall (Thurs 4:20 p.m.) takes us to Meredith,...

Hey Fiends! Happy Monday! Got another list of flicks on the format of your choice.

Roger Corman’s Cult Classics Triple Feature (Attack of the Crab Monsters / War of the Satellites / Not of This Earth)

Format: DVD

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Three Films Produced And Directed By Honorary Academy Award Recipient And King Of B-Movies, Roger Corman: With All New Film Transfers From The Negative!

In Attack Of The Crab Monsters, a group of scientists become marooned on an island while investigating the disappearance of researchers who were looking into atomic activity in the Pacific. They quickly fall prey to giant, mutant crustaceans that have the ability to absorb the minds of their prey. Starring Russell Johnson (Gilligans Island), Richard Garland and Mel Welles (Little Shop Of Horrors).

An alien comes to Earth, masquerading as a human, to scout our planet for a new blood source in Not Of This Earth. He needs...

Does claustrophobia set in easily for you? Then you may want to steer clear of the video aisles of your favorite stores as last year's intense buried alive flick (starring the future Green Lantern) is coming on home.

Being that this is another light week release wise, you don't have too many other options. That is unless you're in the mood for high speed chases featuring coffin-looking vehicles that could end up causing just as much anxiety.

Or maybe you'd just like to find comfort in another Roger Corman fest from a kinder, gentler era - a triple treat that has nothing to do with coffins. Yay!

Buried (Blu-ray Review)

Directed by Rodrigo Cortés

Starring Ryan Reynolds, and the voices of Samantha Mathis, Erik Palladino, José Luis García Pérez, Robert Paterson, Stephen Tobolowsky

Paul Conroy is not ready to die. But when he wakes up six feet underground with no...

Roger Corman’S Cult Classics: Up From The Depths/ Demon Of Paradise Double-feature Collector’S Edition DVD - January 18, 2011

In Up From The Depths, staff and vacationers at a first-class resort on the island of Maui are beginning to mysteriously disappear. A biologist believes that an underwater earthquake has caused a giant, and very hungry dormant prehistoric fish to be released from his slumber. Voraciously, the fish helps himself to a tourist buffet. Now it’s open season for the local fishermen to find the creature and kill it! Starring Sam Bottoms (Apocalypse Now, The Outlaw Josey Wales), Virgil Frye (The Hot Spot) and Kedric Wolfe (Mr. Boogedy); written by Anne Dyer; produced by Cirio Santiago; directed by Charles Griffith.

The hunters become the prey when illegal dynamite-fishing prematurely ends the hibernation of a mythological carnivorous lizard-man in Demon Of Paradise. The owner of the local resort, whose patrons have...

In 2010 Shout! Factory delivered us stellar editions of some truly classic Roger Corman films. The best part? They have no signs of slowing down in 2011! That's right, kids, five more flicks are on the way on January 18th that are bound to bring a smile to your horror-loving face!

From the Press Release

Roger Corman’S Cult Classics: Sci-fi Classics Triple-feature Collector’S Edition 2-dvd Set

In Attack Of The Crab Monsters, a group of scientists become marooned on an island while investigating the disappearance of researchers who were looking into atomic activity in the Pacific. They quickly fall prey to giant, mutant crustaceans that have the ability to absorb the minds of their prey. Starring Russell Johnson (Gilligan’s Island), Richard Garland and Mel Welles (Little Shop Of Horrors). Attack Of The Crab Monsters is a Roger Corman Production. Produced and directed by Roger Corman; screenplay by Charles B. Griffith.

Given the fact I reviewed the first 5 volumes of the Roger Corman Collection in order, it might look wierd reviewing volumes 6 and 9 together. But these DVDs are thematically similar, given that they are two of Corman’s earliest films – both were filmed in 1957 – and they are two of Corman’s most famous…

Vol.6: Not Of This Earth

Stars: Paul Birch, Beverly Garland, Morgan Jones, William Roerick | Written by Charles B. Griffith & Mark Hanna | Produced and Directed by Roger Corman

Remade three times since this original incarnation produced and directed by Roger Corman, Not Of This Earth sees an emotionless alien vampire on the prowl in La seeking a suitable blood source to save his dying race back home. Hailed as “a minor sci-fi gem” by Time Out, the film features a brief but hilarious appearance by Corman and Joe Dante regular, Dick Miller.

Having only ever seen the rather...

May 3rd 2010 sees the release on DVD of a second batch of classic cult movies from the vaults of legendary film producer Roger Corman, representing the second half of The Roger Corman Collection, courtesy of Metrodome’s budget DVD label, In2Film.

The five new releases are Ron Howard’s directorial debut feature, Grand Theft Auto, 80s slasher, Slumber Party Massacre, Roger Corman’s own directorial contributions to the 1950s sci-fi genre, Not Of This Earth and Attack Of The Crab Monsters, and the David Carradine-starring, post-apocalyptic action-adventure, Deathsport.

Co-starring, co-written by and directed by Oscar winning director Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon; The Da Vinci Code; A Beautiful Mind) and featuring his Happy Days co-star Marion Ross, the amiable screwball comedy, Grand Theft Auto, is part road movie, part chase movie and part destruction derby. The nimble plot concerns one young man’s elopement with his heiress girlfriend from...

Warning: If you love horror films (and you obviously do, since you’re visiting this site) and are over the age of 13, do not listen to the last section of the audio commentary on Dark Sky’s The She-beast DVD. What you’ll find is an attack on horror fans everywhere, with producer Paul Maslansky stating that all genre films are childish and the only people who like them are kids. Actually, to be fair, he states that they are not for “serious people,” but instead are for those who have no “critical faculties” and are “grown-up children”. Oh yeah, and apparently we fright fans have “lower standards” when it comes to cinema.

While this verbal bashing lasts only a few minutes toward the end of an otherwise fascinating commentary (although there are murmurs of this attitude throughout), it still leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth. Doesn’t...