Its safe to say no living filmmaker has done more with less than roger corman, the king of the bmovie who has produced or directed some 400 films over the last six decades. Now, with the coronavirus pandemic bringing the film industry to a standstill, corman is challenging others to follow his example. Other quotes by john sayles my argument has always been that this is not an antibush film, its a prodemocracy film. Crab monsters, teenage cavemen, and candy stripe nurses is an outrageously rollicking account of the life and career of roger corman. John sayles before become an acclaimed screenwriter and director on his own, sayles. A pioneer of independent cinema, roger corman is a fascinating study in contrasts. John sayles, american movie director, screenwriter, novelist, and actor who since the 1980s has been among the most prominent independent filmmakers in the united states. Roger and julie corman s visit to uhwo was underwritten by the generous support of.
Crab monsters, teenage cavemen, and candy stripe nurses. He created an oeuvre in which the personal and the political intersect at the heart of the american experience. How i made a hundred movies in hollywood and never lost a dime 254. John thomas sayles is an american independent film director, screenwriter, editor, actor and novelist. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers. Smiths booklength interview with independent filmmaker john sayles chronicles sayless start as a novelist union dues, 1977, was nominated for a national book award, his apprenticeship writing horror scripts the howling, 1980 for producer roger corman, occasional work as an actor and a playwright, a sojourn writing television and directing. How i made a hundred movies in hollywood and never lost a dime. If you write a movie for roger corman, its going to get made. Sayles clearly enjoyed his apprenticeship, pumping fresh blood into these narratives of werewolves, mutant reptiles, and tommygun shootouts with his trademark literate. Smiths booklength interview with independent filmmaker john sayles chronicles sayless start as a novelist union dues, 1977, was nominated for a national book award, his apprenticeship writing horror scripts the howling, 1980 for producer roger corman, occasional work as an actor and a playwright, a sojourn writing television and directing music videos and, primarily, the writing and directing of. Corman alumni john sayles, martin scorsese, jack nicholson, vincent price, francis ford coppola, peter bogdanovich, peter fonda, joe dante, and jonathan.
He accepted roger cormans offer to rewrite piranha, and then more genre assignments for corman s new world pictures the lady in red and battle beyond the stars, and related noncorman titles alligator, the howling. American international pictures in the 1950s and 1960s. Corman has been a mentor to young film directors including francis ford coppola, martin scorsese, ron howard, peter bogdanovich, jonathan demme, james cameron, curtis hanson, john sayles, and many others. Smiths booklength interview with independent filmmaker john sayles.
People are free, sayles added, to say, i dont believe these people. John sayles the movies that made me trailers from hell. Sayles clearly enjoyed his apprenticeship, pumping fresh blood into these narratives of werewolves, mutant reptiles, and tommygun shootouts with his trademark literate dialogue, bemused humor, and attention to social bearings, all clearly apparent in these genre products. And although he has a home in dutchess county now, he still works out of the same small rowhouse he. Corman alumnijohn sayles, martin scorsese, jack nicholson, vincent price, francis ford coppola, peter bogdanovich, peter fonda, joe dante, and jonathan demme, among otherscontribute their recollections to give added perspective to cormans often hilarious, always informative autobiography. Exploits of a hollywood rebel premiered at sundance in 2011. Basically, it comes down to what you can pull off, how you present it, and what you claim for your book. Bloodsucking vampires, flesheating cockroaches, and driller killers is the best book on the subject, the subject being the most unique american studio head in film history. John sayles does not live large he drives a subaru. Corman, as a director andor producer, is credited with starting andor mentoring the careers of many nowfamous film directors, such as jonathan demme, francis ford coppola, ron howard, john sayles, james cameron, joe dante, and martin scorsese, and writers such as robert towne and john sayles. Producing some of the most beloved cult classics of their era, new world also proved to be a training facility for a generation of the greatest film talent of all time. Hmmm, our librarys copy had a different cover roger corman poses within a giant monsters claw.
But no ones ever been as remotely independent as roger. His film men with guns was nominated for the golden globe for best foreign language film. He served his time as a galley slave for roger corman and. The contradictions implicit within his personality are at the heart of this book.
John thomas sayles is an american independent film director, screenwriter, editor, actor, and novelist. Robinson wes craven john s novel yellow earth robert forster s podcast episode hill street blues tv. As told by corman himself and graduates of the corman film school, including peter bogdanovich, ja crab monsters, teenage cavemen, and candy stripe nurses is an outrageously rollicking account of the life and career of roger cormanone of the most prolific and successful independent producers, directors, and writers of all time, and. John sayles just a year away from penning very good the lady in red for roger corman too wrote piranha with tongue nicely in cheek, sometimes asked to add a scene while on set in texas himself. John sayles celebrity profile check out the latest john sayles photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. As told by corman himself and graduates of the corman film school, including peter bogdanovich, james cameron. Roger corman films are being released in dvd m you never know who will turn up on a dvd of a roger corman movie. I totally admire what he has done, as well as the actors and others who worked with him. In these pages roger corman, the most successful independent filmmaker in. With george peppard, robert vaughn, richard thomas, john saxon.
Bloodsucking vampires, flesheating cockroaches, and driller killers is an updated edition of beverly gray s widely praised roger corman. Corman alumni,john sayles, martin scorsese, jack nicholson, vincent price. Great book about good and bad movie making by a legendary roger corman. Exploits of a hollywood rebel is available march 27 on online outlets via itunes, vudu, cinemanow and amazon. His early screenwriting effortsseveral of which were written for roger corman. Piranha was written by john sayles who had been discovered by cormans story editor, frances doel.
Crazy mama the lady in red programme double at a low price. Other popular films around this time included tidal wave 1975, a japanese film to which corman added some extra footage. Roger corman can boastand does, on his first pagethat his. Roger corman was revered in the 1960s as a director of distinctive horror and. An unauthorized biography of the godfather of indie filmmaking. A new e book on legendary bmovie filmmaker roger corman will soon be released. His directorial debut, return of the secaucus 7, has been added to the national film registry. The featurelength audio commentary with producer roger corman and writer john sayles is extremely conversational, featuring two men happily recalling their efforts to bring the picture to life in a hurry. The enduring lesson from the life and work of bmovie impresario roger corman is that crass commercialism and genuine artistry can coexist, provided that.
There are numerous anecdotes to share, with corman focusing on the overall creative achievement, exploring how the budget was put together. How i made a hundred movies in hollywood and never lost a. Roger corman talks about making the little shop of horrors. He has twice been nominated for the academy award for best original screenplay, for passion fish and lone star. John sayles, american movie director, screenwriter, novelist, and actor who. Smiths booklength interview with independent filmmaker john sayles chronicles sayless start as a novelist union dues, 1977, was nominated for a national book award, his apprenticeship writing horror scripts the howling, 1980 for producer roger corman, occasional work as an actor and a playwright, a sojourn writing television and directing music videos and, primarily, the writing and directing of independent features like matewan 1987, eight men out 1988, passion fish 1992 and. As the original king of the exploitation film, he has filled his movies with images of bloodsucking vampires, rampaging biker gangs, vigilante strippers, and abducting aliens, all while producing each of his fourhundredplus films on a shoestring budget and making a profit on nearly every one. Bmovie legend roger corman wants to see your quarantine film. John thomas sayles born september 28, 1950 is an american independent film director.
You started off working with roger corman and wrote the screenplay for piranha. An unauthorized biography of the godfather of indie. Roger corman classics by allan arkush, paul bartel allan. Written by john sayles, piranha 1978 was director joe dantes tongueincheek horror film about mutated fish that are very hungry, and which naturally gravitate toward women wearing skimpy. Film star wars james cameron star wars week roger corman john sayles james horner watch this. For bmovie buffs, exploitation film aficionados, and midnight movie cultists, the grand finale of corman s world. Exploits of a hollywood rebel, will be every bit as exhilarating as that montage of forbidden kisses at the end of cinema.
The rest of the book written with journalist jim jerome, coauthor of papa john is. Soles and the ramones rock the hallways of vince lombardi high, it offers up dizzying bursts of quintessential corman. Roger corman talks about making the little shop of horrors 1960 in 2 only days. Roger corman audio setup allan arkush, joe dante and jon davison commentary 2. After making his start as an actor and published author, john sayles first entered filmmaking as a prolific screenwriter for lowbudget producer roger corman, writing the scripts for piranha 1978, the lady in red 1979 and battle beyond the stars 1980. What did you learn from corman about the economy of. A densely packed short read that is a rollercoaster of adventure.
Other popular films around this time included tidal wave 1975, a japanese film to. A documentary about roger corman s life and career entitled corman s world. Beverly gray really paints a nuanced picture of corman and never panders to. John sayles if you write a movie for roger corman, its. Sayles later wrote lady in red 1979 for corman, which was directed by lewis teague. The book made me want to go back and watch some of cormans early films. Jonathan demme, ron howard, john sayles, jack nicholson and many. Roger is the author of the bestselling, hilarious autobiography how i made a hundred movies in hollywood and never lost a dime. Filmmaker john sayles began his career as a novelist and short story writer with the publication in 1975 of prime of the bimbos, followed in 1977 by union dues, a national critics. Roger corman crossed star wars with the seven samurai. Julie and roger corman formed new horizons pictures in 1983 after selling new world productions the previous year. A young farmer sets out to recruit mercenaries to defend his peaceful planet, which is under threat of invasion by the evil tyrant sador and his armada of aggressors. John sayles declares that he wrote it because he wished such a book had been around when he was trying to learn how to make movies.
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