Roger Corman is one of those distinct Hollywood personalities that everyone has been exposed to in some manner. Whether you are aware of the man’s name or not, odds are you have seen a film he has produced, written or directed.
He has given many big names, from Jack Nicholson to Francis Ford Coppola, their start as part of the “Corman Film School”. His influence is immense in the film industry, and this is the focus of Alex Stapleton’s documentary, Corman’s World.
The film opens with Corman on the set of Dinoshark, doing what the man does best: making a movie! Well into his eighties, Corman is just as hands on as ever on the set of this sci-fi cheapie that was shot in Mexico. Over the next hour and a half (I beg that the film could have easily been twice as long and not suffered for it) Roger Corman, along with many of his colleagues, discuss his life and career with varying degrees of candor.
Some of the participants include: Pam Grier (The Big Bird Cage), Jack Nicholson (Little Shop of Horrors/The Terror), Penelope Spheeris (director: Suburbia), Joe Dante (director: Piranha), William Shatner (The Intruder), and Martin Scorsese (director: Boxcar Bertha).
Some of my favorite moments come from Ron Howard recounting his first directing job given to him by Corman making Grand Theft Auto (1977). These clips are taken from recent interviews, as well as a documentary called Roger Corman: Hollywood’s Wild Angel (1978). Jack Nicholson reminiscing about Corman and the decade they spent working together is another highlight. There is something almost shocking in seeing Nicholson become so emotional talking about his old friend.
An entertaining, if not lightweight documentary, Alex Stapleton and her editors paint a loving portrait of this legendary figure from the outside in. Corman is a very private person, and this lack of real personal insight is my only complaint with the project. I’m sure this isn’t any fault of the filmmakers, as you can only get as personal as your subjects will allow. That being said, it is a fun, engaging portrait of the man’s long career.
The visuals in the film are more than adequate, considering they are culled from so many sources. The image on the Blu-ray is very clean for the most part, however there are some clips of early films of Corman’s and interview segments that don’t hold up as well as some of the newer material. However, that is easily forgiven granted the sources of much of this material. A dialogue driven film, everyone is always easy to understand. If needed, English and Spanish subtitles are provided.
On to the bonus features! At the fore, about a half hour of extended interview clips are provided. They are mainly parts of interviews not used, but in some cases they didn’t make the film at all. I can’t image how many hours of unused footage the producers have lying around! A selection of interviewees giving Corman a “special message” follow. This is cute for about five minutes, but wears thin rather quickly. A trailer for the documentary finishes things up.
Corman’s World is rife with film clips from a great deal of Corman’s output over the last six decades! On top of that all the interviews with many actors, directors, and the like who have worked with or just admired Corman over the years make this film a must see for anyone interested in film history, low budget filmmaking, horror and sci-fi films, and pop culture junkies in general.
Film Score: 3.5/5 Disc Score: 3/5
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