Roger Corman: Metaphysics on a Shoestring

From a certain perspective, Roger Corman just might be one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of motion pictures. This is not because of the quality or quantity of his work as a director, although he has directed sixty movies. This is not because of his success as a producer, although, as the title of his autobiography boasts, he made over 100 pictures and never lost a dime. It is because, along the way to directing and producing more than 200 films, Corman ran a de facto school for young filmmakers, the alumni of which have garnered more awards and made more money than any other group in film history. While the new King of the World, James Cameron (Titanic), may not have acknowledged that he started with the King of the Bs, other multi-Academy Award-winners, such as Francis Ford Coppola and Jonathan Demme, freely admit their origins and even give Corman bit parts in their films.