‘Corman’s World’ looks behind the curtain at the legendary Hollywood rebel

One doesn’t need to be a fan of Roger Corman’s long list of movies to learn something from Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel, the excellent new documentary now available on Blu-ray and DVD. Corman is the man behind many horror, sci-fi and exploitation flicks, often involving beautiful women, multi-eyed monsters and questionable special effects. But what the film also recounts is his dedication to kickstarting many illustrious careers. The assembled star power who cheerlead Corman’s kindness and ambition is impressive and almost as long as Corman’s own resume. From Jack Nicholson to Ron Howard to John Sayles, some of Hollywood’s largest players owe a great deal of gratitude to the legendary producer.

Corman’s World is a simple film, mostly consisting of taped interviews and archival footage from Corman’s cinematic highlights (or lowlights). He’s responsible for forgettable gems like Night of the Blood Beast, Naked Paradise and Grand Theft Auto. But he’s also responsible for such genuine gems as X: The Man With the X-Ray Eyes, The Pit and the Pendulum and The Fall of the House of Usher. For a long time he straddled the line between art and schlock, but he was always producing entertaining, profitable features.

More of a businessman than an auteur, Corman not only understood the early Hollywood system, he reinvented it for his own means. He was able to produce film after film after film, and he continually saw dollar signs appear for these subpar titles. He was so respected for his distribution excellence that many major European filmmakers (Federico Fellini and Ingmar Bergman included) used his company for American distribution. The onscreen content he created is unforgettable, albeit secondary to the advances he made behind the scenes.

Director Alex Stapleton pulls together a loving portrait of Corman, with no one in the producer’s life disparaging his character or personality. Besides the celebrities, several family members and former assistants speak out about Corman’s genuine uniqueness and ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. He never delivered artistically like Francis Ford Coppola, William Friedkin or the other big Hollywood names in the 1970s, but there’s no denying that this man was at the nexus of show business for many years.

Of the interviews, some of the best commentary comes from Corman’s brother, who often co-produced Roger’s films, including The Intruder, the controversial movie that explored racism in the American South (starring a young William Shatner). Nicholson also gives some insightful remarks about the man who gave him his first start in motion pictures (a professional relationship that lasted many years).

Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel is a perfect documentary for lovers of Hollywood. But beyond the cinematic fascination, Corman’s story is an interesting one for history buffs. He has operated in a tough-as-nails industry for decades, learning the ropes and recreating the wheel. Appreciating his influence is long overdue.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel

• 2011

• Written and directed by Alex Stapleton

• Featuring Roger Corman, Ron Howard, Jack Nicholson, William Shatner, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, John Sayles, Peter Bogdanovich and David Carradine

• Running time: 90 minutes

• Rated R for some violent images, nudity and language

• Rating: