Roger Corman: The Little Shop of Horrors cult B-movie director dies aged 98

Roger Corman passed away at the age of 98. According to his family’s statement to Variety, this filmmaker passed away at his home in Santa Monica, California on Thursday. They described his films as revolutionary and iconoclastic, capturing the essence of an entire era. Talk about leaving a mark!

You won’t believe the talent he helped develop. Actors like Jack Nicholson and Robert De Niro owe a lot to him. And get this, big-time directors James Cameron and Martin Scorsese got their start working on his films. It’s like a whole Hollywood family tree!

This filmmaker was known for his lightning-fast work pace. He’d often make two films simultaneously at the same location to save money. Talk about efficiency!

Born in Detroit on April 5, 1926, he initially planned to follow in his father’s footsteps as an engineer. But while he was in college, he fell in love with the world of film-making. After a brief stint at General Motors, he joined 20th Century Fox as a messenger boy. But things didn’t quite work out there, so he headed off to Europe for a bit. He even studied English literature at Oxford, can you believe it? When he returned to the US, he had his sights set on becoming a screenwriter. His first script, “The House in the Sea,” sold in 1953 and was made into a film called “Highway Dragnet” the following year. But he wasn’t too happy with the changes made to his story, so he decided to become a producer himself.

In 1955, he took on directing with “Swamp Women,” and over the next 15 years, he made over 50 films! Can you imagine the creativity and energy it took to churn out movies at that pace? He definitely left his mark on the industry.