1

What are your choices for the best & worst movies directed by Roger Corman?

You could even be more specific if you desire – what are his best /worst sci-fi movies?
best/worst horror movies? best/worst Western movies? best/worst movies he produced but did not direct?

Are there other categories you might have a strong opinion about? best/worst performances in a RC movie? best/worst musical score? best/worst special effects?

Feel free to share your knowledge and opinions. I know I have seen only a fraction of his filmography, so there is plenty of room for me to learn some things here and maybe pick up some suggestions on what’s worth watching.

4 Likes
2

His best for me is The Masque of the Red Death and the Intruder, with William Shatner (though the ending is weak… we’re they not aware that a lot worse things were happening to blacks?)

Oh, and I actually did like The Trip, which was mentioned during the Mads livestream.

3 Likes
3

The Man With The X-Ray Eyes freaked me out as a kid. I guess if you’re going for effectiveness, that’d be my pick for best.

As for worst:

3 Likes
4

I think Corman’s Poe series (we’ll throw in Haunted Palace, even though it’s a Lovecraft story) are great films, especially Masque of the Red Death. It’s easy to forget they’re Corman films. I second CLANG’s pick of X-Ray Eyes as a good one, too.

6 Likes
5

Yeah, it’s been a while, but Ray Milland seems a good candidate for good performances in that one. X was one I liked though I thought it needed some polishing up, it’s a smart idea that got silly in spots (that scene with Ray’s bad dancing and the staring at nude women). I wouldn’t mind a really good director getting his hands on it for a remake. Someone who could do justice to the psychological and metaphysical aspects (so not James Wan, lol).

As for Corman at his goofiest, Attack of the Crab Monsters made me chuckle.

4 Likes
6

Indeed. Looking over the list, I remember this one, and thought it was pretty good. Of course, that’s thru the lens of many years of foggy memory.

As far worst, well, I’m not sure that’s possible to say. Some are bad in their own particular way.

All (that I’ve seen) are better than Manos, so there’s that.

5 Likes
7

Can my best and worst be the same movie? Because I actually adored his Fantastic Four adaptation. It was awful, but in that special '90s-comic-book-adaption way.

4 Likes
8

Pit and the Pendulum? I remember seeing that with the family at the drive-in. I liked it when I was a kid, scared me.

3 Likes
9

Same. It had me hiding my eyes there in the back seat. But I managed to catch it again on late night TV sometime later, late 70’s maybe, and it held up.

2 Likes
10

Sometimes the line between his work as a producer and director gets blurred, so here’s a quick look at his directorial efforts.

Looks like I’m at 62% with 33 of 53 seen

4 Likes
11

I give “best” to Little Shop of Horrors.

Worst? I love all of his films, but some things are beyond his control. He got scammed by the special effects people he hired for Viking Women and the Sea Serpent, and several cast members were almost killed. I suppose that qualifies for “worst.”

6 Likes
12

There was once quite a lot of detail on wiki about the “exiciting” parts of making the Viking movie. Someone had them scrubbed, though.

2 Likes
13

Even though it’s silly, I rather enjoy The Raven, but it’s certainly the weakest of the Poe films… but Vincent Price and Peter Lorre just yukking it up the entire time to Karloff’s consternation… throw in young Jack Nicholson and you’ve got something fun and charming.

3 Likes
14

I don’t know, I think it’s one of the better ones. Yes, it’s a silly comedy with only a slight connection to Poe’s poem, but it’s a lot of fun. I also enjoy that it’s got some of the most recognisable, and imitated, voices in it. Karloff, Lorre, Price, and Nicolson in one movie? Nice!

1 Like
15

I dunno about worst, but my personal fave is A Bucket of Blood. That’s some darn fine hipster satire right there, it still holds up.

3 Likes
16

I’m going to be “that guy” and say it.

Battle Beyond the Stars. As hokey as the plot is, as ridiculous as the characters are. I love all the unique spaceship designs. And they each fitted the character of each, err, character. And the cast, my god. :open_mouth:

So it showed a Corman who cared enough to pay attention to all the details. A far cry from the Corman we all know…knew and loved. One who just wanted it to be cheap and done. With some extra tits and violence for the people in the back row.

And it starred John Boy. :smirk: Huh.

Sigh
He will be missed. :saluting_face:

4 Likes
17

Dude.

The final shot of that film was a gut-punch I will never forget.

2 Likes
18

It’s been ages, but I remember hating the meandering mess of “The Trip” and I think my favorite would be one of the Vincent Price Poe movies but I can’t commit to one.

Looking at the director’s list, “Sorority Girl” seems like it might be terrible. As an actor, I’d rather do a Corman film than Robert Altman… just sayin’

19

I watched 9 Corman movies this year. My votes for best go to Bucket of Blood and The Pit and the Pendulum. I need to watch the unriffed Little Shop of Horrors.

3 Likes
20

Little Shop of Horrors actually has some properly earned laughs in it. I can see why it became a cult classic.

2 Likes