The Filmgroup
Filmgroup was a production and distribution company founded by filmmakers Roger Corman and Gene Corman in 1959. Corman used it to make and distribute his own movies, as opposed to ones he was making for American International Pictures. The company ultimately folded but lessons from running it helped Corman make a success later of New World Pictures. Filmgroup also produced early feature work of Francis Ford Coppola, Peter Bogdanovich, Charles B. Griffith, Curtis Harrington, Jack Hill, Monte Hellman, Robert Towne and Jack Nicholson.
History
Corman established his own company, Palo Alto Productions, in 1954, which was responsible for his first two movies. Filmgroup came out of a desire for Corman to move into distribution.
The first films they distributed consisted of the double bill, High School Big Shot and T-Bird Gang, movies which Corman had executive produced and helped financed. Corman would also buy films made by independent distributors, in addition to several films from the Soviet Union, which he would re-dub and have additional scenes shot and added to.[1]
Gene Corman left the company in 1963 to join 20th Century-Fox and Corman handed over distribution of his films to American International Pictures.[2] The company soon wound up.
Corman never bothered to copyright the movies so most of them are in the public domain.[3]
Filmography
- High School Big Shot (1959) - directed by Joel Rapp
- T-Bird Gang (1959) - directed by Richard Harbinger
- Beast from Haunted Cave (1959) - written by Charles B. Griffith, produced by Gene Corman, directed by Monte Hellman
- The Wasp Woman (1959) - directed by Roger Corman
- Creature from the Haunted Sea (1961) - written by Charles B. Griffith directed by Roger Corman
- Atlas (1960) - written by Charles B. Griffith directed by Roger Corman
- Battle of Blood Island (1960) - directed by Joel Rapp. First film adaption of a book by Philip Roth.
- Date Bait (1960) - directed by O'Dale Ireland
- High School Caesar (1960) - starring John Ashley
- Ski Troop Attack (1960) - written by Charles B. Griffith directed by Roger Corman
- The Girl in Lovers Lane (1960) - directed by Charles R. Rondeau
- Last Woman on Earth (1960) - written by Robert Towne, directed by Roger Corman
- The Wild Ride (1960) - starring Jack Nicholson
- The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) - written by Charles B. Griffith directed by Roger Corman
- Magic Voyage of Sinbad (1961) - acquired from the Soviet company Mosfilm
- The Intruder (1962) - produced by Gene Corman, directed by Roger Corman
- Devil's Partner (1958) - a pick up, released in 1962
- Mermaids of Tiburon (1962) - acquired from Pacific Productions
- Pirate of the Black Hawk (1961) - directed by Sergio Grieco
- Battle Beyond the Sun (1962) - US sequences directed by Francis Ford Coppola
- Dementia 13 (1963) - directed by Francis Ford Coppola
- Night Tide (1963) - directed by Curtis Harrington
- The Terror (1963) - directed by Roger Corman
- Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet (1965) - US sequences directed by Curtis Harrington
- Queen of Blood (1966) - directed by Curtis Harrington
- Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women (1968) - US sequences directed by Peter Bogdanovich
Unmade Films
The following films were among those which Corman announced would be produced by Filmgroup but which were never made:
- Cop Killer and Sob Sisters Don't Cry based on original scripts by Malden Harms[4]
- Wedding Night from script by Robert Roark[5]
- I Flew a Spy Plane Over Russia based on a script by Robert Towne[6]
- Murder at the Convention a political mystery satire from a script by Arthur Sandys starring Dick Miller and Jonathan Haze[7]
- Pan and the Satyrs[8]
- The Man Who Sold the Earth (1962)[9]
- Women in War (1962)[10]
- Haunted Dream (1962)[11]
- Juliet (1962)[12]
- The Story of Robert E. Lee by Robert Adams
- Fun and Profit by Joel Rapp and Sam Locke
- The Wild Surfers by John Lamb[13]
References
- ↑ Fred Olen Ray, The New Poverty Row: Independent Filmmakers as Distributors, McFarland & Company, 1991, p 23-62
- ↑ Mark McGee, Faster and Furiouser: The Revised and Fattened Fable of American International Pictures, McFarland, 1996 p209
- ↑ Christopher T Koetting, Mind Warp!: The Fantastic True Story of Roger Corman's New World Pictures, Hemlock Books. 2009 p 13-14
- ↑ FILMLAND EVENTS: ROCKY MARCIANO TO MAKE FILM DEBUT Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 13 Feb 1960: A7.
- ↑ Philip Scheuer, 'Compassion Ideal to Guide Stevens: Producer Tells Preparations on 'Greatest Story Ever Told' ', Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 22 Apr 1960: A9.
- ↑ FILMLAND EVENTS: RAYMOND BURR CAST IN 'DESIRE IN DUST' Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 02 June 1960: A13.
- ↑ Philip Scheuer, 'Hollywood Steals Political Thunder: Davis Jr.'s Solo Show Due; 'Raisin's' Chicago Authentic', Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 13 July 1960: A9.
- ↑ 'FILMLAND EVENTS: GENEVIEVE PAGE SET FOR ROLE IN 'EL CID, Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 16 Dec 1960: A12.
- ↑ Smith p 194
- ↑ Smith p 194
- ↑ Smith p 194
- ↑ Smith p 194
- ↑ Philip Scheuer, 'MGM to Assemble Comic 'Big Parade': Levine's 'Say It Isn't So'; Cinerama Claims Patent', Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 30 Aug 1963: D13.