Two days ago was director/producer Roger Corman's 85th Birthday. I am, no question, a Roger Corman fanatic. It's a fanaticism that hasn't quite reached my special brand of Shat-Crazy Love (but how could it, really?), however, with each viewing of Death Race 2000, Humanoids From The Deep, Rock n Roll High School, Bucket of Blood, House of Usher I fall deeper and deeper in love.
In 1961, Roger Corman directed Shatner in one of my personal favorite Shat performances, The Intruder (aka I Hate Your Guts). It's an ugly film and not necessarily a fun one for fans of Captain Kirk, but it's searing and expertly boils the blood as it follows the decent of Shatner's riotous white supremacist. The film is often touted as the only movie of Roger Corman's to ever NOT turn a profit. Corman also produced Angie Dickinson's Bonnie & Clyde-like exploitation romp, Big Bad Mama. This has everything you want from 70s trash cinema. Girls, Guns, Tom Skerritt, and Shatner.
Below is a video of William Shatner inducting Roger Corman into the Horror Hall of Fame circa 1990. Below that are the trailers for both The Intruder and Big Bad Mama.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Corman.
ReplyDeleteI love his B-horror movies, "The Intruder" is an A++ film, but Big Bad Mama is just unbearable. Even nude Shatner is urg. ;)
The Intruder is indeed A++, but I also really enjoy Big Bad Mama. It's cheese, but perfect cheese. I love the awkward relationship jumping between Skerritt and Shatner. And I love Skerritt's jealously. Plus, Dick Miller. Like Shatner, he makes everything enjoyable.
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