Roger Corman names his five favourite movies of all time
Many believe that the world of independent cinema was fueled and constructed by the ‘Movie Brats’, the young filmmakers of the 20th century, such as Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola, yet few spare a thought for ‘The King of Cult’ who helped make, popularise and produce some of the greatest movies of the 1970s and 1980s, Roger Corman.
Known for his B-movies and low-budget features, Corman came to prominence in the 1950s, directing and writing The Little Shop of Horrors in 1960, a comedy horror flick that would later become a classic of the late 20th century, largely thanks to the 1986 remake of the same name, starring Rick Moranis and Steve Martin. A decorated producer, Corman received an honorary Oscar in 2010 for his contributions to cinema.
Indeed, without the influence of Corman and his endless B-movies released throughout the late 20th century, such as the endlessly influential Jaws knock-off Piranha from 1978, we would be unlikely to have such modern clangers as Sharknado and Birdemic. It’s somewhat surprising then quite how normal Corman’s picks of favourite movies are, revealing his most beloved films in a discussion with Rotten Tomatoes.
First on his list is Sergei M. Eistenstein’s classic Battleship Potemkin from 1925, a film that helped popularise the concept of the movie montage. “To me, that is the greatest film ever made,” ardently stated, “It was probably the originator of a number of cutting techniques – the ‘Odessa steps’ sequence, with the baby carriage rolling own the steps at the same time the troops are marching down the steps, is still one of the most powerful montage sequences I’ve ever seen”.
From a pioneering classic of cinema to a modern classic which demonstrates just how far the medium has come, Corman’s next pick is James Cameron’s Avatar. “Jim’s a technical genius,” he says of the billion-dollar ‘Best Picture’ fantasy, “I just thought it all came together as a brilliant film, both technically, in the way he used 3D, and in the beauty of the picture itself”.
Sticking in the realm of Hollywood classics, Corman names Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane as his next favourite, a film often touted as being one of the greatest of all time. Telling the life story of a controversial publishing tycoon, Welles’ movie is a marvel of narrative cinema, with Corman adding: “It was a brilliant script. It’s well directed, well acted – Welles himself is brilliant as Kane – and it really stems from the script”.
As a lover of well-written cinema, Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront is an obvious choice in the list of Corman’s favourite movies, with the Marlon Brando drama winning the Oscar for ‘Best Original Screenplay’. “It was a good picture all around, a good script, and Kazan directed it brilliantly,” he described, “I would say it’s probably – probably – Marlon’s best performance, although you would have to give a nod to Godfather”.
David Lean’s 1962 cinematic masterpiece Lawrence of Arabia is the final movie to grace his list, a classic of the mid-20th century that changed many directors’ approach to photography. Starring Peter O’Toole, who plays the English officer T.E. Lawrence who led the Arab revolt of WWI, Corman adores the film for its “epic scope; the broad expanses and deserts,” a great contrast to the B-movie director’s own style.
Roger Corman’s favourite movies:
- Avatar (James Cameron, 2009)
- Battleship Potemkin (Sergei M. Eistenstein, 1925)
- Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)
- Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean, 1962)
- On the Waterfront (Elia Kazan, 1954)
