Roger corman is 92, being sued by his sons, and keeps making. John sayles the movies that made me trailers from hell. Roger corman is the stuff of legend a oneman production army who kicked off his filmmaking career in 1948 as a messenger on the fox lot. Smiths booklength interview with independent filmmaker john sayles. His movies, including the brother from another planet, the secret of roan inish, and lone star. After hollywood boulevard, i made piranha, which was written by john sayles. Scripts for genre movies like roger cormans piranha earned him cash for his own, starting in 1980. The convention on tv, it was all this, morning in america, sayles said. Beverly gray film director roger corman, the original king of the exploitation film, has filled his movies with images of bloodsucking vampires, rampaging biker gangs, vigilante strippers, and abducting aliens.
Sayles learned his dollar sense in the late 70s as a writer for new world pictures, the roger corman factory of lowbudget exploiters that produced such alumni as peter bogdanovich, jonathan demme. He wrote stories and submitted them to various magazines, and the atlantic monthly gave him the idea of publishing them in a novelthus pride of the bimbos 1975 was born. His early screenwriting effortsseveral of which were written for roger corman. John sayles, book signing a moment in the sun bsc literature 1. Later forhire screenwriting projects included the howling 1981, the quick and the dead 1995, and the alamo 2004. His tv work on the series shannons deal is also covered. This book is an enjoyable read with lots of terrific pictures, movie posters and screen shots from roger cormans long and still going career as of april, 2016.
He has twice been nominated for the academy award for best original screenplay, for passion fish 1992 and lone star 1996. A bright child, john sayles began reading novels before age 9. After making his start as an actor and published author, john sayles first entered filmmaking as a prolific screenwriter for lowbudget producer roger corman, writing the scripts for piranha 1978. Corman shot machine gun kelly 1958 starring newcomer charles bronson in just 10 days. Sayles first published story, i80 nebraska, won an o. It is also a great companion piece to roger cormans autobiography, how i made one hundred movies in hollywood and never lost a dime. Bloodsucking vampires, flesheating cockroaches, and driller killers is the best book on the subject, the subject being the most unique american studio head in film history. An occasional actor, corman typically appeared in the films of those whose careers he had helped. He served his time as a galley slave for roger corman and others. Roger corman with jim jerome, how i made a hundred movies in hollywood and never lost a dime. In 1970 corman left aip and formed new world pictures, an independent company that produced and distributed the work of such young artists as john sayles, martin scorsese, joe dante, jonathan demme, and james cameron. Much of corman s work has an established critical reputation, such as his cycle of lowbudget cult films adapted from the tales of edgar allan poe roger corman. John sayles has 37 books on goodreads with 7810 ratings. A conversation with roger corman at the overlook film festival.
His early screenwriting effortsseveral of which were written for roger corman, including piranha 1978 and battle beyond the stars 1980were genre exercises that sayles loaded with literary and cinematic references. John thomas sayles born september 28, 1950 is an american independent film director. See more ideas about john sayles, design and logos. A williams grad in 1972, he shunned a corporate career to work various bluecollar jobs, moving to east boston to take a factory job. Beverly gray really paints a nuanced picture of corman and never panders to the fans, the haters, or her old boss corman himself. John sayles, in full john thomas sayles, born september 28, 1950, schenectady, new york, u. He accepted roger corman s offer to rewrite piranha, and then more genre assignments for corman s new world pictures the lady in red and. Buy how i made a hundred movies in hollywood and never lost a dime 1st da capo press ed by roger corman, jim jerome isbn. Apr 15, 2016 by mary johnson, renfreu neff, jim mercurio and david f. John sayles declares that he wrote it because he wished such a book had been around when he was trying to learn how to make movies.
His film men with guns 1997 was nominated for the golden globe for best foreign language. The secret of roan inish, sayles started his film career working with roger corman. May 01, 20 crab monsters, teenage cavemen, and candy stripe nurses is an outrageously rollicking account of the life and career of roger cormanone of the most prolific and successful independent producers, directors, and writers of all time, and selfproclaimed king of the b movie. From the very beginning he was a tireless worker, volunteering to come in on saturdays so that he could learn the business fast. Mel welles, who created the character of gravis mushnik in the original little shop of horrors 1960. Graduates of the corman film school include producers jon davison and gale anne hurd. Crab monsters, teenage cavemen, and candy stripe nurses.
He served his time as a galley slave for roger corman and. An unauthorized biography of the godfather of indie filmmaking, a combative but insightful new book by cormans. The only reason i give it 4 stars is because it only covers his career up to 1990. By mary johnson, renfreu neff, jim mercurio and david f. John sayles, book signing a moment in the sun book. Corman alumnijohn sayles, martin scorsese, jack nicholson, vincent price, francis ford coppola, peter bogdanovich, peter fonda, joe dante, and jonathan demme, among otherscontribute their recollections to give added perspective to cormans often hilarious, always informative autobiography. A peaceloving planet is attacked by malevolent aliens. John sayles california state university, sacramento. As the market changed, so did cormans focus, but he remains active. How i made a hundred movies in hollywood and never lost a. Martin scorsese, james cameron, joe dante, john sayles and more. Much of cormans work has an established critical reputation, such as his cycle of lowbudget cult films adapted from the tales of edgar allan poe admired by members of the. Beverly gray s scholarly book on roger corman is not only a complete look at the phenomenon of this extraordinary independent film maker, it is an absorbing peek into a unique era in motion picture history.
These writings culminated in his first novel, the pride of the bimbos. Like doctorow, sayles provides numerous details of the period he depicts, culled from the research he did for his book a moment in the sun. John sayles, american movie director, screenwriter, novelist, and actor who since the 1980s has been among the most prominent independent filmmakers in the united states. Roger corman is a hollywood movie making legend in his own lifetime. David brancaccio talks with john sayles about politics, deception, and greed in the movies and in the real world. Robinson wes craven johns novel yellow earth robert forster s podcast episode hill street blues tv. Peter bogdanovich, jonathan demme, ron howard, john sayles, gale. Written by john sayles, piranha 1978 was director joe dantes tongueincheek horror film about. Corman, as a director andor producer, is credited with starting andor mentoring the careers of many nowfamous film directors, such as jonathan demme, francis ford coppola, ron howard, john sayles, james cameron, joe dante, and martin scorsese, and writers such as robert towne and john sayles. Theres a reason he wrote a book titled how i made a. Roger corman is 92, being sued by his sons, and keeps. Sayles began writing for roger cormans new world pictures, a factorylike production house known for its horror and exploitation films. Roger made sure that he could book a womens prison movie in.
He accepted roger cormans offer to rewrite piranha, and then more genre assignments for cormans new world pictures the lady. Parlaying his fees as a screenwriter of mainstream hollywood films into funding for his own ambitious filmmaking. Scorsese, stallone, sayles, and other alisters talk about the. In these pages roger corman, the most successful independent filmmaker in hollywood relates his experiences as the director andor producer of such lowbudget classics attack of the crab monsters, the little shop of horrors, the raven, the man with the xray eyes, the wild angels, the trip, night call nurses, bloody mama, piranha, and many others. In the late 1970s he worked for renowned lowbudget producer roger corman as a screenwriter. After making his start as an actor and published author, john sayles first entered filmmaking as a prolific screenwriter for lowbudget producer roger corman, writing the. What is sometimes overlooked is that he was also responsible for launching the film making careers of such luminaries as francis ford coppola, martin scorsese, jonathan demme, john sayles, james cameron, jack nicholson, peter fonda, and sylvester stallone. The money he made writing scripts for corman allowed him to fund his first film, return of the secaucus 7. Produced by roger corman and scripted by john sayles, battle beyond the stars is a cheerfully blatant imitation of the seven samurai or at least the american remake the magnificent seven. He wrote stories and submitted them to various magazines, and the atlantic monthly gave him the idea of publishing them in a novelthus pride of. A new e book on legendary bmovie filmmaker roger corman will soon be released. Quotations by john sayles, american director, born september 28, 1950. Soles and the ramones rock the hallways of vince lombardi high, it offers up dizzying bursts of quintessential corman.
Macarthur award, given to 20 americans in diverse fields each year for their innovative work. If you write a movie for roger corman, its going to get made. This is a very informative book about the career of roger corman king of the b movies and a must read for anybody who wishes to become a filmmaker. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
John sayles if you write a movie for roger corman, its. John sayles before become an acclaimed screenwriter and director on his own, sayles wrote his earliest film scripts for corman 1978s piranha, 1979s the. Roger corman, in full roger william corman, born april 5, 1926, detroit, michigan, u. Interviewing john sayles is like having office hours with a brilliant professor. The harshest insult in the book is to call a filmmaker workmanlike, but with american. The powersthatbe hire a group of mercenaries, headed by george peppard, to protect the planet from. He has been called the pope of pop cinema and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. As told by corman himself and graduates of the corman film school, including peter. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers. John thomas sayles born september 28, 1950 is an american independent film director, screenwriter, editor, actor, and novelist. Much of corman s work has an established critical reputation, such as his cycle of lowbudget cult films adapted from the tales of edgar allan poe.
Scorsese, stallone, sayles, and other alisters talk. In 1977, when john sayles arrived in hollywood with his script of eight men out, his only point of penetration into the film industry, despite his publications and writing awards, was through the exploitation doorway. Smiths book length interview with independent filmmaker john sayles chronicles sayless start as a novelist union dues, 1977, was nominated for a national book award, his apprenticeship writing horror scripts the howling, 1980 for producer roger corman, occasional work as an actor and a playwright, a sojourn writing television and. Judged as a read, as a piece of writing, sayles book is often woeful.
The new republic sent sayles to detroit in the summer of 1980 to cover the republican national convention that nominated ronald reagan. The powersthatbe hire a group of mercenaries, headed by george peppard, to protect the planet from harm. Piranha was written by john sayles, who had been discovered by cormans story editor, frances doel. Corman alumni, john sayles, martin scorsese, jack nicholson, vincent price, francis ford coppola, peter bogdanovich, peter fonda, joe dante, and jonathan demme, among others,contribute their recollections to give added perspective to corman s often hilarious, always informative autobiography. If you write a movie for roger corman, quote by john. This book is written in a question and answer style with gavin smith and includes discussions of 3 of his novels, 10 of his films and plus several screenplays that he did for roger corman and others. John sayles, american movie director, screenwriter, novelist, and actor who. Roger william corman born april 5, 1926 is an american director, producer, and actor. Crab monsters, teenage cavemen, and candy stripe nurses is an outrageously rollicking account of the life and career of roger cormanone of the most prolific and successful independent producers, directors, and writers of all time, and selfproclaimed king of the b movie. Leonard maltin, john sayles interview, writers guild of america, february, 1998. He created an oeuvre in which the personal and the political intersect at the heart of the american experience. Nov, 2009 john sayles before become an acclaimed screenwriter and director on his own, sayles wrote his earliest film scripts for corman 1978s piranha, 1979s the lady in red, and 1980s battle.
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