Roger Corman is secretly one of the most influential filmmakers ever. It might not seem so at first glance, especially if you only know him as the guy who made skeevy exploitation films or Asylum-esque mockbusters (and later actually working for Asylum later in his career), but it's true. As he explains in his Instagram video below, the low-budget films he produced were an incubator for giving some of the most important filmmakers of all time a chance to show off their talent, including Francis Ford Coppola, Jonathan Demme, and Ron Howard. While Corman made fast, cheap films, he also allowed immense creative freedom, and was willing to take a chance on kids just getting out of film school to shoot their debut features. Basically, a director was usually given a specific prompt – whether it be an image on a poster Corman already presold to drive-ins with that needs to be included, or a particular genre that was popular at the time (ala women's prison movies or bikers-on-the-loose flicks) – but beyond that directors were allowed to be as artsy, idiosyncratic, or political as they wanted.
Which brings us to Corman's ("hopefully first and last") "QUARANTINE FILM FESTIVAL", where Corman went on Instagram to request that filmmakers stay at home during quarantine and produce short (under two minute) films on their cellphone at home with whoever they're stuck with. Afterward, put "#CormanChallenge" on them and he'll personally give them a look, with the winning short getting put on Corman's official social media, a trailer made for it, and a certificate for "Best Picture" sent to the winner. The deadline is two weeks from now.
Here's the official announcement:
He even called out other filmmakers to join in on the fun, including IT and IT: 2's Andy Muschietti, Eli Roth, Peter Bogdanovich, and Troma's own Lloyd Kaufman – among others. If nothing else, I'm looking forward to see what these guys come up with!
Now, while the 94-year old Corman himself hasn't directed a film since FRANKENSTEIN UNBOUND in 1990, he recently produced the Scott Adkins direct-to-VOD actioner ABDUCTION late last year. Never let be said that Corman doesn't stay true to his roots!
So what do you guys think? Are you gonna take him up on his challenge? Either way, sound off below!