Who do you think is the most successful b-movie director?
I was tempted to say Peter Jackson (went from Bad Taste to The Lord of the Rings Trilogy) or Sam Raimi (went from The Evil Dead to Sony’s Spider-Man trilogy) but I’m gonna go with The King of the B’s himself, Roger Corman!
Roger has produced nearly four-hundred feature films, is an accomplished director of over fifty films, kick-started the careers of numerous directors and actors (e.g. Joe Dante, Jack Nicholson, Francis Ford Coppola, Ron Howard, James Cameron, Robert DeNiro, Charles Bronson, and many others!) and he received a (much-deserved) lifetime achievement Oscar in 2009 (pic right)!
What is the best b-movie title ever?
The best title ever… hmm…. I’d have to go with Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. It’s the first film that came to my mind, if only because one of the quotes on the movie poster says “One of the Five Best Movie Titles of All Time!” If you were looking for the weirdest (or longest) b-movie title of all time, then the awful The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies would seem the logical choice.
Fav b-movie?
Ack! I knew this one would crop up. I’m sort of weird because I don’t have ONE favorite film in any category. Over the years I’ve adopted Spielberg’s JAWS, as my all-time favorite movie, if only to avoid the stares of folks that are far more decisive than I am.
As for my favorite b-movie…. gosh…. you know, at the risk of being like Quentin Tarantino (whose list of favorite movies changes with every single interview he does) I’ll say The Toxic Avenger” is my favorite b-movie.
It was Troma’s flagship film and spun off three (going on four) sequels, an animated TV series (Toxic Crusaders, which resulted in a line of toys, comic books, and video games), and a critically-acclaimed off-Broadway musical.
Also, it is the first (and probably best) Troma film that I’ve ever seen and I have fond memories of watching it when I was much younger on USA Up All Night (hosted by blonde bombshell Rhonda Shear)!
Do you have a favorite b-movie actor?
Yes, I do! Bruce Campbell is my all-time favorite b-movie actor! I’ve seen just about every film and TV show he’s been in, and read both of his books several times. What I like most about him is that although he’s gone “mainstream” by starring in “Burn Notice,” he still caters to the fans of all the cheesy Horror and Sci-Fi films he’s starred in up until now.
In fact, the next project he’s working on is a followup to My Name is Bruce, entitled Bruce vs. Frankenstein, a true love-letter to fans that will allegedly star every b-film and cult Horror legend he can get his hands on!
If I were to choose a runner up however, character actor Tom Atkins (whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting twice) would be a close second to Bruce. He’s so great in every movie I’ve seen him in (Night of the Creeps, Maniac Cop, and most recently Drive Angry 3D) and he’s an extremely nice and friendly gentleman to boot.
As for favorite b-movie actress…. I’d have to go with Adrienne Barbeau! (Creepshow, The Fog, Escape from New York, et al.) I had a huge crush on her when I was a kid after seeing her in Wes Craven’s Swamp Thing and hopefully will get a chance to meet her someday!
If I only saw one b-movie, which one should I watch?
If you were only going to watch one (shame on you!), then I suppose I would suggest the quintessential b-movie, Plan 9 From Outer Space (see trailer below). It is the crowning achievement of director Edward D. Wood Jr, a heralded classic, and an exercise in complete ineptitude (as featured in Tim Burton’s Ed Wood).
The film is more popular now than it was when it was first released, and believe it or not, it is currently being remade as Plan 9 by an independent production company. But why limit yourself to just one? I could easily rattle off a list of fifty b-movies you should watch….
[nggallery id=38]How many b-movies do you think you have seen?
Wow….. Hundreds? Absolutely! Thousands? Most definitely. Tens of thousands? I can’t say for sure, but it isn’t an impossibility. Gosh, now you’ve got me feeling like I should start a self-help group for b-movie addicts. Hahaha.
For more great info on B-Movies, Visit the Vault Master’s website The B-Movie Vault
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