Movies
In Memoriam: 8 Defining Films to Remember Roger Corman
From westerns to gladiator exploitation films to post-apocalyptic action movies (and of course, plenty of horror), Corman didn’t just make off-the-wall genre films, he made them viable and rarely lost a dime on them. And above all else, he made them fun, and he gave them a spirit of enjoyability that was contagious. So, to honor Roger Corman, we here at Horror Press have compiled a list of 8 films that best embody his indelible influence on horror and science fiction.
As many Horror Press readers already know, we lost genre film legend Roger Corman last Thursday, May 9th. One of the all-time greats in Hollywood, he was known for spinning straw budgets into gold pictures, and Corman’s influence is embedded into modern filmmaking thanks to the hundreds and hundreds of films he worked on.
Starting as a production assistant turned story analyst at the bottom rungs of 20th Century Fox, Corman became the face of independent filmmaking in Hollywood from the 1950s on. With an innate vision for what gets people engaged with film, Corman was a mentalist at reading audiences and producing films that got watchers going. Corman knew what you wanted to see, sometimes before you even knew it; he wasn’t part of the genre film zeitgeist. He was the zeitgeist outright.
8 Roger Corman Movies Every Horror Fan Should Watch
From westerns to gladiator exploitation films to post-apocalyptic action movies (and of course, plenty of horror), Corman didn’t just make off-the-wall genre films, he made them viable and rarely lost a dime on them. And above all else, he made them fun, and he gave them a spirit of enjoyability that was contagious. So, to honor Roger Corman, we here at Horror Press have compiled a list of 8 films that best embody his indelible influence on horror and science fiction.
SHARKTOPUS VS PTERACUDA (2014)
It seems fair to visit one of Corman’s later works in life, since it’s a very good example of how he had the juice to make great b-movies long after he had made himself a household name. Before The Asylum and its cohorts were a gleam in the eye of the SyFy channel, Roger Corman had paved the way for them perfectly, and eventually joined them in the sharksploitation resurrection of the 2000s and 2010s.
I remember seeing Sharktopus on SyFy semi-regularly when I was younger, but its sequel is a strictly better version, with two apex predators seeing which celebrity cameos they can eat faster (Conan O’Brien gets annihilated in this one!). Vs. Pteracuda is, in a weird way, also a step up in terms of effects, even if the CGI looks rougher than sandpaper. Beyond that, it’s one of those rare gems that can laugh at itself and manages to walk the intentionally so-bad-its-good tightrope without falling into a pit of forced self-awareness.
ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS (1957) & IT CONQUERED THE WORLD (1956)
Okay, I know. I cheated, technically this makes 9 films. But I just couldn’t deny a double header of quintessential “goofy-looking monster movies”. Some of Corman’s earliest horror contributions are drive-thru shlock through and through. And that’s quite alright with me because we get giant telepathic crabs out of it!
These two feel like the best example of Corman’s ability to challenge bigger studios with smaller production values; they’re on par with contemporaries like Creature From The Black Lagoon and The Monster that Challenged the World, and every bit as enjoyable. It Conquered the World boasts one of my favorite monster designs with its strange demonic traffic cone aesthetic. It was also one of the earlier collaborations between Corman and famed character actor Dick Miller, who would reappear three years later in…
A BUCKET OF BLOOD (1959)
If there’s one way to get logged into the annals of horror history, making one of the first really solid original horror comedies is it. The film follows schmuck Walter Paisley (one of many as the name became a regular Corman movie easter egg), who struggles to find friends while surrounded by hipster artists, but discovers he excels at sculpting— but only when the clay is being molded and shaped around dead people.
Entrenched in the film’s dark humor is a solid satire about American countercultural movements, poking fun at beatniks and small, insular art scenes in a way that feels evergreen decades later. It’s a charming film about desperately seeking approval, something that Corman clearly enjoyed poking fun at given he often had to go against the grain to get his films made, and never let himself get chained up in hunting for recognition.
GALAXY OF TERROR (1981)
When we talk about Roger Corman giving life to Hollywood and creating other film legends, the example everyone will undoubtedly remember is Corman’s relationship with James Cameron. Cameron got his start as a miniatures artist while working on two films for Corman in particular: Battle Beyond the Stars, and the much more well-known Galaxy of Terror.
Galaxy of Terror is often referred to as a rip-off of Alien, mainly for its body horror and some insectoid alien motifs its got going on. But what it actually ends up being is a weird, heady, high-concept space fantasy of death that tortures its cast of characters more brutally than a xenomorph could. It’s also got some strange, nasty creature effects, and an even stranger ending. While it certainly started as an attempt to seize the popularity of Ridley Scott’s seminal sci-fi horror, Galaxy of Terror evolved into an indescribable touchstone in Corman’s filmography.
CHOPPING MALL (1986)
Another film that has Dick Miller, albeit this time in a smaller role, Chopping Mall was produced by Roger’s wife, Julie Corman. Still, his spirit is very much in this one with all the camp it has to offer. The premise? An enterprising mall tries to move into the 21st century early and employs a series of cutting-edge security robots to keep it clear. They, of course, promptly short-circuit during a thunderstorm and begin to murder teenage stragglers who stayed in the mall after hours.
B-movie juggernaut Jim Wynorski directed this one and actually got his start as a publicist for Corman before moving up in the film world of the 1980s and 90s. Wynorski once said that Corman “taught [him] all the lessons on how to make a film and how to make it look expensive when you don’t have a lot of money”, which is as good a praise as any filmmaker can get.
SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE II (1987)
When Deborah Brock approached Roger Corman with a proposal for a Slumber Party Massacre follow-up, he recognized the need to get a sequel off the ground after the first film’s success. What he financed was a fun rock-and-roll slasher film and a cult classic that’s easy to fall in love with.
This time around, the dead killer from part 1 has reincarnated into a greaser ghost with a giant drill guitar, prone to giving his victim’s hallucinations. Some crazy visuals like being attacked by a raw undead chicken, the world’s nastiest pimple effect, and the movie pausing to do an honest-to-God, full-on music video starring the killer are only a few of the delightful samplings the film has to share. It’s an off-kilter slasher that demands to be seen, and one of those ventures that had his distinct brand of equal parts sleaze and spirit ingrained in it.
THE RAVEN (1963)
Among Corman’s many horror endeavors, his Edgar Allan Poe adaptations with American International Pictures left some of the biggest impacts. Among them, The Raven holds a special place in my heart. Corman “extrapolates” Poe’s poem to tell a story about dueling wizards in a gothic castle, complete with dinky rotoscoped spell effects and hilarious dialogue. It also has ace performances from Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre, the latter being a mainstay of the producer’s films.
The Raven also stands as a testament to Corman’s uncanny ability to “thin the paint” as he phrased it, spreading resources between movies; it was one of three films that were all shot on the same set, and all within the same month according to Jack Nicholson, alongside The Terror and The Haunted Palace.
MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (1964)
That being said, there is only one choice for his ACTUAL best Poe adaptation, and for that matter what I would qualify is his best film on a technical level. Masque of the Red Death is undoubtedly the most visually striking film he’s ever directed. It’s a colorful, evocative piece that perfectly captures the nature of the original short story it’s based on, in which a mysterious guest terrorizes medieval nobles trying to weather a plague as peasants suffer outside the castle walls.
Unfortunately for the lecherous Prince Prospero, death comes for everyone, and Corman makes it look incredible (especially when he’s terrorizing Hazel Court as the villainous Juliana). All of the cinematography here comes together to make the perfect storm of gothic atmosphere you need to pull off this story: the lighting, the costuming, and the set design, in particular, are off the charts, and that’s all capped off by the performance of a prime Vincent Price. Keep an eye out for repertory screenings of the film as we move into late May and June, because theatres ought to be playing Masque to pay homage. It’s wholly worth the price of admission, even 60 years after the fact.
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Rest in peace, Roger Corman. Thanks for making the world a more campy, more silly, more fun, and when you really wanted to, more beautiful place. You will be missed, by friends and fans the world across. And, as always, happy watching horror fans.
Halloween season is over, and many streamers have forgotten about us horror kids. While they take their 11-month hiatus from the genre, we can be grateful that we still have an app that cares. We are so lucky that Shudder remains that girl year-round. Whether you’re finishing their new original show Guts & Glory, catching up on The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans, or running at some of their deep cuts like I am, Shudder has your best interests at heart. As usual, she has quite a few titles fighting for our attention. Which is why I am here with five titles I think should be at the top of all of our watch lists this November. So, cancel your holiday plans and pick up your remote because we have got horrifying things to watch.
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
Habit (1995)
An alcoholic unwittingly enters into a relationship with a succubus in New York City. If you ever wondered what Larry Fessenden was getting up to in his youth, you need to see this ’90s gem. I lucked out and caught it at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival last year, and I lived my best life. While watching it on the small screen will not be the same, I plan to hit play anyway. Mostly because I love to see 1990s succubi leaving their mark on men…and also the horror genre. Shudder is also adding The Last Winter and Depraved, so we can spend a whole day with Uncle Larry’s work.
Sew Torn (2024)
A seamstress happens upon a failed drug deal and steals a briefcase. She soon finds herself caught in a deadly situation where all roads lead to death. I caught Sew Torn at SXSW last year and have been wondering what happened to it. So, I am very happy this odd little bird has found her way to Shudder. I cannot wait to make my friends who are looking for something cute and deadly watch. I knew nothing when I hit play on this, and I encourage you to know as little as possible, too. I fear I have already written too much in this blurb to be completely honest.
You can watch Sew Torn on November 1st.
The Retreat (2021)
A couple goes on a pre-wedding retreat and unwittingly becomes targets of a group of serial killers. We have seen too many movies about retreats, and I thought this one would be more of the same. This title does not completely reinvent the wheel, but it does set itself apart within this oversaturated subgenre. The Retreat is a surprisingly fun and tense little thriller that feels made for the winter watches. Come for the lesbian characters leading the film, and stay for the violence. I also encourage you to check it out while it is on Shudder, because it is usually on apps with ads.
You can watch The Retreat on November 1st.
The Creep Tapes (Season 2)
Peachfuzz returns with more tapes, chaos, kills, and WTF moments. Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice have reentered the TV arena and are making things weird again. If award shows were real, this duo would be leading the Emmys charge. I saw the first three episodes, and Josef/Peachfuzz is still the serial killer after our own hearts. Our Wolfie is still cutting up (literally and figuratively) in the most amazing ways. Guest stars in danger this season include David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Katie Aselton (The League), and Robert Longstreet (The Haunting of Hill House).
You can watch The Creep Tapes (Season 2) on November 14th.
Krampus (2015)
A kid accidentally summons demons during the holidays in this horror comedy. Krampus remains one of the top-tier Christmas horror titles for me. It is also my favorite Michael Dougherty film. Not only because it has the star power of Adam Scott and Toni Collette, either. This movie is wicked, and even the kids are in danger. I do not have many holiday horror movies I revisit every year, but Krampus is one of the very few. It still holds up, and I cannot wait to rewatch it with a festively boozy beverage.
You can watch Krampus on November 15th.
Those are a few reasons I am grateful for Shudder this holiday season. While the rest of you are fighting with your family and friends, I will be parked in front of my TV. You can have your turkey because I would rather gorge myself on episodes of The Creep Tapes anyway.
Let me know what Shudder shenanigans you have got your little eye on. I am nosy and want to make sure I am not missing anything on my favorite streamer.
The year is winding down, and I don’t know about you, but I am trying to pack in as many 2025 horror movies as I can. Is this because I love making end-of-the-year lists? Yes. Is it because I am an unhealed overachiever? Also, yes. So, I am assuming some of you are also cruising the streamers to see what you may have missed. While Netflix has had my favorite new slasher Heart Eyes for a bit, and I have mentioned that in previous streaming guides, they also have other new horror titles to show you.
I do not talk about them as much because I did not have a good time with them. However, that does not mean you won’t enjoy some of these titles. That’s why I am taking the high road and finding something to be grateful for about each of them. That way, you will know there is a silver lining if you do watch them. Allow me to help you figure out what to prioritize this month and what to skip. Check out this chaotic Netflix hitlist below!
The Best Movies to Stream on Netflix This Month
28 Years Later (2025)
A group of survivors on a small island has built a fortress to protect them from the rage virus. However, a young boy discovers what is really outside the walls of their community and sets off to find a cure for his sick mother. We all loved 28 Days Later, and some of us liked 28 Weeks Later. So, 28 Years Later was never going to live up to the hype with almost thirty years of anticipation. While I didn’t love it, I did enjoy seeing Danny Boyle helm another zombie installment. What he does in the subgenre is top-tier, and we are welcome (even if the script left me wanting more). That might have gotten buried in all the talk about the dicks seen in the movie, though.
Fear Street: Prom Queen (2025)
A group of girls competing for prom queen starts disappearing, leaving the underdog to figure out what is happening to her competition. I had a lot of thoughts about this lackluster installment in Netflix’s Fear Street adaptations. As someone who grew up reading Fear Street books and wanting to adapt them myself, I do not understand how this movie came out so badly. Which made it hard to find something nice to say about this title. However, the soundtrack slaps, and it is not the soundtrack’s fault that it was wasted on a low-energy bottom-tier slasher. So, if you hit play on this, you can at least look forward to hearing some retro bangers selected by music supervisor Nora Felder. If you are familiar with her work on Yellowjackets and Stranger Things, you know Felder does not miss.
Maa (2025)
To battle a demon’s curse, a mother transforms into the legendary goddess Kali. As usual, Netflix did not advertise an international horror movie that seemed to have some potential. If they had told us Maa was an Indian Hindi-language mythological horror movie, most people who yell for intersectionality and originality would have run at it. Instead, we had to find out about it months later while looking for something we hadn’t already seen on the app. This movie is too long, and I cannot say it is good by any stretch of the imagination. However, it also made me realize how little I know about the goddess of destruction. If you are a nerd like me, this might lead you down a cool rabbit hole. You can also say you gave a view to a horror movie starring Brown people. Who knows, maybe you could be one of the few who enjoy this chaotic film.
Until Dawn (2025)
A group of friends find themselves trapped in a time loop where they keep getting killed in gruesome ways. I love the video game and was so bummed this adaptation was so bad. However, the practical effects are very cool and should be celebrated more. I think the stuff that the SFX team pulled off might be the only reason to watch the movie personally. I’m happy the actors whose work I enjoy got paid, and that’s another positive thing I can say. However, if we want to see young people in deadly time loops, we have so many movies that do it better. Excuse me as I look right at Happy Death Day and all of the movies that have tried to copy her.
Ziam (2025)
A Muay Thai fighter battles through a zombie apocalypse to save the woman he loves. Netflix fumbled the advertising for this one too, because who doesn’t want to see a Thai zombie film? So, I was excited to watch it, but then sad I did not like it. However, I think this one is on me. It is an action-horror with a lot of heartfelt moments, and that’s not my bag. I wanted more violence and zombie action because I am a broken and heartless ghoul. So, Ziam might be the only movie on this list that does not deserve my bombastic side eye. I am waiting for other people to watch it and let me know if they have a better time with it, though.
While I was not the audience for these movies, I am assuming some of you will dig them. Worst-case scenario, you cross off a few more 2025 horror movies and have something to talk about at Friendsgiving. Happy Horrordays! I will see myself out now…
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