cover image How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime

How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime

Roger Corman. Random House (NY), $18.95 (237pp) ISBN 978-0-394-56974-1

Independent filmmaker Corman ( The Beast ; The Little Shop of Horrors ) wrongly argues here that his is not ``one of the more significant careers in film history.'' Having helped launch directors Francis Ford Coppola, Peter Bogdanovich and Martin Scorsese, and actors Jack Nicholson, Bruce Dern and Sylvester Stallone, he is certainly one of the motive forces in American movies today. In this revealing autobiography, written with the coauthor of Papa John , Corman tells amazing tales of shooting full-length films in mere days with budgets under $100,000, and states his conviction that cinema is a fusion of art and money--which explains, he believes, why Americans do it so well. This account of Corman's life and career includes reminiscences by those who have worked with him: performers, directors, assistant producers, writers. The book is a significant contribution to the history of American movies. Photos not seen by PW. (May)