ROGER CORMAN

This week I watched a Corman movie called Deathsport. Unfortunately like most of his productions it was rubbish! But it was the famous director/producer's birthday yesterday and most are aware of his connection to Irish cinema. Back in the 1960s he produced Dementia 13 here. Then in the 1990s he set up a studio in Ireland called Concorde. There he made films such as Criminal affairs which caused a sensation at the Galway Film Fleadh. Unfortunatley due to the almost soft-porn content it was for the wrong reasons! Apparently it was the crew who selected this movie for submission and not Corman himself. Another film made here (and out on DVD) was A very unlucky leprechaun. There was trouble with unions, reporters, staff turnover, and a few controversial interviews with the Irish media. Legal threats were made when one Irish journalist gave Corman a script to produce but he turned it down. The Irish media then turned against him. There are three kinds of film categories: rubbish but fun stuff that Corman produces; bland, middle-brow stuff that our Film Board funds; and then high-brow stuff that the world-class directors make. Not only do we need an Irish director that's world class but we also need an Irish Roger Corman!