Roger Corman, Hollywood Producer Who Backed B-grade Classics, Dies At 98

Roger Corman, the King of the Bs who helped turn out such low-budget classics as Little Shop of Horrors, has died. He was 98. Corman died Thursday at his home in Santa Monica, California, according to a statement released Saturday by his wife and daughters, reported AP.

Roger Corman's legacy

In a statement, his family expressed grief and said, "His films were revolutionary and iconoclastic, and captured the spirit of an age. When asked how he would like to be remembered, he said, 'I was a filmmaker, just that.'"

Quentin Tarantino raised his glass to him, saying, "the movie lovers of planet Earth thank you." Jonathan Demme commended his acting, noting that Corman provided "tremendous value at a really affordable price." Variety reported that Corman also expanded his reach by distributing his films through new outlets such as Showtime and the Sci Fi Channel (now Syfy). CNH launched a "Roger Corman Presents" series featuring science fiction, horror, and fantasy films for the pay cabler.

Additionally, the 2001 Sci Fi Channel series Black Scorpion was inspired by two of his popular straight-to-video films. Telepics for Syfy included titles like Dinoshark, Dinocroc vs. Supergator, and Sharktopus. In 2005, Concorde inked a 12-year agreement with Buena Vista Home Entertainment, granting them distribution rights to over 400 Corman-produced films. Later, in 2010, Corman struck a deal with Shout Factory, granting them exclusive North American home video rights to 50 of his films.