2021's "Roger Corman: The Pope of Pop Cinema" was a French documentary that examines the vast and still ongoing output of maverick producer/director Roger Corman, which began as a story editor and screenwriter at 20th Century-Fox before venturing out on his own as an independent (still going deep into his 90s). 1953's "Monster from the Ocean Floor" was touted as his first genuine production, and since he wasn't impressed with his director, decided to save money by tackling the job himself on a color Western, "Five Guns West." Talent before the camera like Dick Miller or Jonathan Haze are bypassed for those behind the camera, such acclaimed filmmakers as Peter Bogdanovich, Joe Dante, Allan Arkush, and Ron Howard, who was savvy enough to accept the sequel to "Eat My Dust!" at the same acting rate if he could double as director for free (this film would be "Grand Theft Auto"). At 54 minutes there just isn't time to cover much more than the basics that most informed buffs already know, and from the 70s his New World Pictures achieved new heights of glory with delightful entries like "Caged Heat," "Death Race 2000," and "Piranha." Ron Howard sums it up best by quoting his mentor: "Ron, you are doing a good job on this picture, and if you continue to do a good job you'll never have to work for me again!"
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