The Review at a Glance: ( max score: 5 )
Film:
Extras:
Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )
80
Studio and Year: Anchor Bay Films - 2011
MPAA Rating: R
Feature running time: 90 minutes
Genre: Documentary
Disc Format: BD-25
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 1.85:1
Resolution: 1080p/24
Audio Format(s): English Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Starring: Roger Corman, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Peter Bogdanovich, Peter Fonda, Martin Scorsese, Jonathan Demme, Ron Howard, Robert De Niro and David Carradine
Directed by: Alex Stapleton
Music by: Air
Written by: Alex Stapleton
Region Code: A
Blu-ray Disc release Date: March 27, 2012
"Some Men Dream of Conquering the World. Roger Corman Created His Own."
Film Synopsis:
A detailed documentary on the life and work of the "King Of the B films", Roger Corman.
My Take:
Director of over 50 films, producer of over 400, Roger Corman, like is work or hate it, has influenced generations of independent film makers and horror/sci-fi buffs for over 50 years. In 2010 he was awarded an Honorary Oscar for "his rich engendering of films and filmmakers." He was behind such films as The Little Shop of Horrors, House of Usher, The Fast and the Furious, Caged Heat, Big Bad Mama, Piranha and Rock 'n' Roll High School...and those are some of his better works. The majority of his catalog is terrible, and recently he has been making STV movies for SyFy that are so bad it’s embarrassing. But Roger Corman doesn't care, he has always and will always do things his way, away from the big studios and have fun in the process.Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel exceeded my expectations ten fold, showing a man I did not expect. Hailed as the “King of the bs” and a cult favorite to fans of outlaw American cinema and the horror crowd, I expected an oddball, dark strange guy, not the thoughtful, soft spoken and kind man presented here. A testament to this man's reach is the outpouring of who's who that are in this documentary. Martin Scorsese, Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, Jonathan Demme, Ron Howard, David Carradine, Peter Fonda, William Shatner, Pam Grier, John Sayles, Brett Ratner, Bruce Dern, Paul W.S. Anderson, Peter Bogdanovich, Eli Roth and many more actors and filmmakers show their respect and thank thank him for his help in jump-starting their careers.
Rightfully heralded as one of the best documentaries of 2011, Corman’s World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel was much better than anticipated and really did paint a picture of a man I would have always thought to be completely different. Sometimes heartwarming, sometimes sad but always inspiring, this is a must see for lovers of cinema and documentary, and more importantly, fans of Mr Corman's work.
Parental Guide:
Rated R for some violent images, nudity and language.
AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65
**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Audio: 76
- Dynamics:
- Low frequency extension:
- Surround Sound presentation:
- Clarity/Detail:
- Dialogue Reproduction:
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)
Video: 84
- Resolution/Clarity:
- Black level/Shadow detail:
- Color reproduction:
- Fleshtones:
- Compression:
Corman's World comes Blu-ray Disc from Anchor Bay Entertainment & Starz featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 22.2 mbps and Dolby TrueHD sound that has an average bitrate of 3.1 mbps
Packed with archival footage, newly filmed interview segments as well as clips of black and white and color films, Corman's World sure does the best it could with all of these elements. It also handles the sound with grace and ease, making the low budget low fidelity sound OK on this lossless track. Colors and detail are what we would expect from the newer footage, but this is never a reference image. It does all it needs to do video and audio-wise. The Dolby TrueHD never left me wanting for a word, and this is key as dialogue is 99% of this soundtrack.
Bonus Features:
- (HD) Extended Interviews
- (HD) Special Messages to Roger
- (HD) Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel Trailer
Final Thoughts:
Corman's World is a 90 minute film class. It's also 90 minutes of pure class from a man you might not expect it from. Roger Corman is a visionary in terms of working his own system within the Hollywood system. All but one of his films made money, and that alone is an amazing achievement considering his hand was in over 450 films. This Documentary delivers in what it set out to do, show the true Corman, show his reach in the film community and pay tribute to the man as well. This is a must see for lovers of cinema and documentary, and more importantly, fans of Mr Corman's work.
Lee Weber
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS45 3D 1080p 3D High Definition Front Projector
Screen Innovations Solar HD 1.3 120" 2.40:1 CinemaScope Screen
Denon AVR 4311 Pre/Pro
Sunfire Theater Grand 7201 Amplifier
Sony PS3 Slim Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)
MK Sound S-150MKII LCR
MK Sound S-150T Tripole Surrounds
MK Sound MX-350MKII Subwoofer
