Play Morricone For Me: Ep.2 - Roger Corman Centennial

·1 hr 1 min·5 clips

Jack Criddle opens with a dramatic poem from Roger Corman's 'A Bucket of Blood' to kick off the centennial tribute.

The episode opens with a dramatic poetry reading from Corman's 1959 film 'A Bucket of Blood', set to Ennio Morricone's music. Host Jack Criddle introduces the centennial tribute to Roger Corman, who passed away in May 2024. Criddle notes that obituaries often emphasize Corman's role as a mentor to directors like Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese, but he argues this undersells Corman's own directorial work. The show plays music from Corman films, starting with the main title from 'Attack of the Crab Monsters' by Ronald Stein. Criddle explains that Corman frequently collaborated with composers from jazz and rock backgrounds, such as Les Baxter, who scored 'The Man with the X-Ray Eyes'. Baxter is described as the 'Herman to Corman's Hitchcock' for his long partnership with the director. The episode features tracks from films like 'The Mask of the Red Death' by David Lee and 'The Intruder' by Herman Stein. Criddle discusses 'The Intruder' as Corman's only financial loss, a serious drama about school integration starring William Shatner. He speculates that if this film had succeeded, Corman's career might have shifted away from genre films. The host plays music from later Corman productions, including 'Bloody Mama' and 'The Big Dollhouse', distributed through his company New World Pictures. Criddle highlights Corman's work with rock bands like Davey Allen and the Arrows for 'The Wild Angels', which updated western outlaw archetypes for the 1960s counterculture. The episode includes audio trailers for films such as 'Humanoids from the Deep' and 'Devils Angels'. Criddle mentions other composers like Chuck Serino for 'Chopping Mall' and Paul Chihara for 'Death Race 2000'. He concludes by recommending viewers watch Corman's films on Tubi and thanks listeners for tuning in.

As heard by us

A Corman centennial shaped by unusual scores, sharp context, and a memorable turn toward The Intruder.

Roger Corman's centennial is framed as a compact tour through music from his films, moving from Les Baxter's end title for The Man with the X-Ray Eyes to David Lee's "The Masked Ball" from The Mask of the Red Death and Herman Stein's main title for The Intruder.

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Why you'd press play

You get a Roger Corman centennial tribute with unusual musical colors, Poe-cycle atmosphere, and a serious detour into The Intruder.

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