Roger Corman's 90th Birthday - Happy Birthday Roger!

Filmmaking - milestones

Roger Corman, the elegant "King of the Indies"
turns 90 years old today! Go Roger!

I had dinner with Roger Corman, on a boat in Seattle years
ago, and could not get over it, this elegant gentleman in a
cashmere sweater was the same man who Directed a movie
called "Bucket of Blood."

Years later, I worked at his secret Venice movie studio,
and learned a lot about making movies, perhaps the most
important thing is, Don't listen to anybody who says you can't.

Back when, Roger had a rubber stamp and a ream of typing paper for his stationery, dressed in simple elegance, and refused to waste a cent. He wrote the book on the subject.

Ninety years old is quite an achievement, so I send
a heartfelt (and cheap) Happy Birthday Roger Corman!

Cinco De Mayo Movies

Cinco De Mayo Movies

Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday, not an American one, although more Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the USA, than Mexicans celebrate it in Mexico.

For Americans, Cinco de Mayo is an excuse to drink alcohol and eat starch, flavored with vegetable irritants.
Americans think Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day. No, for that is 16 September, which doesn't roll nearly so well off the tongue.

Cinco de Mayo commemorates Mexico fighting the French in 1862. France invaded Mexico because Mexico owed them a lot of money. Countries do that. It happened, and will happen again.

Cinco de Mayo celebrates an unlikely victory - that of the raggedy little Mexican Army over the big bad French Army (then the most powerful in the world), in Puebla, Mexico on May 5th 1862. (Not surprisingly, most Mexican celebration of this event occurs in that city of Puebla).

In 1860, Mexico had been waging what historians call "Too many wars." Mexicans fought the Americans in 1846-48, and each other in 1858 and 1860. As has happened, and will happen again, to countries waging too many wars, Mexico's treasury was empty, because war is expensive.

In July 1861, Mexican President Benito Juarez decreed a 2-year moratorium. Mexico would make no payments on its debts to Britain, Spain, and France. This created what historians call, "A tense situation," between Mexico, Britain, Spain, and France.

Britain and Spain reached diplomatic arrangements, (negotiation usually preferable to conflict), but France...

Napoleon III, The Emperor of France, sent 8000 crack troops landing in Veracruz, marching to Mexico City, to conquer Mexico for France. Napoleon wasn't kidding around.

Even so, Napoleon's crackerjacques French army of 8,000 soldiers ran into 4,000 determined defenders at the city of Puebla, who...beat 'em.

Unthinkable, but it happened. 5 May 1862, Battle of Puebla. Outnumbered and outgunned Mexican Army...beat the top-shape French Army. Celebrate! Victory!

Well...the victory didn't last long, because the French regrouped, and wiped out the Mexican Army a year later, establishing Emperor Maximilian I to rule Mexico.  BUT...that's the Cinco de Mayo story.

Here are some movies with a Mexican flavor.

Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
Humphrey Bogart faces the Gold Hat Bandito, played by the unforgettable Alfonso Bedoya, in John Huston's classic film. Negotiation seems impossible.



Viva Max (1969)
Peter Ustinov takes over the Alamo, assisted by John Astin.



El Mariachi (1992)
Robert Rodriguez takes over Hollywood. Victory didn't last, but he had a great start. Negotiations continue...





viva max
el mariachi
cinco de mayo movies
treasure of the sierra madre

Roger Corman's 85th Birthday - Happy Birthday Roger!

Filmmaking - milestones


Roger Corman, the elegant "King of the Indies"
turns 85 years old today! Go Roger!


I had dinner with Roger Corman, on a boat in Seattle years
ago, and could not get over it, this elegant gentleman in a
cashmere sweater was the same man who Directed a movie
called "Bucket of Blood."


Years later, I worked at his secret Venice movie studio,
and learned a lot about making movies, perhaps the most
important thing is, Don't listen to anybody who says you can't.


Back when, Roger had a rubber stamp and a ream of typing paper for his stationery, dressed in simple elegance, and refused to waste a cent. He wrote the book on the subject.


Eighty-five years old is quite an achievement, so I send
a heartfelt (and cheap) Happy Birthday Roger Corman!

Film Production - The Best Movie Ever?

Film Production - The Best Movie Ever?

A German friend compiled this list,
I'm not sure if it's even near a true "100 best,"
as there are several films on it I think are only "okay,"
but this is not my list. This is Franz List.

So ponder it, or...just enjoy the clips...

Here's a great idea, carried to its logical extreme, because...

"Anything worth doing is worth overdoing."
-- Sam Longoria

Countdown of numbers in your favorite 100 movies.
I may have posted this before. I don't care. It's great.




Another great idea. Thank God cellphones are not ubiquitous, omnipresent, or even everywhere, because they would easily screw up some truly great cinema.

Yes, I know "Gilligan's Island" is not primarily a movie, but

there really is a Gilligan movie in development for 2011.

It obviously needs three full development years, to make sure it's just as good as it can possibly be. Perhaps that is not enough time. Take as long as necessary, guys. Don't rush it!

I hope it comes out after the end of the world in 2012,
adding Insult to Apocalypse. Anyway, these clips are funny.
Ignore the University Of Phoenix ad. I'm not listening, la la la...

film school

filmmaking

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digital filmmaking handbook

© 2009 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved