Roger Corman, known for producing over 400 movies over the span of 60 years, most of them schlocky B movies and creature features, was at Comic-Con schilling his new 3D film for Epix, Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader. If you like Corman, boobs and 3D, this is the film for you. To find about Corman’s experience in producing Cheerleader, tops vs topless, and movies with messages, keep reading after the jump.
Nobody needed to prod Roger Corman with a question when he sat at the table, as he immediately began speaking about his new venture. “The film I really want to talk about, of course, is Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader. It premieres on Epix on August 25th. I did it primarily because I never shot in 3D before and I wanted to see what the experience was.
Interestingly, the title was picked for Corman and he had to come up with a story based on the title. “What happens is a scientific experiment goes wrong. In this type of picture, a scientific experiment always goes wrong because if it didn’t go wrong they’re be no picture!” Even after the homely cheerleader doses herself with a serum to become beautiful, but unaware she is faced with the unfortunate side effect of growing to 50 feet tall, another girl decides to emulate her. “Another cheerleader, seeing how beautiful she’s become, before she’s 50 feet tall, takes the serum herself, becomes more beautiful and our big climax is that two 50 foot cheerleaders battle it out on the football field on homecoming day. Epix wanted it filmed two ways. One way is that inadvertently their tops come off during the fight. And then I wanted another version in which the tops stay on. I know that we have never filmed a picture with nudity in it for a number of years. The only thing I can think of is that for a very long time a little nudity above the waist was startling. Today there is so much nudity on the Internet it’s no longer startling. For us this is the first time we’ve shot a first topless version because Epix wanted it.”
When asked how this might be a movie about women and empowerment, Corman said, “There is a little bit of that. I don’t want to push messages into pictures. This movie is purely entertainment. There is a little thing that I insist as I’ve done this type of movie before….we followed a movie about three nurses and the writers asked ‘can the boyfriends solve their problem?’ and I said ‘No. The girls have to solve their own problems. The boyfriends might help a little bit, but the girls have to solve their own problems.’ as these two 50 feet cheerleaders do.”
What keeps Corman’s brand strong all these years? “It’s fun. If it wasn’t fun, then I wouldn’t want to do it.” Anyone who has watched a Corman production has to agree. His movies might not be thought provoking and lead to great round table discussions, but the resulting entertainment value is pure, unadulterated fun.
