Read an edited transcript of the conversation below.
I went over to meet Roger in Dublin for an interview and sat down with him.
I was a huge Roger Corman fan with no filmmaking aspirations whatsoever.
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I loved movies, but I was fine being a publicist.
And I said, yes.
And he said he was starting a new company back in Los Angeles New World Pictures.
And he needed to generate scripts so he could get some movies in production.
So he asked if I liked motorcycle movies.
And I said yes.In particular, Roger, I like yourWild Angels.
And he said, Okay, fine, well, why dont you write a motorcycle script for me.
I was like 24 years old!
It sounded thrilling to me.
Did he say how much he would pay?No, and I never thought to ask.
I was a voracious moviegoer an intense cinephile.
Id written some film reviews for tiny newspapers.
Joe was a fantastic storyteller.
So I told Roger the idea: We were going to do a motorcycle version ofRashomon.
But with scenes of sex and violence, of course!
So we wrote it and we sat there and watched him read our 80-page screenplay.
He finishes and says, Hmm, this is pretty good.
I think we can make it.
Joe, you direct commercials, and Jonathan, you produce them.
Why dont you fellas come out and make the movie?
Come to L.A. in two months and you could get started.
You were literally learning how to make a movie while making a movie.
And I think Joe and I shared $3,000 for our combined writing, directing, and producing chores.
The movie was calledAngels Hard as they Come(1971).
What was the budget onAngels Hard as they Come?$125,000.
We had three weeks to shoot it.
But we were making a MOVIE!
The money was not an issue.
The only advice he gave us was warning us to stay on budget and on schedule.
We became much better filmmakers on that one.
I was perfectly happy to be a film publicist and make TV commercials.The Hot Boxwas an incredibly intense experience.
What was the rationale for shooting in the Philippines?
Just that it was cheaper or it had jungle or what?You would get tremendous production value.
It was very exciting, and thats where the I got the directing bug.
And the first film you directed for him wasCaged Heat(1974)…Yes.
It was always important to work fast.
There were always a lot of notes on the scripts from Roger.
They all kind of had to do with narrative and character and this can be better.
It wasnt like more sex and violence and topless girls.
I learned it onCaged Heatfrom Roger.
You have to know what your next shot is.
Never stand around for a second.
You have to keep it rolling all day.
So you have to know where youre going with shot lists and storyboards.
Thats enormously important, and I still think that way today.
