With the release of my new book, I've decided to share some fun, interesting, informative and downright bizarre adventures from my years working in the movie business. This is one of the bizarre ones...
My second job in the movie biz was working for Roger Corman. Roger, if you don't know, is a Hollywood legend. Although he directed a number of small films, he's best knows as a legendary, low-budget producer. In fact, he's said to have produced more than 1000 films - and he claims he only lost money on a few of them.
The movie was called "Zipper's Clown Palace." That was the working title, but it was changed prior to its straight-to-home video release. An upcoming Demi Moore movie had been getting a lot of hype. That film was called "Striptease" and was still several months away. The powers that be at New Horizons (Corman's distribution wing) decided to capitalize on that and changed the name of our little film to "Stripteaser". I'm sure you've seen this title game played before. Little films seem to think they can benefit from fomenting confusion among consumers with names that bear a striking resemblance to bigger, studio fare. Occasionally, lawsuits even result from this, but it must be a viable marketing tactic as it continues to this day.
Back to the production - Almost the entire film takes place in a strip club. It was a small cast and crew and I’d wager it was shot entirely non-union. Just three weeks total. I would put the entire budget at $100,000 or less. This was the Roger Corman formula. This next part, however, wasn't part of his business model (to my knowledge). I worked on Zipper's as On-Set Dresser. When I rented or bought anything for the art department, I was told to get the receipt in the name of “Captain Nuke.” Weird, right? So, here's the thing…
At the same time we were shooting Zipper's Clown Palace, we were also shooting another Corman project on the lot called "Captain Nuke and the Bomber Boys". Captain Nuke was a bigger budget family film starring Martin Sheen. Of course, by bigger budget, it was probably a million or two, so still pretty modest, but compared to what we had for Stripteaser, it was a fortune. Anyway, when I was told to get all my receipts in the name of “Captain Nuke,” I was suspicious, but smart enough not to ask.
Finally, one of the producers came clean and explained what I already suspected – Captain Nuke wasn't financed by Roger Corman. It was a Corman company production to be distributed by Corman's New Horizon's distribution wing. But it was funded by a third party(ies). That third party had no idea that they were actually funding two films; Captain Nuke AND Zipper's Clown Palace. So, every receipt for Zipper's was in the name of Captain Nuke. I don't know all the specifics, but I was told when it was done, Zipper's would be 100% owned by New Horizon's and having never cost them a penny to make or acquire. The investors in Captain Nuke would never have a clue. Genius? Debatable. Shady? Absolutely. Welcome to the world of low budget filmmaking.
Film Schooling by Christopher Robin Hood is now available on Amazon.com!