The Filmgroup was a production and distribution company founded by filmmakers Roger Corman and Gene Corman in 1959. Corman used it to make and distribute his own movies, as opposed to ones he was making for American International Pictures. The company ultimately folded but lessons from running it helped Corman make a success later of New World Pictures (now part of 20th Century Fox). Filmgroup also produced early feature work of Francis Ford Coppola, Peter Bogdanovich, Charles B. Griffith, Curtis Harrington, Jack Hill, Monte Hellman, Robert Towne and Jack Nicholson.
Corman established his own company, Palo Alto Productions, in 1954, which was responsible for his first two movies. Filmgroup came out of a desire for Corman to move into distribution.
The first films they distributed consisted of the double bill, High School Big Shot and T-Bird Gang, movies which Corman had executive produced and helped financed. Corman would also buy films made by independent distributors, in addition to several films from the Soviet Union, which he would re-dub and have additional scenes shot and added to.
Gene Corman left the company in 1963 to join 20th Century-Fox and Corman handed over distribution of his films to American International Pictures. The company soon wound up.
Corman never bothered to copyright the movies so most of them are in the public domain.
High School Big Shot (1959) - directed by Joel RappT-Bird Gang (1959) - directed by Richard HarbingerBeast from Haunted Cave (1959) - written by Charles B. Griffith, produced by Gene Corman, directed by Monte HellmanThe Wasp Woman (1959) - directed by Roger CormanCreature from the Haunted Sea (1961) - written by Charles B. Griffith directed by Roger CormanAtlas (1960) - written by Charles B. Griffith directed by Roger CormanBattle of Blood Island (1960) - directed by Joel Rapp. First film adaption of a book by Philip Roth.Date Bait (1960) - directed by O'Dale IrelandHigh School Caesar (1960) - starring John AshleySki Troop Attack (1960) - written by Charles B. Griffith directed by Roger CormanThe Girl in Lovers Lane (1960) - directed by Charles R. RondeauLast Woman on Earth (1960) - written by Robert Towne, directed by Roger CormanThe Wild Ride (1960) - starring Jack NicholsonThe Little Shop of Horrors (1960) - written by Charles B. Griffith directed by Roger CormanMagic Voyage of Sinbad (1961) - acquired from the Soviet company MosfilmThe Intruder (1962) - produced by Gene Corman, directed by Roger CormanDevil's Partner (1958) - a pick up, released in 1962Mermaids of Tiburon (1962) - acquired from Pacific ProductionsPirate of the Black Hawk (1961) - directed by Sergio GriecoBattle Beyond the Sun (1962) - US sequences directed by Francis Ford CoppolaDementia 13 (1963) - directed by Francis Ford CoppolaNight Tide (1963) - directed by Curtis HarringtonThe Terror (1963) - directed by Roger CormanVoyage to the Prehistoric Planet (1965) - US sequences directed by Curtis HarringtonQueen of Blood (1966) - directed by Curtis HarringtonVoyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women (1968) - US sequences directed by Peter BogdanovichThe following films were among those which Corman announced would be produced by Filmgroup but which were never made:
Cop Killer and Sob Sisters Don't Cry based on original scripts by Malden HarmsWedding Night from script by Robert RoarkI Flew a Spy Plane Over Russia based on a script by Robert TowneMurder at the Convention a political mystery satire from a script by Arthur Sandys starring Dick Miller and Jonathan HazePan and the SatyrsThe Man Who Sold the Earth (1962)Women in War (1962)Haunted Dream (1962)Juliet (1962)The Story of Robert E. Lee by Robert AdamsFun and Profit by Joel Rapp and Sam LockeThe Wild Surfers by John Lamb