Every director’s career has to start somewhere, and for Roger Corman, his cinematic journey began at the movies.

We know Corman today as the director of A Bucket of Blood (1959) and Little Shop of Horrors (1960). Corman was also a prolific producer, lending a hand in films like Dinoshark (2010).

Corman confessed that originally, he had plans to become an engineer like his father. However, a chance experience changed Corman’s entire mindset.

“I started writing for the Stanford Daily and found out the film critic got free passes to the theaters in Palo Alto," Corman said during an interview with the Star-Ledger. “That sounded like a good deal, so I wrote my sample review, got the assignment, and got my free pass.”

What began as a clever scheme quickly evolved into a passion for Corman, who grew more and more invested in the movies he was watching. “But eventually I started doing more than just enjoying the films,” said the producer. “I started analyzing them, and I got interested.”

That interest helped fuel the beginning of Corman’s career and helped influence his narration as a storyteller.

“I’ve always had a rebellious personality,” said Corman. “If there’s a theme in my movies, I guess it’s the conflict between the individual and society. I’ve always tried to get that little statement in, but at the same time, I’ve always been careful not to make it overwhelming. If people don’t pick up on the subtext, that’s fine, too.”