Director Roger Corman to Help Honor Vincent Price at the Upcoming 'Vincentennial'

For St. Louis natives, especially those who grew up on the South Side, a customary greeting is asking the question "Where did you go to high school?" In the case of legendary actor Vincent Price, his answer would have been St. Louis Country Day School . Born in St. Louis on May 27, 1911, Mr. Price had a talent that continues to thrill new generations of fans thanks to DVD's and Blu-ray discs.

In honor of what would have been his 100^th birthday, Cinema St. Louis organized the " Vincentennial ," a 10-day celebration of Vincent Price's legacy and contributions to his St. Louis birthplace. The event, which begins May 19, features screenings of classics like " The Fly " and " The Tingler " as well as a special screening of " Vincent ," Tim Burton's 1982 stop-motion tribute to Price.

Roger Corman, the prolific director who worked with Price on a few movies, will speak during the Vincentennial and also receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. Corman's acting and directing credits date back to the 1950's and he shows no sign of slowing down. "I've been at it a very long time," Corman said when reached by telephone. "It is amazing. It's somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 years."

Corman directed Vincent Price in " The Pit and the Pendulum " and " The Raven ," which were film adaptations of classic pieces by Edgar Allan Poe. "All the Poe movies were period pieces, so they don't date. He (Price) was a very intelligent, well-educated and, actually, a witty man," Corman said. "We shot on three-week schedules and Vincent was a very dedicated actor."

To film fans, Corman's body of work also is something that doesn't date, although Corman may disagree to some degree. Corman was responsible for such classic gems as " X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes ," a sci-fi thriller starring Ray Milland. "You look at Avatar and Inception, which are light years ahead of what we were doing in the 1950's," Corman said.

Corman also was at the helm for the unreleased 1994 "Fantastic Four" movie which was shot for an estimated one million dollars. Though reports indicate this film was intended just to keep the character copyright, bootleg versions of the film can still be found at trade shows and in the hands of collectors.

The Vincentennial begins on May 19 and continues through May 28. For schedules, venues and ticket sales, please refer to the official Cinema St. Louis website .

(By the way, Julie Corman, Roger's wife of 40 years, is from St. Louis and went to St. Joseph's Academy.)