Dwain Esper
Encyclopedia
Dwain Esper was an American
director
and producer
of exploitation film
s (some of which were written by Esper's wife, Hildegarde Stadie). Esper died in 1982. He and Hildegarde had two children, Dwain, Jr. and Millicent.
At one point he exhibited the mummified body of Oklahoma Outlaw Elmer McCurdy
, before it was acquired by Dan Sonney
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
of exploitation film
Exploitation film
Exploitation film is a type of film that is promoted by "exploiting" often lurid subject matter. The term "exploitation" is common in film marketing, used for all types of films to mean promotion or advertising. These films then need something to exploit, such as a big star, special effects, sex,...
s (some of which were written by Esper's wife, Hildegarde Stadie). Esper died in 1982. He and Hildegarde had two children, Dwain, Jr. and Millicent.
At one point he exhibited the mummified body of Oklahoma Outlaw Elmer McCurdy
Elmer McCurdy
Elmer McCurdy was an Oklahoma outlaw whose mummified body was discovered in The Pike amusement zone in Long Beach, California in December 1976.-Background:...
, before it was acquired by Dan Sonney
Dan Sonney
Dan Sonney was a director, producer and distributor of exploitation films. He was the son of Louis Sonney, who founded Sonney Amusements, the husband of Margaret Sonney, and a long term business partner of David F. Friedman....
.
Director credits
- Sinister Harvest (1930)
- The Seventh Commandment (1932)
- aka Sins of Love (USA: reissue title)
- aka The 7th Commandment (USA: poster title)
- Narcotic (1933)
- aka Narcotic Racket (USA: reissue title)
- aka Narcotic! (USA: promotional title)
- aka Narcotic: As Interpreted by Dwain Esper (USA: closing credits title)
- ManiacManiac (1934 film)Maniac, also known as Sex Maniac, is a 1934 black-and-white exploitation/horror film, directed by Dwain Esper and written by Hildegarde Stadie, Esper's wife, as a loose adaptation of the Edgar Allan Poe story "The Black Cat", with references to his "Murders in the Rue Morgue"...
(1934)
- Maniac
- aka Sex Maniac
- Modern MotherhoodModern MotherhoodModern Motherhood was an exploitation film by Dwain Esper. Originally released in 1934, it would gain fame by being presented in the style of later road show filmmakers such as Kroger Babb and David F. Friedman, as it was presented around the country and typically featured a "Dynamic Sex Lecture"...
(1934) - MarihuanaMarihuana (film)Marihuana is a 1936 exploitation film directed by Dwain Esper, and written by Esper's wife, Hildegarde Stadie.- Pot :Burma is a confused girl who likes to party. One day, she meets some strangers in a bar who invite her and her group to a party...
(1936)
- Modern Motherhood
- aka Marihuana, the Devil's Weed
- aka Marihuana, the Weed with Roots in Hell!
- How to Undress in Front of Your Husband (1937)
- Sex MadnessSex MadnessSex Madness is an exploitation film directed by Dwain Esper, along the lines of Reefer Madness, supposedly to warn teenagers and young adults of the dangers of venereal diseases, specifically syphilis....
(1938)
- aka Human Wreckage (USA: reissue title)
- aka They Must Be Told (USA: reissue title)
- Curse of the Ubangi (1946)
- Will It Happen Again? (1948)
- aka Love Life of Adolph Hitler (USA: reissue title)
- aka The Strange Love Life of Adolf Hitler (USA: reissue title)
- aka The Strange Loves of Adolf Hitler (USA: reissue title)
Producer credits
- Excluding films Esper directed.
- How to Take a Bath (1937)
- Angkor (1935)
- aka Beyond Shanghai (UK)
- aka Forbidden Adventure (USA: informal reissue title)
- aka Forbidden Adventure in Angkor (USA: reissue title)
Reissues
- Reefer MadnessReefer MadnessReefer Madness is a well-known 1936 American propaganda exploitation film revolving around the melodramatic events that ensue when high school students are lured by pushers to try "marijuana" — from a hit and run accident, to manslaughter, suicide, attempted rape, and descent into madness...
- Hell-A-Vision
- aka Hell-O-Vision (USA)
- Man's Way with Women
- FreaksFreaksFreaks is a 1932 American Pre-Code horror film about sideshow performers, directed and produced by Tod Browning and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with a cast mostly composed of actual carnival performers. The film was based on Tod Robbins' 1923 short story "Spurs"...
(uncredited) as Forbidden Love, and later Natures Mistakes with Sam Alexander providing a live appearance with some disfigured members of his 'troupe'. - Cain: Aventures des mers exotiques
- aka Cain