Dwain Esper (October 7, 1892—October 18, 1982) was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
directorA film director, or filmmaker is a person who directs the making or production of a film. Some also consider a film producer to be a filmmaker....
and
producerA film producer or movie producer is someone who creates the scenes and conditions for making movies. The producer initiates, co-ordinates, supervises and controls matters such as fund-raising, hiring key personnel and arranging for distributors...
of
exploitation filmExploitation 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. Thus, films need something to "exploit", such as a big star, special effects, sex,...
s (some of which were written by Esper's wife, Hildegarde Stadie). He is considered to be one of the worst directors of all time, and his films have become
cult classicsA cult film is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside of the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
for being so notoriously bad. Some view his work as being unintentionally funny. Esper died in 1982. He and Hildegarde had two children, Dwain, Jr. and Millicent.
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Dwain Esper (October 7, 1892—October 18, 1982) was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
directorA film director, or filmmaker is a person who directs the making or production of a film. Some also consider a film producer to be a filmmaker....
and
producerA film producer or movie producer is someone who creates the scenes and conditions for making movies. The producer initiates, co-ordinates, supervises and controls matters such as fund-raising, hiring key personnel and arranging for distributors...
of
exploitation filmExploitation 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. Thus, films need something to "exploit", such as a big star, special effects, sex,...
s (some of which were written by Esper's wife, Hildegarde Stadie). He is considered to be one of the worst directors of all time, and his films have become
cult classicsA cult film is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside of the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
for being so notoriously bad. Some view his work as being unintentionally funny. 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 McCurdyElmer McCurdy was an Oklahoma outlaw whose mummified body was discovered in the Nu-Pike amusement park in Long Beach, California in December 1976.-Background:...
, before it was acquired by
Dan SonneyDan 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)
- aka Narcotic Racket (USA: reissue title)
- aka Narcotic! (USA: promotional title)
- aka Narcotic: As Interpreted by Dwain Esper (USA: closing credits title)
- Maniac
Maniac is a 1934 black and white exploitation/horror film, directed by Dwain Esper and written by Hildegarde Stadie, Esper's wife...
(1934)
- aka Sex Maniac
- Modern Motherhood
Modern 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)
- Marihuana
Marihuana is a exploitation film directed by Dwain Esper, and written by Esper's wife, Hildegarde Stadie.- Plot :Burma is a good girl who goes to a party, smokes marijuana, and winds up going skinny-dipping with her girl friends. When one of the girls drowns, the dope pushers come up with a plan...
(1936)
- aka Marihuana, the Devil's Weed
- aka Marihuana, the Weed with Roots in Hell!
- How to Undress in Front of Your Husband (1937)
- Sex Madness
Sex 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 Madness
Reefer Madness is a American exploitation film revolving around the tragic events that ensue when high school students are lured by pushers to try "marihuana": a hit and run accident, manslaughter, suicide, rape, and descent into madness all ensue. The film was directed by Louis Gasnier and...
- Hell-A-Vision
- aka Hell-O-Vision (USA)
- Man's Way with Women
- Freaks
Freaks is a 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' 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