Matt Cimber
Directing
Biography
Writer, director and producer Matt Cimber was born as Matteo Ottaviano in 1936 and began his career in the early 60s directing off-Broadway plays including works by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tennessee Williams and the US premieres of the Jean Cocteau trilogy. During his theater years, Cimber rewrote Burning Bright with John Steinbeck which introduced Sandy Dennis who went on to win an Academy Award for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) . Cimber then directed the Broadway revival of Bus Stop, where he met future wife Jayne Mansfield. Matt made his cinematic directorial debut with the offbeat Single Room Furnished (1966), which was also Mansfield's last movie. He followed this movie with the film The Sexually Liberated Female (1970) which was based on a best-selling book The Sensuous Female by J. As the screenwriter / director of this film, Cimber made a satire which required the title be changed for release because the publisher rescinded the rights. Cimber did three immensely enjoyable blaxploitation pictures in the mid 70s: The Black 6 (1973), Lady Cocoa (1975) and the terrifically trashy The Candy Tangerine Man (1975) which was also Samuel L. Jackson 's favorite film. Matt made a rare foray into the horror genre with the disturbing psychological shocker The Witch Who Came from the Sea (1976). His next work was based on a Mario Puzo story, a World War II drama A Time to Die (1982) starring Rex Harrison. Later that year Matt teamed up with Pia Zadora for two films: the underrated Butterfly (1981) and the fun Fake-Out (1982). Butterfly (1981) was the master filmmaker Orson Welles last film for which he received one of the film's three Golden Globe nominations. The following year Matt joined forces with actress Laurene Landon for the delightful action/adventure romps Hundra (1983) and Yellow Hair and the Pecos Kid (1984). Quentin Tarantino is quoted as saying Matt Cimber films were among his favorite. In the late 80s, Cimber created and directed the successful TV series GLOW: Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (1986) . The show was lasted for four seasons on 103 stations in the US. More recent years of Cimber's work were dedicated to a documentary genre. He wrote and directed "An American Icon: Coca-Cola, the Early Years" (1997) and "The History of United Nations" (1996). He created and wrote the eight-minute intro for visitors to the United Nations for which he received a special commendation from the UN. After a twenty years absence in motion picture production, Matt Cimber made a comeback with the independent drama Miriam (2006).
Known For
Born in a tribe of fierce warrior women, Hundra has been raised to despise the influence of men. An archer, fighter and sword fighter, Hundra is superior to any male. Hundra finds her family slain and takes a vow of revenge until one day she meets her match.
Hundra
Jess Tyler lives a quiet life next to an abandoned mining factory by himself in the desert. His life is turned upside down when a sexually provocative young woman comes to visit him and tells him she's his daughter. Jess finds it hard to adapt to his newfound parenting role, as a mutual attraction grows between them.
Butterfly
Gangster's girlfriend hangs out in a Las Vegas hotel with her cop protectors while she waits to testify.
Fake-Out
Hosted by some unnamed escapee from a twelve-step program, Man and Wife, moves from anatomy charts and Asian erotic art into actual footage of two couples demonstrating nearly fifty different sexual positions.
Man & Wife: An Educational Film for Married Adults
After being given a 24-hour leave from prison, in exchange for which she’ll agree to testify against her mobster boyfriend, Cocoa hits the streets, but quickly discovers that violence lurks around every corner.
Lady Cocoa
Willa Starch travels from Boston to Lake Havasu City, Arizona for her summer vacation.
That Girl from Boston
Anger stemming from being abused as a child drives an alcoholic's daughter to kill as an adult.
The Witch Who Came from the Sea
A World War II vet sets out in 1948 to avenge the death of his wife at the hands of Nazis. His targets are four Germans, a Sicilian, and a Hungarian who committed the atrocities. He is aided by a CIA operative, who has another agenda. One of the targeted men is being groomed by the US to become the West German chancellor and is to be protected. Along the way, a third person joins the team.
A Time to Die
The story behind the rise and fall of New York's 42nd Street. The cinemas, the films, the people, the crime and the rebirth of the block as "New 42nd Street" - this is the document of the world's most notorious movie strip.
42nd Street Memories: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Notorious Street
A hopeful young actress is lured to Hollywood by the seduction of fame and fortune. A friend she lives with while in Hollywood becomes her lover, and they both soon come to realize that the seedy Hollywood lifestyle is not for them.
Gemini Affair
Fiery blonde half-breed Yellow Hair and her easygoing sidekick the Pecos Kid are after a fortune in Mayan gold. The courageous duo have run-ins with an army of Mexican soldiers, a gang of dastardly bandits, and a lethal tribe of Aztec warriors while searching the countryside for said gold fortune.
Yellow Hair and the Fortress of Gold
A black high school student is caught dating a white girl by the girl's brother. He and his biker gang beat the boy to death. The boy's brother, who is a member of a black biker gang, hears about it and comes to town to avenge his brother's death.
The Black Six
Sunset Boulevard is a lucrative place to work for the Black Baron, a pimp with a distinctive red and yellow Rolls Royce and plenty of girls on his books. He don't take no mess from his girls, his madam or his competitors and viciously defends his patch. First, he clobbers the Mob who attempt to move in on his patch. Second, he tracks down one of his girls who runs off with a suitcase full of his cash. Third, he disposes of two policemen. But by now he knows his pimping days are numbered, so after a final explosive gun battle he switches to being his alter ego, mild-mannered businessman Ron who lives out in the leafy suburbs with an unsuspecting wife and family.
The Candy Tangerine Man
The life and tribulations of Big Cherry Hill Fats, a 650-pound conman who swindled his victims out of 25 million dollars and helped bring down a criminal enterprise.
Alias Big Cherry
Don Won's father dies and his home is burned, so he decides to go off to learn kung fu. 10 years later in the city of Taipei, Don interferes with the Tongs while defending his best friend.The gangsters swear that Don can never hide, they’ll find him and kill him. Don's mom gives him money that she saved and tells him to go to America where he'll be safe, but it's not enough, so he ends up in Hong Kong and the gangsters catch up to him again.
Tiger Man
The story of woman's change from an innocent teenager to an embittered, disillusioned prostitute and the life tragedies which brought the transformation.
Single Room Furnished
On June 29, 1967, Jayne Mansfield tragically died at the age of 34. Her stunning blue Buick Electra collided with and was crushed under a semi-trailer truck. With her voluptuous figure and baby-doll face, Hollywood's most photographed actress did everything to become a star, accepting every compromise, going from icon to object. While portraying the actress, this film offers a glimpse into the Hollywood dream factory through the lens of a casting call. Like Jayne herself, who went through countless auditions...
Jayne Mansfield: The Tragedy of a Blonde
Documentary chronicling the attempt to help an actor who has fallen on hard times.
Deconstructing Dunning
Early 70s sex comedy
Calliope
Making of "The Witch Who Came From The Sea"