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Edward L. Montoro is a Actor, Story and Producer American born on 1928 at Atlanta (USA)
Edward L. Montoro (born 1928) was an American film producer and distributor known for releasing exploitation films and B-movies during the 1970s and 1980s through his company Film Ventures International. Montoro became notorious for producing and promoting films such as Beyond the Door (1974) and Grizzly (1976) which were highly derivative of the 1970s blockbuster hits The Exorcist and Jaws.
Montoro formed Film Ventures International (FVI), a small-scale independent movie production and distribution company, in 1968 in Atlanta, Georgia. His first effort was the soft-core adult comedy Getting into Heaven, which he wrote, produced and directed with a budget of $13,000. The film grossed almost 20 times its cost. Montoro expanded FVI and began churning out successful B-movies, among them acquisitions of foreign films from Italy including the spaghetti western Boot Hill in 1969.
Grizzly was one of the first films Montoro financed and distributed himself. Produced on a $750,000 budget, the animal horror thriller became the most successful independent motion picture of 1976 earning more than $39 million worldwide. Montoro followed this success producing and releasing such films as The Day of the Animals (1978) starring Christopher George and Leslie Nielsen; The Dark (1979) starring William Devane; The Visitor (1979) starring Glenn Ford; Kill and Kill Again (1981); Pieces (1982); Pod People (1983); Mortuary (1983) starring Bill Paxton; Vigilante (1983) starring Robert Forster; and Mutant (1984) starring Bo Hopkins.
In 1980, after acquiring the Italian film Great White, another movie regarded as a Jaws rip-off, Montoro was sued by Universal Pictures because it was too derivative of the Steven Spielberg-directed hit. Great White had a large advertising budget of $4 million and achieved commercial success during its first week at the theaters. Nevertheless, Universal Pictures won the lawsuit and the film was immediately pulled from theatrical release.
In 1984, Film Ventures International was on the verge of collapse due to financial issues including the release failure of Great White, the poor box office performance of Montoro's final film Mutant and his pending divorce settlement. Montoro eventually took one million dollars from FVI and vanished never to be seen again. Film Ventures International officially closed its doors in 1985. To this day, Montoro's whereabouts remain unknown, though it is believed he fled to Mexico.
The unusual disappearance and the collapse of FVI have further contributed to Montoro's notorious legacy.
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Edward L. Montoro
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Edward L. Montoro (born 1928) was an American film producer and distributor known for releasing exploitation films and B-movies during the 1970s and 1980s through his company Film Ventures International. Montoro became notorious for producing and promoting films such as Beyond the Door (1974) and Grizzly (1976) which were highly derivative of the 1970s blockbuster hits The Exorcist and Jaws.
Montoro formed Film Ventures International (FVI), a small-scale independent movie production and distribution company, in 1968 in Atlanta, Georgia. His first effort was the soft-core adult comedy Getting into Heaven, which he wrote, produced and directed with a budget of $13,000. The film grossed almost 20 times its cost. Montoro expanded FVI and began churning out successful B-movies, among them acquisitions of foreign films from Italy including the spaghetti western Boot Hill in 1969.
Grizzly was one of the first films Montoro financed and distributed himself. Produced on a $750,000 budget, the animal horror thriller became the most successful independent motion picture of 1976 earning more than $39 million worldwide. Montoro followed this success producing and releasing such films as The Day of the Animals (1978) starring Christopher George and Leslie Nielsen; The Dark (1979) starring William Devane; The Visitor (1979) starring Glenn Ford; Kill and Kill Again (1981); Pieces (1982); Pod People (1983); Mortuary (1983) starring Bill Paxton; Vigilante (1983) starring Robert Forster; and Mutant (1984) starring Bo Hopkins.
In 1980, after acquiring the Italian film Great White, another movie regarded as a Jaws rip-off, Montoro was sued by Universal Pictures because it was too derivative of the Steven Spielberg-directed hit. Great White had a large advertising budget of $4 million and achieved commercial success during its first week at the theaters. Nevertheless, Universal Pictures won the lawsuit and the film was immediately pulled from theatrical release.
In 1984, Film Ventures International was on the verge of collapse due to financial issues including the release failure of Great White, the poor box office performance of Montoro's final film Mutant and his pending divorce settlement. Montoro eventually took one million dollars from FVI and vanished never to be seen again. Film Ventures International officially closed its doors in 1985. To this day, Montoro's whereabouts remain unknown, though it is believed he fled to Mexico.
The unusual disappearance and the collapse of FVI have further contributed to Montoro's notorious legacy.
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Filmography of Edward L. Montoro (20 films)
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Beyond the Door (1974)
, 1h49Directed by Ovidio G. Assonitis
Genres Horror
Actors Juliet Mills, Gabriele Lavia, Richard Johnson, Edward L. Montoro
Roles The Devil (voice)
Rating47%
Jessica Barrett is a young mother in San Francisco. Her family and friends begin to notice odd behavior around the time she falls pregnant with her third child. As the strangeness intensifies, Jessica begins to display signs of demonic possession including spinning her head all the way around and projectile vomiting.
Scriptwriter
Day of the Animals (1977)
, 1h37Directed by William Girdler
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Thriller, Horror
Themes Films about animals, Natural horror films
Actors Leslie Nielsen, Christopher George, Lynda Day George, Richard Jaeckel, Michael Ansara, Ruth Roman
Roles Story
Rating53%
A battle for survival begins as a group of mountain hikers in Northern California encounter a chemically imbalanced forest. The recent depletion of the Earth's ozone layer causes the sun to shine powerful ultraviolet light carrying some kind of solar radiation that somehow causes all animals above the altitude of 5,000 feet to run amok and kill, which is very unfortunate for a group of hikers (including Christopher George, Lynda Day George, and Leslie Nielsen) who get dropped off up there by helicopter just before a quarantine is announced for all the surrounding towns. This has a dramatic effect on the rest of the nation, turning common household pets and pests into vicious attackers.
Producer
Torchlight (1985)
Directed by Thomas J. Wright
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about drugs
Actors Pamela Sue Martin, Steve Railsback, Ian McShane, Al Corley
Roles Executive Producer
Rating39%
A young married couple's relationship comes under fire when the husband becomes addicted to cocaine.
Alley Cat (1984)
, 1h22Origin USA
Genres Martial arts, Action, Martial arts
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films
Actors Robert Torti, Tony Oliver, Michael Wayne
Roles Executive Producer
Rating53%
Belinda Clark habite chez ses grands parents,elle est belle et sexy.Personne n'aurait jamais su qu'elle pratiquait le karaté,son sport favori,si une bande de loubards ne s'étaient pas avisés de lui voler les roues de sa voitures ,sous ses yeux.Il lui faut tres peu de temps pour leur flanquer une raclée d'enfer.mais ils décident de se venger et s'en prennent a ses grands parents.Sa grand mère est mortellement blessée et elle se jure de se venger de ses salauds dés lors elle hante les rues le soir prêt a corriger quiconque se laisserait tenter par ses charmes...
Vigilante (1983)
, 1h30Directed by William Lustig
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Action, Horror, Crime
Themes Auto-justice
Actors Robert Forster, Fred Williamson, Richard Bright, Rutanya Alda, Joe Spinell, Carol Lynley
Roles Executive Producer
Rating64%
Eddie Marino (Robert Forster) is a factory worker in New York City. He has a wife named Vickie (Rutanya Alda) and an eight-year-old son named Scott. Eddie's friend and co-worker, Nick (Fred Williamson), and two other co-workers, Burke and Ramon, have formed a secret vigilante group because Nick and the group are fed up with the crime in their neighborhoods. Nick and his group are also tired of the police, because the police always fail to protect people. Nick's "group" has support of various residents of the neighborhood who indirectly help them. In one example, a local thug stalks and chases a young woman to a rooftop of an apartment building where the thug robs and then kills her. An old lady who witnesses the thug says nothing to the police, but points out the thug to Nick and his group the next day. Nick and his friends forcibly grab the thug off the streets and place him in their van and drive away. The thug is later found dead in a vacant lot with all of his arms and legs broken and his head bashed in.
Hundra (1983)
, 1h49Directed by Matt Cimber
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Actors Laurene Landon, María Casal, Ramiro Oliveros, Frank Braña, Eduardo Fajardo
Roles Executive Producer
Rating46%
Hundra belongs to a tribe of Amazons. She is the only tribe member of her age who has never been with a man. She declares she would keep it like that. One day when she goes hunting, her tribe is outnumbered and slaughtered by barbarians. As the only survivor she travels to an old wise woman and asks her for advice. To her surprise she is told she ought to become a mother in order to prevent the final extinction of the Amazons. Subsequently Hundra seeks a father for her child. The first candidate has bad manners and it turns out that he is suffering with a sadistic personality disorder. While she continues her search she is confronted by a murderous robber baron who only wants to kill her. Later she encounters an effeminate pimp. Eventually she gets to know a gentleman who works as healer. She asks him to become the father of her child but she is told that a man won't get in the right mood if he is approached in an all too blunt way. Hundra asks other women to help her to live up to his expectations. Consequently she succeeds in seducing him, gets pregnant and delivers a child. Unfortunately now an evil pagan priest kidnaps Hundra's daughter. Thus Hundra is coerced into joining a sinister ritual where the priest's followers humiliate her. During this session she is informed that her new friends have freed the child. She fights back and returns to her home lands. The female narrator explains there was proof that Hundra's spirit kept on living in all women ever since.
Mortuary (1983)
, 1h31Origin USA
Genres Horror, Slasher
Actors Mary Elizabeth McDonough, Bill Paxton, Christopher George, David Wallace, Lynda Day George, Alvy Moore
Roles Executive Producer
Rating51%
Christie Parson (Mary McDonaugh) is mourning the death of her father (Danny Rogers) by drowning. Her mother has convinced herself it was a tragic accident, but Christie is sure it was murder. Christie suffers from nightmares in which a hooded figure, clutching an embalming trocar, pursues her. She turns detective, aided by her boyfriend (David Wallace) to find out the truth. Her sleuthing draws her to a local mortuary, whose owner, Hank Andrews (Christopher George), together with his secretly demented offspring, Paul, is guarding an odious secret.
Extraterrestrial Visitors (1983)
Genres Science fiction, Horror
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films, Films about extraterrestrial life
Actors Frank Braña
Roles Executive Producer
Rating21%
The film starts with three poachers going into the woods to hunt. One of them sees what he thinks is a meteor land and goes to investigate. He finds a red glowing cave with a stash of large eggs. He decides to smash them, but is killed by an unseen entity before he can finish, which leaves one egg left intact. The mysterious being takes revenge for the destruction, first killing the other hunters and then going after members of a rock band led by Rick (Ian Sera), who are on a weekend camping trip. This band is accompanied by Laura, a girl who Rick met and told about the weekend's plans, not expecting her to want to come along. Sharon, a member of the band, is jealous of Laura, as she (Sharon) is Rick's girlfriend. Cathy and Tracy are also band members.
Pieces (1982)
, 1h27Origin Espagne
Genres Thriller, Horror, Slasher
Themes Serial killer films
Actors Christopher George, Lynda Day George, Frank Braña, Edmund Purdom, Paul L. Smith, Jack Taylor
Roles Executive producer
Rating59%
In 1942, a 10-year-old boy named Timmy plays with a jigsaw puzzle of a nude woman when his mother walks in. She chastises him for it. The mother orders Timmy to get a plastic bag to "burn everything." Instead of her order, Timmy gruesomely murders her with an axe, then saws her body with a hacksaw.
The Last Shark (1981)
, 1h23Directed by Enzo G. Castellari
Origin Italie
Genres Horror
Themes Films about animals, Seafaring films, Transport films, Films about sharks, Natural horror films, Mise en scène d'un poisson
Actors James Franciscus, Vic Morrow, Micaela Pignatelli, Joshua Sinclair, Massimo Vanni, Romano Puppo
Roles Executive Producer
Rating43%
While wind surfing near the seaside community of Port Harbor, a young man is killed by a giant Great White Shark. Author Peter Benton and professional shark hunter Ron Hammer realize the truth, but ambitious governor William Wells refuses to accept that a shark threatens their community. Fearing that a canceled wind-surfing regatta would derail his gubernatorial campaign, Wells has shark nets installed. But the sounds of teenagers splashing in the surf leads the shark to rip through the nets. The next day, the shark plows through the wind surfers, knocking them off their boards. But rather than eat the scattered teenagers, the shark targets the governor's aide and eats him.
Kill and Kill Again (1981)
, 1h40Origin USA
Genres Martial arts, Action, Martial arts
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films
Actors Anneline Kriel, Bill Flynn, Deon Stewardson
Roles Executive Producer
Rating49%
The plot involves Steve Chase (James Ryan), trying to stop the evil Marduk from amassing an army of mind-controlled karate slaves and taking over the world. Steve is assisted by Gorilla, the strongman (Ken Gampu); Gypsy Billy, the "former champion of the world", Norman Robinson; The Fly, the mystic (Stan Schmidt), and Hotdog, the gimmicky weapon-expert and theoretical comic relief (Bill Flynn). Also on Steve's team is Kandy Kane (Anneline Kriel), a woman claiming to be the daughter of Dr. Kane, who invented the potato-based mind-control serum that Marduk uses on his army.
Anthropophagous (1980)
, 1h30Directed by Joe D'Amato
Origin Italie
Genres Thriller, Horror, Slasher
Themes Medical-themed films, Seafaring films, Post-apocalyptic films, Films about religion, Transport films, Films set in the future, Serial killer films, Zombie films, Films about viral outbreaks, Political films, Dystopian films, Disaster films
Actors Tisa Farrow, Serena Grandi, George Eastman, Zora Kerova, Margaret Mazzantini, Joe D'Amato
Roles Executive Producer
Rating53%
A pair of Germans visiting a remote Greek island go to the beach, and are slaughtered by someone who emerges from the ocean. On the mainland, five travelers are preparing to tour the islands, and are joined by Julie, who asks for a ride to an island that some friends of hers live on. The only one who objects to this detour to the island (which Julie explains has only a few permanent residents, and only sees tourists a few months out of the year) is Carol, whose tarot cards convince her that something bad will happen if they go to the island. The group sails to the island anyway, and while disembarking the pregnant Maggie hurts her ankle, so she stays behind on the boat with its owner. A man attacks the boat, ripping the sailor's head off, and abducting Maggie.
Cardiac Arrest (1980)
, 1h25Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Horror, Crime, Romance
Actors Max Gail, Garry Goodrow, Fred Ward, Michael Paul Chan, Nancy Fish, Terence McGovern
Roles Executive producer
Rating41%
The city of San Francisco is pushed into a state of terror and fear as a deranged murderer stalks the city. The police are baffled by the case and are led to extremes by a lunatic whose victims all have something in common: their hearts have been skillfully and surgically removed. Meanwhile, across town, a man must make a difficult decision regarding his wife, who needs a transplant.
The Dark (1979)
Directed by Tobe Hooper, John Cardos
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Horror
Actors William Devane, Cathy Lee Crosby, Richard Jaeckel, Keenan Wynn, Jacquelyn Hyde, Biff Elliot
Roles Producer
Rating42%
Un terrifiant alien, le Mangler, parcourt les rues de Los Angeles, la nuit, tuant et mutilant des victimes humaines choisies au hasard. Un journaliste, par ailleurs père de l'une des victimes, associé à un détective, mène l'enquête mais ne trouve pas grand-chose si ce n'est les révélations d'une mystérieuse médium qui prétend savoir qui est le tueur et comment l'arrêter…
Don't Go in the House (1979)
, 1h22Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Horror
Themes Serial killer films
Actors Dan Grimaldi
Roles Executive Producer
Rating56%
Donald "Donny" Kohler is obsessed with fire and human combustion, an obsession that stems from the severe abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother, who would hold his bare arms over a gas stove in an effort to "burn the evil out of him". When his mother dies, he sets out to avenge himself on every woman who bears a resemblance to her with the aid of steel chains, a flamethrower, and a steel-paneled bedroom crematorium.