Paul Bartel is best known for his unconventional, subversive style-- his films as provocative as they are sophisticated. After his early work at Roger Corman’s New World Pictures (including directing the cult classic Death Race 2000) he went on to write, direct and star in his 1983 breakthrough cannibal sex comedy Eating Raoul (recently released through The Criterion Collection). 

In total, he made nine feature films which went on to play internationally at renowned festivals and cult midnight movie theaters alike. 

Since his untimely death in 2000, Bartel’s work as both director and comedic actor has been celebrated around the world, praised by Hollywood luminaries such as Steven Speilberg, Brian De Palma, and Martin Scorsese as well as his many colleagues on the fringe-- Jim Jarmusch, John Waters, Joe Dante, and Allan Arkush, to name just a few.

Shelf Life was his last feature directorial effort, and has never been released.