The world just became a little less trashy (in a bad way) - Cirio Santiago dead at 72

Post-apocalyptic impresario Cirio Santiago, perhaps responsible for more Mad Max-inspired madness than any other filmmaker, passed away on Friday, September 26th at the age of 72 from lung cancer. A veteran of the Roger Corman ranks, Santiago has been canonized by Quentin Tarantino (citing Santiago's work as one of the many influences on his Kill Bill pictures) and was set to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Film Academy of the Philippines next month.

He was currently in production on a sequel to one of his better know Max riffs, Stryker, to be titled Road Raiders. No word on whether and how that project may now be completed.

Why not track down a copy of Wheels of Fire or Future Hunters and pay tribute to a low-budget legend?