Jesús Franco
Born: 1930-05-12 in Madrid, Spain
Died: 2013-04-02
Known For: Directing
Biography
Jesús "Jess" Franco was a Spanish film director, writer, cinematographer and actor. His career took off in 1961 with his cult classic The Awful Dr. Orloff, which received wide distribution in the United States and England. Though he had some American box office success with Necronomicon, his first women-in-prison film Ninety-Nine Women, and his two Christopher Lee films, The Bloody Judge and Count Dracula, he never achieved wide commercial success. Franco moved from Spain to France in 1970 so that he could make more violent and sexual films, and it was at this point that his career began to go downhill commercially, as he turned to low-budget filmmaking with a heavier accent on adult-oriented films. Although he produced a few well-received, low budget horror films in the early 70's, many people in the industry considered him a porn director due to the huge number of X-rated adult films he began churning out. Franco returned to low-budget horror in a brief comeback period from 1980-1983, but after 1983, his career took a second downturn. With the exception of Faceless and Killer Barbies, his films after 1984 are quite disliked and obscure due to their incredibly low budgets. Franco has nevertheless retained a large cult following through the years with his sexually-charged horror films, some of which are regarded as masterpieces by his avid followers.
Filmography
2024
- Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada “S” as Self - Archive footage
2021
- Inferno Rosso: Joe D'Amato on the Road of Excess as Self (archive footage)
2019
- Wild Session as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
2017
- Drácula Barcelona as Himself
2015
- Soledad Miranda, Flower in the Desert as Himself (archive footage)
2014
- Clawing! A Journey Through the Spanish Horror as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Queridos monstruos as Self
- Falks Frauen as (archive footage)
- Call Me Jess Redux as Himself
2013
- Al Pereira vs. the Alligator Ladies as The Director
- Revenge of the Alligator Ladies as Himself
- La última película de Jess Franco as Self
- Los profundos sueños de Jennifer as Voz
- The Rhythm of Jess as Self
2012
- Debris Documentar as Himself
- La cripta de las condenadas: Parte II ... (Director)
- Tío Jess as Self
- La cripta de las condenadas
2010
- Paula-Paula ... (Director)
- Macumba sexual: Voodoo Jess as Self
2009
- Martes de Carnaval as Don Manolito
- Por la gracia de Luis as Himself
- Idoru
- Take-Away Spirit as J.W. Radek
- Coffins of Light as himself
2008
- Ellos robaron la picha de Hitler as Padre del Dr. Weissman
- Vampyros Lesbos ... (Story)
- A Bad Day at the Cemetery ... (Screenplay)
2007
- Beloved Count as Self
- Lascivia ... (Director)
- Bloody Jess as Self
- Jesús Franco, manera de vivir as Himself
- Angel of Death 2: The Prison Island Massacre as Pete
2006
- Montes de Venus ... (Director)
2005
- Ban the Sadist Videos! as Self
- The Well
- Snakewoman ... (Writer)
- Jesús in Furs as Himself
- Jess' Women as self
- Jess Franco's Perversion ... (Writer)
- Jess Franco's Passion ... (Director)
2003
- Death Karate in Torremolinos as Miyagi
- On the Threshold to Another World as Himself
- Red Venice as Jess Franco
2002
- Killer Barbys vs. Dracula ... (Director)
- Incubus ... (Director)
- Antena Criminal: Making a Jess Franco Movie as Himself
- Perversion Stories as Self
2001
- Vampire Junction ... (Original Music Composer)
- Journey into Perversion as Himself
2000
- Helter Skelter ... (Director)
- Blind Target ... (Director)
- Orson Welles in the Land of Don Quixote as Self
- Call Him Jess as Himself
1999
- Eurotika! as Self
- Dr. Wong's Virtual Hell as Dr. James Wong
- Broken Dolls ... (Director)
- Vampire Blues as The Merchant
- Red Silk ... (Screenplay)
1998
- Lust for Frankenstein ... (Producer)
- Mari-Cookie and the Killer Tarantula ... (Producer)
1997
- Tender Flesh ... (Original Music Composer)
1996
- Vampire Killer Barbys ... (Director)
1994
- Downtown Heat ... (Director)
1993
- Eurotrash
- Jungle of Fear ... (Director)
1992
- Don Quixote ... (Editor)
- El abuelo, la condesa y Escarlata la traviesa
1991
- In Pursuit of Barbara ... (Director)
1989
- Night of the Eagles ... (Screenplay)
- Esmeralda Bay as Boat Captain
1988
- Faceless ... (Director)
- Flesh-Eating Mothers as Policeman
- Dark Mission: Flowers of Evil ... (Producer)
- Esa cosa con plumas
1987
- Thong Girls ... (Writer)
- ¡Biba la banda! ... (Costumer)
- Trapped Women ... (Director)
- Slave of Crime ... (Original Music Composer)
- Falo Crest ... (Cinematography)
- Phollastía ... (Story)
1986
- Golden Temple Amazons ... (Producer)
- The Last from Philippines ... (Producer)
- Alone Against Terror ... (Screenplay)
- Fury in the Tropics ... (Director)
- Sida, la peste del siglo XX ... (Director)
- Girl with the Red Lips as Professor Karame
- Lulu's Talking Ass ... (Director)
- Fly Story ... (Director)
- The Voyeur and the Exhibitionist ... (Director)
- Para las nenas, leche calentita ... (Original Music Composer)
- Entre pitos anda el juego ... (Director)
- Las chuponas ... (Director)
1985
- White Jungle Slave ... (Director)
- Angel of Death ... (Director)
- Dirty Game in Casablanca ... (Director)
- Bangkok, City of the Dead ... (Screenplay)
- Trip to Bangkok, Coffin Included as Rose Hotel's recepcionist (uncredited)
- Judoka Shadow versus Doctor Wong as Dr. Wong
- Un pito para tres ... (Screenplay)
1984
- Bahia Blanca as The Miseries (uncredited)
- The Sexual Story of O ... (Screenplay)
- Night Has a Thousand Desires as Psychiatrist (uncredited)
- How Much Does a Spy Make? ... (Director)
- Lonely Road as Doctor Callman
- The Sinister Doctor Orloff as Manolo
- Lilian, the Perverted Virgin as Bernardo
- A Crack for Two as Tom
1983
- Cecilia ... (Writer)
- The House of Lost Women ... (Screenplay)
- Cries of Pleasure ... (Editor)
- Diamonds of Kilimandjaro ... (Director)
- Revenge in the House of Usher ... (Producer)
- The Night Of Open Sex as Count
- Macumba Sexual as Recepcionist
- The Hotel of Love Affairs ... (Director)
- Black Boots, Leather Whip as Matón en cementerio de coches (voice) (uncredited)
- Blood on My Shoes as Abductor
- The Blues of Pop Street as Sam Chesterfield
- Voces de muerte ... (Director)
- The Bizarre World of Jess Franco as Self
- En busca del dragón dorado as Blind Old Man
- Intimate Confessions of an Exhibitionist ... (Director)
- Claire ... (Director)
1982
- Mansion of the Living Dead ... (Original Music Composer)
- The Inconfessable Orgies of Emmanuelle ... (Director)
- Oasis of the Zombies ... (Director)
- El lago de las vírgenes ... (Original Music Composer)
- El huésped de la niebla ... (Director)
1981
- The Story of Linda ... (Director)
- Sadomania as Lucas
- Pick-Up Girls ... (Screenplay)
- Bloody Moon as Doctor (uncredited)
- Zombie Lake ... (Writer)
- Jailhouse Wardress as Uncle Jess
- The Girls of the Copacabana ... (Screenplay)
- Sex Is Crazy as Film Director
- Sexual Perversions of a Married Woman ... (Writer)
- Lola 2000 ... (Director)
1980
- Devil Hunter ... (Director)
- White Cannibal Queen as Mr. Martin
- Two Female Spies with Flowered Panties ... (Director)
- Erotic Symphony ... (Director)
- Wicked Memoirs of Eugenie ... (Writer)
- Cannibal Terror ... (Writer)
- What a Honeymoon as Dying Man (uncredited)
1979
- Burning Up Inside ... (Writer)
- The Sadist of Notre Dame as Mathis Vogel
- Convoy of Girls ... (Writer)
- Justine and the Whip as Strange Guy
- They Do Everything ... (Director)
1978
- Women in Cellblock 9 ... (Screenplay)
- Obscene Desire ... (Music)
- Women Without Innocence ... (Director)
- Cocktail spécial ... (Director)
1977
- Call of the Blonde Goddess ... (Director)
- Sexy Sisters ... (Director)
- Greta, the Mad Butcher as Dr. Milton Arcos (as Jess Franco)
- Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun ... (Director)
- Slaves as Radeck's Assistant
- Blue Rita ... (Director)
- Love Camp ... (Director)
- Kiss Me Killer as Marcel
- Around the World in 80 Beds ... (Director)
1976
- Midnight Party as Janos Radeck
- Barbed Wire Dolls as Maria's Father (uncredited)
- Jack the Ripper ... (Screenplay)
- Silence of the Grave ... (Director)
- Golden Jail ... (Director)
- The Troublemakers
- Ladies House of Pleasure
- White Skin Black Thighs as Graf Anastasio
- Shining Sex as Dr. Seward
- Doriana Grey ... (Director)
- Girls in the Night Traffic ... (Director)
1975
- Countess Perverse ... (Writer)
- Female Vampire as Dr. Roberts
- The Hot Nights of Linda as Dr. Roberts (as Jess Franck)
- Downtown as Al Pereira
- Exorcism as Mathis Vogel, aka Laforgue
- Women Behind Bars as Bill
- Sexy Erotic Job ... (Director)
- The Ticklish Ones ... (Story)
- A Virgin for St. Tropez ... (Director)
- Sexorcismes as Mathis Vogel
- Rolls-Royce Baby ... (Director)
1974
- Celestine as Sleeping Man
- The House of the Lost Dolls ... (Screenplay)
- How to Seduce a Virgin ... (Director)
- Lorna, the Exorcist as Doctor (uncredited)
- Night of the Skull as Andy
- The Greedy Ones ... (Director)
- The Lustful Amazons ... (Screenplay)
- Fifteen Year Old Captain ... (Director)
1973
- Eugenie de Sade as Attila Tanner
- Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac as Inspecteur Hernandez
- A Virgin Among the Living Dead as Basilio
- The Demons ... (Writer)
- The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein as Morpho
- Tender and Perverse Emmanuelle ... (Director)
- Nightmares Come at Night ... (Director)
- The Other Side of the Mirror as Roger (uncredited)
- The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff as Lord Comfort (uncredited)
- Dolls for Sale
- Lovers of Devil's Island ... (Director)
1972
- Daughter of Dracula as Cyril Jefferson
- Virgin Report ... (Director)
- Robinson and His Tempestuous Slaves as Director
- Vampir Cuadecuc as Self
- The Corpse Packs His Bags as Gonzales
- The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse as Crosby / Drunk Man in Nightclub
- Dracula, Prisoner of Frankenstein ... (Screenplay)
- Sex Charade ... (Director)
1971
- Vampyros Lesbos as Memmet
- The Devil Came from Akasava as Tino Celli
- X312 - Flight to Hell as Man at John Somers'
- She Killed in Ecstasy as Dr. Donen
1970
- Eugenie as Man in Red Ritual Scene (uncredited)
- Count Dracula as Van Helsing's servant (uncredited)
- The Bloody Judge ... (Director)
- Cuadrilátero ... (Music)
1969
- Marquis de Sade: Justine
- The Castle of Fu Manchu as Insp. Ahmet
- 99 Women as Official (uncredited)
- The Girl from Rio as Guitar Player
- Venus in Furs as Jazz Musician (uncredited)
- Your Caresses
- Two Undercover Angels as Napoleon Bolivard
- Kiss Me Monster as Abilene's Contact Man (uncredited)
1968
- The Blood of Fu Manchu
- Succubus as Writer
- Castle of the Creeping Flesh ... (Story)
- Residence for Spies as Casino Piano Player (uncredited)
- A Man, Eight Girls ... (Director)
1967
- Lucky, the Inscrutable as Ciego / Zoltan / Guitarrista
1966
- The Diabolical Dr. Z as Inspector Tanner
- Attack of the Robots as Piano Player
1965
- Chimes at Midnight ... (Second Unit Director)
- Dr. Orloff's Monster as Piano Player
1964
- Strange Voyage as Don Venancio
- Death Whistles the Blues as Saxofonista en Club de Nueva Orleans (uncredited)
- Rififi in the City ... (Director)
1963
- 55 Days at Peking ... (Assistant Production Manager)
- Jaguar ... (Director)
1962
- The Awful Dr. Orlof as Pianist (uncredited)
- Zorro the Avenger ... (Story)
- The Sadistic Baron Von Klaus ... (Director)
- Vampiresas 1930 ... (Director)
1960
- Ama Rosa ... (Writer)
- Red Lips ... (Screenplay)
- Queen of the Tabarin Club ... (Director)
- El destierro del Cid ... (Director)
- Estampas guipuzcoanas número 2: Pío Baroja ... (Director)
1959
- We Are 18 Years Old ... (Director)
- Llegaron los franceses ... (Writer)
- Oro español ... (Screenplay)
- Las playas vacías ... (Director)
1958
- Anna Said Yes as Pianista (uncredited)
- Historias de Madrid ... (Assistant Director)
1957
- Fulano y Mengano ... (Screenplay)
- El hombre que viajaba despacito ... (Music)
- The Tree from Spain ... (Screenplay)
1956
- Around the World in 80 Days as Extra (uncredited)
- The Coyote's Justice ... (Screenstory)
- The Mysterious Melody AKA Ce soir les souris dansent ... (Writer)
1955
- Death of a Cyclist ... (Assistant Director)
- The Coyote ... (Adaptation)
1954
- Comedians ... (Script Supervisor)
- Merry Christmas ... (Assistant Director)