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)
- Call Me Jess Redux as Himself
- Queridos monstruos as Self
- Falks Frauen as (archive footage)
2013
- La última película de Jess Franco as Self
- Al Pereira vs. the Alligator Ladies as The Director
- The Rhythm of Jess as Self
- Revenge of the Alligator Ladies as Himself
- Los profundos sueños de Jennifer as Voz
2012
- La cripta de las condenadas: Parte II ... (Director)
- La cripta de las condenadas
- Debris Documentar as Himself
- Tío Jess as Self
2010
- Macumba sexual: Voodoo Jess as Self
- Paula-Paula ... (Director)
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 ... (Director)
2007
- Beloved Count as Self
- Bloody Jess as Self
- Jesús Franco, manera de vivir as Himself
- Lascivia ... (Director)
- Angel of Death 2: The Prison Island Massacre as Pete
2006
- Montes de Venus ... (Director)
2005
- Ban the Sadist Videos! as Self
- The Well
- Jess' Women as self
- Jesús in Furs as Himself
- Snakewoman ... (Director)
- Jess Franco's Perversion ... (Director)
- 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 ... (Director)
- Journey into Perversion as Himself
2000
- Call Him Jess as Himself
- Blind Target ... (Director)
- Orson Welles in the Land of Don Quixote as Self
- Helter Skelter ... (Director)
1999
- Eurotika! as Self
- Red Silk ... (Screenplay)
- Broken Dolls ... (Director)
- Dr. Wong's Virtual Hell as Dr. James Wong
- Vampire Blues as The Merchant
1998
- Mari-Cookie and the Killer Tarantula ... (Director)
- Lust for Frankenstein ... (Director)
1997
- Tender Flesh ... (Director)
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)
1990
- Mondo Weirdo ... (Thanks)
1989
- Night of the Eagles ... (Director)
- Esmeralda Bay as Boat Captain
1988
- Faceless ... (Director)
- Dark Mission: Flowers of Evil ... (Director)
- Flesh-Eating Mothers as Policeman
- Esa cosa con plumas
1987
- Trapped Women ... (Director)
- Thong Girls ... (Director)
- Slave of Crime ... (Director)
- ¡Biba la banda! ... (Costumer)
- Falo Crest ... (Director)
- Phollastía ... (Director)
1986
- Golden Temple Amazons ... (Director)
- Fury in the Tropics ... (Director)
- Alone Against Terror ... (Director)
- Sida, la peste del siglo XX ... (Director)
- Girl with the Red Lips as Professor Karame
- The Last from Philippines ... (Director)
- Lulu's Talking Ass ... (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
- Angel of Death ... (Director)
- Dirty Game in Casablanca ... (Director)
- Trip to Bangkok, Coffin Included as Rose Hotel's recepcionist (uncredited)
- Bangkok, City of the Dead ... (Director)
- Judoka Shadow versus Doctor Wong as Dr. Wong
- White Jungle Slave ... (Director)
- Un pito para tres ... (Director)
1984
- The Sexual Story of O ... (Director)
- The Sinister Doctor Orloff as Manolo
- How Much Does a Spy Make? ... (Director)
- Night Has a Thousand Desires as Psychiatrist (uncredited)
- Bahia Blanca as The Miseries (uncredited)
- Lonely Road as Doctor Callman
- A Crack for Two as Tom
- Lilian, the Perverted Virgin as Bernardo
1983
- Cecilia ... (Writer)
- Diamonds of Kilimandjaro ... (Director)
- Black Boots, Leather Whip as Matón en cementerio de coches (voice) (uncredited)
- Cries of Pleasure ... (Director)
- The House of Lost Women ... (Director)
- The Hotel of Love Affairs ... (Director)
- The Night Of Open Sex as Count
- Blood on My Shoes as Abductor
- Macumba Sexual as Recepcionist
- En busca del dragón dorado as Blind Old Man
- The Blues of Pop Street as Sam Chesterfield
- The Bizarre World of Jess Franco as Self
- Revenge in the House of Usher ... (Director)
- Voces de muerte ... (Director)
- Intimate Confessions of an Exhibitionist ... (Director)
- Claire ... (Director)
1982
- Oasis of the Zombies ... (Director)
- Mansion of the Living Dead ... (Screenplay)
- The Inconfessable Orgies of Emmanuelle ... (Director)
- Lake of the Virgins ... (Director)
- El huésped de la niebla ... (Director)
1981
- Sadomania as Lucas
- Pick-Up Girls ... (Director)
- Zombie Lake ... (Writer)
- Sex Is Crazy as Film Director
- Bloody Moon as Doctor (uncredited)
- Jailhouse Wardress as Uncle Jess
- The Story of Linda ... (Director)
- The Girls of the Copacabana ... (Director)
- Sexual Perversions of a Married Woman ... (Director)
- Lola 2000 ... (Director)
1980
- White Cannibal Queen as Mr. Martin
- Erotic Symphony ... (Director)
- Devil Hunter ... (Director)
- Two Female Spies with Flowered Panties ... (Director)
- Wicked Memoirs of Eugenie ... (Director)
- What a Honeymoon as Dying Man (uncredited)
- Cannibal Terror ... (Writer)
1979
- Burning Up Inside ... (Director)
- The Sadist of Notre Dame as Mathis Vogel
- Convoy of Girls ... (Director)
- Justine and the Whip as Strange Guy
- They Do Everything ... (Director)
1978
- Women in Cellblock 9 ... (Director)
- Obscene Desire ... (Music)
- Women Without Innocence ... (Director)
- Cocktail spécial ... (Director)
1977
- Call of the Blonde Goddess ... (Director)
- Greta, the Mad Butcher as Dr. Milton Arcos (as Jess Franco)
- Sexy Sisters ... (Director)
- Blue Rita ... (Director)
- Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun ... (Director)
- Love Camp ... (Director)
- Slaves as Radeck's Assistant
- Kiss Me Killer as Marcel
- Doriana Grey ... (Director)
1976
- Ladies House of Pleasure
- Midnight Party as Janos Radeck
- Jack the Ripper ... (Director)
- Downtown as Al Pereira
- Barbed Wire Dolls as Maria's Father (uncredited)
- Silence of the Grave ... (Director)
- Golden Jail ... (Director)
- The Troublemakers
- Shining Sex as Dr. Seward
- White Skin Black Thighs as Graf Anastasio
- Girls in the Night Traffic ... (Director)
- Around the World in 80 Beds ... (Director)
1975
- Female Vampire as Dr. Roberts
- Countess Perverse ... (Director)
- Exorcism as Mathis Vogel, aka Laforgue
- The Ticklish Ones ... (Director)
- Women Behind Bars as Bill
- A Virgin for St. Tropez ... (Director)
- The Hot Nights of Linda as Dr. Roberts (as Jess Franck)
- Sexy Erotic Job ... (Director)
- Sexorcismes as Mathis Vogel
- Rolls-Royce Baby ... (Director)
1974
- Celestine as Sleeping Man
- Lorna, the Exorcist as Doctor (uncredited)
- Night of the Skull as Andy
- The House of the Lost Dolls ... (Screenplay)
- The Lustful Amazons ... (Director)
- How to Seduce a Virgin ... (Director)
- The Greedy Ones ... (Director)
1973
- Eugenie de Sade as Attila Tanner
- A Virgin Among the Living Dead as Basilio
- The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein as Morpho
- The Other Side of the Mirror as Roger (uncredited)
- Fifteen Year Old Captain ... (Director)
- Nightmares Come at Night ... (Director)
- Dolls for Sale
- The Demons ... (Director)
- Tender and Perverse Emmanuelle ... (Director)
- The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff as Lord Comfort (uncredited)
- Lovers of Devil's Island ... (Director)
- Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac as Inspecteur Hernandez
1972
- Vampir Cuadecuc as Self
- The Corpse Packs His Bags as Gonzales
- The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse as Crosby / Drunk Man in Nightclub
- Daughter of Dracula as Cyril Jefferson
- Robinson and His Tempestuous Slaves as Director
- Dracula, Prisoner of Frankenstein ... (Director)
- Virgin Report ... (Director)
1971
- Vampyros Lesbos as Memmet
- She Killed in Ecstasy as Dr. Donen
- The Devil Came from Akasava as Tino Celli
- X312 - Flight to Hell as Man at John Somers'
1970
- Eugenie as Man in Red Ritual Scene (uncredited)
- Count Dracula as Van Helsing's servant (uncredited)
- The Bloody Judge ... (Director)
- Cuadrilátero ... (Music)
1969
- The Girl from Rio as Guitar Player
- Marquis de Sade: Justine
- 99 Women as Official (uncredited)
- The Castle of Fu Manchu as Insp. Ahmet
- Kiss Me Monster as Abilene's Contact Man (uncredited)
- Two Undercover Angels as Napoleon Bolivard
- Venus in Furs as Jazz Musician (uncredited)
- Your Caresses
1968
- The Blood of Fu Manchu
- Succubus as Writer
- Castle of the Creeping Flesh ... (Story)
- A Man, Eight Girls ... (Director)
- Residence for Spies as Casino Piano Player (uncredited)
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
- Death Whistles the Blues as Saxofonista en Club de Nueva Orleans (uncredited)
- Strange Voyage as Don Venancio
- 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 ... (Screenplay)
- The Sadistic Baron Von Klaus ... (Director)
- Vampiresas 1930 ... (Director)
1960
- Red Lips ... (Director)
- Queen of the Tabarin Club ... (Director)
- Estampas guipuzcoanas número 2: Pío Baroja ... (Director)
- El destierro del Cid ... (Director)
- Ama Rosa ... (Writer)
1959
- Oro español ... (Director)
- We Are 18 Years Old ... (Director)
- Las playas vacías ... (Director)
- Llegaron los franceses ... (Writer)
1958
- Historias de Madrid ... (Music)
- Anna Said Yes as Pianista (uncredited)
1957
- El hombre que viajaba despacito ... (Music)
- Fulano y Mengano ... (Screenplay)
- The Tree from Spain ... (Director)
1956
- Around the World in 80 Days as Extra (uncredited)
- The Mysterious Melody AKA Ce soir les souris dansent ... (Writer)
- The Coyote's Justice ... (Screenstory)
1955
- Death of a Cyclist ... (Assistant Director)
- The Coyote ... (Adaptation)
1954
- Comedians ... (Script Supervisor)
- Merry Christmas ... (Assistant Director)