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
- La última película de Jess Franco as Self
- Revenge of the Alligator Ladies as Himself
- Al Pereira vs. the Alligator Ladies as The Director
- The Rhythm of Jess as Self
- Los profundos sueños de Jennifer as Voz
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
- Idoru
- Coffins of Light as himself
- Take-Away Spirit as J.W. Radek
- Por la gracia de Luis as Himself
2008
- Vampyros Lesbos ... (Story)
- Ellos robaron la picha de Hitler as Padre del Dr. Weissman
- A Bad Day at the Cemetery ... (Screenplay)
2007
- Beloved Count as Self
- Bloody Jess as Self
- Lascivia ... (Director)
- Jesús Franco, manera de vivir as Himself
- Angel of Death 2: The Prison Island Massacre as Pete
2006
- Montes de Venus ... (Director)
2005
- The Well
- Jess' Women as self
- Jesús in Furs as Himself
- Ban the Sadist Videos! as Self
- Snakewoman ... (Writer)
- 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
- Incubus ... (Director)
- Killer Barbys vs. Dracula ... (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
- Blind Target ... (Director)
- Helter Skelter ... (Director)
- Call Him Jess as Himself
- Orson Welles in the Land of Don Quixote as Self
1999
- Eurotika! as Self
- Broken Dolls ... (Director)
- Red Silk ... (Screenplay)
- Vampire Blues as The Merchant
- Dr. Wong's Virtual Hell as Dr. James Wong
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)
- Fury in the Tropics ... (Director)
- The Last from Philippines ... (Producer)
- Alone Against Terror ... (Screenplay)
- 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
- Angel of Death ... (Director)
- Bangkok, City of the Dead ... (Screenplay)
- Dirty Game in Casablanca ... (Director)
- Trip to Bangkok, Coffin Included as Rose Hotel's recepcionist (uncredited)
- White Jungle Slave ... (Director)
- 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)
- The Sinister Doctor Orloff as Manolo
- Night Has a Thousand Desires as Psychiatrist (uncredited)
- How Much Does a Spy Make? ... (Director)
- Lonely Road as Doctor Callman
- A Crack for Two as Tom
- Lilian, the Perverted Virgin as Bernardo
1983
- Cecilia ... (Writer)
- The House of Lost Women ... (Screenplay)
- Diamonds of Kilimandjaro ... (Director)
- Cries of Pleasure ... (Editor)
- The Night Of Open Sex as Count
- Macumba Sexual as Recepcionist
- Black Boots, Leather Whip as Matón en cementerio de coches (voice) (uncredited)
- En busca del dragón dorado as Blind Old Man
- Revenge in the House of Usher ... (Producer)
- The Hotel of Love Affairs ... (Director)
- The Blues of Pop Street as Sam Chesterfield
- Voces de muerte ... (Director)
- Blood on My Shoes as Abductor
- The Bizarre World of Jess Franco as Self
- 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
- Sadomania as Lucas
- The Story of Linda ... (Director)
- Jailhouse Wardress as Uncle Jess
- Zombie Lake ... (Writer)
- Pick-Up Girls ... (Screenplay)
- Sex Is Crazy as Film Director
- Bloody Moon as Doctor (uncredited)
- The Girls of the Copacabana ... (Screenplay)
- Sexual Perversions of a Married Woman ... (Writer)
- Lola 2000 ... (Director)
1980
- White Cannibal Queen as Mr. Martin
- Erotic Symphony ... (Director)
- Devil Hunter ... (Director)
- Cannibal Terror ... (Writer)
- Two Female Spies with Flowered Panties ... (Director)
- Wicked Memoirs of Eugenie ... (Writer)
- What a Honeymoon as Dying Man (uncredited)
1979
- Burning Up Inside ... (Writer)
- Convoy of Girls ... (Writer)
- The Sadist of Notre Dame as Mathis Vogel
- Justine and the Whip as Strange Guy
- They Do Everything ... (Director)
1978
- Obscene Desire ... (Music)
- Women in Cellblock 9 ... (Screenplay)
- Women Without Innocence ... (Director)
- Cocktail spécial ... (Director)
1977
- Love Camp ... (Director)
- 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)
- Blue Rita ... (Director)
- Kiss Me Killer as Marcel
- Slaves as Radeck's Assistant
- Around the World in 80 Beds ... (Director)
1976
- Midnight Party as Janos Radeck
- Ladies House of Pleasure
- Barbed Wire Dolls as Maria's Father (uncredited)
- Jack the Ripper ... (Screenplay)
- Silence of the Grave ... (Director)
- Golden Jail ... (Director)
- The Troublemakers
- Shining Sex as Dr. Seward
- White Skin Black Thighs as Graf Anastasio
- Doriana Grey ... (Director)
- Girls in the Night Traffic ... (Director)
1975
- Female Vampire as Dr. Roberts
- Countess Perverse ... (Writer)
- The Ticklish Ones ... (Story)
- Downtown as Al Pereira
- The Hot Nights of Linda as Dr. Roberts (as Jess Franck)
- A Virgin for St. Tropez ... (Director)
- Exorcism as Mathis Vogel, aka Laforgue
- Women Behind Bars as Bill
- Sexy Erotic Job ... (Director)
- Sexorcismes as Mathis Vogel
- Rolls-Royce Baby ... (Director)
1974
- Celestine as Sleeping Man
- Lorna, the Exorcist as Doctor (uncredited)
- How to Seduce a Virgin ... (Director)
- The Greedy Ones ... (Director)
- The House of the Lost Dolls ... (Screenplay)
- Fifteen Year Old Captain ... (Director)
- The Lustful Amazons ... (Screenplay)
- Night of the Skull as Andy
1973
- Eugenie de Sade as Attila Tanner
- A Virgin Among the Living Dead as Basilio
- The Demons ... (Writer)
- Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac as Inspecteur Hernandez
- Nightmares Come at Night ... (Director)
- Tender and Perverse Emmanuelle ... (Director)
- Dolls for Sale
- The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein as Morpho
- The Other Side of the Mirror as Roger (uncredited)
- Lovers of Devil's Island ... (Director)
- The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff as Lord Comfort (uncredited)
1972
- Vampir Cuadecuc as Self
- Sex Charade ... (Director)
- The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse as Crosby / Drunk Man in Nightclub
- Daughter of Dracula as Cyril Jefferson
- Dracula, Prisoner of Frankenstein ... (Screenplay)
- Robinson and His Tempestuous Slaves as Director
- Virgin Report ... (Director)
- The Corpse Packs His Bags as Gonzales
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)
- The Bloody Judge ... (Director)
- Cuadrilátero ... (Music)
- Count Dracula as Van Helsing's servant (uncredited)
1969
- Marquis de Sade: Justine
- The Girl from Rio as Guitar Player
- 99 Women as Official (uncredited)
- Venus in Furs as Jazz Musician (uncredited)
- The Castle of Fu Manchu as Insp. Ahmet
- Kiss Me Monster as Abilene's Contact Man (uncredited)
- Your Caresses
- Two Undercover Angels as Napoleon Bolivard
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
- Attack of the Robots as Piano Player
- The Diabolical Dr. Z as Inspector Tanner
1965
- Chimes at Midnight ... (Second Unit Director)
- Dr. Orloff's Monster as Piano Player
1964
- Strange Voyage as Don Venancio
- Rififi in the City ... (Director)
- Death Whistles the Blues as Saxofonista en Club de Nueva Orleans (uncredited)
1963
- 55 Days at Peking ... (Assistant Production Manager)
- Jaguar ... (Director)
1962
- Vampiresas 1930 ... (Director)
- The Awful Dr. Orlof as Pianist (uncredited)
- Zorro the Avenger ... (Story)
- The Sadistic Baron Von Klaus ... (Director)
1960
- Red Lips ... (Screenplay)
- Estampas guipuzcoanas número 2: Pío Baroja ... (Director)
- Queen of the Tabarin Club ... (Director)
- Ama Rosa ... (Writer)
- El destierro del Cid ... (Director)
1959
- We Are 18 Years Old ... (Director)
- Oro español ... (Screenplay)
- Las playas vacías ... (Director)
- Llegaron los franceses ... (Writer)
1958
- Historias de Madrid ... (Assistant Director)
- Anna Said Yes as Pianista (uncredited)
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 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)