Jesús Franco

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.

Cast

The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein
Morpho
The Castle of Fu Manchu
Insp. Ahmet
Count Dracula
Van Helsing's servant (uncredited)
The Devil Came from Akasava
Tino Celli
The Corpse Packs His Bags
Gonzales
Vampire Blues
The Merchant
Antena Criminal: Making a Jess Franco Movie
Himself
Journey into Perversion
Himself
The Diabolical Dr. Z
Inspector Tanner
Falks Frauen
(archive footage)
Inferno Rosso: Joe D'Amato on the Road of Excess
Self (archive footage)
Dr. Wong's Virtual Hell
Dr. James Wong
Succubus
Writer
Attack of the Robots
Piano Player, Pianist (uncredited)
Dr. Orloff's Monster
Piano Player
Venus in Furs
Jazz Musician (uncredited)
She Killed in Ecstasy
Dr. Donen
Eugenie de Sade
Attila Tanner
Barbed Wire Dolls
Maria's Father (uncredited)
Night of the Skull
Andy
Kiss Me Killer
Marcel
Female Vampire
Dr. Roberts
The Sinister Doctor Orloff
Manolo
The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse
Crosby / Drunk Man in Nightclub
Take-Away Spirit
J.W. Radek
Jailhouse Wardress
Uncle Jess
Sex Is Crazy
Film Director
The Girl from Rio
Guitar Player
Vampyros Lesbos
Memmet
Downtown
Al Pereira
Women Behind Bars
Bill
Exorcism
Mathis Vogel, aka Laforgue
Sadomania
Lucas
Judoka Shadow versus Doctor Wong
Dr. Wong
Midnight Party
Janos Radeck
Death Karate in Torremolinos
Miyagi
Eugenie
Man in Red Ritual Scene (uncredited)
Celestine
Sleeping Man
Al Pereira vs. the Alligator Ladies
The Director
La cripta de las condenadas
Unknown
Robinson and His Tempestuous Slaves
Director
Slaves
Radeck's Assistant
La última película de Jess Franco
Self
Orson Welles in the Land of Don Quixote
Self
Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac
Inspecteur Hernandez
The Rhythm of Jess
Self
Macumba Sexual
Recepcionist
Call Him Jess
Himself
Bloody Moon
Doctor (uncredited)
Call Me Jess Redux
Himself
On the Threshold to Another World
Himself
Marquis de Sade: Justine
Unknown
Strange Voyage
Don Venancio
White Cannibal Queen
Mr. Martin
A Crack for Two
Tom
Vampir Cuadecuc
Self
Dolls for Sale
Unknown
The Troublemakers
Unknown
Blood on My Shoes
Abductor
The Blues of Pop Street
Sam Chesterfield
En busca del dragón dorado
Blind Old Man
Girl with the Red Lips
Professor Karame
El abuelo, la condesa y Escarlata la traviesa
Unknown
Los profundos sueños de Jennifer
Voz
The Sadist of Notre Dame
Mathis Vogel
Kiss Me Monster
Abilene's Contact Man (uncredited)
Shining Sex
Dr. Seward
The Night Of Open Sex
Count
Your Caresses
Unknown
The Blood of Fu Manchu
Unknown
Red Venice
Jess Franco
The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff
Lord Comfort (uncredited)
Revenge of the Alligator Ladies
Himself
Debris Documentar
Himself
Flesh-Eating Mothers
Policeman
Lucky, the Inscrutable
Ciego / Zoltan / Guitarrista
Angel of Death 2: The Prison Island Massacre
Pete
See you later Cowabunga: La maldición del cenachero diabólico!
Unknown
Night Has a Thousand Desires
Psychiatrist (uncredited)
Justine and the Whip
Strange Guy
Lonely Road
Doctor Callman
Black Boots, Leather Whip
Matón en cementerio de coches (voice) (uncredited)
The Hot Nights of Linda
Dr. Roberts (as Jess Franck)
Around the World in 80 Days
Extra (uncredited)
Esa cosa con plumas
Unknown
Tío Jess
Self
Jesús Franco, manera de vivir
Himself
Drácula Barcelona
Himself
Two Undercover Angels
Napoleon Bolivard
The Well
Unknown
Idoru
Unknown
Martes de Carnaval
Unknown
99 Women
Official (uncredited)
Queridos monstruos
Self
Ban the Sadist Videos!
Self
Soledad Miranda, Flower in the Desert
Himself (archive footage)
Coffins of Light
himself
Por la gracia de Luis
Himself
What a Honeymoon
Dying Man (uncredited)
El misterio del castillo rojo
Unknown
Clawing! A Journey Through the Spanish Horror
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Esmeralda Bay
Boat Captain
Jesús in Furs
Himself
Wild Session
Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Daughter of Dracula
Cyril Jefferson
Greta, the Mad Butcher
Dr. Milton Arcos (as Jess Franco)
The Awful Dr. Orlof
Pianist (uncredited)
A Virgin Among the Living Dead
Basilio
Ladies House of Pleasure
Unknown
Bahia Blanca
The Miseries (uncredited)
Residence for Spies
Casino Piano Player (uncredited)
Death Whistles the Blues
Saxofonista en Club de Nueva Orleans (uncredited)
Lilian, the Perverted Virgin
Bernardo
Ellos robaron la picha de Hitler
Padre del Dr. Weissman
Anna Said Yes
Pianista (uncredited)
Bloody Jess
Self
Perversion Stories
Self
Beloved Count
Self
White Skin Black Thighs
Graf Anastasio
X312 - Flight to Hell
Man at John Somers'
Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada “S”
Self - Archive footage
Exorciseme
Unknown
The Bizarre World of Jess Franco
Self
Macumba sexual: Voodoo Jess
Self
Jess' Women
self
Sexorcismes
Mathis Vogel
Trip to Bangkok, Coffin included
Rose Hotel's recepcionist (uncredited)
The Other Side of the Mirror
Roger (uncredited)

Crew

Angel of Death
Director, Screenplay
The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein
Director, Screenplay, Story
Dracula, Prisoner of Frankenstein
Director, Story, Screenplay
Lust for Frankenstein
Director, Screenplay, Producer, Music
The Blood of Fu Manchu
Director, Story, Screenplay
The Castle of Fu Manchu
Director
Count Dracula
Director, Screenplay
Sexy Erotic Job
Director
The Devil Came from Akasava
Director
The Corpse Packs His Bags
Director, Screenplay
Obscene Desire
Music
Vampire Blues
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer
99 Women
Story, Director, Screenplay
Zombie Lake
Writer
Mari-Cookie and the Killer Tarantula
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer, Producer
Revenge in the House of Usher
Director, Screenplay, Producer, Original Music Composer
Black Boots, Leather Whip
Editor, Director, Writer, Music
Blind Target
Director, Original Music Composer
Dr. Wong's Virtual Hell
Writer, Director, Original Music Composer
Vampire Junction
Director, Writer, Original Music Composer
Succubus
Director
Attack of the Robots
Director, Screenplay
Dr. Orloff's Monster
Director, Screenplay, Dialogue
Venus in Furs
Director, Writer, Story
She Killed in Ecstasy
Director, Writer
Eugenie de Sade
Director, Writer
Night of the Skull
Director, Screenplay
Kiss Me Killer
Director, Writer
The Diabolical Dr. Z
Director, Screenplay
The Awful Dr. Orlof
Director, Story, Screenplay
Greta, the Mad Butcher
Director, Writer
Barbed Wire Dolls
Director, Writer, Director of Photography
Faceless
Director, Writer
Female Vampire
Director, Writer, Director of Photography, Editor
Alone Against Terror
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer
Mansion of the Living Dead
Screenplay, Director of Photography, Director, Editor, Original Music Composer, Novel
White Jungle Slave
Director, Music
Golden Temple Amazons
Director, Producer
Diamonds of Kilimandjaro
Director, Screenplay, Producer, Director of Photography, Original Music Composer
El lago de las vírgenes
Director, Writer, Editor, Original Music Composer
The Sinister Doctor Orloff
Director, Screenplay, Music
Cries of Pleasure
Director, Writer, Editor, Art Direction
The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer
Dark Mission: Flowers of Evil
Director, Writer, Producer, Editor
Take-Away Spirit
Additional Dialogue
Jailhouse Wardress
Director
The Sexual Story of O
Director, Screenplay, Producer, Editor
The Inconfessable Orgies of Emmanuelle
Director, Screenplay, Editor
Sex Is Crazy
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer
Night of the Eagles
Director, Screenplay, Editor, Art Direction
The Greedy Ones
Director, Screenplay
Tender Flesh
Director, Screenplay, Executive Producer, Original Music Composer
The Bloody Judge
Director, Adaptation
The Girl from Rio
Director
Oasis of the Zombies
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer, Editor
Lulu's Talking Ass
Director, Story, Screenplay, Original Music Composer
Vampyros Lesbos
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer, Special Effects Makeup Artist
Erotic Symphony
Director, Writer
Jack the Ripper
Director, Screenplay
Bloody Moon
Director
Downtown
Director, Writer, Director of Photography
Women in Cellblock 9
Director, Screenplay
Women Without Innocence
Director, Writer
A Virgin Among the Living Dead
Director, Writer
Lilian, the Perverted Virgin
Director, Screenplay, Editor
Macumba Sexual
Director, Screenplay, Story, Music, Director of Photography
Virgin Report
Director
The Story of Linda
Director
Women Behind Bars
Director, Director of Photography, Editor
Convoy of Girls
Director, Writer
Call of the Blonde Goddess
Director, Writer
Cecilia
Director, Writer, Producer
The Sadistic Baron Von Klaus
Director, Screenplay, Story
The Coyote's Justice
Screenstory, Screenplay, Dialogue, Adaptation, Lyricist, Assistant Director
The Coyote
Adaptation, Dialogue, Lyricist, Screenplay, Assistant Director
Sadomania
Director, Screenplay, Music, Editor
Marquis de Sade: Justine
Director
Devil Hunter
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer
Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun
Director
Midnight Party
Director, Writer
Judoka Shadow versus Doctor Wong
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer
Exorcism
Director, Screenplay
Incubus
Director, Writer
Two Undercover Angels
Director, Screenplay
Lorna, the Exorcist
Director, Writer
Eugenie
Director
Death Whistles the Blues
Director, Screenplay
Fulano y Mengano
Screenplay, Assistant Director
Doriana Grey
Director, Writer
They Do Everything
Director, Writer
Paula-Paula
Director, Director of Photography, Screenplay, Dialogue, Special Effects, Editor
The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff
Director, Screenplay
Love Camp
Director
Don Quixote
Editor, Dialogue, Supervising Film Editor
Lovers of Devil's Island
Director, Screenplay, Story
The Demons
Director, Writer
Blue Rita
Director, Writer
White Cannibal Queen
Director, Writer
X312 - Flight to Hell
Director, Screenplay
How to Seduce a Virgin
Director, Writer
The Girls of the Copacabana
Director, Screenplay, Story
Kiss Me Monster
Director, Idea, Screenplay
Sexy Sisters
Director
Countess Perverse
Director, Writer
Lucky, the Inscrutable
Director, Screenplay
Night Has a Thousand Desires
Director, Writer, Music, Director of Photography
Broken Dolls
Director, Writer
Downtown Heat
Director, Screenplay, Producer
Nightmares Come at Night
Director, Writer
The Other Side of the Mirror
Director, Screenplay
Celestine
Director, Writer, Director of Photography
Al Pereira vs. the Alligator Ladies
Director, Writer, Producer, Music, Editor
Chimes at Midnight
Second Unit Director, Second Unit
Vampiresas 1930
Director, Screenplay
We Are 18 Years Old
Director, Writer, Original Music Composer
Jess Franco's Perversion
Director, Writer
Vampire Killer Barbys
Director, Writer
La cripta de las condenadas
Director, Writer, Producer, Editor, Original Music Composer
La cripta de las condenadas: Parte II
Director, Writer, Producer, Editor
Queen of the Tabarin Club
Director, Dialogue
Daughter of Dracula
Director, Writer
Helter Skelter
Director, Writer, Original Music Composer
Slaves
Director
Silence of the Grave
Director, Screenplay, Producer
Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac
Director, Scenario Writer
Killer Barbys vs. Dracula
Director, Original Music Composer, Screenplay, Story
Tender and Perverse Emmanuelle
Director, Writer
Fly Story
Director
Robinson and His Tempestuous Slaves
Director
Girls in the Night Traffic
Director
Revenge of the Alligator Ladies
Director, Writer
The Voyeur and the Exhibitionist
Director, Writer
The Hot Nights of Linda
Director, Screenplay, Story
Jaguar
Director, Story
Lascivia
Director
Montes de Venus
Director
Bahia Blanca
Writer, Screenplay, Story, Producer, Director
Rififi in the City
Director, Writer
The House of the Lost Dolls
Screenplay
Jess Franco's Passion
Director, Writer
Fifteen Year Old Captain
Director, Writer, Music
Around the World in 80 Beds
Director
Two Female Spies with Flowered Panties
Director, Screenplay, Story, Original Music Composer
Red Lips
Director, Screenplay
Residence for Spies
Director, Writer
A Bad Day at the Cemetery
Director, Screenplay
Esmeralda Bay
Director, Writer, Producer
White Skin Black Thighs
Director, Screenplay, Director of Photography
The Lustful Amazons
Director, Screenplay
Sex Charade
Director, Screenplay
Golden Jail
Director
Falo Crest
Director, Writer, Cinematography
Thong Girls
Director, Writer, Screenplay, Editor
Sexual Perversions of a Married Woman
Director, Writer, Music
Wicked Memoirs of Eugenie
Director, Writer
The Ticklish Ones
Director, Story
A Crack for Two
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer
Phollastía
Director, Story, Director of Photography
Cocktail spécial
Director
Dolls for Sale
Director
The Troublemakers
Director, Screenplay
Pick-Up Girls
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer, Editor
Voces de muerte
Director, Screenplay
Blood on My Shoes
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer
The Blues of Pop Street
Director, Screenplay, Director of Photography, Original Music Composer
En busca del dragón dorado
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer, Editor
The House of Lost Women
Director, Screenplay, Editor
The Hotel of Love Affairs
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer, Editor
Dirty Game in Casablanca
Director, Producer
Bangkok, City of the Dead
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer, Editor
The Last from Philippines
Director, Producer, Director of Photography, Editor, Story
Girl with the Red Lips
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer, Director of Photography
In Pursuit of Barbara
Director
Red Silk
Screenplay, Director
El abuelo, la condesa y Escarlata la traviesa
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer, Editor
Jungle of Fear
Director, Executive Producer
Slave of Crime
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer, Editor
Para las nenas, leche calentita
Original Music Composer, Director, Screenplay, Story
Intimate Confessions of an Exhibitionist
Director, Music
The Night Of Open Sex
Director, Novel, Adaptation, Music, Director of Photography
The Sadist of Notre Dame
Director, Writer
Lonely Road
Director, Writer, Director of Photography
Shining Sex
Director, Story
El huésped de la niebla
Director, Director of Photography, Original Music Composer
Burning Up Inside
Director, Writer
Entre pitos anda el juego
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer
How Much Does a Spy Make?
Director, Writer, Producer
Sida, la peste del siglo XX
Director, Screenplay, Editor
Death of a Cyclist
Assistant Director
Justine and the Whip
Director, Cinematography, Writer
The Tree from Spain
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer
Oro español
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer
Las playas vacías
Director, Screenplay
Estampas guipuzcoanas número 2: Pío Baroja
Director
El destierro del Cid
Director
Fury in the Tropics
Director, Writer, Director of Photography, Original Music Composer
Trip to Bangkok, Coffin included
Director, Screenplay, Producer, Music
Juliette
Director
Cannibal Terror
Writer
Un pito para tres
Director, Screenplay, Story, Editor
Zorro the Avenger
Screenplay, Story
Castle of the Creeping Flesh
Story
What a Honeymoon
Director, Screenplay, Original Music Composer
Vampyros Lesbos
Story
El misterio del castillo rojo
Director
Comedians
Script Supervisor, Original Music Composer
A Man, Eight Girls
Director
55 Days at Peking
Assistant Production Manager
¡Biba la banda!
Costumer
Snakewoman
Director, Writer, Original Music Composer
Cuadrilátero
Music
Merry Christmas
Assistant Director
Llegaron los franceses
Writer
El hombre que viajaba despacito
Music, Assistant Director
Historias de Madrid
Music, Assistant Director
Anna Said Yes
Delegated Producer
Ama Rosa
Writer
Exorciseme
Director, Writer
Claire
Director
Lola 2000
Director
Las chuponas
Director, Writer, Director of Photography
Sexorcismes
Director, Adaptation, Dialogue, Writer
The Mysterious Melody AKA Ce soir les souris dansent
Writer
A Virgin for St. Tropez
Director