Jesús Franco
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.
Personal Details
Also Known As
Movies (49)
Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada “S”
as Self - Archive footage
2024
Inferno Rosso: Joe D'Amato on the Road of Excess
as Self (archive footage)
2021
Wild Session
as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
2019
Drácula Barcelona
as Himself
2017
Soledad Miranda, Flower in the Desert
as Himself (archive footage)
2015
Queridos monstruos
as Self
2014
Call Me Jess Redux
as Himself
2014
Clawing! A Journey Through the Spanish Horror
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2014
Falks Frauen
as (archive footage)
2014
Revenge of the Alligator Ladies
as Himself
2013
La última película de Jess Franco
as Self
2013
The Rhythm of Jess
as Self
2013
Al Pereira vs. the Alligator Ladies
as The Director
2013
Los profundos sueños de Jennifer
as Voz
2013
Tío Jess
as Self
2012
La cripta de las condenadas: Parte II
Director (Directing)
2012
La cripta de las condenadas
2012
Debris Documentar
as Himself
2012
Macumba sexual: Voodoo Jess
as Self
2010
Paula-Paula
Director (Directing)
2010
Por la gracia de Luis
as Himself
2009
Idoru
2009
Take-Away Spirit
as J.W. Radek
2009
Coffins of Light
as himself
2009
A Bad Day at the Cemetery
Director (Directing)
2008
Ellos robaron la picha de Hitler
as Padre del Dr. Weissman
2008
Vampyros Lesbos
Story (Writing)
2008
Martes de Carnaval
2008
Jesús Franco, manera de vivir
as Himself
2007
Beloved Count
as Self
2007
Angel of Death 2: The Prison Island Massacre
as Pete
2007
Bloody Jess
as Self
2007
Lascivia
Director (Directing)
2007
Montes de Venus
Director (Directing)
2006
Snakewoman
Original Music Composer (Sound)
2005
Ban the Sadist Videos!
as Self
2005
Jess Franco's Passion
Writer (Writing)
2005
Jess Franco's Perversion
Director (Directing)
2005
The Well
2005
Jesús in Furs
as Himself
2005
Jess' Women
as self
2005
See you later Cowabunga: La maldición del cenachero diabólico!
2004
On the Threshold to Another World
as Himself
2003
Death Karate in Torremolinos
as Miyagi
2003
Red Venice
as Jess Franco
2003
Killer Barbys vs. Dracula
Director (Directing)
2002
Perversion Stories
as Self
2002
Incubus
Director (Directing)
2002
Antena Criminal: Making a Jess Franco Movie
as Himself
2002
