This is the Web Site for the cinematic history of Spanish director Jesús Franco. What's in store for the future of FrancoFile? There is our an on-going project to collect information for a Jesús Franco filmography. Many sources will be cited (and credited) in this massive endevour (the man has been involved in over 200 films to date). There will be more reviews, hopefully from some of the brightest authors the world over. Please feel free to add to this list by sending comments and e-mail to us. FrancoFile will be updated monthly whenever possible. It's strange to think that the FrancoFile has been on the Web for over two years. A lot of material has been added to the site in that time and as this page began to get complicated I have decided to break it up some. Older material from 1996 now has its own site, while I will strive to collect a few interviews that the Man has given over the years.
The FrancoFile WILL NOT be upgraded. I just don't have the time to do it properly, so the site will stay pretty mush as it is with monthly additions of information and photos. New this upgrade: 'THE SPIRIT OF VAMPYROS LESBOS" CD! This update also includes information on the newest Franco Flick: TENDER FLESH.
PLEASE NOTE: I WIL BEGIN TO SHUFFLE AROUND SOME LINKS AS I MAKE ADJUSTMENST TO THE FRANCOFILE. INSTEAD OF CLOSING THE ENTIRE SITE (LIKE I DID FOR KRONOSCOPE -- WHICH HAS YET TO BE FULLY RESTORED), I WILL DO IT IN BITS AND PIECES WHILE ON THE WEB. SO, SOME LINKS WILL NOT BE ACTIVE FOR A WHILE. SORRY!
(11-30-97)
Sincerely,
Tim Paxton
Kronos Productions
This site is best viewed when using Netscape 2.0 or greater.
Review coming soon...
TENDER FLESH- -1997, Spain, 91 minutes Original English Version. Dir: Jess Franco
with: Amber Newman, Lina Romay, Monique Parent, 18 yrs Recommend audience age
A young amateur stripper makes the mistake of accepting an offer to sail Off to an uncharted island with a boatload of wealthy eccentrics for a weekend of sex and
$10,000 in cash. Before long, it is clear that the perverse gentry are considerably more extreme than they had initially appeared to be. Their ways of relating to one another is strange and unfamiliar to the increasingly weary girl and soon all life on the island is transformed into a dizzying whirl of sex, domination, and general whip cracking. The following morning, the atmosphere on the island is noticeably different and it soon becomes clear that the eccentric had offered the money merely as a front to lure her to a land without law, and where all is permissible; land where games of life and death are played with frightened human prey; land of tender flesh made callous and tough.
TENDER FLESH is a bizarre throwback to the eclectic sleaze films of the early 1970s. New softcore thriller by legendary exploitation guru Jess Franco, a man who, since l957, has made over 150 films, so many that he himself could not tell the exact number! Recently, he has been repopularised through an unexpected surge in interest in the soundtrack to his 1970 classic VAMPYROS LESBOS. Fans should note that the music heard throughout TENDER FLESH was composed by the director himself and is complemented with tracks by German grunge band Sexy Sadie. Unusual psychedelic visuals, extreme fetishism and inhuman (ie: glaringly unlike people) characterization are combined to deliver the sort of films making that has @over the years managed to earn the director an obsessively faithful cult following.
Definitively not for all tastes or tolerance levels. North American premier hosted by producers Kevin Collins and Hugh Gallagher.
Taken directly from the FantAsia Festival guide on page 77.
You can visit the FantAsia website at: www.fantasiafest.com
alexandre.michaud@sympatico.ca
Thanks Alexandre for this cool update! -- Tim.
Composer Daniel White, the brilliant jazz composure and the muscle behind the soundtracks to some of Franco's best film scores, died at the age of 84. His last musical work was THE MANACOA PROJECT, an original jazz album recorded last month with Jess Franco, which Lucertola Media will be releasing later in the year. For those of use who loved his work for years, this is a sad moment for all concerned. This information came by e-mail from Tim Lucas via Peter Blumenstock, and I will try and get additional information in the next few weeks.
THE
FRANCO FILMOGRAPHY
is currently discontinued.
Sorry folks.
FRANCO MERCHANDISE!
GET THE HARD FACTS! WE HAVE SELECTIONS FROM BOTH THE JESS FRANCO AND LINA ROMAY INTERVIEWS! CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO SEE WHAT YOU GET...
Come visit the Winter 97 seven great images you can download to
use in reports, screensavers, and so forth. All GIFs. All 100% Franco!
The charming pic to the left comes from his OASIS OF THE ZOMBIES
(1981, original titles: LA TUMBA DE LOS MUERTOS VIVIENTES [Spain]
and L'ABIME DES MORTS-VIVANTS [France]). And, yes, this zombi pic
is downloadable as well!
As an introduction to the world of Jesùs Franco, check out these two wonderful articles on the man and his erotic cinematic world...
The
first piece, HORROTICA!,
is a wonderful introduction to the fetish-filled world of Jesús
Franco, and includes ad mats and photos illumminating Tim's incredible
insight into the mind of the Man. The photo, by the way, is from DER
TEUFEL KAM AUS AKARAVA (1970) a film in which Franco himself plays
one of the supporting roles (as "Tino Celli," an Italian sercret
service agent).
The
next work is a loving tribute to Franco's most mysterious leading lady:
Soledad Miranda. Entitled THE
BLACK STARE OF SOLEDAD MIRANDA, the article covers the late actress's
work in film and focuses on her time with director Franco. Includes corrections
to the original text, ad mats, and photos from Franco films. Soledad is
pictued here as seen in DER TEUFEL KAM AUS AKARAVA (1970) as the
charming British secret agent "Jane Morgan."
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:
Here in this new department I will attemp to answer some of the questions that have been e-mailed to the FrancoFile. If people other than myself feel that they can help out, please contact the FRANCOFILE.
letters from July and August:
Hi.
I love what you're doing with this site. It has loads of interesting
content and looks like a lot of work has gone into it. I'm a fan of cult/horror
films. I'm working on some stuff for my site Infernalia at the moment,
looking for information, pictures I can use, etc. Anyway...
I've just read your review of 'The Awful Dr. Orloff' after re-watching the French cut of the film (Where do you get all all your stills and poster-graphics?). I've heard that the 2 nude scenes in the film were 'tacked' on for French release. Were they shot by Franco at all? They don't fit with the rest of the film's character. The shot of the castle (just after second singer is captured) looks like it should go straight to Morpho moaning, but instead there's this tacky breast-fondling-with-scalpel scene breaking it up. Then, maybe it's the copy that I have.
Just a fellow weird film fan looking for answers :) egg@mercury.networx.net.au
My sources say that the scenes where indeed shot by Franco, and, as you pointed out, where badly inserted for various markets other than the US or Britian. I've seen the US release of the film, and a Spanish language copy which came off of Austrialian TV which contains the nudity. I've heard that there is another alternate nude scene, but so far I haven't found any further information on that subject.
A couple of questions, is it blood moon or bloody moon. And does
the sawmill scene involve a villain male or female? Thanks. mgmayo@msn.com
It's BLOODY MOON for the US release. Here's the cover from the video release of the film. The villain is a man. - Tim.
I am looking for photos from VAMPYROS LESBOS and ILSA. Please help me. Thank you. Is vampyros lesbos available in the US on video.??? User858605@aol.com
i kinda got my e-mail addresses mixed up...i hope you are the jess franco guy..if not i'm sorry.
i'd very much like to get my hands on a copy of los vampyros lesbos.. do you know of anywhone i could order it from or of someone who would dub it for me..???
its be so super rad of you to respond.
thanks, kkh@cco.caltech.edu
Technically, VAMPYROS LESBOS is only available from Redemption Video, a British Video company (see above review of the video... and the links). I'm sure that there are dozens of folks out there who are willing to sell you a bootleg of this amazing film -- not to mention a ton of other Franco films. The quality of what you get depends on who you're dealing with and their source material. Without endorsing bootlegs, check out the Franco Links below, and maybe some of these freindly folks can help you both out.
I can't seem to find any of his movies uncut. Do you know of any companies that sell them? -Thanks, ask4id@neosoft.com
Answering your question is a complicated one considering that a great many of the man's works have alternative edits depending in what country the film was to be released. Some good places to locate FrancoFilms can be found at our Franco Links site below.
I'm looking for information concerning a Franco film called "La
Comtesse Perverse" (The Perverse Countess). Can you help me? -LWaiversmd@aol.com
LA COMTESSE PERVERSE (French, 1973), D: Jess Franco (using the name Clifford Brown), Cast: Alice Arno, Howard Vernon, Kali Hansa, Lina Romay, Tania Busselier, Caroline Riviére, and Robert Woods ("hardcore" inserts in 1974 featured Monica Swinn and Pierre Taylou).
Howard Vernon and Alice Arno play the Count and Countess Zaroff, a mysterious couple who enjoy hunting and then eating human prey in and around their isolated beach front home. Lina Romay is Silva, a beautiful young woman who is tricked into become the mad couples next hunt. Can she escape?
Although Franco has denined readily adapting the popular Richard Connell's adventure story "The Most Dangerous Game" (already ripped-off a zillion time by now), he at least gave the tired tale a unique twist. The sinister eroticism of having the naked Silva running terrified from the bow and arrow armed Countess Zaroff (hence the title of the film) heightened by Franco's tight direction and Antonio Millan's wonderful camera work. In 1974 Franco was more-or-less forced to shoot a silly bondage/sex scene where Lina ties up and seduces a couple.
While not available in English, the French copy from Budget Video has all of the film's 94 minute run (including the sex inserts) and can be found for rent or for sale in some Fench videostores, and for sale in the not-so-legit video market in the US and abroad.
KISS
ME MONSTER! This article originally appeared in MONSTER! INTERNATIONAL
#2 and features three of Franco's "Erotic Monster" series of
films. Great stuff! With illusrtations -- some of them downloadable!
THE
AWFUL DR. ORLOF!! Jess Franco's very first horror film! This is the
film which has so obsessed the man that he has re-made it many times!!!
This article originally appeared in MONSTER! INTERNATIONAL #4 and features
a review, information, full credits, and illusrtations -- some of them
downloadable!ATTACK
OF THE ROBOTS - Jess Franco's spy spoof from 1966! Each decade in recent
American history has been classified by some significant cultural trend.
The 80's was the "Me-Decade," the 70's shaped by the booty-shaking
mindlessness of Disco, and the 60's - Hippies and Beatles notwithstanding
- was the decade of the Superspy, and Franco's CARTES SUR TABLE.
This article originally appeared in MONSTER! INTERNATIONAL #3 and features
a review, information, full credits.
-
There are many magazines which have covered the works of Jess Franco --
now see some of the 'zines which cover ONLY Franco-related subjects! Pictured
at the left is the second issue of MONSTER BIS and its special Jesus Franco
issue. In the center is Alain Petit's first volume of THE MANACOA FILES;
Alain has starred in and worked on numerous Franco films. Then there's
HORIZON'BIS and its special issue on Howard Vernon -- from which our interview
was translated. MORE ON THESE FANZINES IN THE WEEKS TO COME!
Now
on CD! It's VAMPYROS
LESBOS: SEXADELIC DANCE PARTY by "The Vampires' Sound Incorporation"!
Originally a limited release German CD from 1995, this 1996 edition is
now currently available thanks to Crippled Dick Hot Wax and Motel records
(in the USA). Take a gander at what they look like, plus track listings
for both and liner notes by Tim Lucas. 
Click
the pick of Lucky to read about, see illustrations, and hear a clip from
the new Franco film soundtrack CD "Agente Speciale LK" aka LUCKY
THE INSCRUTABLE... Franco's masterful send-up of the 60's Spy genre!
NEW FRANCO links!
KronoScope,
where you can download ad mats from rare and unusual Horror and SFantasy
films, as well as read movie, book and record reviews on related matters.
Updated all the time (on a semi-weekly basis).
MONSTER!
INTERNATIONAL ON-LINE is now active and is our first WWW magazine.
Based on the popular but now defunct M!I paper-based
magazine, this site features reprints from its old incarnation as well
as new reviews, illustrations and offers an unusual perspective of monsters
in the movies -- from the world over.
Mini update November 30th, 1997
Major update scheduled for Late December 1997 sometime...
Brought to you by Kronos Productions
Special thanks: Tim Lucas, Craig
Ledbetter, Alain Petit, Marcel Burel, Marc Morris, Erik Rogal, and
Erik Sulev.
FAX: USA 216-775-1260
Real Word Address: MPO Box 67, Oberlin, OH 44074-0067 USA
Established in January 1995; readers since March
1997