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" With more than 180 films during a career spanning several decades, Jesus Franco (1930-2013) was an extraordinarily prolific and chameleon-like Spanish director, covering virtually every genre from horror to film noir, adventure and erotic, and adapting to all kinds of productions. A one-of-a-kind filmmaker, he was boldly original in the themes, style, and in his idea of cinema. This book examines his life and career between his first short film to the moment he cut his ties with his home country and became an "international" director, with a detailed production history and critical analysis of his films, placing his work within the social and political context of Spanish culture, politics, and cinema. Franco's most critically praised works are covered, namely such cult horror classics as The Awful Dr. Orlof and The Diabolical Dr. Z, as well as his working relationship with Orson Welles, whom he was to direct in a 1964 unfinished adaptation of Treasure Island. Detailed production history and critical analysis of his films are provided, placing his work within the context of Spanish culture, politics, and film industry. The book also includes plenty of never-before-seen bits of information and in-depth discussion of Franco's previously uncovered scripts, essays, and short films, as well as his unmade projects of the period"--
List of contents
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Authors' Note
Abbreviations
Introduction
The Films (1953-1966)
Teoría del alba
Los grandes amantes de la historia (Women's Decisions)
El árbol de España / Oro español
Sangre en la tribu / El bombero / El último gangster / La muerte de un hombre bajito
España, nuestra desconocida: Roncesvalles / Segovia ciudad fantasma / Viaje al año mil
Tenemos 18 años
Estampas guipuzcoanas n. 2 (Pío Baroja)
Operación M-1, aka Estampas guipuzcoanas n. 3 (La industria metalúrgica)
El destierro del Cid
Las playas vacías
Labios rojos
La reina del Tabarín
Vampiresas 1930 (volando hacia la fama)
La dama del Sur
Los colgados, aka Los vengadores
Gritos en la noche
La muerte silba un blues
Sangre en mis zapatos, aka 077 Misión Lisboa
La mano de un hombre muerto / Le Sadique Baron von Klaus
Rififí en la ciudad (Vous souvenez-vous de Paco?)
El Llanero
El secreto del doctor Orloff
La isla del tesoro / Treasure Island
Ottmar o la garra del monstruo
La noche tiene ojos
Miss Muerte / Dans les griffes du maniaque
Cartas boca arriba / Cartes sur table
Residencia para espías
Appendix: The Mustache of La Gioconda
Essential Bibliography
Index
About the author
Francesco Cesari is an Italian musicologist specializing in Italian opera. Over the past twenty years, he has published many articles, academic essays, books, and liner notes on the cinema of Jesus Franco. He lives in Venice, Italy.
