During his long career, Spanish film director

Jesús Franco Jesús Franco Manera (12 May 1930 – 2 April 2013), also commonly known as Jess Franco, was a Spanish filmmaker, composer, and actor, known as a highly prolific director of low-budget exploitation and B-movies. He worked in many different gen ...

has worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction.

Pre-1960s

Franco had partnered with

León Klimovsky León Klimovsky Dulfán (16 October 1906 – 8 April 1996) was an Argentine film director, screenwriter and producer notable for his work during the Golden Age of Argentine cinema, classical era of Argentine cinema. He was known mainly for his w ...

on a project that was a series of period films made for Spanish television titled ''Les grandes amantes de la hisotira (Women's Decisions)''. The series was reportedly about "History's great lovers", and was to be produced by Ladislao Veszi's Urania Films. The series was to include ''El último amor de Lucrecia Borgia'' () and ''La maja desnuda'' (). Other brief outlines of stories involving

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ...

Christina, Queen of Sweden Christina (; 18 December O.S. 8 December">Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Old Style and New Style dates">O.S. 8 December1626 – 19 April 1689), a member of the House of Vasa, was Monarchy of Sweden, Queen of Sweden from ...

, Mary Stuart, Boabdil, Lola Montes,

Bettina von Arnim Bettina von Arnim (born Elisabeth Catharina Ludovica Magdalena Brentano; 4 April 178520 January 1859) was a German writer and novelist. Bettina (or Bettine) Brentano was a writer, publisher, composer, singer, visual artist, an illustrator, patr ...

Isabella I of Castile Isabella I (; 22 April 1451 – 26 November 1504), also called Isabella the Catholic (Spanish: ''Isabel la Católica''), was Queen of Castile and List of Leonese monarchs, León from 1474 until her death in 1504. She was also Queen of Aragon ...

, and

Potiphar's wife Zuleikha is a figure in the Hebrew Bible and the Quran. She was the wife of Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard in the time of Jacob and his twelve sons. According to the Book of Genesis, she falsely accused Joseph of attempted rape afte ...

. Shortly after filming ''Tenemos 18 años'' (1959), a trio of short films were requested: ''Roncesvalles'', ''Segovia ciudad fantasma'', and ''Viaje al año mil'' which were grouped under the title ''España, nuestra desconocida'' ().{{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, pp=37-38 Franco also provided the screenplay for ''Roncesvalles'' and ''Segovia ciudad fantasma''.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, pp=37 The films would be part of a documentary series narrated by Isana Medel showcasing the remote corners of Spain. The series was partly filmed per recollections of Medele.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, pp=38 Franco has implied in later interviews that the shorts may have been completed.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=43

1960s

Unfinished and unreleased shorts

''El destierro del Cid'' ({{Translation, The Exile of the Cid), a documentary short was set to be made as part of 12-part series. While Franco said the series was to be made for

RKO Radio Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, is an American film production and distribution company, historically one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Kei ...

, film historians Roberto Curti and Roberto Cesari suggested this was a lie on Franco's part as means of self-promotion.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=70 While filmed in 1960, it went unreleased.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, pp=72-73 Following ''El destierro del Cid'', a separate short film titled ''Las playas vacías'' ({{Translation, The Empty Beaches) was filmed. It's work featured Franco credited as the director, the story and screenplay, as well as a music credit. The film was a documentary on

San Sebastián San Sebastián, officially known by the bilingual name Donostia / San Sebastián (, ), is a city and municipality located in the Basque Autonomous Community, Spain. It lies on the coast of the Bay of Biscay, from the France–Spain border ...

.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=73 Copies of both ''El destierro del Cid'' and ''Las playas vacías'' are kept at

Filmoteca Española The Filmoteca Española () is an official institution of the Spanish Ministry of Culture. Its objective is to restore, investigate and conserve the film heritage of Spain and its diffusion. It is part of the Institute of Cinematography and Audio ...

.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, pp=72-73{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=75

''La dama del Sur''

In October 1960, '' Primer Plano'' reported that

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was reading a new script titled ''La dama del Sur'' ({{Translation, The Lady of the South).{{sfn, Primer Plano, 1960, p=21, ref=PP-1960 Shooting was scheduled to be shot on April 20, 1961. The film was going to be a Spanish ''

film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...

''-styled film made as a Spanish and French co-production.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, pp=121-122 Franco last discussing the film in September 1961.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=122 He wrote the screenplay for ''La dama del Sur'' and was set to direct.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=119

''Los colgados'' aka ''Los vengadores''

Filming for ''Los colgados'' was set to start on July 20, 1961. As the films shooting scripts was continuously denied by Spanish censors, Franco was denied a shooting permit.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, pp=128-129 The title was changed from ''Los colgados'' ({{Translation, The Hanged) to ''Los vengadores'' {{Translation, The Avengers) during this period.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=129 In a 1994 interview, Franco discussed these two films stating that they were about bandits of

Andalusia Andalusia ( , ; , ) is the southernmost autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomou ...

at the turn of the 20th century, while later saying in 1996 that they were based on a popular story he knew from his childhood.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=127 Franco regretted not being able to make the films, stating in 1994 that "if I had made 'Los colgados'' aka ''Los vengadores'' I don't know, my career might have been very different ..because those were two important films."{{sfn, Petit, 2015, p=251

''Sangre en mis zapatos'' aka ''077 Mision Lisbóa''

After working on '' Death Whistles the Blues'', the September 13, 1962 issue of ''Radiocinema'' announced that Franco was going to start production on a film titled ''Sangre en mis zapatos'' ({{Translation, Blood on My Shoes). A week later, Franco announced he would direct a film titled ''La calle de laos hombres perdidos''. It is not confirmed if this was the same film as ''Sangre en mis zapatos''.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=184-185 Following this, another untitled film starring

Eddie Constantine Eddie Constantine (born Israel Constantine; October 29, 1913 – February 25, 1993) was an American singer, actor and entertainer who spent most of his career in France. He became well-known to film audiences for his portrayal of secret agent L ...

was announced.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=187 A notice of ''Sangre en mis zapatos'' announced again as a Spanish-French co-production was announced in an issue of ''Cine en 7 días''. Franco left directing the project, to work for

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American director, actor, writer, producer, and magician who is remembered for his innovative work in film, radio, and theatre. He is among the greatest and most influential film ...

on ''

Chimes at Midnight ''Chimes at Midnight'' (, released in most of Europe as ''Falstaff'') is a 1966 period comedy-drama film written, directed by, and starring Orson Welles. Its plot centers on William Shakespeare's recurring character Sir John Falstaff and his ...

'' (1966) and ''La isla del tesoro'', leaving the film to be directed by

Tulio Demicheli Tulio Demicheli (born August 15, 1914, Buenos Aires, Argentina - d. May 25, 1992, Madrid, Spain) was an Argentine born Spanish film director, screenwriter and film producer notable for his work during the classical era of Argentine cinema. ...

. On the films script, it is titled ''077 Mision Lisbóa'' ({{Translation, 077 Mission Lisbon).{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=188

''La isla del tesoro''

image:Orson Welles in Spain while shooting Chimes at Midnight, 1964-cropped.jpg, left,

in Spain in 1964. Jesús Franco began work an adaptation of ''

Treasure Island ''Treasure Island'' (originally titled ''The Sea Cook: A Story for Boys''Hammond, J. R. 1984. "Treasure Island." In ''A Robert Louis Stevenson Companion'', Palgrave Macmillan Literary Companions. London: Palgrave Macmillan. .) is an adventure a ...

'' starring Welles during this year. While Welles was working on ''Chimes at Midnight'', he met with Spanish producer Emiliano Piedra, the head of Internacional Films Española (IFE). In order to persuade Piedra on the commercial potential of his film, he agreed with the producer to develop a second production: ''La isla del tesoro'', based on

Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll ...

's ''

''.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=254 The project was set to be a Spanish and Swiss co-production between IFE and Welles' own Alpine Films.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=255 Welles suggested that ''La isla del tesoror'' would get a good subsidy as a Spanish production, but it would require a Spanish director. Welles had reportedly chosen Franco as the director after seeing one of his earlier films.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, pp=255-256 By Franco's recollection, Welles told him to choose his crew and actors and he would show up to play his scenes as

Long John Silver Long John Silver is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1883 novel '' Treasure Island'' by Robert Louis Stevenson. The most colourful and complex character in the book, he continues to appear in popular culture. His missing leg ...

.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=253{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=257 Welles however wrote on his own in September 1964 "I will make it very clear to the second unit director what he has to do over the next two weeks."{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=258 Filming began on October 5, 1964. Due to his commitment to the film, Franco had to cancel other commitments. In July 1964, he was named as the director for ''Lola, espejo oscuro'', which was adapted to the screen in 1966 by Fernando Merino. Franco was also set to play a secret agent in a film starring Constantine to be directed by

Marcel Ophuls Marcel Ophuls (; 1 November 1927 – 24 May 2025) was a German-French and American documentary filmmaker and actor, renowned for his notable works such as '' The Sorrow and the Pity'' (1969) and '' Hôtel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Ba ...

.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=259 Shooting for ''La isla del tesoro'' was cancelled. Franco initially said in 1971 that this was due to bad weather, while in his biography, Franco stated that Welles took over the project to focus on ''Chimes at Midnight''.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, pp=261-262 Welles would make a different adaptation of the film with producer

Harry Alan Towers Harry Alan Towers (19 October 1920 – 31 July 2009) was a British radio and independent film producer and screenwriter. He wrote numerous screenplays for the films he produced, often under the pseudonym Peter Welbeck. He produced over 80 f ...

as ''

'' (1972) which only used some footage of shots Franco shot at sea.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, pp=266-267 Franco claimed in the early 1980s he would attempting a new version of the story with

Lionel Stander Lionel Jay Stander (January 11, 1908 – November 30, 1994) was an American actor, activist, and a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild. He had an extensive career in theatre, film, radio, and television that spanned nearly 70 years, ...

, which did not go into production.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=267

''Ottmar o la garra del monstruo''

Following work on ''Chimes at Midnight'' and ''La isla del tesoro'', Alfredy Matas Salina, the president of the company Jet Films dlivered a screenplay for a horror film to be co-produced with France titled ''Ottmar ola garra del monstruo'' ({{Translation, Ottmar, or The Monster's Claw). The Spanish adaptation of the dialogue was the work of Franco, would also direct the picture.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=272 The project went unfilmed.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=271

''La noche tiene ojos''

''La noche tiene ojos'' ({{Translation, The Night Has Eyes) is an unfilmed project to be directed and was written by Franco.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=278 It was announced as his next film project in early 1965.{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=280 The script for the film was rejected by Spanish censor boards, which led him to include elements of it in his later films such as ''

The Diabolical Dr. Z ''The Diabolical Dr. Z'' () is a 1966 horror film directed by Jesús Franco. The film stars Mabel Karr as Irma Zimmer, a surgeon who creates a machine that turns people into zombified slaves. Ms. Zimmer is the daughter of a Professor Zimmer (a di ...

'' (1965) while the story itself found its way into ''The Other Side of the Mirror'' (1973).{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, p=280{{sfn, Cesari, Curti, 2024, pp=288-289

1970s

''Juliette''

During the development of '' Vampyros Lesbos'' (1971) and ''

She Killed in Ecstasy ''She Killed in Ecstasy'' ( ) is a 1971 West German-Spanish erotic thriller film directed by Jesús Franco. The film's plot borrows elements from previous Franco films The Diabolical Dr. Z, ''Miss Muerte'' and ''Venus in Furs (1969 Franco film), V ...

'' (1971) Franco began developing material on a Spanish production titled ''Juliette''.{{sfn, Thrower, 2015, p=251 Franco stated about 40 minutes of footage of the film was shot.{{sfn, Thrower, 2015, pp=251-252 Franco stopped work on the project to make ''

The Devil Came from Akasava ''The Devil Came from Akasava'' () is a 1971 West German-Spanish adventure-spy film directed by Jesús Franco. It was based on a novel by Edgar Wallace called ''The Keepers of the Stone''. The film was shot at the Spandau Studios in Berlin with ...

'' between June 21 and July 15. During production of the film, actress

Soledad Miranda Soledad Rendón Bueno (9 July 1943 – 18 August 1970), better known by her stage names Soledad Miranda or Susann Korda (or sometimes Susan Korday), was a Spanish actress and singer. She starred in several films directed by cult filmmaker Jes ...

was killed in a car accident on August 18, 1970.{{sfn, Thrower, 2015, pp=252-253

''Un tiro en la sién'', ''El misterio del castillo rojo'', ''La casa del ahorcado''

In later November 1972 while filming in Southern Spain, Franco met actress Rosa Maria Almirall. Franco would later give her the stage name of

Lina Romay Rosa María Almirall Martínez (25 June 1954 – 15 February 2012), known by the stage name Lina Romay, was a Spanish actress and filmmaker. She often appeared in films directed by her long-time companion, and later husband, Jesús Franco. She ...

and hasily developed a film with the Spanish shooting title of ''Un tiro en la sién'' {{Translation, A Shot in the Head. Romay recalled that the film was finished, while Franco suggested the opposite.{{sfn, Thrower, 2015, pp=319-318 Under a shooting title of ''El castillo rojo'', ''El misterio del castillo rojo'' ({{Translation, The Mystery of the Red Castle) was partially shot in May 1973. Like ''Un tiro en la sién'', Romay has suggested the film completed shooting, while Franco stated the opposite.{{sfn, Thrower, 2015, pp=335 ''La casa del ahorcado'' ({{Translation, House of the Hanged) was partially shot in November 1973 during the production of ''Night of the Skull'' with the same location and actors. Actor Antonio Mayans described it as a

period film A historical drama (also period drama, period piece or just period) is a dramatic work set in the past, usually used in the context of film and television, which presents history, historical events and characters with varying degrees of fiction s ...

. Also started but not completed in 1973 was ''Lascivia'', which both Franco and Romay discussed in press interviews in 1974.{{sfn, Thrower, 2015, pp=367-368

''Mandinga'' and ''L'assassin portait des bas noirs''

Shot under the title ''La Mindinga'' and proposed to be released as ''Mandina - Die nackte Sklavin'' ({{Translation, Madgina - The Naked Slave) was partially shot in November in 1976 with continued shooting in late December continuing into January 1976. The film was going to be made by Italian production company S.E.F.I. Cinmatografica, a film with erotic overtones derived from the film '' Mandingo'' (1975). During filming, Franco and Romay had vanished from production for two weeks. Franco later stated that the budget had run out, and he went Rome to find an explanation and further funding. Other film crew around him said that Franco would often leave hotels, including his belongings to skip pay.{{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=77 The status of the films completion is unknown.{{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=79 Along with filming ''Mandingo'', Franco began shooting another Italian production titled ''L'assassin portait des bas noirs'' ({{Translation, The Killer Wore Black Stockings) in November 1975.{{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=80

''El escarabajo de oro''

''El escarabajo de oro'' ({{Translation, The Gold Bug) was based on "

The Gold-Bug "The Gold-Bug" is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe published in 1843. The plot follows William Legrand, who becomes fixated on an unusual gold-colored bug he has discovered. His servant Jupiter fears that Legrand is going insan ...

" (1843) by

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic who is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales involving mystery and the macabre. He is widely re ...

. It was shot by Franco in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

in May 1979, with further material shot in

Elche Elche (, ; , , , ; officially: ''/'' ) is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality of Spain, belonging to the province of Alicante, in the Valencian Community. According to 2024's data, Elche has a population of 234,800 inhabitants,

in Spain in June 1979. In 2018, Álex Mendíbil discovered the negative of the film at Filmoteca Española.{{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=173

Post-1970s

The first film production not released by Franco was ''Adolescencia'', a film set with Franco as director, which only appears in a 1981 Spanish production listing. No further details are known.{{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=233 Later in 1983, Franco shot an adventure film titled ''Barrio Chino'' ({{Translation, China Town) in 1983 which was completed but not finished.{{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=308 Between 1983 and 1986, eight films were completed by Franco but never released.{{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=379 These films ranged from pornography such as ''Teleporno'' and ''Bragueta Story''.{{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=379 Others include ''Barrio chino'' ({{Translation, China Town) and ''El abuelo, la condesa y escarlata la traviesa'' ({{Translation, The Grandfather, the Countess, and Scarlet the Cross) shot in 1983, ''Voces de muerte'' ({{Translation, Voices of Death) shot in 1984, {{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=351 ''Una de chinos'' ({{Translation, One of the Chinese) and ''La venganza del rinoceronte blanco'' ({{Translation, Vengeance of the White Rhinoceros Queen) shot in 1985, ''Las tribulaciones de un Buda bizco'' ({{Translation, Tribulations of a Cross-Eyed Buddha) and ''S.I.D.A. La peste del siglo veinte'' ({{Translation, AIDS the Plague of the 20th Century) shot in 1986. {{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=308{{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=365{{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=367{{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=379{{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=380 In the early 1990s, Franco's film work slowed down dramatically. Franco spent most of his time between 1990 and 1993 working on a version of Orson Welles' unfinished ''Don Quixote''.{{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=403 Franco organized a Spanish and American co-production titled ''Jungle of Fear''. Shot in 1993, the film was a second attempt at filming an adaptation of "The Gold-Bug". During production, funding from the United States fell through mid-way through production. Franco assembled a rough cut of the film, which is not available through official releases.{{sfn, Thrower, 2018, p=403

References

{{Reflist

Bibliography

* {{cite magazine, magazine= Primer Plano, title=Mikaela rechaza dos películas, date=October 30, 1960, p=21, ref=PP-1960, language=Spanish * {{cite book, last1=Cesari, first1=Francesco, last2=Curti, first2=Roberto, title=The Films of Jesus Franco, 1953-1966, ISBN=978-1-4766-9431-3, publisher=

McFarland & Company McFarland & Company, Inc., is an American independent book publisher based in Jefferson, North Carolina, that specializes in academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tert ...

, year=2024 * {{cite book, last=Petit, first=Alain, title=Jess Franco, ou les prospérités du bis, location= Alignan-du-Vent, year=2015, publisher=Artus Films, ISBN=978-2-9548435-3-7, language=French * {{cite book, last=Thrower, first=Stephen, authorlink=Stephen Thrower, title=Murderous Passions: The Delirious Cinema of Jesús Franco: Volume 1:1959-1974, publisher=Strange Attractor Press, year=2015, ISBN=978-1-907222-31-3 * {{cite book, last=Thrower, first=Stephen, title=Flowers of Perversion: The Delirious Cinema of Jesús Franco: Volume Two, publisher=Strange Attractor Press, year=2018, ISBN=978-1-907222-60-3

External links

* {{IMDb title {{Jesús Franco Franco, Jesús