From: http://dangerousminds.net/comments/vampyros_lesbos_director_jess_franco_rip

 
Jesús “Jess” Franco (real name Jesús Franco Manera)  the Spanish cult film director known best for his horror/sex/schlock fare such as The Awful Dr. Orloff, Vampyros Lesbos and The Blood of Fu Manchu has died. Franco passed away at 11:00 AM local time from complications related to a stroke in Malaga, Spain. The director was just a month shy of his 83rd birthday.

The news was posted on the El Franconomicon Facebook fan page, by Frank Munoz, a friend of Franco’s, who had been with him since the stroke, which occurred last week:

“Estoy en el hospital. Acaba de fallecer. Se lo han llevado ahora mismo. Lo siento.” (“I’m at the hospital. He has just passed away. They are taking him right now. I am sorry.”)

Franco is known to have directed 199 films (at least), many that he wrote, shot, edited, and sometimes acted in. His wife and longtime cinematic muse, actress Lina Romay died last year on February 15, 2012. Franco’s final feature is the newly completed Al Pereira vs the Alligator Women.

Below, the trailer for Franco’s Venus in Furs starring Klaus Kinski:

Venus in furs - trailer - Jess Franco from Thierry Lopez on Vimeo.

 DOING SOME RESEARCH FOR A FRANCO OBIT , I REALIZED HE DID SEVERAL WOMEN IN PRISON
PICTURES , BUT , NOT AS WELL KNOWN AS THE BLOOD ISLAND / LINDA BLAIR/SYBIL DANNING /SID HAIG , ETC. VARIETIES......"99 WOMEN" MUST HAVE BEEN THE FIRST IMPORTANT ONE , THOUGH. JOHN.
John Battles said:

I just  saw Franco's "99 Women" , his "Women in Prison" film. It's nowhere nearly as violent , or even sexual , in content , as you'd readily expect. It IS a coherent , easy to follow , feature. So , you see , he COULD do it.......

I just  saw Franco's "99 Women" , his "Women in Prison" film. It's nowhere nearly as violent , or even sexual , in content , as you'd readily expect. It IS a coherent , easy to follow , feature. So , you see , he COULD do it.......

I KNOW , i REALIZED I SAID "SOUP STAINER" AFTER I SENT IT OUT . WELL , A STEAM PUNK GIRL MAGNET LIKE THAT CARPET he had on his lip WOULD GET STAINED BY SOUP , FOR CERTAIN. I was reading an interview with Lee , where he said all the swordfight scenes in the Three and Four Musketeers were done with real dueling swords , with fencing foil tips . But , they shot a scene where the blades were not covered , by accident , and he AND SEVERAL OTHERS GOT MESSED UP , BUT GOOD. I Did'nt know Renay and Franco were married , either. I found out about Christopher Lee doing a Heavy Metal album and a version of Rocky Horror (Yikes!) several years ago. I knew Lee was an accomplished singer , but , he seems to be treading the same waters as William Shatner or Pat Boone.

Lutz Vipinderwoman said:

Hmm..getting way off the subject of Franco, I think I prefer Christopher Lee's "soup stainer" (heehee) in The Four Musketeers, actually I think that's may favorite look overall for him. . . besides the Hammer Count Dracula, of course.  Christopher Lee is a man of many wonders indeed:  Christopher Lee's Heavy Metal Xmas Album

So regarding Herr Klaus, yeah Werner Herzog seemed to think he was completely nuts too with stories of their wacky fights while filming.  Guess that's what makes him such a wonderful actor (IMHO, if you want good artistry you will require a little madness)....

Back on subject, didn't realize that Lina Romay and Jess Franco where actually married right before she died. Well, I think this is a good time for a Jesus Franco home film festival.

John Battles said:

But , I meant , specifically , Spain . BAVA AND THE ITALIAN HORROR INDUSTRY WERE WELL ON THEIR WAY BY THE EARLY 60's. Naschy and Franco were'nt really making a name for themselves until the Late 60's - Early 70's. And, in Generallisimo Francisco Franco's backassward vision , Nachy's name was mud. He probably would have been just as happy to see Jesus Franco , along with Paul Naschy , behind bars.
 

To me , it's not that Kinski could'nt make the part of Renfield work . On the contrary , Christopher Lee himself described him as being "Quite mad" . His performance was outstanding , but , Franco's direction was indifferent. Lee had some say in how he ended up looking as The Count in this movie , noting he was supposed to be an older man , with a moustachue , according to Stoker. Prior to that , John Carradine was said to have looked closest to Dracula in the book.  And Lee , occasionally , grew his groovy soup strainer out in a similar fashion well into the 70's (Remember when he was on SNL?).

 

 

 
Lutz Vipinderwoman said:

I've never actually seen Franco's Count Dracula (he must've been busy c.1970), but that's too bad Christopher Lee donning a Fu Manchu (groovy Dracula) and the amazing Klaus couldn't make that work??! Que lastima:-(

Now saying Franco & Paul Naschy bringing up the Horror film industry up from nothing.....are we not forgetting a certain Italian director of note from a slightly earlier period, eh?

Hmm..getting way off the subject of Franco, I think I prefer Christopher Lee's "soup stainer" (heehee) in The Four Musketeers, actually I think that's may favorite look overall for him. . . besides the Hammer Count Dracula, of course.  Christopher Lee is a man of many wonders indeed:  Christopher Lee's Heavy Metal Xmas Album

So regarding Herr Klaus, yeah Werner Herzog seemed to think he was completely nuts too with stories of their wacky fights while filming.  Guess that's what makes him such a wonderful actor (IMHO, if you want good artistry you will require a little madness)....

Back on subject, didn't realize that Lina Romay and Jess Franco where actually married right before she died. Well, I think this is a good time for a Jesus Franco home film festival.

John Battles said:

But , I meant , specifically , Spain . BAVA AND THE ITALIAN HORROR INDUSTRY WERE WELL ON THEIR WAY BY THE EARLY 60's. Naschy and Franco were'nt really making a name for themselves until the Late 60's - Early 70's. And, in Generallisimo Francisco Franco's backassward vision , Nachy's name was mud. He probably would have been just as happy to see Jesus Franco , along with Paul Naschy , behind bars.
 

To me , it's not that Kinski could'nt make the part of Renfield work . On the contrary , Christopher Lee himself described him as being "Quite mad" . His performance was outstanding , but , Franco's direction was indifferent. Lee had some say in how he ended up looking as The Count in this movie , noting he was supposed to be an older man , with a moustachue , according to Stoker. Prior to that , John Carradine was said to have looked closest to Dracula in the book.  And Lee , occasionally , grew his groovy soup strainer out in a similar fashion well into the 70's (Remember when he was on SNL?).

 

 

 
Lutz Vipinderwoman said:

I've never actually seen Franco's Count Dracula (he must've been busy c.1970), but that's too bad Christopher Lee donning a Fu Manchu (groovy Dracula) and the amazing Klaus couldn't make that work??! Que lastima:-(

Now saying Franco & Paul Naschy bringing up the Horror film industry up from nothing.....are we not forgetting a certain Italian director of note from a slightly earlier period, eh?

I AGREE. Sometimes , it's like jumping over a series of hurdles , just to get to that bag of gold coins. Some were enjoyable despite , or maybe because of , their inaccessibility. But others , just like Naschy , bring back the fun of the 30's - 40's US Horror heyday , with a smattering of Hammer and a whole lot of gratuitous sex and violence . YAY !!!! 
 
The screamin' Soul Preacher said:

There was always something great to pick in Jess Franco's movies, even in the worst ones !!!

And I must confess I was in love with Lina Romay...

But , I meant , specifically , Spain . BAVA AND THE ITALIAN HORROR INDUSTRY WERE WELL ON THEIR WAY BY THE EARLY 60's. Naschy and Franco were'nt really making a name for themselves until the Late 60's - Early 70's. And, in Generallisimo Francisco Franco's backassward vision , Nachy's name was mud. He probably would have been just as happy to see Jesus Franco , along with Paul Naschy , behind bars.
 

To me , it's not that Kinski could'nt make the part of Renfield work . On the contrary , Christopher Lee himself described him as being "Quite mad" . His performance was outstanding , but , Franco's direction was indifferent. Lee had some say in how he ended up looking as The Count in this movie , noting he was supposed to be an older man , with a moustachue , according to Stoker. Prior to that , John Carradine was said to have looked closest to Dracula in the book.  And Lee , occasionally , grew his groovy soup strainer out in a similar fashion well into the 70's (Remember when he was on SNL?).

 
Lutz Vipinderwoman said:

I've never actually seen Franco's Count Dracula (he must've been busy c.1970), but that's too bad Christopher Lee donning a Fu Manchu (groovy Dracula) and the amazing Klaus couldn't make that work??! Que lastima:-(

Now saying Franco & Paul Naschy bringing up the Horror film industry up from nothing.....are we not forgetting a certain Italian director of note from a slightly earlier period, eh?

There was always something great to pick in Jess Franco's movies, even in the worst ones !!!

And I must confess I was in love with Lina Romay...

I've never actually seen Franco's Count Dracula (he must've been busy c.1970), but that's too bad Christopher Lee donning a Fu Manchu (groovy Dracula) and the amazing Klaus couldn't make that work??! Que lastima:-(

Now saying Franco & Paul Naschy bringing up the Horror film industry up from nothing.....are we not forgetting a certain Italian director of note from a slightly earlier period, eh?

 Very sad , but , Franco kept working right to the end. His films are surreal , sexy , and atmospheric. They did'nt always work ("Count Dracula" , a match made in Horror Heaven , with Christopher Lee playing The Count "By The BOOK" , and Klaus Kinski doing possibly the greatest Renfield , ever. If it was'nt as good as Dwight Frye , buddy , it was close. The film's weakest link , sadly , was Franco's direction. Don't shoot the messenger.) , and were frequently challenging , but , when they paid off , they paid off in spades. Franco and Paul Naschy brought the Horror film industry up from nothing , in Spain. Franco , like Naschy , was probably threatened with imprisonment by the OTHER Franco , The REAL Monster of Spain. 

Some of my favorites are "Dracula , Prisoner of Frankenstein" , "The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein" , "Vampyros Lesbos" , and "Thrill of The Vampire".

Lesbos Vampyros is one of my favorite soundtracks ever. R.I.P. Jesus Franco.

Okay...I didn't see you had posted this already.  Sad news.