Spaghetti Western Directors, Screenwriters, Cinematographers

Spaghetti Western Director ~ Jess Franco

Jesús Franco was a Spanish film director, screenwriter, composer, and actor known for his extraordinarily prolific output of cult horror, erotic, and exploitation films characterized by psychedelic gothic style, explicit sexuality, and surreal elements. Born Jesús Franco Manera in Madrid, Spain on May 12, 1930, he directed nearly 200 feature films across more than five decades, often under the pseudonym Jess Franco and numerous other aliases, while frequently working on extremely low budgets and facing censorship challenges in Francoist Spain.

Franco began his career in the 1950s as a composer, assistant director, and film school student in Madrid and Paris before directing his debut feature “Tenemos 18 años” in 1959. His breakthrough came with the horror film “The Awful Dr. Orloff” (1962), followed by international recognition through works such as “Succubus” (1968), praised by Fritz Lang as a beautiful piece of cinema. During the 1960s and 1970s he created numerous genre entries including “Count Dracula” (1970), “Vampyros Lesbos” (1971), and “Female Vampire” (1973), often featuring long-term collaborator and muse Lina Romay as well as actors like Christopher Lee and Klaus Kinski, while also serving as second-unit director for Orson Welles on “Chimes at Midnight” (1965). His films frequently existed in multiple versions tailored for different markets and audiences, blending influences from classic gothic horror, pulp fiction, and the Marquis de Sade into a distinctive, voyeuristic vision that earned him a dedicated cult following despite ongoing controversy and marginal industry status.

Franco maintained a tireless pace into the 21st century, transitioning to video production and even hardcore pornography while continuing to explore his obsessions with low-budget independence, ultimately premiering his final film “Al Pereira vs the Alligator Ladies” shortly before his death in Málaga on April 2, 2013, at the age of 82. His legacy rests on an uncompromising commitment to personal creative freedom within the fringes of commercial genre cinema, making him one of the most restless and prolific auteurs in European exploitation film history

Jess Franco directed three Euro-westerns: “Convoi de femmes” (Convoy of Women) with Pierre Chevalier, “Les chatouilleuses” (The crazy Nuns) in 1974 and  “ La marque de Zorro” (The Mark of Zorr) with Marius Lesoeur and Alain Payet

FRANCO, Jesús (Jesús Franco Manera) [5/12/1930, Madrid, Madrid, Spain - 4/2/2013, Malaga, Andalusia, Spain (stroke)] – producer, director, writer, actor, brother of music critic Enrique Franco (Enrique Franco Manera) [1920-2009] married to writer, actress Nicole Guettard [19??-1996] (1962-1980), married to actress Lina Romay [1954-2012] (2008-2012).

Convoy of Women – 1974 (co)

The Crazy Nuns - 1974 [as Clifford Brown]

The Mark of Zorro – 1974 (co)

Spaghetti Western Screenwriter ~ Robert Ruiz Cespedes

Robert Ruiz Cespedes is a Spanish novelist, screenwriter, film director and first assistant director. Born in Santander, Cantabria, Spain in June of 1987, he graduated in Film Directing from the KINEMA film school in Bilbao and with a master's degree in Scriptwriting for Film and TV from the TAI school in Madrid. He has written and directed 20 short films, two experimental films and one high budget film. His first commercial film was “Stoyan.” Starring Tristán Ulloa, Marta Milans, Max Ulloa, Carlos Mestanza, Susana Hornos, Nicolás Coronado, Mariano Venancio, Alfonso Torregrosa and Natalia Rodríguez. With Official Selection at the 5th Pitchbox 2018 and Special Mention at the Sitges Pitchbox 2017, produced by Gold Tower Producciones, American Road Films, Hache Producciones and “Stoyan A.I.E.” “Stoyan” has accumulated 116 international awards, 50 official selections and 7 mentions. With theatrical release in early 2023 and world premiere at the 44th Moscow International Film Festival. His short film “Broken Basket”, starring Belén Rueda, was selected in more than 40 festivals within the Oscar Shortlist, such as the Short Film Corner (Cannes), Honorable Mention of the Jury for Belén Rueda at the Queens World Film Festival (New York), Chelsea Film Festival (New York), Zinebi (Bilbao) and Carmel International Film Festival (California), among others. The film “Stoyan” is based on this award-winning short film. He has written three fantasy novels. The last one Marma, Rabbit Boy (2020), published by Editorial Amarante. The first entitled Los Himenez suenan como quieren (2017) and the second Mero Firmamento (2018), both by Ediciones Camelot. His fourth and fifth novels,are  in the process of seeking editing, are being represented by MJR Literary Agency (Madrid). He has written more than 20 feature film, series and fiction miniseries scripts in development stage. Cespedes worked as first assistant director, assistant director/producer, script and art director in feature films, short films and fiction series. His last jobs have been as First Assistant Director in the film “8 Anos”, by JD Alcázar (2020) and as Assistant Director in the series ‘El Cid’, by Zebra Producciones for Amazon Prime Video (2020).

Robert Ruiz Cespedes wrote screenplays for two Euro-westerns: “Toma ParteR” in 2007 and “Negativa” in 2008.

CESPEDES. Robert Ruiz (Roberto Ruiz Céspedes) [6/?/1987, Santander, Cantabria, Spain -     ] – producer, director, assistant director, novelist, writer.

Toma ParteR – 2007

Negativa – 2008

Spaghetti Western Cinematographer ~ Josef Illig

Josef Illig was a German cinematographer who contributed to over 44 film projects, primarily in the German cinema of the mid-20th century.

Born in Munich, Germany on May 5, 1908, he began his career as an assistant camera operator in the 1930s, Illig worked on early films such as “Der Gefangene des Königs” (1935) and “The Fight with the Dragon” (1935), handling roles in camera departments.

By the late 1940s, he advanced to full cinematographer (Director of Photography) positions, collaborating on notable post-war productions including “König für eine Nacht” (1950), “Der Herrgottschnitzer von Ammergau” (1952), and “Noc nevesty” (1967).

His work often featured in genres like drama, comedy, and adventure, with credits spanning German studios and occasional international co-productions until the late 1960s

Josef Illig died on 20 May 1970 in Munich, Bavaria, West Germany, at the age of 62.

Josef Illig was a co-cinematographer on one Euro-western, “Wasser für Canitoga” (Water for Canitoga) with Franz Koch in 1939.

ILLIG, Josef [5/5/1908, Munich, Bavaria, Germany – 5/20/1970, Munich, Bavaria, Germany] cinematographer, cameraman.

Water for Canitoga – 1939 (co)