Juan Francisco Moctezuma II (born 1939) was an innovative director with much potential to make artful yet commercially viable films. However, his true passion was not films but the love of his life, the actor Lisa. It was Lisa’s dream to be a Hollywood movie star. Therefore, Moctezuma’s goal was to become a Hollywood director to make Lisa a Hollywood star and live happily ever after!
Biography:[]
Early Years:[]
- 1939: Juan Francisco Moctezuma II was born in Janitzio in the state of Michoacan. He grew up with his childhood sweetheart, Lisa, who dreamt of being a movie star. A Hollywood movie star! Together, they would sneak away to watch films that came to town via a traveling projectionist. This is where they first saw Dracula (Carlos Villarias), and both Moctezuma and Lisa became entranced by horror films.
- 1955: Moctezuma’s parents threatened work or school, but no more movies. So, Moctezuma left home to work as an apprentice for a traveling projectionist.
Mexico City:[]
- 1956: He travels to Mexico City and works at Cine Opera movie theater as a projectionist. He also meets Erin Hughes on a Cantinflas movie set during this period. Erin is a female American cinematographer. Moctezuma got on the Cantinflas set by sneaking on to learn how to make films. He and Erin became friends.
- 1959: Moctezuma made his first film, “Tiempo de morir (1959)”. The movie is a found footage film. Moctezuma stole clips from movies he screened as a projectionist and filmed some of his own bits to glue it all together and make a movie. He brought Lisa to the city to be in the film. The movie was a love letter to Lisa. In the film, the main character proposes to Lisa’s character to save the world. In real life, however, Moctezuma never proposed. The film was a success and won an award, which led to making a studio film.
- 1961: Moctezuma directs “Una mujer sin precio (1961)” about a scientist who makes a robot copy of his wife after she dies. However, the robot malfunctions, and a luchador, El Escorpión, must stop her. The luchador/actor and Lisa (who played the wife) fell in love during the production. El Escorpión proposed to Lisa at the wrap party. Moctezuma became jealous and recut the movie to minimize El Escorpión’s role. The movie was a failure. Moctezuma made lots of enemies. · 1962-68: Moctezuma goes into a depression. He can’t get work. The production unions won’t let him in. Even Erin Hughes couldn’t find work, so she returned to the US. Eventually, Moctezuma meets Alejandro Jodorowsky and helps him make “Fando Y Lis.” Jodo is an inspiration to Moctezuma. When the Tlatelolco massacre hits, Moctezuma decides to make a movie about it. He tries to get Lisa in it, but she refuses.
- 1962-68: Moctezuma goes into a depression. He can’t get work. The production unions won’t let him in. Even Erin Hughes couldn’t find work, so she returned to the US. Eventually, Moctezuma meets Alejandro Jodorowsky and helps him make “Fando Y Lis.” Jodo is an inspiration to Moctezuma. When the Tlatelolco massacre hits, Moctezuma decides to make a movie about it. He tries to get Lisa in it, but she refuses.
- 1969: Moctezuma directs “Las fieras (1969).” The film is inspired by true events surrounding the Tlatelolco massacre—particularly a student who hid from military police in a bathroom for 15 days. In Moctezuma’s adaptation, gorilla zombie-like monsters rise from the grave and attack students. The main character, Alcira, hides in a bathroom till the spirits of the dead kill the monsters. It becomes clear this movie is more about Lisa than the massacre. The government censures the movie, and almost all copies are found and destroyed. We suspect El Escorpión made this happen through his influence. He and Lisa are now a power couple in Mexico. Lisa is an actor, and El Escorpión as a luchador, but he never makes it to movies like El Santo.
- 1971: Moctezuma directs “Demonoid (1971)” about a group of friends on a camping trip. One of them is possessed by the Aztec demon/goddess Itzpapaplotl. The friends must perform the New Fire ceremony to save themselves. Through Moctezuma’s friendship with Jodorowsky, Moctezuma films his next film far from the government's and El Escorpión's prying eyes. They filmed in the park Las Pozas, owned by Edward James, up in the mountains in the Huasteca region. Moctezuma convinces Lisa to be in this film because he can offer her star treatment. Moctezuma has a big budget for this film because he uses it to launder money for a cartel. Moctezuma is in heaven. Making a movie with Lisa with all the perks. They make love. However, Lisa leaves in the middle of production because of legal issues back in D.F. Moctezuma doesn’t care. He is flying high. He finds a way to work around Lisa leaving and finishes the film as quickly as possible to take it to the US as a calling card so he can make a Hollywood film and finally win Lisa back.
- 1972: Moctezuma blackmails a politician to “rescue” Lisa from the political attacks she endured and save her image and career. Moctezuma had some incriminating footage he took of a politician. He wins points with Lisa, but the government is now watching Moctezuma even more!
Los Angeles:[]
- 1973: Moctezuma shops his new script around “The Legend of Hell House.” However, another script with the same name, written by Richard Matheson, is already in production. Moctezuma accused Matheson of stealing the script. Some believe El Escorpion found the script in Lisa’s things and sent it around before Moctezuma. Moctezuma tried to take Matheson to court, but of course, with Matheson’s reputation, this was a waste of time. In fact, it hurt Moctezuma because many assumed it was Moctezuma who stole the idea from Matheson, not the other way around.
- 1974-77: Moctezuma was not deterred. While he wrote a new script he worked any position on any film he could find. We've been able to confirm he worked on "Scream Bloody Murder" (1973), "Catch the Black Sunshine" (1974), "The End of the World" (1977) with Christopher Lee, and "Sisters of Death" (1977). Moctezuma showed his new script to no one. He also insisted Lisa be in the film. Obviously, it is nearly impossible to find financing and a producer for a script no one can read with a star who doesn’t have much star power in the US. Moctezuma managed to find a producer. We are not sure who since Moctezuma was so secretive and afraid Scorpion would once again stop him. However, our theories are, Roger Corman, Lloyd Kaufman of Troma Entertainment (known for the "Toxic Avenger"), or Yoram Globus of Cannon films (known for "Life Force" and "Superman IV").
- 1976 Moctezuma does a brief interview for Cinefantastique magazine. The only gateway we have into Moctezuma’s mind is his movies. There are no journals, letters, or interviews with the director explaining his views or his work. EXCEPT! This interview from the fall 1976 issue of Cinefantastique magazine. It reads:
"1000 PATHS OF DEATH from Mexican director, JUAN F. MOCTEZUMA II will soon begin production. This will be the director's fifth feature film, but his first Hollywood production. He just finished working in the 2nd unit department on END OF THE WORLD with Christopher Lee. The details of Mr. Moctezuma's 1000 PATHS OF DEATH have been kept under lock and key. Even the production company is unknown, but Cinefantastique has confirmed filming is scheduled to begin January 1977. After Mr. Moctezuma's legal battle with Mr. Matheson over the rights to THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE we are all anxious to see what this new director from south of the boarder has to offer. We were able to catch Mr. Moctezuma for an interview. When asked about the plot of the film all he said was, 'It's a love letter inspired by Aztec lore.' When pressed on the criptic log line Moctezuma would only tell us the genre was horror and said, 'The horror genre allows us to process horrific realities we can't face in real life in the disguize of monsters. We can put all our hate and failings into monsters without guilt, and destroy them while in reality, we are all a mix of monsters and angels. A wise woman once told me, that a horror movie is a beautiful place to go when reality is too hard to take.' Mr. Moctezuma wouldn't share any more, but provided this piece of concept art for the film. An undead female with a lasso for a tongue and teeth at her vagina. A deadly Scorpion like creature."
- 1977: Moctezuma directs “1000 Paths of Death (1977),” a story about a scientist, Dr. Nava, searching the Arctic wasteland for his missing wife. The story is modeled after the Aztec myths of the underworld. It is believed Moctezuma cast Danny Trejo or Edward James Olmos for this role years but we have been unable to confirm. Moctezuma also saved the role of Dr. Nava’s wife for Lisa. The movie includes a climactic battle with Lisa and Dr. Nava. However, Moctezuma stole the footage just before filming that scene and disappeared.
Mystery:[]
This is all that is publicly known about Moctezuma. What happened to him and why he disappeared is unknown. Some think it was the Luchador community or El Escorpión himself finally taking revenge. Others think it was the government finally black-bagging Moctezuma. While others think Moctezuma became too obsessed with Aztec lore and mythology and got lost in one of his own horror stories.
Filmography:[]
| Year | Film | Roll | Fate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
1959 | Tiempo de morir | Producer, Writer, Director, Actor | Intact in Mexico City's Cineteca National Archives |
 |
1961 | Una mujer sin precio | Writer, Director | Failure in cinemas, most of the film has been lost over time. |
 |
1969 | Las fieras | Producer, Writer, Director | Condemned and destroyed by the Mexican government, all copies were destroyed, only pieces remain. |
 |
1971 | Demonoid | Writer, Director | Only a short, English dubbed version remains. |
 |
1973 | Legend of Hell House ???? | Writer??? | Moctezuma's version is lost, but the amazing John Hough's version remains! |
 |
1977 | 1000 Paths of Death | Writer, Director | Moctezuma stole all the footage, but as of 2024 one reel from the film has been found! |
