View source for Juan Piquer Simón


{{family name hatnote|Piquer|Simón|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Juan Piquer Simón
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1935|2|16|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Valencia]], [[Spain]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2011|01|8|1935|2|16|df=y}}
| death_place = Valencia, Spain
| occupation = [[film director]]
}}

'''Juan Piquer Simón''' (16 February 1935 – 8 January 2011) was a Spanish [[film director]] best known for directing two cult classic [[horror film|horror]] [[exploitation film|exploitation]] films, ''[[Pieces (1982 film)|Pieces]]'' (1982) and ''[[Slugs (1988 film)|Slugs: The Movie]]'' (1988).

==Career==
Simón also directed two Jules Verne-based films, ''Where Time Began'' (1976) and ''Mystery on Monster Island'' (1981), as well as ''[[Supersonic Man]]'' in 1979 (which was spoofed by [[RiffTrax]]<ref>[https://www.rifftrax.com/supersonic-man RiffTrax]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipvbjjdbI2E RiffTrax preview on official YouTube channel]</ref>), and ''[[Extra Terrestrial Visitors]]'' in 1983, which was famously featured on an episode of ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' under the title ''Pod People''.<ref>[https://www.flavorwire.com/603308/our-10-favorite-mystery-science-theater-3000-episodes Our 10 Favorite 'Mystery Science Theater 3000' Episodes - Flavorwire]</ref><ref>[https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/mst3k-13-episodes-to-watch-on-halloween/ MST3K: The Best Horror Episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000|Den of Geek]</ref><ref>[https://www.pastemagazine.com/comedy/best-mst3k-episodes/ranking-every-mst3k-episode-from-worst-to-best/  Ranking Every MST3K Episode, From Worst to Best - Paste]</ref> He also directed ''[[Cthulhu Mansion]]'' and ''[[The Rift (1989 film)|The Rift]]'', both in 1990.

==Legacy==
''[[Pieces (1982 film)|Pieces]]'' is one among the many cult classic [[horror film]]s that have been restored and digitally remastered by [[Bob Murawski]] of [[Box Office Spectaculars]] and [[Grindhouse Releasing]].<ref>[https://www.elpais.com/articulo/Necrologicas/Juan/Piquer/Simon/gran/creador/espanol/cine/fantastico/elpeputec/20110110elpepinec_2/Tes elpais] retrieved 12th Jan 2011 (Spanish)</ref> Juan Piquer Simón owned his own independent studio in [[Madrid]], Spain, and designed many of his own special effects sequences for his films. He also was the co-director of the Mediterranean Film Festival in Valencia, Spain.
He died in 2011 at age 75 of [[lung cancer]].<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SAqdwE8hZKsC&dq=juan+piquer+sim%C3%B3n+died&pg=PA318 |title = Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2011|isbn = 9780786491346|date = 2014-01-10| publisher=McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers }}</ref>

''Pod People'' has since become a favorite for MST3K fans and the show's creator [[Joel Hodgson]].<ref>[https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/mst3k-13-episodes-to-watch-on-halloween/ MST3K: The Best Horror Episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Den of Geek]</ref><ref>[https://tubitv.com/movies/403493/the-mst3k-turkey-day-marathon-2016-intros The MST3K Turkey Day Marathon 2016 - Intros on Tubi]</ref><ref>[https://www.today.com/popculture/robot-roll-call-mystery-science-theater-3000-cast-share-favorite-2D11624170 Robot roll call! 'Mystery Science Theater 3000' cast share favorite episodes as show turns 25|TODAY]</ref>

==Filmography==
As film director:
* ''España Violenta'' (1964) 
* ''Vida Y Paz'' (1965)
* ''[[Where Time Began]]'' (1976)
* ''[[Supersonic Man]]'' (1979)
* ''[[Godfrey Morgan#Film adaptation|Jules Verne's Mystery on Monster Island]]'' (1981)
* ''Los Diablos Del Mar '' (1982)
* ''[[Pieces (film)|Pieces]]'' (1982)
* ''[[Extra Terrestrial Visitors]]'' (1983)
* ''Dirty War'' (1984) 
* ''[[Slugs (1988 film)|Slugs]]'' (1988)
* ''[[The Rift (1990 film)|The Rift]]'' (1990)
* ''[[Cthulhu Mansion]]'' (1990)
* ''La Isla Del Diablo'' (1994)
* ''Manoa, La Ciudad De Oro'' (1999)

As film actor:
* ''[[Pieces (film)|Pieces]]'' (1982) - Killer's Hands / Crime Scene Photographer (uncredited)

Interview: 
* ''Pieces of Juan'' (as himself), an interview with Juan Piquer Simón about his film, ''[[Pieces (film)|Pieces]]'', as well as his life and career (directed by [[Nacho Cerdà]], available on [[Grindhouse Releasing]] / [[Box Office Spectaculars]]' North American DVD release of ''[[Pieces (film)|Pieces]]'')

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|id=0685034}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110819040819/http://juanpiquer.iespana.es/index.html Spanish web site for Juan Piquer Simón ]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Piquer Simon, Juan}}
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:2011 deaths]]
[[Category:Mass media people from Valencia]]
[[Category:Film directors from the Valencian Community]]
[[Category:Spanish horror film directors]]

{{Wikipedia attribution|original_title=Juan Piquer Simón|access_date=2026-03-04}}