Author Topic: The Peque Gallaga Thread (Read 124730 times)

keating · « **Reply #210 on:** Feb 12, 2006 at 01:15 PM »

There's a fan mentality in everyone of us, and I must admit I'm guilty about this matter hehe.

I was able to let Peque Gallaga sign my stuff last night and had a short chat with the man. He still looks weird, sporting a long white hair reminiscent of his 80's look although its black during that time when he was doing Oro and Scorpio Nights. He spoke fluent English, conong-cono pa din, spontaneous, looks like he was in a psychedelic frenzy.

So I ask him the question which is bothering me for the past several months......sir, when will you start the sequel to Oro?

He replied with a straight forward answer chin up!......."NO TAKERS!"
Too bad I can't butt in because of Lore Reyes & Mel Chionglo.

jdv1229 · « **Reply #211 on:** Feb 23, 2006 at 08:53 AM »

i just finished revisiting Peque Gallaga's Once Upon A Time with Dolphy, Richard Gomez, Janice de Belen, Gloria Romero, Anjo Yllana & Chuckie Dreyfuss. i've forgotten how much i enjoyed this film. it was released in 1986, even back then the special effects were quite impressive. i guess it had a lot to do with Don Escudero's imaginative production design which was greatly enhanced by Totoy Jacinto's cinematography. the film's original title was Tikbalang. Mother Lily has a bad habit of changing each of her movie titles. case in point, Kaibigan ultimately became Unfaithful Wife. back to Once Upon A Time, it took me back to the good old days of the 80's. the Ali Mall in Cubao was one of the main locations at the start of the film. they also included scenes shot at Skatetown. i remember hanging out with my friends & spending lots of time at Ali Mall & frequenting their fast food plaza. enough reminiscing & back to the movie, Dolphy probably gave one of his most memorable portrayals in this film. i always looked forward to watching the King Of Comedy work with a brilliant new director & Once Upon A Time is no exception. Dolphy could still make audiences laugh even with the slightest physical gesture which was evident in key scenes in the movie, of course with Peque's guidance. he was never out of control, the kind of comedy which the late Ading Fernando helped him master. i miss Dolphy's early brand of comedy but he was back in fighting form in Once Upon A Time. the story by T.E Pagaspas & Uro de la Cruz was truly entertaining, throw a little Lord Of The Rings into the mix and voila! a truly enjoyable movie.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #212 on:** Feb 23, 2006 at 10:29 AM »

Thjis is available online, I take it?

keating · « **Reply #213 on:** Feb 23, 2006 at 12:19 PM »

Its available on video, Noel. ONCE UPON A TIME had the biggest budget during its time, 8M, not to count the promos and marketing blitz done by Regal Films. I saw it during its first day run, January 4, 1987. I already anticipated the movie because of its trailer shown on tv. The crew had to endure on and off shooting because of the typhoons that wreck havoc on the set. The following year, the critics announced that no Filipino film qualified on their criteria, hence, no Urian award was given.

keating · « **Reply #214 on:** Mar 25, 2006 at 12:23 PM »

ORO PLATA MATA (Peque Gallaga)

I must have seen this many times than any other Filipino films but still I'm always excited everytime I got the chance to see it again on the big screen. A product of the defunct Experimental Cinema of the Philippines in which Gallaga won the script writing contest then got the rights to direct it based on his story.

Two families struggle to preserve their lifestyle amidst the grim realities of the Second World War. Gallaga succeeds in exploring the good times during the opening party scene in which he used long tracking shot to see some of the characters who will play an important role in this movie. The Ojeda family is celebrating Maggie's (Sandy Andolong) debut. Her other sister Trining (Cherie Gil) receives her first kiss from Miguel Lorenzo (Joel Torre). Meanwhile, Don Claudio (Manny Ojeda) and his fellow landowners talk about the war. The lavish party was cut short by news of the Fall of Corregidor.

As the impending war nears the city, the Ojedas accept the invitation by the Lorenzo's (Fides Asencio) to stay with them in their hacienda in the province. Two more guests arrived in the hacienda, Jo Russell (Maya Valdez) and Viring Ravillo (Lorli Villanueva). The endless mahjong sessions, Don Claudio playing his records, were some of the pastimes done by them while killing time on the hacienda. The polish production design by Don Escudero, musical score by Jose Gentica V and cinematography by Rody Lacap helped so much in achieving the looks and period epic of this film. Gallaga indulges us in showing the most visually stunning period epic piece especially the EXODUS SCENE, shot in silhouette red! The two families move to the Lorenzo's hideout in the forest as the Japanese soldiers engulfed the province.

The class struggle between the upper and lower class were put to the test while the two families were hiding in the forest. Melchor (Abbo dela Cruz) the trusted foreman stole the jewelry of Viring. He tried to break the other servant's loyalty but they force Melchor to leave. He came back as a tulisan, probably the equivalent of Abu Sayaff during the Second World War. They raid the food supply, rape the mother of Miguel and chop off the finger of Viring. The massacre scenes were shot in gruesome details to show exactly the revenge of the lower class against the two families. The naive Trining goes with the bandits despite the crimes committed against her family. The experiences brought Miguel and Maggie closer with each other. Miguel hunt down the hideout of the bandits with the help of Hermes (Ronnie Lazaro) and succeeds. He went on a killing spree.

An epilogue follows the violent climax. A simple party was held in the Ojeda home to announce the engagement of Maggie and Miguel. The survivors attempt to get back their previous lifestyle but the experience of the war has forever marked each of them. There were no battle scenes in this movie between the Japanese soldiers and Filipinos. What you will see is the psychological impact that left on the two affluent families which nearly destroyed and divided them. I was stunned everytime I'll watch again the scene wherein Inday Lorenzo bids goodbye at her saints at the altar, ordering her servants to bury them while the disaster will struck them anytime at that moment! We don't see movies like this anymore.

keating · « **Reply #215 on:** Mar 29, 2006 at 10:00 PM »

Quote from: Jojo Devera on Feb 23, 2006 at 08:53 AM

i just finished revisiting Peque Gallaga's Once Upon A Time with Dolphy, Richard Gomez, Janice de Belen, Gloria Romero, Anjo Yllana & Chuckie Dreyfuss. i've forgotten how much i enjoyed this film. it was released in 1986, even back then the special effects were quite impressive. i guess it had a lot to do with Don Escudero's imaginative production design which was greatly enhanced by Totoy Jacinto's cinematography. the film's original title was Tikbalang. Mother Lily has a bad habit of changing each of her movie titles. case in point, Kaibigan ultimately became Unfaithful Wife. back to Once Upon A Time, it took me back to the good old days of the 80's. the Ali Mall in Cubao was one of the main locations at the start of the film. they also included scenes shot at Skatetown. i remember hanging out with my friends & spending lots of time at Ali Mall & frequenting their fast food plaza. enough reminiscing & back to the movie, Dolphy probably gave one of his most memorable portrayals in this film. i always looked forward to watching the King Of Comedy work with a brilliant new director & Once Upon A Time is no exception. Dolphy could still make audiences laugh even with the slightest physical gesture which was evident in key scenes in the movie, of course with Peque's guidance. he was never out of control, the kind of comedy which the late Ading Fernando helped him master. i miss Dolphy's early brand of comedy but he was back in fighting form in Once Upon A Time. the story by T.E Pagaspas & Uro de la Cruz was truly entertaining, throw a little Lord Of The Rings into the mix and voila! a truly enjoyable movie.

Dolphy was also good in Omeng Satanista and those two gender-bending roles in the original Jack & Jill, Ang Tatay Kong Nanay. They say that good comedians make good actors. Tessie Tomas was funny also in ONCE UPON A TIME.

Gallaga will bounce back to commercial films after the defeat of PINOY BLONDE at the box-office.

keating · « **Reply #216 on:** Apr 07, 2006 at 01:05 PM »

The Dela Rosa clan explode again in Gallaga's CEBU mini-series. Catch it every afternoon at channel 9.

Cherie Gil as Gem dela Rosa adds another interesting portrayal in her filmography.

keating · « **Reply #217 on:** Apr 15, 2006 at 02:27 PM »

Peque Gallaga on Mario O'Hara's TATLONG TAONG WALANG DIYOS:

"The two performances I am proudest of: Christopher de Leon's gay friend in Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos and Mark Gil's hippie father in Rock N' Roll. Mario O'Hara showed me the Tatlong Taon script and I told him that there was no way I was going to memorize a long speech towards the end. He promised me that he was going to do it in short cut-to-cuts. But something told me not to trust him, so I stayed the whole week in Majayjay learning the speech phonetically because at the time I didn't know a straight sentence in Tagalog."

"Sure enough, when we shot the scene, which was this scene between Nora Aunor and myself, he said, "Action" and never cut. Adrenaline carried it for me and I did it in the first take. I was too astonished to be angry at him. When I drove home to Manila from Majayjay, I sang aloud all the way. I was so proud of that scene."

RMN · « **Reply #218 on:** Apr 18, 2006 at 03:33 PM »

Caught the first episode of Cebu, the mini-series created by the triumverate of Peque Gallaga, Lore Reyes and Don Escudero; their take on Dallas or Dynasty but set in the Queen City of the South with the de la Rosa clan as the central family. And after all these years, the intrigues, the family squabbles, the power plays, greed, and thirst for power still works and still has the same gripping, engrossing effect. Just two gripes: 1) the characters all seem to revolve in such a small world where everything is known by everyone eventualy; 2) it's on at 12noon every Tuesday, making it impossible for me to catch it. i want my DVD boxed-set! Please, someone tape the show for me. hehe. I hope they show Cebu: Revisited.

keating · « **Reply #219 on:** Apr 18, 2006 at 07:59 PM »

Darn, I have work every Tuesday! Its definitely better than those soap opera, RMN. Book 2 is more intriguing, more explosive and more gripping! Although Gem dela Rosa is not anymore included among the characters, rumor has it that Cherie Gil raised her talent fee for the sequel of the series.

There was also the making of Book 2 where Peque, Lore and Don discussed the mini-series before they aired the first episode back in the 90's.

And I love the wonderful musical score from the opening credits!

keating · « **Reply #220 on:** Apr 24, 2006 at 06:50 PM »

Just saw VIRGIN FOREST again last weekend. Hey Jojo, your comment on your blog, I totally concur. Take away all the sex scenes in that Gallaga flick, its still an excellent film. I would rate and league it along with his masterpieces.......ORO PLATA MATA, SCORPIO NIGHTS, ISANG ARAW WALANG DIYOS & UNFAITHFUL WIFE.

Sarsi Emmanuelle's best performance ever.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #221 on:** Apr 24, 2006 at 08:25 PM »

She does good work in the handful of films she's done--she's also good in Boatman (my favorite), and Bed Sins, for example. White Slavery too, actually, but the movie itself was, ugh.

keating · « **Reply #222 on:** Apr 24, 2006 at 08:39 PM »

Yeah Sarsi can be on the league of Ana Marie Gutierrez also. Is BED SINS good, Noel? And the late David Overbey has fondness also of Gallaga's VIRGIN FOREST.

keating · « **Reply #223 on:** May 04, 2006 at 01:30 PM »

Just saw last night Peque's new glossy San Miguel Beer commercial with Manny Pacquiao & Kris Aquino. Thank God it was not a movie! LOL!

Pacquiao can now laugh all his way to the bank!

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #224 on:** May 04, 2006 at 01:39 PM »

Bed Sins is flawed but interesting. And more hardcore than Scorpio Nights--actuall fellatio, and cunnulingus.

keating · « **Reply #225 on:** May 04, 2006 at 01:42 PM »

I can't find a copy anymore of BED SINS. Might ask Jojo again. One thing I recall on that movie was there's a killer on the loose?

Peeves · « **Reply #226 on:** May 04, 2006 at 03:32 PM »

Hi Guys,
do you guys know where i can get hold of a dvd or a vdc of Oro, Plata, Mata?

talisman30 · « **Reply #227 on:** May 04, 2006 at 04:03 PM »

Quote from: Peeves on May 04, 2006 at 03:32 PM

Hi Guys,
do you guys know where i can get hold of a dvd or a vdc of Oro, Plata, Mata?

VCD baka meron. alam ko no DVD yet released.

Peeves · « **Reply #228 on:** May 04, 2006 at 04:06 PM »

Quote from: talisman30 on May 04, 2006 at 04:03 PM

VCD baka meron. alam ko no DVD yet released.

you know where i can buy it bro?

keating · « **Reply #229 on:** May 04, 2006 at 07:06 PM »

Quote from: Noel_Vera on May 04, 2006 at 01:39 PM

Bed Sins is flawed but interesting. And more hardcore than Scorpio Nights--actuall fellatio, and cunnulingus.

Is this the most hardcore, sexiest film O'Hara has done?

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #230 on:** May 05, 2006 at 01:16 AM »

It's not sexy. But it's pretty much hardcore.

Sexy, well he does the impossible in Uhaw na Pagibig--he made Claudia Zobel's hard, masculine face poignant and erotic.

keating · « **Reply #231 on:** May 05, 2006 at 09:21 AM »

But it was a double for Sarsi & Patrick dela Rosa?

Yeah, I've seen UHAW SA PAG-IBIG and totally agree wih you about that.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #232 on:** May 05, 2006 at 10:29 AM »

Doubles, the footage inserted into their lovemaking scenes.

For all that, the inserts were well done, I thought, and it's still startling to see.

oggsmoggs · « **Reply #233 on:** May 09, 2006 at 04:24 PM »

Scorpio Nights - Peque Gallaga

In Tsai Ming-liang's The Hole, a very beautifully made film that depicts human isolation in its most musical and humorous, a man finds a hole in the floor of his apartment - his only window to his downstairs neighbor. In the end of the film, the two finally connect in a touching act of salvation for the girl downstairs. In 1983, Peque Gallaga directed Scorpio Nights, also about a man (and his downstairs neighbor connecting through several peep holes which entitle the man to a scheduled show of lovemaking between the lovely downstairs girl and his husband, a potentially sterile security guard. Unlike Tsai, Gallaga doesn't merely hint of filth or garbage, he shows the dirtiness point blank. The apartment building is grimy, crowded, and actually quite vibrant. Despite the alluded boredom, there's always a host of activities that can be witnessed. The apartment houses a gay couple, a host of teenage punks with their afternoon basketball games, a group of equally punky children who is unafraid to play a naughty prank against their neighbors. The apartment building is teaming with life and activity, and such continues through the night wherein constant bickerings, cat noises, and other night aural attractions accompany the careful moans and heavy breathings of the two neighbors copulating despite the dangers of a gunslinging jealous husband. It's a fantastic premise and Gallaga milks the premise to its core. He populates his film with sex scenes that are quite surprising in its rawness and its sweaty eroticism. Gallaga explores the notions of voyeurism at first, then throws it out the window, concerning himself further with the intriguing aspects of the blanketed and guarded sexuality of the Filipino people. Here, there is no classy sex - nothing is private and human copulation is shared with the filth and the humidity of the monsoon season. Gallaga's film is visually and aurally arousing. The chaotically constructed ending is forgiven by the carefully molded beginnings that leave no room for intrigue and shyness. The film was made during the twilight years of the Marcos era, where the Filipino dictator surges upon the nation a terrorizing lockdown of democratic freedoms. The film, despite its near-pornographic depictions, is as much a political film as it is a modern-day drama. Scorpio Nights is later remade by a Korean director, and a sequel has been made by director Erik Matti - yet despite many attempts to recreate the film's sinful paintings of forbidden lust, no film has ever come close to this. ****1/2/*****

keating · « **Reply #234 on:** May 09, 2006 at 04:30 PM »

I wish Gallaga could duplicate the success of SCORPIO NIGHTS or even his other films in different genre. His sequel to ORO, no producers wanted to tackle, maybe his other dream project.......LIGAWAN SA PANAHON NG TAGSIBOL AT DIGMAAN.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #235 on:** May 09, 2006 at 04:45 PM »

In the Realm of the Senses is an influence, but two things here I consider superior to that film: first, Realm's premise just has the couple screwing to their heart's content (or discontent); Gallaga's couple are screwing in secret, in defiance of the husband (of fascism, in effect); they are literally f*king in the face of death.

Second, Scorpio's climax is crueler and more perverse.

keating · « **Reply #236 on:** May 09, 2006 at 04:53 PM »

I remember Peque giving instructions to Ana Marie & Orestes outside the window bedridden while doing the movie. Noel, how would you rate VIRGIN FOREST & UNFAITHFUL WIFE?

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #237 on:** May 09, 2006 at 05:07 PM »

Virgin Forest has some good scenes, but i thought it was a hodgepodge. Unfaithful Wife doesn't make sense--so what if she admits she was unfaithful? A man's butt is on the line!

Peque has a problem with scripts; he's best when the script's simple, and the concept is strong enough and supple enough to stand for many things (that's my problem with that gang movie--it didn't stand for much of anything).

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #238 on:** May 09, 2006 at 05:18 PM »

I might add that commentary asked Tsai if he borrowed the image in The Hole from Scorpio Nights, but he apparently forgot to ask (I think that's what happened).

Peque and Celso share this flaw, that they often toss the script out the window in favor of a heedless, all-balls visual style. The difference I think is that 1) Celso is a marginally better storyteller, or at least is more insistent on his writers that the script makes a little more sense, and 2) that Celso's more talented, is all.

That's hard to explain, without a dvd player and tv set to show what I mean. His imagery flows more, is more smoothly cut, is more lyrical, I think, and I'm not the only one who thinks this; Mario O'Hara considers Celso the single most talented Filipino filmmaker around, with an eye superior to even Gerardo de Leon (?!)--I don't know what to think about that, but I think I know what he means.

Part of it is, I can so often see what Peque's influences are--Oshima, Bertolucci, Tarantino, so on and so forth. Celso's aren't as obvious. Is Burlesk Queen borrowing from Fellini? Bresson? Is that a homage to Gerry de Leon smack dab in the middle of his Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa remake (which I like even less than the original, which is a Ryan's Daughter ripoff)? And what the hell is Lihim ni Madonna--pretentious crap, or a neglected masterpiece?

I don't know. He's out there, and 98% of his stuff is sh*t, but that 2%--holy mother of god, I don't know anyone who can touch that 2%.

keating · « **Reply #239 on:** May 09, 2006 at 09:25 PM »

Quote from: Noel_Vera on May 09, 2006 at 05:07 PM

Virgin Forest has some good scenes, but i thought it was a hodgepodge. Unfaithful Wife doesn't make sense--so what if she admits she was unfaithful? A man's butt is on the line!

Peque has a problem with scripts; he's best when the script's simple, and the concept is strong enough and supple enough to stand for many things (that's my problem with that gang movie--it didn't stand for much of anything).

David Overbey cites VIRGIN FOREST as one of Peque's best films. Do you remember him? Agree with you some scenes in VIRGIN FOREST are hodgepodge. Where else can you find a threesome posing after a love scene?

But still the story makes sense, the bonding of the three as they trek into the forest amidst the capture of Aguinaldo serves as the background of the movie. Jojo cites UNFAITHFUL WIFE as Gallaga's best. I still want to see it again, I only saw the mangled version on primetime tv many years ago.

As for GANGLAND it was more of an Erik Matti film.