Author Topic: Filipino films (Read 500033 times)

keating · « **Reply #1080 on:** Oct 11, 2006 at 05:35 PM »

Quote from: Noel_Vera on Oct 11, 2006 at 12:03 PM

Here's the funny thing: Dave Kehr emailed me and said he didn't notice any epilogue! Is that a brand new release? A different DVD maybe?

Is it different, the international dvd release, Noel? Rse mentioned that the narration was tucked in the finale.

You will be surprise Noel, but its true. Even the Aquino administration was disturbed by the movie, Morato perhaps during his time as MTRCB chief.

Bernal narrated to us that when they show the film during the late 80's they have to put the narration.

rse · « **Reply #1081 on:** Oct 12, 2006 at 02:32 AM »

Quote from: Noel_Vera on Oct 11, 2006 at 12:03 PM

Here's the funny thing: Dave Kehr emailed me and said he didn't notice any epilogue! Is that a brand new release? A different DVD maybe?

I got my copy from www.cinefilipino.com website.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #1082 on:** Oct 12, 2006 at 02:53 AM »

Yeah, keats, and knowing that hypocrite (he used to hire out Far East Bank security guards at the Morato Branch, the uglier the better, squeeze orange slices all over their bodies, and lick it up with his tongue, did you know that?) but the epilogue I know of was done almost immediately after the movie was finished. Not all prints had the epilogue, pahabol lang for some. Now if the Aquino administration added a brand new epilogue, that's news to me.

rse, Dave also got the CineFilipino disc. Maybe I'll ask him again to be sure if he didn't get the epilogue. It was titles inserted into the ending, right?

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #1083 on:** Oct 12, 2006 at 11:14 AM »

Apparently I'm going after all to New York City's ongoing Imaginasian Filipino Film Festival:

Imaginasian Filipino Film Festival schedule

The films shown are all either on projected DVD or projected Betacam except Lino Brocka's "Insiang" (1976). Many of them will not have subtitles; the Imaginasian schedule will indicate which ("Insiang" is subtitled, for the record).

I do still think the films are worth seeing, if only because this is possibly the only chance many New Yorkers will have to see the best the Philippines has to offer.

Added incentive (for what it's worth): I'll be introducing the films at eight of the screenings, and hopefully doing a Q & A afterwards, depending on time availability.

The films I'm introducing are as follows:

Saturday, Oct. 14

Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang Lino Brocka 2.30

Tatlo, Dalawa, Isa, Brocka, 5.00

Angela Markado, Brocka, 7.30

Tubog sa Guinto Brocka, 10.30

Sunday, Oct. 15

Himala Ishmael Bernal, 1.00

Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos Mario O'Hara, 3.30

Monday, Oct. 16

Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos O'Hara, 6.30

Insiang Brocka, 9.30

I'll be the big guy with the loud voice. Hope to see you there...

Quote

The New York Times' film critic Dave Kehr on Manila By Night (Ishmael Bernal, 1980), and Ina, Kapatid, Anak (Mother, Sister, Daughter, Lino Brocka, 1979)

He also mentions all the Filipino films being shown in New York this October.

The Departed (Martin Scorsese, 2006)

CRITIC AFTER DARK: A REVIEW OF PHILIPPINE CINEMA now available at Fully Booked, Powerplant Mall; CCP Bookstore; Datelines Bookstore, Cubao; and Booktopia, Libis, QC[/size]

jdv1229 · « **Reply #1084 on:** Oct 12, 2006 at 11:18 AM »

The New York Filipino Film Festival 2006
Presented by: The Smithsonian Institute, The Cultural Center Of The Philippines, and the Philippine Consulate Of New York
Tickets:
$10 for general admission
$8 for group purchases (10 tickets or more purchased for the same screening. Available at the box office only)
All ticket sales are FINAL

SCHEDULE

SATURDAY OCT 14

2:30 Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang, dir. by Brocka with Film Critic Noel Vera in attendance
5:00 Tatlo Dalawa Isa, dir. by Brocka with Film Critic Noel Vera in attendance (may not have English subtitles)
7:30 Angela Markado, dir. by Brocka with Film Critic Noel Vera in attendance
10:30 Tubog Sa Ginto, dir. by Brocka with Film Critic Noel Vera in attendance (may not have English subtitles)

SUNDAY OCT 15

1:00 Himala with Film Critic Noel Vera in attendance
3:30 Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos with Film Critic Noel Vera in attendance (may not have English subtitles)
6:00 Minsa'y Isang Gamu-Gamo, appearance by writer Marina F. Gonzalez (may not have English subtitles)
8:30 Merika by Gil Portes, appearance by writer Gil Quito (does NOT have English subtitles)

MONDAY OCT 16

3:30 La Visa Loca
6:30 Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos with Film Critic Noel Vera in attendance (may not have English subtitles)
9:30 Insiang with Fim Critic Noel Vera in attendance

TUESDAY OCT 17

3:30 Cavite
6:30 Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon, dir. by Eddie Romero (may not have English subtitles)
9:15 Passionate Strangers, dir. by Eddie Romero

WEDNESDAY OCT 18

3:30 Ang Balikbayan, dir. by Kidlat Tahimik
6:00 Mababangong Bangugot (Perfumed Nightmare), dir. by Kidlat Tahimik
8:30 American Adobo with Cast Members in attendance

THURSDAY OCT 19

5:00 DOUBLE FEATURE: An Untold Triumph & Sandaan
7:30 Forum with Filmmaker Noel Izon in attendance
8:00 Closing Night Reception
9:05 Rigodon, Filmmakers Sari Dalena & Keith Sicat in attendance

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #1085 on:** Oct 13, 2006 at 02:00 PM »

Edi Sian interviewed me for his blog Pinoy Post: When was the last time you watched a Filipino movie?

Excerpt:

If there is one thing Filipinos love to do it is watching movies in theaters. It is one of the cheapest forms of entertainment in the Philippines. The cinema offers a temporary escape into another world where Sharon Cuneta is accused of being "a second-rate, trying hard, copycat" or Kris Aquino's Dida matches Rene Requesta's Pido. But, this proud history of Philippine cinema that stretches way back to the Sampaguita, LVN, Premiere era is sadly being swamped by a tsunami of Hollywood blockbusters.

So, how did Philippine cinema, once the most prolific in Asia, end up where it is right now? Pinoy Post devotes 45 minutes to the state of the Filipino movie industry with Filipino film critic, Noel Vera. Noel is the resident film critic of BusinessWorld Philippines. He maintains a blog devoted to movies and he has also written a book on Philippine cinema called Critic After Dark.

keating · « **Reply #1086 on:** Oct 13, 2006 at 03:24 PM »

Quote from: Noel_Vera on Oct 12, 2006 at 02:53 AM

Yeah, keats, and knowing that hypocrite (he used to hire out Far East Bank security guards at the Morato Branch, the uglier the better, squeeze orange slices all over their bodies, and lick it up with his tongue, did you know that?) but the epilogue I know of was done almost immediately after the movie was finished. Not all prints had the epilogue, pahabol lang for some. Now if the Aquino administration added a brand new epilogue, that's news to me.

rse, Dave also got the CineFilipino disc. Maybe I'll ask him again to be sure if he didn't get the epilogue. It was titles inserted into the ending, right?

LOL! Noel, you spill the beans again! Yeah that bestfriend of Bernal & Brocka, Armida and company, heard some nasty rumors about him.

Didn't he publish the 1st Urian Anthology book which is now OOP? The epilogue I think was the same tucked in during the Marcos era. The uncut print is still in good shape.

Nice inputs on the interview, very very true. And if you talked about the Marcos era, they have contribute on the growth of Philippine Cinema just don't mind the sleazy sex films churned out during the ECP days.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #1087 on:** Oct 14, 2006 at 02:14 AM »

Got the rumors from--well, where else? The company that hired the guards. Far East Bank. I worked for them.

rse · « **Reply #1088 on:** Oct 14, 2006 at 03:13 AM »

Quote from: Noel_Vera on Oct 12, 2006 at 02:53 AM

rse, Dave also got the CineFilipino disc. Maybe I'll ask him again to be sure if he didn't get the epilogue. It was titles inserted into the ending, right?

The epilogue is inserted near the very end, immediately following the scene where Charito Solis is taking some prescription medicines while looking at herself on the mirror. The epilogue is basically fairy tale closures to the lives of all the major characters in the film.
Immediately after it comes the scene where William Martinez is asking an old man for some water to wash his face with. The rest is as it is as I've originally seen from a Cinema One tape.

keating · « **Reply #1089 on:** Oct 14, 2006 at 12:22 PM »

Why put an epilogue narration at the finale? Since all of the characters were all doomed from the very start.

And again, Bernal doesn't want a happy ending for his masterpiece.

Noel can you please review again Pio de Castro's SOLTERO?

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #1090 on:** Oct 15, 2006 at 03:52 PM »

Don't have time except to say that the 1,100 seat Alice Tully Hall was almost full--around 800 plus viewers, most of them Americans, watched Insiang. They loved it.

The short that preceded the film was funny; it was this macabre little piece about a family where the tradition was that the father shoots the son in some visible part of the body, preferably leaving matching scars. We see bullet holes in the cheeks, shoulders, hands, so on and so forth. Nice little short.

Then Insiang opens, and Ruel Vernal as Dado plunges his knife into a pig's throat, loosing a gout of blood. The short sure looked pretty silly after that.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #1091 on:** Oct 18, 2006 at 01:44 PM »

The reaction to the NYFF screening of Insiang was tremendous. Jojo, if you got the time, write about it, will ya?

jdv1229 · « **Reply #1092 on:** Oct 18, 2006 at 09:58 PM »

the turnout was unexpected. i mentioned to Noel that the NYFF retrospectives attract a bigger crowd mostly film enthusiasts which really didn't surprise me. what's amazing is that most of the people who attended the screening of Insiang were mostly caucasians. there were very few Filipinos. Ruby Tiong Tan, the films' producer was present and so was Fiel Zabat who did the production design. it was like watching the film all over again. the print, courtesy of the CCP had brand-new subtitles. Conrado Baltazar's camerawork captured the stench of the Tondo slums. Mona Lisa's performace is one for the books. i personally think that she's way better than Hilda Koronel. Vincent Nebrida who was responsible for everything did all this for his good friend Manunuri Hammy Sotto who passed away five years ago. it's also been fifteen years since Lino Brocka's death, Insiang's inclusion in the festival is a testament to his genius.

oggsmoggs · « **Reply #1093 on:** Oct 19, 2006 at 12:46 PM »

White Lady (Jeff Tan, 2006)

oggsmoggs · « **Reply #1094 on:** Oct 21, 2006 at 01:20 PM »

Txt (Michael Tuviera, 2006)

keating · « **Reply #1095 on:** Oct 21, 2006 at 06:57 PM »

Quote from: Jojo Devera on Oct 18, 2006 at 09:58 PM

the turnout was unexpected. i mentioned to Noel that the NYFF retrospectives attract a bigger crowd mostly film enthusiasts which really didn't surprise me. what's amazing is that most of the people who attended the screening of Insiang were mostly caucasians. there were very few Filipinos. Ruby Tiong Tan, the films' producer was present there along with Fiel Zabat who did the films' production design work. it was like watching the film all over again. the print, courtesy of the CCP had brand-new subtitles. Conrado Baltazar's camerawork captured the stench of the Tondo slums. Mona Lisa's performace is one for the books. i personally think that she's way better than Hilda Koronel. Vincent Nebrida who was responsible for everything did all this for his good friend Manunuri Hammy Sotto who passed away five years ago. it's also been fifteen years since Lino Brocka's death, Insiang's inclusion in the festival is a testament to his genius.

Wow, that was such a treat! Watching INSIANG again with brand new subs.

CINEMANILA is preparing a restrospective of master filmmaker Lino Brocka's works next month.

oggsmoggs · « **Reply #1096 on:** Oct 22, 2006 at 01:13 PM »

Pamahiin (Superstition, Rahyan Carlos, 2006)

rse · « **Reply #1097 on:** Oct 23, 2006 at 11:19 PM »

I've recently bought the DVD of Sister Stella L. The transfer is disappointing and there are no English subtitles. There are previews of forthcoming movies before the main feature and the most annoying thing is that you can't skip them.

Surprisingly I liked Sister Stella L better this time around. I remember watching it from a tape from Cinema One and I wasn't that impressed. I really like the soundtrack. I don't know if it's available somewhere.

BTW I have a question about the Scorpio Nights DVD. I already have the VCD. How's the video quality of the DVD version? Is it uncut? Is it worth buying to replace my VCD-version?

oggsmoggs · « **Reply #1098 on:** Oct 24, 2006 at 09:56 PM »

Shake, Rattle and Roll 2k5 (Uro dela Cruz, Rico Maria Ilarde & Richard Somes, 2005)

jdv1229 · « **Reply #1099 on:** Oct 25, 2006 at 12:15 AM »

Quote from: rse on Oct 23, 2006 at 11:19 PM

I've recently bought the DVD of Sister Stella L. The transfer is disappointing and there are no English subtitles. There are previews of forthcoming movies before the main feature and the most annoying thing is that you can't skip them.

Surprisingly I liked Sister Stella L better this time around. I remember watching it from a tape from Cinema One and I wasn't that impressed. I really like the soundtrack. I don't know if it's available somewhere.

BTW I have a question about the Scorpio Nights DVD. I already have the VCD. How's the video quality of the DVD version? Is it uncut? Is it worth buying to replace my VCD-version?

it's the same as the VCD version. unfortunately regalfilms.com got rid of all the VHS tapes they had in stock, so there's no chance of obtaining the full version of Scorpio Nights, it was exactly the same one that Trigon Home Video released in the late 80's.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #1100 on:** Oct 25, 2006 at 02:36 AM »

Closing down my AOL blog. It'll still be here, but there won't be any more new posts. Or if there are new posts, they'll be links to this blog: Critic After Dark: A Review of Philippine and World Cinema, and Other Grotesqueries

And check out my first real post there: an account of what happened at the Imaginasian Filipino Film Festival.

So long, and see you there...

rse · « **Reply #1101 on:** Oct 25, 2006 at 10:13 PM »

Quote from: Jojo Devera on Oct 25, 2006 at 12:15 AM

it's the same as the VCD version. unfortunately regalfilms.com got rid of all the VHS tapes they had in stock, so there's no chance of obtaining the full version of Scorpio Nights, it was exactly the same one that Trigon Home Video released in the late 80's.

Hi Jojo,
I have the VHS copy of Scorpio Nights as well but the copy that I have is a re-released version that I bought fairly recently (3-5 years ago I think) when I was on vacation there. I haven't seen that VHS though because that same year I was able to buy the VCD version so I brought the VCD here instead and left the VHS in Manila. So you think that version is uncut? I should bring that her then the next time I go on vacation

BTW I can't post anonymously to your blog now.

Cheers,
RSE

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #1102 on:** Oct 26, 2006 at 03:35 AM »

Filipino films on DVD

jdv1229 · « **Reply #1103 on:** Oct 26, 2006 at 07:01 AM »

Quote from: rse on Oct 25, 2006 at 10:13 PM

Hi Jojo,
I have the VHS copy of Scorpio Nights as well but the copy that I have is a re-released version that I bought fairly recently (3-5 years ago I think) when I was on vacation there. I haven't seen that VHS though because that same year I was able to buy the VCD version so I brought the VCD here instead and left the VHS in Manila. So you think that version is uncut? I should bring that her then the next time I go on vacation

BTW I can't post anonymously to your blog now.
Cheers,
RSE

the regal vhs release was uncut... better bring your copy kasi the existing master they used to transfer the movie to VCD & DVD are the ones na may cuts during it's regular run at the Film Center. it was only during the first two days of showing ipinalabas ang full version ng Scorpio Nights...

don't post annonymously, they don't allow it sa beta blogger... nami-miss ko ang mga comments mo...

oggsmoggs · « **Reply #1104 on:** Oct 26, 2006 at 08:36 PM »

Itim (The Rites of May, Mike de Leon, 1976)

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #1105 on:** Oct 27, 2006 at 04:33 AM »

I think it's a great exercises in style, highly influential. But yeah, a trifle chilly. I think he gets it right in Kisapmata. No ghosts, only the metaphorical kind.

wedge · « **Reply #1106 on:** Oct 27, 2006 at 05:20 AM »

Last time I saw Itim was....um, four years ago (?) - - -can't remember, but that was way early in the morning, I think around 5:30. Left me scared crapless (i know it's an exaggeration, but it was that effective). I think Kisapmata will leave you open-mouthed in the end, though not as chilly as Itim.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #1107 on:** Oct 27, 2006 at 08:40 AM »

Depends on what scares you, I imagine--ghosts and goblins or the paunchy old man next door. Kisapmata is personal--it's as much the director's story as it is a story based on a Nick Joaquin article. Both father and son in law are different aspects of the director.

wedge · « **Reply #1108 on:** Oct 27, 2006 at 09:34 AM »

Kisapmata is perverted. That makes it scary.

Itim is somewhat blunt on its use of atmosphere and milieu.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #1109 on:** Oct 27, 2006 at 11:12 AM »

Mind you I thought Itim's use of atmosphere is unparalleled (and may have influenced Nakata--who knows?). It's not as if I consider Itim a bad film, far from it.

Kisapmata's use of atmosphere isn't as intense--how much atmosphere can you squeeze out of a simple '50s style house? But that's the nightmare of it--it's an everyday house, with everyday people in it. But one of them's a mosnter.