Author Topic: Filipino films (Read 500333 times)

rse · « **Reply #2100 on:** Jan 10, 2009 at 03:57 PM »

Saw 2 Brocka movies recently:

Kontrobersyal
This is a well made satire (?) on movie making. Although great in her role, I think that Gina Alajar doesn't have the "assets" to be a believable bomba star. The role would have been perfect for Alma.
Charo Santos gives a devilish performance, and Philip Salvador gives a solid supporting role. BTW on a side note, the transfer of the DVD is in a very bad condition, but still watchable (bought it for Php 150).

Gumapang Ka sa Lusak
Bought the DVD for Php 150. Not bad. The movie is my formal introduction to Brocka. This one I saw in the cinema when it was shown. It's still a solid piece of political melodrama I used to hate Allan Paule's performance in this movie but now revisiting it, I'm not that annoyed anymore. Christopher de Leon as usual annoys the hell out of me. I still prefer his "more natural" performances when he was still younger...Charo Santos' version of Imelda is so fun to watch...

keating · « **Reply #2101 on:** Jan 11, 2009 at 11:23 AM »

I just finished reading an article from Observer Mag, Sunday Magazine of Times Journal dated Nov. 28, 1982. If they will release SALOME on dvd it will be an interesting one-hell of a docu the big fight that transpired between Armida Siguion-Reyna the producer and its director Laurice Guillen during and after the making of the movie. From their warpath on the schedule at Paracale, Camarines Norte down to the shoving match during the post production of the film at LVN Studios where Armida asked for a bodyguard from Juan Ponce-Enrile after firing her asst. director but not to let Laurice go on with the post-prod up to the fight between choosing the musical director between Max Jocson & Ryan Cayabyab......that was really one-hell of a movie!

Panis ang docu from HEARTS OF DARKNESS. Move on Francis Ford Coppola! If during the shooting of SALOME the music that filled the air down at Paracale already grated the ear, little that everyone realize that the concerto was just building up to a crashing crescendo loud enough to shatter anybody's eardrums. The war's final and fiercest battle was waged over the film's musical score. When it finally ended....there were two versions of the film:

The Laurice version and The Armida version!

halvert · « **Reply #2102 on:** Jan 11, 2009 at 04:26 PM »

ooh! interesting! which version was shown at the theaters? and is the other version still out there somewhere? and which was better?

rse · « **Reply #2103 on:** Jan 11, 2009 at 05:15 PM »

Quote from: keating on Jan 11, 2009 at 11:23 AM

I just finished reading an article from Observer Mag, Sunday Magazine of Times Journal dated Nov. 28, 1982. If they will release SALOME on dvd it will be an interesting one-hell of a docu the big fight that transpired between Armida Siguion-Reyna the producer and its director Laurice Guillen during and after the making of the movie. From their warpath on the schedule at Paracale, Camarines Norte down to the shoving match during the post production of the film at LVN Studios where Armida asked for a bodyguard from Juan Ponce-Enrile after firing her asst. director but not to let Laurice go on with the post-prod up to the fight between choosing the musical director between Max Jocson & Ryan Cayabyab......that was really one-hell of a movie!

Panis ang docu from HEARTS OF DARKNESS. Move on Francis Ford Coppola! If during the shooting of SALOME the music that filled the air down at Paracale already grated the ear, little that everyone realize that the concerto was just building up to a crashing crescendo loud enough to shatter anybody's eardrums. The war's final and fiercest battle was waged over the film's musical score. When it finally ended....there were two versions of the film:

The Laurice version and The Armida version!

Can you post the article here? Thanks...

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2104 on:** Jan 11, 2009 at 07:21 PM »

On Kontrobersyal--gee, Keats, haven't you seen strippers? Gina will pass, is actually a beauty compared to some of the boys--sorry, girls--they have up there.

Alma's perfect, I agree, but she just can't act.

On Gumapang--it's pretty good, and I do love Charo in it, but it resembles Bagong Hari too much (I keep seeing Dan Alvaro in Boyet's shoes) that I end up comparing the former to the latter, with not very favorable results. I know I shouldn't, but I can't seem to help it (and Brocka's climactic action sequence really doesn't do him any favors).

jdv1229 · « **Reply #2105 on:** Jan 11, 2009 at 08:21 PM »

Quote from: halvert on Jan 11, 2009 at 04:26 PM

ooh! interesting! which version was shown at the theaters? and is the other version still out there somewhere? and which was better?

Armida's version was the one shown in theaters with Ernani Cuenco's score intact while I had the chance to watch Laurice's cut in 1982 with Max Jocson's music which was slightly similar to Cuenco's. Cinema One houses Guillen's print which in my opinion is much, much better.

rse · « **Reply #2106 on:** Jan 12, 2009 at 03:19 AM »

Mag-ingat ka sa Kulam
I don't know why this movie got an A from the board. It's your standard horror flick. Actually it's like a "medley" of all famous American, Japanese and Filipino horror movies..Still it's slightly better than other local horror movies I've seen this year

Signos
This horror movie has one of the best twist... Unfortunately most of it was a big bore. Although the cast were all good.

I’ve Fallen For You
One of the better Pinoy teenage movies I’ve seen recently. It helps that the two young stars have great chemistry. What they lack in acting talent they fill it with their natural charms. The story’s not too bad too…

Bagong Buwan
I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. I’ve avoided this film for a while now since I’ve been majorly disappointed by Muro-ami. It was actually a good movie…not a great one but its way better than her other bloated productions. It’s also nice to see a movie about our Muslim countrymen for a change…

Seroks
This movie is very moody and well photographed. The script could have been better though. Still I think that it’s a good effort.

Ikaw Pa Rin Bongga Ka Boy
The Ai-Ai – Robin tandem looks good on paper but this movie doesn’t deliver. A big bore.

keating · « **Reply #2107 on:** Jan 12, 2009 at 11:05 AM »

Gina was actually hot during her heyday up to now, Noel. Check her out in Mel Chionglo's PLAYGIRL & Elwood's DIBORSYADA. Too bad Brocka didn't handle Alma during those days, there were so many good projects that she passed by. Alma has depth also along with LT & Rio and those projects that she did with Joey Gosiengfiao should be revisited soon especially NYMPHA & BEDSPACERS.

The article is too long, rse. But i'll try to post it soon. The feisty Armida really ram down Laurice's throat.

She was even quoted she will offer the film to Demet Velasquez just to oppose to Laurice choice for Max Jocson. It came to a point that Ryan doesn't want to do the film anymore that's why Ernani Cuenco ended up for Armida's choice.

Jojo, does the Laurice version much longer than Armida's version?

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2108 on:** Jan 12, 2009 at 02:48 PM »

Bagong Buwan I'm not really a fan of. Lav, who grew up in Mindanao, points out a lot of mistakes with regards to how Muslims are depicted in that movie.

rse · « **Reply #2109 on:** Jan 14, 2009 at 01:47 AM »

Quote from: Noel_Vera on Jan 12, 2009 at 02:48 PM

Bagong Buwan I'm not really a fan of. Lav, who grew up in Mindanao, points out a lot of mistakes with regards to how Muslims are depicted in that movie.

We don't have enough movies about our Muslim brothers. I hope that Lav makes one someday.

rse · « **Reply #2110 on:** Jan 14, 2009 at 02:40 AM »

Quote from: keating on Jan 12, 2009 at 11:05 AM

The article is too long, rse. But i'll try to post it soon. The feisty Armida really ram down Laurice's throat.
She was even quoted she will offer the film to Demet Velasquez just to oppose to Laurice choice for Max Jocson. It came to a point that Ryan doesn't want to do the film anymore that's why Ernani Cuenco ended up for Armida's choice.

So these all happened before filming? And Armida even appeared in the movie. That would have been a fun shoot!

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2111 on:** Jan 14, 2009 at 01:20 PM »

There's Badjao, and Agila deals in part with them. But you're right, we need more films about our Muslim brothers.

keating · « **Reply #2112 on:** Jan 18, 2009 at 01:21 PM »

Cinema One just aired Mario O'Hara's debut film MORTAL last week on Rewind. Missed it again, darn!

The rare trilogy TATLONG MUKHA NI ROSAVILMA airs on Jan 19 at 3:00 pm. Bernal's TISOY on Friday, 3pm.

halvert · « **Reply #2113 on:** Jan 18, 2009 at 03:18 PM »

sana star cinema would release these "rewind" classics on dvd! maraming film buffs here and abroad ang matutuwa! is it very expensive to put them on dvd?

thegoodbyeguy · « **Reply #2114 on:** Jan 18, 2009 at 06:32 PM »

Quote from: halvert on Jan 18, 2009 at 03:18 PM

sana star cinema would release these "rewind" classics on dvd! maraming film buffs here and abroad ang matutuwa! is it very expensive to put them on dvd?

Kahit hindi Star Cinema ang magreleased ok na.

sosy_high · « **Reply #2115 on:** Jan 18, 2009 at 08:58 PM »

Good God, Ploning is disappointing. Very disappointing.

keating · « **Reply #2116 on:** Jan 19, 2009 at 10:28 AM »

Quote from: halvert on Jan 18, 2009 at 03:18 PM

sana star cinema would release these "rewind" classics on dvd! maraming film buffs here and abroad ang matutuwa! is it very expensive to put them on dvd?

There are so many classic films now in their vault waiting to be put on dvd. As Doy del Mundo says.....Cinema One is the National Film Archive now.

mrclark · « **Reply #2117 on:** Jan 21, 2009 at 04:43 PM »

Just bought Ang Tatay Kong Nanay a few days ago on DVD.
based from the pictures behind the cover, I thought the picture quality was improved.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of scratches in the film.
Since they have transferred the film to DVD and it's "digitized"
can't they clean up the scratches and sort of edit/improve the colors?

It's good that they are bringing back the classics,
it's just sad that they can't go for an extra mile in really improving the picture quality.

I was looking forward to buy Jack en Jill (Black n white, Dolphy version)
but now I'm a bit hesitant to buy those other old films.

sinehansakanto · « **Reply #2118 on:** Jan 22, 2009 at 10:32 AM »

Quote from: mrclark on Jan 21, 2009 at 04:43 PM

Just bought Ang Tatay Kong Nanay a few days ago on DVD.
based from the pictures behind the cover, I thought the picture quality was improved.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of scratches in the film.
Since they have transferred the film to DVD and it's "digitized"
can't they clean up the scratches and sort of edit/improve the colors?

It's good that they are bringing back the classics,
it's just sad that they can't go for an extra mile in really improving the picture quality.

I was looking forward to buy Jack en Jill (Black n white, Dolphy version)
but now I'm a bit hesitant to buy those other old films.

I read an interview by the guy who did the transfers some time ago, and he said the source for the DVD is actually a umatic tape. So it was probably impossible to really clean it up. Besides, it's not that simple even if the source is 35mm film. Cleaning out the image usually takes years and special equipment, which means lots of money. (Which is why Insiang is the only movie that has a decent DVD copy, because its restoration was done and financed by a foreign group and not by a Filipino restorer.) And color is not very easy to fix. Literally, you have to record it, digitize it, and manipulate the color based on what you think is the "proper" color. In which case, the colors may be true but one way or another that "interpretation" makes it a step further from being true to the artist's original vision.

The DVD copy of Jack en Jill is good, but the audio is really bad, almost incomprehensible. In short, let us all just be thankful for what we have and not what we could have had.

mrclark · « **Reply #2119 on:** Jan 22, 2009 at 01:22 PM »

Thanks for the enlightenment Sinehansakanto.
And thanks for the heads-up about the Jack en Jill audio quality.
oh well....

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2120 on:** Jan 23, 2009 at 09:02 AM »

Digital restorations and cleanups take thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Way beyond the budget of anything ABS CBN might want to spend for an old film with a small market.

keating · « **Reply #2121 on:** Jan 25, 2009 at 03:39 PM »

Quote from: rse on Jan 14, 2009 at 02:40 AM

So these all happened before filming? And Armida even appeared in the movie. That would have been a fun shoot!

All of the production staff were chosen by Laurice before filming starts except for the musical scorer where Armida wants Ryan Cayabyab to do the job. When Laurice chose Max Jocson and they had meeting with Armida......Max was quoted saying........"mahirap pala iskoran tong pelikulang ito!"

Sort of premonition of things to come.

oggsmoggs · « **Reply #2122 on:** Jan 25, 2009 at 05:43 PM »

Bontoc Eulogy (Marlon Fuentes, 1995)

keating · « **Reply #2123 on:** Jan 27, 2009 at 07:45 PM »

PEQUE GALLAGA on VIRGIN FOREST:

"I would really love to work with Sarsi Emmanuelle again. She didn't gave me any headache at all on the set of VIRGIN FOREST. She would go back to Manila to fulfill all her commitments and go back again on our location in Atimonan, Quezon riding a cab straight for 12 hours! Miguel Rodriguez gave me a terrible headache God Bless his soul but not too much! He would be gone on the set every weekend. Of all the men lusting on Sarsi, it was...... who f**k her!

sosy_high · « **Reply #2124 on:** Jan 28, 2009 at 08:37 PM »

Yung mga iniidolo kong posters dito sa Pinoy Entertaiment, Sir Noel Vera, Sir Keating and Sir Jojo, ano po ba tingin niyo kina Sharon Cuneta. Maricel Soriano and Lolita Rodriguez bilang mga artista? Salamat po

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2125 on:** Jan 29, 2009 at 11:05 AM »

Sharon is an okay commedienne. My favorite of hers is that romantic comedy directed by Joyce Bernal.

Maricel is as Mario O'Hara put it one of the three most talented actresses in Philippine cinema. Maybe her problem is she hasn't been involved in the kind of classic Filipino films that say Vilma or Nora have been lucky enough to be either cast or to have produced. It's good work (Hinugot sa Langit, and of all things, Carlos Siguion Reyna's adaptation of Henry James' Washington Square), I just don't think it's some of the greatest.

Lolita on the other hand HAS been involved in one of Philippine cinema's greatest works: Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang. She's also excellent in melodramas such as Stardoom and Tatlo Dalawa Isa (funny, but in Tinmbang and Tatlo Dalawa she and O'Hara were lovers; in Stardoom made earlier they were mother and son). Little else I can say about Ms. Rodriguez; she is simply sui generis.

sosy_high · « **Reply #2126 on:** Jan 30, 2009 at 12:37 AM »

^Oh thanks sir Noel. Looove your comment about Lolita Rodriguez. She's my favorite Filipino actress of all time. I'm just wondering where is she?

jdv1229 · « **Reply #2127 on:** Jan 30, 2009 at 07:08 AM »

Quote from: sosy_high on Jan 28, 2009 at 08:37 PM

Yung mga iniidolo kong posters dito sa Pinoy Entertaiment, Sir Noel Vera, Sir Keating and Sir Jojo, ano po ba tingin niyo kina Sharon Cuneta. Maricel Soriano and Lolita Rodriguez bilang mga artista? Salamat po

I liked Sharon in Danny Zialcita's To Love Again. I consider this as her transition movie since she still did her usual kind of performance injected with a little maturity which prepared her for the
numerous Viva produced komiks based melodramas she topbilled in the mid 80's. Maricel on the other hand excels not just in drama but she's also a great comedianne in films like Pabling and Galawgaw even in the many movies she did for Chaning Carlos, Inday, Inday Sa Balitaw and Jack En Poy come to mind but Maricel is also an amazing dramatic actress. My favorite would be her quiet performance in Ishmael Bernal's ensemble drama The Graduates and the romantic drama Hindi Kita Malimot. Aside from the films that Noel mentioned, I loved Lolita Rodriguez in the film Octavia where she co-starred with Carmen Rosales also in Gilda which was re-made into Pasan Ko ang Daigdig starring Sharon Cuneta. She was also unforgettable in Ina Ka Ng Anak Mo, Ina, Kapatid, Anak and Tubog Sa Ginto.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2128 on:** Jan 30, 2009 at 10:40 AM »

Lolita's in the US, living quietly. Her granddaughter's quite pretty.

I forget about the last three films Jojo mentioned. I think of the three she has the most substantial role in Ina Ka ng Anak Mo, as Nora's mother. Ina Ka, incidentally, is legendary film critic Hammi Sotto's favorite Brocka, written by Butch Dalisay. I like it, maybe not as much as Insiang, but that may be because of where I'm coming from (I'm conservative that way)--the fact that Sotto thinks so highly of it suggests I'm missing something, and I'll admit I might be.

She's also pretty good in Jack and Jill, tho I suppose Dolphy is the real life of that party.

indie boi · « **Reply #2129 on:** Jan 30, 2009 at 11:27 AM »

Ina Ka ng Anak Mo blew me away. Each scene was highly charged but the actors belie this with their quiet, understated performance. I'd like to think this is Brocka's closest to a gothic movie. Noel, I totally forgot about Rodriguez's performance in Tinimbang as you suggested before in a previous post I've made on Ina Ka ng Anak Mo. But looking back at the two, I think I'd still go for Rodriguez's performance in Ina...