Only Bernal story I know is this: when he met Mario O'Hara, he wanteed to screw him.
Back to CITY AFTER DARK/MANILA BY NIGHT
the only places in Manila I recall while watching the movie are BAYSIDE HOTEL in Roxas BLvd, Malate Church near Shakeys in Ermita, the massage & sauna parlors also in Ermita but I'm not keen on MISERICORDIA St.,
Anyone here who knows this place since I was only in grade one when this movie was released in 1980.
Bayside or Bayview, bro Keating? Bayview Hotel (now Bayview Park Hotel) is in front of the American Embassy, at the corner of UN Avenue and along Roxas Blvd. I think Misericordia St is somewhere near that structure. The name's kinda familiar, but I have to look for that street one of these days... :)
The Shakeys in the Malate circle, yes I think it still exists. :)
Thanks for the information about some places in MANILA...Bro Wedge!No problem, bro Keating! Sa P. Faura lang kasi ako nag-wwork eh. :)
yup its Bayview Hotel not Bayside, and my colleague said MISERICORDIA ST. is a heaven of prostitutes in Manila. ;)
Bro wedge, according to film critic JOEL DAVID, it is Ishmael Bernal's finest film and Noel Vera also wrote a very good review of this Bernal classic.
My first impression to this movie when I first watch it back in the 80's...it is the ugliest Filipino film of all time, just focusing on the denizens of the night as they struggle to their daily life in MANILA.
I have to watch it again to fully understand the vision of the filmmaker and why did he wrote it.
Spoiler for CITY AFTER DARK:
Look for the cameo of ABBO Q. DELA CRUZ who was the caretaker in the morgue where the gang led by Bernardo Bernardo is finding the body of Alma Moreno.
Abbo dela Cruz is the one who massacre the entire household in Gallaga's ORO PLATA MATA, incidentally PEQUE GALLAGA also did the production design in this Bernal classic.
I know where Misericordia st na. It's near UN--parallel yata siya. It's a small sidestreet, we pass through that way one time after having lunch at one of the restaurants na kahanay ng Bayview.
and alice said, "direk, bakit hindi po kayo mag pahingga?"
sabi ni ishma: "not for a piece of s**t like you."
Don't remember that film. Who directed that?
I have a question about Manila By Night for you Bernal experts out there.
Now, I have seen mutilated versions of this movie:the one they show at PBC(now Cinema One) and an old videotape(Trigon,I think).The movie is reputably around 150 minutes long,and the most complete version that I have seen is from a video I bought regalfilms.com which runs for about 140 minutes(the entire movie didn't fit the tape!) Is anyone familiar with the various incarnations of the movie and the difference between the mutilated versions and Bernal's "Directors Cut"? (SPOILERS)One scene in particular(included in the regal tape and not the shorter versions) that I have a question about is a montage that is shown right before the end of the movie wherein a narrator narrates the fate of our characters("William Martinez character went to join DARE","Charito Solis ch.went on to become a social worker","Rio Locsin ch. went on to become a waitress in a deaf and blind restaurant",etc).Is this scene part of Bernal's original cut of the movie?
Jojo is right...the Regal Home Video was the mixed version since there was a narration at the end where the characters ended.
All the profanities & love scenes are all intact on that tape and the late Ishmael Bernal explained to us when he was given the tribute at Pelikula at LIpunan that it was censored again because of the narration shown during Cory's time. I think it was Morato the head of the MTRCB at that time.
Censorship is another thing that makes Philippine Cinema another 3rd world country...Jojo.
Other Asian countries are leaving us behind when it comes to movies.
I missed those Bernal classics, those witty lines, social relevance flicks that he did during those times.
When I saw Ishma, I know he'll have a heart problem...during the screening of Manila By Night....he looks fat.
I agree with you on this one Keating. Censorship is the poison that's killing the already dying Filipino Film Industry. I have several favorite Bernal flicks... Salawahan, Menor de Edad, Broken Marriage, Bakit May Pag-Ibig Pa?, Working Girls, The Graduates, Galawgaw, Aliw even Mister Mo, Lover Boy Ko & Lumapit, Lumayo ang Umaga which of course also includes his classic films Nunal sa Tubig, Manila By Night & Himala.
I had the opportunity of working with Direk Ishmael Bernal in our show Kayo Ang Humatol over ABS-CBN & hosted by Korina Sanchez during the late 80's. I must say that it was quite an experience.
That was quite a nice collection...Jojo.
I'm looking for THE GRADUATES but my friends in the U.S. can't find it anymore sa mga Tatak Filipino stores doon. The last Bernal flicks that my best friend sent to me was CITY AFTER DARK & RELASYON. But I prefer BROKEN MARRIAGE over Relasyon.
Ishmael is for the elitist type while Lino is for the masses. He is a cono director if you ask me.
Same here... I think Bernal was a better filmmaker than Brocka in terms of his ability to shift gears in the kind of films he made. Bernal could do an extremely funny tongue in cheek comedy like Working Girls, Salawahan & Menor de Edad to komiks material such as Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa & Nagbabagang Luha to musicals Good Morning Sunshine & experimental dramas like Bakit May Pag-Ibig Pa? I'm not saying that Brocka wasn't a good director he's one of filmdom's greatest... but it's hit or miss most of the time. Brocka's later movies were not on par with his earlier works.
During my conversation with Direk Ishma as he was fondly called or Nanay by people close to him, I asked him what was his biggest frustration, he then answered not being able to complete the filming of the movie Hustisya with Nora Aunor & Christopher de Leon for Regal Films. It was supposed to be their follow-up movie to the highy successful Himala. As a self-confessed Noranian I told him that's also my biggest disappointment for I had the opportunity to read Ricky Lee's unfinished screenplay of Hustisya.
Lino Brocka is one of the greatest Filipino filmmakers that we had and I agree with you Jojo that he has also his hit & miss.
Maybe Noel could expound about that matter.
HUSTISYA was it the one that Ricky Lee didn't finished because he was mental blocked?
Maybe the superstar could do BULAG...this is dusting already on the shelves of Ricky Lee. :)
yeah. Hustisya was the script that Ricky Lee wasn't able to finish because he had mental block.
as for Bulag... I read the script & the main character was supposed to a blind sixteen or eighteen year old girl. you're right Mother Lily was supposed to make the movie with Janice de Belen in the title role, co-starring Susan Roces as the social worker & Nida Blanca as the nun. it was supposed to be directed by Mel Chionglo. it's a shame that the project didn't materialize.
And I know the funny casting about that movie... Mother Lily will tell Ricky..."tayo gawa uli BULAG"... ;D
I'd like to see that omnibus. Bernal and Ad Castillo, eh? Interesting.
You've heard of the connection between Boy Kodyak and Hollywood, didn't you?
Lino did a few--Hot Property, which wasn't very good, Angela Markado, which was better than I expected (in terms of performance and story, but the visual flash a true noir needs is still missing). I'd say Lino's best noir would be Maynila sa Kuko and Insiang, and in both he had to depend on great cinematographers (Mike de Leon, Carding Baltazar), and both aren't true noir--more social-realist films with noir trappings. And his editing sense is no good.
Gallaga on Bernal:
"The first time we met, it was love at first sight" ;D
Gallaga on Bernal:
"The first time we met, it was love at first sight" ;D
Maryo J. is competent, but he needs a good script.
Maricel has had hard luck with film roles. Oh, she's enormously talented, much more than say Lorna T., but even Lorna T. gets the chance to act in one of the great film classics (uh, Moral, Manila By Night, Init sa Magdamag). Maricel has this and a few comedies with Bernal, I can't remember what she did with Brocka if any, and I only remember one film with O'Hara, the not very good To Mama With Love.
Which films by Bernal are available in DVD, and any news on what might be made available in that format?
I've always thought most of Bernal's films are comedies, including Manila By Night, Salawahan (great film!), and Aliw.
I think he had a cameo in Scorpio Nights? Or was it Abbo? (they were among the bunch blurting out The Boxer?)
Does he have any recent writing credits?