Author Topic: Experimental Cinema of the Philippines (Read 35979 times)

keating · « **on:** Jun 15, 2004 at 07:23 PM »

This thread is dedicated for the defunct Experimental Cinema of the Philippines which produced 4 classic films (Oro Plata Mata, Himala, Soltero, Misteryo sa Tuwa) during the 2nd Golden Age of Philippine Cinema.

I still hope that a 3rd Golden Age will happen soon with new visionaries of filmmakers like Lav Diaz, Jeffrey Jeturian, Mark Meily as well as the old ones are still around.

I miss Manila Film Center, I was only in grade 2 when the 2nd Manila International Film Festival happened. My cousins now turning 40's, brought me to watch Oro Plata Mata but I was rejected and brought instead to Harrison Plaza.

indie boi · « **Reply #1 on:** Jun 16, 2004 at 01:00 AM »

My parents brought me to a screening of Lamberto Avellana's take on Nick Joaquin's "Portrait of the Artist as Filipino". I think I was in grade 3 or 4 then.

keating · « **Reply #2 on:** Jun 16, 2004 at 06:41 PM »

Quote from: indie boi on Jun 16, 2004 at 01:00 AM

My parents brought me to a screening of Lamberto Avellana's take on Nick Joaquin's "Portrait of the Artist as Filipino". I think I was in grade 3 or 4 then.

Portrait of the Artist as Filipino has not been shown even once I think on Cinema One, but I maybe wrong.

I'm dying to see Abbo dela Cruz'...Misteryo sa Tuwa. This is ECP's biggest flop.

jdv1229 · « **Reply #3 on:** Jun 17, 2004 at 11:25 PM »

Misteryo Sa Tuwa is shown on Cinema One from time to time. The funny thing is there were actually six films to be produced by the ECP that time. The first four were Himala, Oro, Plata, Mata, Soltero & Misteryo. Haplos also one of the winning screenplays was produced by Mirick Films & the last one was Flores De Mayo by Joey Reyes which never saw the light of day. I sopke to Vincent Nebrida of Unitel Pictures and he told me that the CCP doesn't even have the prints on these film in their archive. The only existing copy of these films are the ones being shown on Cinema One except for Oro, Plata, Mata... fortunately Peque Gallaga owns a print of the movie.

RMN II · « **Reply #4 on:** Jun 18, 2004 at 02:08 PM »

There is an ongoing debate within the CCP whether the Manila Film Center should be torn-down or not as the whole CCP complex will undergo a major re-development (it will be transformed into an arts village). Some quarters would like to retain is as a chapel cum memorial while others want it demolished due to high maintenance costs. As it is, the MFC is used as a venue for drag shows stagged by the Amazing Philippines Theater.

With regards to the ECP, when Johnny Litton took the place of Imee Marcos as executive director,(she ran for a seat in Batasan) all hell broke loose. The film fund dried-up and they started showing all these "skinefilcks" which caused an uproar and a lot of controversy. Soon after, FM ordered its abolishment.

Sayang. If only they could've made the film fund a viable undertaking, and if only the ECP wasn't too extravagant with the MIFF and the MFC, it could've worked, I think.

My prof. was there during the 1st MIFF and she described it as such:

"It was so surreal...Brook Sheilds and Ben Kingsley was there!"

BTW, I have a creepy ghost story regarding the Film Center...

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #5 on:** Jun 19, 2004 at 12:07 AM »

Quote from: RMN II on Jun 18, 2004 at 02:08 PM

"It was so surreal...Brook Sheilds and Ben Kingsley was there!"

Not to mention Werner Herzog, Klaus Kinski and Satiyajit Ray...

The Film Center deaths are a great tragedy. Imelda has a lot to answer for.

keating · « **Reply #6 on:** Jun 19, 2004 at 06:41 PM »

Quote from: RMN II on Jun 18, 2004 at 02:08 PM

There is an ongoing debate within the CCP whether the Manila Film Center should be torn-down or not as the whole CCP complex will undergo a major re-development (it will be transformed into an arts village). Some quarters would like to retain is as a chapel cum memorial while others want it demolished due to high maintenance costs. As it is, the MFC is used as a venue for drag shows stagged by the Amazing Philippines Theater.

With regards to the ECP, when Johnny Litton took the place of Imee Marcos as executive director,(she ran for a seat in Batasan) all hell broke loose. The film fund dried-up and they started showing all these "skinefilcks" which caused an uproar and a lot of controversy. Soon after, FM ordered its abolishment.

Sayang. If only they could've made the film fund a viable undertaking, and if only the ECP wasn't too extravagant with the MIFF and the MFC, it could've worked, I think.

My prof. was there during the 1st MIFF and she described it as such:

"It was so surreal...Brook Sheilds and Ben Kingsley was there!"

BTW, I have a creepy ghost story regarding the Film Center...

It was downhill all the way when Johnny Litton took place as executive director of ECP and its a sad thing.

In order to maintain the Manila Film Center, bold films were shown and I think Peque Gallaga's SCORPIO NIGHTS was shown there UNCUT.

Speaking of Peque...he didn't owe any gratitude to Imee 20 years after he did ORO PLATA MATA.

The reason was that he didn't see IMEE even once during the making of his classic masterpiece.

RMN...I would like to see a ghost in Manila Film Center if they will open it again because I haven't seen one in my existence.

keating · « **Reply #7 on:** Jun 19, 2004 at 06:50 PM »

Quote from: Jojo Devera on Jun 17, 2004 at 11:25 PM

Misteryo Sa Tuwa is shown on Cinema One from time to time. The funny thing is there were actually six films to be produced by the ECP that time. The first four were Himala, Oro, Plata, Mata, Soltero & Misteryo. Haplos also one of the winning screenplays was produced by Mirick Films & the last one was Flores De Mayo by Joey Reyes which never saw the light of day. I sopke to Vincent Nebrida of Unitel Pictures and he told me that the CCP doesn't even have the prints on these film in their archive. The only existing copy of these films are the ones being shown on Cinema One except for Oro, Plata, Mata... fortunately Peque Gallaga owns a print of the movie.

HIMALA & ORO are now owned by Abs-Cbn...Jojo.

They won thru bidding & outbid even Peque himself.

jdv1229 · « **Reply #8 on:** Jun 19, 2004 at 11:27 PM »

Quote from: keating on Jun 19, 2004 at 06:50 PM

HIMALA & ORO are now owned by Abs-Cbn...Jojo.

They won thru bidding & outbid even Peque himself.

i thought Peque owned a copy of Oro... so which print was used when they screened Oro recently to commemorate the movie's anniversary?

keating · « **Reply #9 on:** Jun 20, 2004 at 12:15 AM »

Quote from: Jojo Devera on Jun 19, 2004 at 11:27 PM

i thought Peque owned a copy of Oro... so which print was used when they screened Oro recently to commemorate the movie's anniversary?

The print that ABS-CBN owned was used during Oro's 20th anniversary screening at Ayala cinema...Jojo.

I thought also that CCP has many copies of the print.

Peque lost in the bidding process and I hope that Abs-cbn will release it on dvd soon.

jdv1229 · « **Reply #10 on:** Jun 20, 2004 at 01:27 AM »

Quote from: keating on Jun 20, 2004 at 12:15 AM

The print that ABS-CBN owned was used during Oro's 20th anniversary screening at Ayala cinema...Jojo.

I thought also that CCP has many copies of the print.

Peque lost in the bidding process and I hope that Abs-cbn will release it on dvd soon.

hopefully they'll release the movie soon on video. i was in Daly City a couple of weeks ago and they were selling old tagalog movies for $5.00 each. i saw the box of Oro but unfortunately they don't have it anymore although i was able to buy a load of old filipino films which are not available anymore. i was like a kid in a candy store. i spent around $300.00 for all the movies that i bought but belive me it was all worth it.

keating · « **Reply #11 on:** Jun 20, 2004 at 01:43 PM »

My friend saw it also but didn't bought it. It was selling around 50 bucks rental orig copy of ORO PLATA MATA.

The print was painstakingly cleaned by Road Runner during its 20th anniversary screening and according to those who watched it, starting to deteriorate already and a portion of it was burned during the screening.

Peque was calm but Jessica Zafra screamed. There's a sidebar story about it that Abs-Cbn didn't want to lend the master copy to Peque in the first place.

RMN II · « **Reply #12 on:** Jun 21, 2004 at 02:02 PM »

You guys want a MFC related ghost story? Here goes...

Ms. Betsy Benitez, the contractor of the Manila Film Center, was on her way to Tagaytay late one night with Marcos' education minister Onrofe Corpuz who was driving. Suddenly, she yelled frantically, "Don't you see them!!?" "No...see what?" Corpuz replied. "Those people! Those people!" Apparently, she was the only one seeing construction workers holding tools crossing in front of their vehicle. In panic, she tried to grab control of the wheel in an attempt to avoid them but this resulted in a freak car accident. She died while her companion lived to tell the creepy tale. It is said too that there were bundles of cash inside the car.

During her funeral, the whole Marcos family was in attendance with FM serving as pall bearer.

keating · « **Reply #13 on:** Jun 21, 2004 at 03:09 PM »

RMN thanks for sharing that ghost story regarding Manila Film Center. It has been reported many times in the past that the site had been blessed but the spirit of the workers who were trapped still lingers until now.

Maybe they are still seeking justice.

keating · « **Reply #14 on:** Jun 23, 2004 at 06:44 PM »

Quote from: Jojo Devera on Jun 17, 2004 at 11:25 PM

Misteryo Sa Tuwa is shown on Cinema One from time to time. The funny thing is there were actually six films to be produced by the ECP that time. The first four were Himala, Oro, Plata, Mata, Soltero & Misteryo. Haplos also one of the winning screenplays was produced by Mirick Films & the last one was Flores De Mayo by Joey Reyes which never saw the light of day. I sopke to Vincent Nebrida of Unitel Pictures and he told me that the CCP doesn't even have the prints on these film in their archive. The only existing copy of these films are the ones being shown on Cinema One except for Oro, Plata, Mata... fortunately Peque Gallaga owns a print of the movie.

Ricky Lee's BULAG was also part of the winning screenplays that won at ECP during those times.

I still hope that someone will gamble on it and wish to see it on the big screen. Agree with you Jojo that Ms. Nora Aunor can play the nun on that movie.

RMN · « **Reply #15 on:** Jun 24, 2004 at 12:04 PM »

Bulag was supposed to be done by Regal years ago but it kept on getting shelved so Ricky Lee pretty much gave-up.

keating · « **Reply #16 on:** Aug 02, 2004 at 08:03 PM »

Quote from: RMN on Jun 24, 2004 at 12:04 PM

Bulag was supposed to be done by Regal years ago but it kept on getting shelved so Ricky Lee pretty much gave-up.

If this will be made today....it will be CYBER BULAG because of the span of years & decade that the project went thru from the conceptualization of Ricky Lee to the horrible casting by Mother Lily...

jdv1229 · « **Reply #17 on:** Aug 03, 2004 at 04:58 AM »

Quote from: keating on Aug 02, 2004 at 08:03 PM

If this will be made today....it will be CYBER BULAG because of the span of years & decade that the project went thru from the conceptualization of Ricky Lee to the horrible casting by Mother Lily...

Bulag was supposed to star Snooky with Mel Chionglo directing for Regal then at one time Mother Lily wanted Janice de Belen to play the lead with Susan Roces playing the social worker & Nida Blanca as the nun of course these plans never pushed through... too bad the script was very promising though.

keating · « **Reply #18 on:** Aug 03, 2004 at 08:05 AM »

Jojo were you able to browse & read the draft of BULAG?

I am curious by this project...

jdv1229 · « **Reply #19 on:** Aug 03, 2004 at 08:30 AM »

Quote from: keating on Aug 03, 2004 at 08:05 AM

Jojo were you able to browse & read the draft of BULAG?

I am curious by this project...

i was able to read the entire first draft of Bulag... i believe it was the same one Ricky submitted to the ECP Scriptwriting Contest. it's a very interesting character study told from the Social Worker's point of view. i've always thought Snooky could've been perfect for the part.

keating · « **Reply #20 on:** Aug 03, 2004 at 05:03 PM »

Quote from: Jojo Devera on Aug 03, 2004 at 08:30 AM

i was able to read the entire first draft of Bulag... i believe it was the same one Ricky submitted to the ECP Scriptwriting Contest. it's a very interesting character study told from the Social Worker's point of view. i've always thought Snooky could've been perfect for the part.

Agree with Snooky on the casting of BULAG. Although she's the favorite of Mother Lily among her Regal babies during the 80's....whenever a new project comes in....she would say...pwede ipasok si Snooky?

She can't be left out in terms of performance along with her contemporaries...Maricel & Dina.

jdv1229 · « **Reply #21 on:** Aug 03, 2004 at 06:46 PM »

Quote from: keating on Aug 03, 2004 at 05:03 PM

Agree with Snooky on the casting of BULAG. Although she's the favorite of Mother Lily among her Regal babies during the 80's....whenever a new project comes in....she would say...pwede ipasok si Snooky?

She can't be left out in terms of performance along with her contemporaries...Maricel & Dina.

thanks Keating... during the 80's Snooky turned in quite a handful of memorable performances in films like The Graduates, Hahamakin Lahat & Kapag Napagod ang Puso. wasn't she also considered to be one of the girls in Joey Reyes' Flores De Mayo?

keating · « **Reply #22 on:** Aug 03, 2004 at 08:57 PM »

Quote from: Jojo Devera on Aug 03, 2004 at 06:46 PM

thanks Keating... during the 80's Snooky turned in quite a handful of memorable performances in films like The Graduates, Hahamakin Lahat & Kapag Napagod ang Puso. wasn't she also considered to be one of the girls in Joey Reyes' Flores De Mayo?

She should have won for KAPAG NAPAGOD ANG PUSO....I thought before that she was just another flash in the pan and ham actress when she did all those youth oriented movies in her mother studio.

Maybe someone should put up again EXPERIMENTAL CINEMA OF THE PHILIPPINES so that we could see another future Filipino classic flicks...

Imee Marcos is active on politics....maybe she should revive it again without the artsy kapritso of her mom....

jdv1229 · « **Reply #23 on:** Aug 04, 2004 at 05:06 AM »

Quote from: keating on Aug 03, 2004 at 08:57 PM

She should have won for KAPAG NAPAGOD ANG PUSO....I thought before that she was just another flash in the pan and ham actress when she did all those youth oriented movies in her mother studio.

Maybe someone should put up again EXPERIMENTAL CINEMA OF THE PHILIPPINES so that we could see another future Filipino classic flicks...

Imee Marcos is active on politics....maybe she should revive it again without the artsy kapritso of her mom....

it would sure be nice to revive the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines and they should make the other winners of their first scriptwriting contest such as Bulag & Flores De Mayo. i remeber at one time Cirio Santiago took over the ECP during the Aquino administration... i wonder what happened.

Snooky was very good in Kapag Napagod ang Puso but i much prefer her performances in The Graduates and Hahamakin Lahat.

keating · « **Reply #24 on:** Aug 06, 2004 at 10:57 PM »

Quote from: Jojo Devera on Aug 04, 2004 at 05:06 AM

it would sure be nice to revive the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines and they should make the other winners of their first scriptwriting contest such as Bulag & Flores De Mayo. i remeber at one time Cirio Santiago took over the ECP during the Aquino administration... i wonder what happened.

Snooky was very good in Kapag Napagod ang Puso but i much prefer her performances in The Graduates and Hahamakin Lahat.

Jo....any more background/info on Joey Reyes' Flores de Mayo?

Thanks....

jdv1229 · « **Reply #25 on:** Aug 07, 2004 at 12:11 AM »

Quote from: keating on Aug 06, 2004 at 10:57 PM

Jo....any more background/info on Joey Reyes' Flores de Mayo?

Thanks....

i had the opportunity of reading the sequence treatment of Flores De Mayo... it's about girls who committed suicide. of course who would've known that the same plot would be made into Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides. i guess the Peter Weir movie Picnic At Hanging Rock was sort of an inspiration for Flores' story.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #26 on:** Aug 07, 2004 at 01:15 AM »

Oh, that's a full circle then. Peter Weir reportedly borrowed the plot premise of Bernal's Boy Kojak for his Witness.

jdv1229 · « **Reply #27 on:** Aug 07, 2004 at 01:29 AM »

Quote from: Noel_Vera on Aug 07, 2004 at 01:15 AM

Oh, that's a full circle then. Peter Weir reportedly borrowed the plot premise of Bernal's Boy Kojak for his Witness.

i never realized that Noel... really interesting thanks!

now i have to watch Boy Kodyak again.

keating · « **Reply #28 on:** Aug 18, 2004 at 09:02 PM »

Quote from: Noel_Vera on Aug 07, 2004 at 01:15 AM

Oh, that's a full circle then. Peter Weir reportedly borrowed the plot premise of Bernal's Boy Kojak for his Witness.

Sometimes the international ones borrowed from the local ones....

jdv1229 · « **Reply #29 on:** Aug 18, 2004 at 09:52 PM »

Quote from: keating on Aug 18, 2004 at 09:02 PM

Sometimes the international ones borrowed from the local ones....

that's true keating...