Author Topic: Experimental Cinema of the Philippines (Read 35975 times)

keating · « **Reply #30 on:** Aug 23, 2004 at 12:44 PM »

Is Company of Women part of the ECP movies? It was not widely release during its time, maybe because of the theme?

This was produced by Douglas Quijano's Athena Productions....sort of follow-up after the major success of the original Shake, Rattle & Roll.

jdv1229 · « **Reply #31 on:** Aug 23, 2004 at 07:21 PM »

Quote from: keating on Aug 23, 2004 at 12:44 PM

Is Company of Women part of the ECP movies? It was not widely release during its time, maybe because of the theme?

This was produced by Douglas Quijano's Athena Productions....sort of follow-up after the major success of the original Shake, Rattle & Roll.

no, Company of Women wasn't a part of the ECP movies... it was only shown at the Manila Film Center where most movies of this kind were being screened at the time.

keating · « **Reply #32 on:** Aug 23, 2004 at 07:27 PM »

Manila Film Center was always associated with ECP. Sad to know that skin flicks dominated the Film Center in order to save the Experimental Cinema of the Phils.

jdv1229 · « **Reply #33 on:** Aug 24, 2004 at 07:33 PM »

Quote from: keating on Aug 23, 2004 at 07:27 PM

Manila Film Center was always associated with ECP. Sad to know that skin flicks dominated the Film Center in order to save the Experimental Cinema of the Phils.

definitely... Manila Film Center is usually the venue for the premieres of ECP produced movies... although in 1983 when Himala was selected as the opening film at the MIFF it was shown at the PICC instead of the Manila Film Center.

keating · « **Reply #34 on:** Feb 20, 2005 at 06:19 AM »

Quote from: RMN II 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.

What could be the relation of those bundles of cash inside the car.....to shut up the families of those construction workers?

keating · « **Reply #35 on:** May 17, 2005 at 10:54 AM »

Maybe its about time to revive ECP now that Philippine cinema is in dying state.

keating · « **Reply #36 on:** Sep 08, 2005 at 06:05 PM »

MARK GIL on COMPANY OF WOMEN

"It was the time of the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines where films were shown uncut & no holds barred. I did the frontal nudity because..... who can refuse MEL CHIONGLO?"

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #37 on:** Sep 08, 2005 at 08:32 PM »

i would. if i showed my butt it would be for a good filmmaker.

keating · « **Reply #38 on:** Sep 09, 2005 at 02:49 PM »

Chionglo is excellent as production designer, name it he designed ITIM, & TEMPTATION ISLAND, or is it De Leon & Gosiengfiao calling the shots?

But come to think of it...COMPANY OF WOMEN is erotic..... Gil being massaged by three women all nude matched by an excellent soundtrack looks cool.

keating · « **Reply #39 on:** Dec 04, 2005 at 01:07 PM »

Celso Ad Castillo's cult classic SNAKE SISTERS will be shown this month at Robinson's Galleria.

One of the skin flicks (VIRGIN PEOPLE, ISLA, BOATMAN, SCORPIO NIGHTS, HUBO SA DILIM) that dominated Manila Film Center during ECP's heyday with the consent of Johnny Litton to show the films uncut to recoup ECP's investment after a couple of flops (SOLTERO, MISTERYO SA TUWA). And maybe to divert the attention of the people because of the rising political crisis caused by the Marcos Regime.

jdv1229 · « **Reply #40 on:** Dec 04, 2005 at 10:42 PM »

Quote from: keating on Sep 09, 2005 at 02:49 PM

Chionglo is excellent as production designer, name it he designed ITIM, & TEMPTATION ISLAND, or is it De Leon & Gosiengfiao calling the shots?

But come to think of it...COMPANY OF WOMEN is erotic..... Gil being massaged by three women all nude matched by an excellent soundtrack looks cool.

aside from the films you've mentioned Mel also did the production design for Ikaw Ay Akin, Kung Mangarap Ka't Magising & Ina, Kapatid, Anak in which he also wrote the screenplay. he ventured into filmmaking with Playgirl in 1980 with Charito Solis & Gina Alajar, a very impressive directorial debut.

keating · « **Reply #41 on:** Dec 05, 2005 at 06:55 PM »

Chionglo did another movie with Dina Bonnevie & Boyet de Leon which I can't recall the title. Its not really forgettable but good enough.

jdv1229 · « **Reply #42 on:** Dec 05, 2005 at 07:32 PM »

Quote from: keating on Dec 05, 2005 at 06:55 PM

Chionglo did another movie with Dina Bonnevie & Boyet de Leon which I can't recall the title. Its not really forgettable but good enough.

the title of the movie was Anak also with Lloyd Samartino & Celia Rodriguez...

keating · « **Reply #43 on:** Dec 06, 2005 at 08:36 AM »

Quote from: Jojo Devera on Dec 05, 2005 at 07:32 PM

the title of the movie was Anak also with Lloyd Samartino & Celia Rodriguez...

Thanks again for the info.

RMN · « **Reply #44 on:** Dec 06, 2005 at 10:29 AM »

Whatever happened to Mel Chionglo?

Hello, Lahar anyone?

keating · « **Reply #45 on:** Dec 06, 2005 at 12:04 PM »

LAHAR as the title says, was disastrous. He is more competent in designing films than making it.

The great visuals of ITIM can also be counted on Chionglo. The film blew me away!

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #46 on:** Dec 06, 2005 at 03:47 PM »

Lahar, Midnight Dancer, Burlesk King, Lagarista.

I'll say this much, he's consistent...

keating · « **Reply #47 on:** Dec 07, 2005 at 11:41 AM »

You didn't like LUCIA, Noel?

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #48 on:** Dec 08, 2005 at 05:10 AM »

Haven't seen it. Is it Brocka quality?

RMN · « **Reply #49 on:** Dec 08, 2005 at 10:43 AM »

Quote from: keating on Dec 07, 2005 at 11:41 AM

You didn't like LUCIA, Noel?

Is this the one produced by BBC and shot in the slums with Ms. Lolita Rodriguez? If so, then I'd say
it doesn't quite hold to up to any similarly themed Brocka work.

keating · « **Reply #50 on:** Dec 09, 2005 at 04:52 PM »

Quote from: Noel_Vera on Dec 08, 2005 at 05:10 AM

Haven't seen it. Is it Brocka quality?

Its a second-class to a Brocka film. Chionglo imitated Brocka here but no match! Ricky Lee's script was quite good.

keating · « **Reply #51 on:** Dec 09, 2005 at 05:53 PM »

Quote from: RMN on Dec 08, 2005 at 10:43 AM

Is this the one produced by BBC and shot in the slums with Ms. Lolita Rodriguez? If so, then I'd say
it doesn't quite hold to up to any similarly themed Brocka work.

Yep that's it dude.

keating · « **Reply #52 on:** Jan 16, 2006 at 06:16 PM »

ECP's SOLTERO with Jay Ilagan will be shown January 23, 3 pm on Cinema One.

marj · « **Reply #53 on:** Feb 28, 2006 at 01:52 PM »

Before the Manila Film Center, ECP sponsored the premieres of Mike de Leon's BATCH '81 and Romy Suzara's MGA UOD AT ROSAS at the PICC. It also screened a lot of foreign film classics all around Metro Manila.

One series that I remember watching at the MFC was the Gerardo de Leon's restrospective that included NOLI ME TANGERE, EL FILIBUSTERISMO, THE MOISES PADILLA STORY and LILET, among others.

That's also where I saw GONE WITH THE WIND for the first time on the big screen.

I also remember watching the original STAR WARS trilogy (Episodes IV - VI) one after the other in one day.

keating · « **Reply #54 on:** Feb 28, 2006 at 04:53 PM »

Was MOWELFUND located at the basement of Manila Film Center during the 80's?

jdv1229 · « **Reply #55 on:** Feb 28, 2006 at 07:13 PM »

Quote from: keating on Feb 28, 2006 at 04:53 PM

Was MOWELFUND located at the basement of Manila Film Center during the 80's?

i don't think so... Mowelfund has always had its own office.

keating · « **Reply #56 on:** Feb 28, 2006 at 09:02 PM »

Quote from: Noel_Vera on Dec 06, 2005 at 03:47 PM

Lahar, Midnight Dancer, Burlesk King, Lagarista.

I'll say this much, he's consistent...

I was able to talk with direk Mel Chionglo before I chat with Peque Gallaga at the Rizal Park where NCCA held its Cinema Arts Month headed by Teddy Co last two weeks ago. Thanks to RMN, also.

Chionglo recalls how Brocka was a fast worker when they were doing GUMISING KA, MARUJA. It was outside of Bacolod City where they found the old abandoned ancestral house, and they just put some furnitures inside to make it a living mansion. He is cool, once in a while he would puff some cigarettes. When I told him, your Maruja is great, the ending jolted me and very far from the Joey Reyes flick.........he just laugh hilariously.

keating · « **Reply #57 on:** Apr 10, 2006 at 09:32 PM »

I'm curious on Abbo dela Cruz' MISTERYO SA TUWA. I heard it was based on actual events where a plane crashed in the mountains of Quezon, trouble followed when some people found a suitcase full of money in the wreckage.

jdv1229 · « **Reply #58 on:** Apr 11, 2006 at 06:13 AM »

Quote from: keating on Apr 10, 2006 at 09:32 PM

I'm curious on Abbo dela Cruz' MISTERYO SA TUWA. I heard it was based on actual events where a plane crashed in the mountains of Quezon, trouble followed when some people found a suitcase full of money in the wreckage.

it was based on a true story... if you think about it the suitcase full of money that changed an entire town is similar to Sam Raimi's A Simple Plan which was released years later.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #59 on:** Apr 11, 2006 at 12:46 PM »

I prefer Misteryo to Simple Plan. Grittier, less hysterical about the morality of it all.