Topic: Lost Filipino Films

[Klaus Weasley]

The alleged re-discovery of Murnau's lost film 4 Devils inspired me to create this thread. Unlike the United States and other countries, the Philippines does not have the budget to preserve and restore much of our older films. Most of them just waste away. I read an article written by Behn Cervantes (I think) that all  of our silent films are considered lost and a lot of Manuel Conde's work is also considered lost.

What are some of our lost masterpieces and do you think we'll ever find them and what are the other classic Pinoy films endangered of being lost?

[sinehansakanto]

The discovery sounds like a hoax. When UCLA film preservastion expert Janet Bergstrom (or at least, an online version of herself) offered her expertise in identifying the found reels, the guy kind of just disappeared. Hopefully it isn't just a prank, but it most likely is.

Given that, I don't necessarily find it troubling that 4 Devils will never see the light of day. At least we have other Murnau films to help us visualize what 4 Devils could have been. But in terms of our cinema, we will never know the feeling of watching silent versions of ourselves, nor how masters such as Conde and de Leon depicted Filipinos during their peak. I don't think you can ask "what are some of our lost masterpieces." Simply, that our cinema as a whole is a lost one, both in being unseen and in being absent from the larger discourse on/about cinema.

And I think it is disappearing as we speak. I argue that we are already losing our current crop of films even though some of the best of the lot have only been made as late as a few months ago. Films are not being reproduced (to DVD or video) at a larger (or large-enough) scale, and film screenings are typically limited in duration and accesibility. From the pito-pito films to the digital creations that now represent much of the present Philippine cinema, films are made, shown once or twice, then shelved never to be heard from again. Sure, nowadays the filmmakers, aided by the new technologies available to them, are probably savvy enough to back up their own work for future reference (really, based on my experience using a telecine or burning a DVD is like hitting CTRL+S). But as long as their films are seen by a few, we might as well consider them lost.

[keating]

The most endangered print is Gerry de Leon's NOLI ME TANGERE. Housed in Philippine Information Agency found by film historian Teddy Co in the late 90's, is beginning to take the vinegar syndrome. The staff have to cleaned it since their archive is not in air-conditioned room. Thousands have been lost already if we count also those LVN films back in the Golden Age of Philippine Cinema.

Jeez....St. Peter, St. John.......hey sinehansakanto where did you find Lino Brocka's SANTIAGO?  btw nice blog......keep the torch of Philippine Cinema burning like the exodus scene in Gallaga's ORO PLATA MATA!

[sinehansakanto]

Add LEA-produced films to the excruciatingly long list of "lost Filipino films." Some of Brocka and Bernal's significant early works (some of which I think are a lot better than the overblown "important" works they did later on in their careers) were done with the production house, and not counting a few that were stashed elsewhere, yung mga pelikula ng LEA umasim na lahat.

Actually, I found two copies of Santiago, in of all places two very unassuming stores here in Los Angeles. Have you seen Santiago? I think it is one of Brocka's best films (it's essentially a brilliant deconstruction of FPJ's heroic image...and imagine, only his second film!), yet I see it so infrequently in people's list of "great Filipino films."

[Klaus Weasley]

Here's a question for sinehansakanto and Noel Vera, if he also knows:

What's the oldest surviving Filipino film? (Either feature-length or short)

[sinehansakanto]

Ooh...well, I don't know what's the oldest surviving film, but know there's only four films that survived WWII (all from the late 30s I think), one of which, Zamboanga, I don't even consider Filipino since it was an American production set in the Philippines and acted by Filipinos. It was released in the US but not the Philippines (until a few years ago, that is). But if that's considered Filipino, then count the documentary footage of the Filipino exhibit in 1904 St. Louis World's Fair as one. Also, I dunno if the Lumiere brothers ever had a film done of the country, but that can count too.

And you must never say my name next to Noel Vera's. I don't deserve the honor. Besides, I'm actually not that knowledgeable about it, I just pick up info here and there, once in a while.

[marj]

but know there's only four films that survived WWII (all from the late 30s I think), one of which, Zamboanga

The other three should be GILIW KO (1939) by Carlos Vander Tolosa, TUNAY NA INA (1939) and PAKIUSAP (1940), both by Octavio Silos.

If am not mistaken, the last two were reportedly rescued by Lino Brocka from a moviehouse in the South.

[keating]

Add LEA-produced films to the excruciatingly long list of "lost Filipino films." Some of Brocka and Bernal's significant early works (some of which I think are a lot better than the overblown "important" works they did later on in their careers) were done with the production house, and not counting a few that were stashed elsewhere, yung mga pelikula ng LEA umasim na lahat.

Actually, I found two copies of Santiago, in of all places two very unassuming stores here in Los Angeles. Have you seen Santiago? I think it is one of Brocka's best films (it's essentially a brilliant deconstruction of FPJ's heroic image...and imagine, only his second film!), yet I see it so infrequently in people's list of "great Filipino films."

You are right almost all of LEA PRODS. films were stashed anywhere and lost already in oblivion except perhaps Brocka's ANO ANG KULAY NG MUKHA NG DIYOS? They owned a theatre in my hometown in Malabon and have kept before copies of the rare prints of their films but I can't track anymore some of their family members. They migrated already to the U.S.

Haven't seen SANTIAGO and its on my wanted lists for the longest time.

[sinehansakanto]

If am not mistaken, the last two were reportedly rescued by Lino Brocka from a moviehouse in the South.

If this is true, I think this puts an emphasis on what I think is the biggest hope for film preservation in the Philippines: moving out of the boundaries of Manila to look for and preserve Pinoy films. I think any relentless pursuit of a centralized archive or a centralized preservation movement located in Manila threatens to alienate the rest of the country--and the diaspora, which now numbers in the millions--and the potential source for films which may be lying in somebody's basement, in some far-flung land, far from that small part of Luzon. By developing local/grassroots pride in Philippine cinema, the movement adds motivation to preserve something that would otherwise be seen as mere material for torotot.

Haven't seen SANTIAGO and its on my wanted lists for the longest time.

Hmm... mr.john.santos[at]gmail.com. Email me, and maybe we can work something out. It's a great film, and deserves to be shared.

[Noel_Vera]

Tunay na Ina is in okay condition; Giliw Ko not so hot. Pakiusap I haven't heard anything about it. Zamboanga--haven't seen that print, so I don't know. But that went abroad, could be in good condition.

to the provinces I'd add other countries--Sanda Wong was found in Hong Kong, and I think Dyesebel should be somewhere in Southeast Asia. Genghis Khan is possibly out there too.

[Noel_Vera]

Not to mention El Fili could turn up in Germany someday.