THE OFFICIAL ZINE OF WIKIPILIPINAS.ORG OCTOBER...THE

T H E O F F I C I A L ZI NE O F WI K I PILIP IN AS.ORG in this issue
OC TOBER 2 0 0 8
Faded Glories • Romantic Tandems We Once Loved • Unforgettable • Etched in Film
The Lost Boys • No, The Other One • Controversial • Lav Diaz: Legacy Beyond Length
History of Philippine Cinema • The Last Stand at Baler • Sulyap sa Isang Lihim • Unang Sibol
PLUS! E-turo • Philippine Online Chronicles
2
NOTESFROMTEAMWIKIPILIPINAS
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3
from the editors
Film is considered the youngest of the Philippine
arts, having been first introduced in the late 1900s.
Since then, Philippine films have evolved with various genres and techniques being used by local filmmakers whose works continuously gain international
premieres and recognition to this day.
This October, WikiPilipinas presents the WikiZine
Guide to Philippine Cinema issue to sit you through
the scrolling credits of filmmaking in the Philippines.
Rediscover the places that were once hubs for movie
buffs. Take a peek at some notable Filipino films with
ratings from R to General Patronage; from documentary to animation. Swoon over the love teams of the
silver screen. Meet the equally famous ‘other ones.’
And recall the lines that lived through the decades.
In this issue, you also get sneak previews of two
of Vibal Foundation’s newest websites: The Philippine
Online Chronicles and E-Turo. The Philippine Online
Chronicles (www.thepoc.net) is an online publication that presents the latest in politics, government,
economy, sports, and entertainment from a variety
of perspectives. Alongside it is E-turo (www.e-turo.
org), a resource site for Filipino teachers and learners that offers accessible educational materials for
free.
We hope that this WikiZine will serve as your
guide to informed reading in WikiPilipinas.org. Together, let us read more, write more, learn more,
and share more.
About this issue
01
Head on to the theatres; to the verge of the Philippine cinematic
renaissance. Sit through the rolling of film—the scrolling credits.
Now showing. Lights, camera, action!
About
4
Faded Glories
F
300 years, the Philippines was under the auspices of the Church
and the directives of the Spanish Crown. These years of colonization was also
a period of acculturation and diffusion—the Hispanization of Filipino culture. Filipinos came to adopt the wearing of garmented clothes, eating bananas and planting
tobacco, or veneration of the saints side by side with local anitos, and watching theatrical plays like zarzuela. With the introduction of theater plays in the Philippines
came the need for a complex where such form of entertainment could be performed
on a regular basis. Hence the birth of theater and movie houses in the Philippines.
or more than
Opera house turned hotel
Dubbed as “The Theater with a History,” the Manila Grand Opera House was
a defunct theater and opera house that
used to stand along the district of Santa Cruz, at the corner of Rizal Avenue
and Doroteo Jose Street in Manila. The
ground where it used to stand was first
developed in the mid-1800s as an open
track (enclosed by a circular wooden
structure protected by a nipa roof) where
local and foreign cultural and historical
presentations, like zarzuelas and plays,
were conducted.
First movie-theater house
Established in March 1896 by a Spaniard named Francisco Pertierra, Salon
de Pertierra was the first movie-theater
house in the Philippines. Initially built
as a phonograph parlor beneath the Casino España building along Calle Perez
in No. 12 Escolta (now Santa Cruz, Manila), this theater was designed in preparation for Pertierra’s first movie show in
Manila in time for the Christmas season
of 1896.
First movie house
The Cinematografo was the first movie
house in the Philippines. It was built in
August 1897 through the initiative of
Antonio Ramos, a Spanish soldier from
Alhama de Aragon who arrived in the
country with the Batallon de Cazadores
sent to end the revolution. He brought
with him a Lumiere Cinematograph—a
device which functioned as camera, projector and printer all in one—from Paris,
plus thirty film titles.
For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Defunct_Theater_and_Movie_Houses_in_the_
Philippines
5
fd
L
ocal fan movies are known blockbuster hits during the 1950s in the Philippines. It was the heyday of romantic flicks that have spawned phenomenal
love teams who led a loyal following for decades. They have captured the heart of
moviegoers and marked the golden age of Philippine cinema. Interestingly, some of
these pairings turned from onscreen sweethearts to real-life partners.
Long-lasting love
team
Among the greatest
and most enduring love
teams in the history of
Philippine cinema, the
Carmen Rosales-Rogelio de la Rosa
tandem charmed a wide audience of Filipinos who found their on-screen affair
kakakilig. Carmen was one of the most
coveted actresses in the 1930s, with her
irresistible charm and talent as singer
and dancer; while Rogelio was listed
among the most popular matinee idols
of the 20th century.
Reel love team
turned real
Tita Duran and Pancho
Magalona love team
did not end with the tak
of the movie clapper; it
was when the real romance started. The
two were first paired up in the movie
Always (Kay Ganda Mo) in 1949, costarred by Tito Arevalo, under the direc-
tion of Eddie Romero. Many other movies followed, mostly under Sampaguita
Pictures.
Top musical-comedy
love team of the 50s
The Nestor de VillaNida Blanca love team
tops the list of unforgettable romantic tandems
in the silver screen. Nida started her
career in 1951 at the age of fifteen (although she was believed to be seventeen
then) through the renowned LVN actress
Delia Razon and film producer Narcisa
de Leon (a.k.a Doña Sisang). Nestor,
on the other hand, was discovered by
movie director Susana C. de Guzman
and scriptwriter Nemesio B. Caravana
who did not have second thoughts about
getting him to take part in the movie
Dimas with big stars Rogelio dela Rosa
and Lilia Dizon. It was in 1952 when the
movie industry gave birth to the NidaNestor love team through their first film
together, Romansa sa Nayon.
For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Romantic_Tandems_We_Once_Loved
Photos from video48.blogspot.com
6
PHILIPPINE CINEMA’S
MOST ENDURING LINES
T
here are movies so successful in in-
filtrating the public’s consciousness
that decades after their release, people
can still reenact specific scenes with the
lines intact. Case in point: the pivotal
scene in Himala, which has already been
recreated and parodied a million times
(and still counting). These memorable
sequences have built careers, provided
awards, guaranteed box office success,
and spawned dance remixes. Here is a
list of those passages in our nifty reminder of the most memorable lines in
Philippine cinema.
“Trabaho lang ito,
walang personalan.”
Rudy Fernandez,
Markang Bungo (1991)
According to the Film Academy of
the Philippines website, the success of
this Rudy Fernandez starrer was attributed to this particular line. Seventeen
years later, we are still saying it.
t
othing bu
“You’re n
ing hard
rate, try
a secondl,
Cherie Gi
copycat!”
5)
ning (198
lang Ning
Bituing Wa
This scene is cemented inside every
Pinoy moviegoer’s mind: Lavinia Arguelles (Gil) spluttering words and wine
all over Dorina Pineda (Sharon Cuneta).
This is the ultimate catfight scene that
would send the Gossip Girls scampering.
wala...
“Akala mo lang
n!
pero meron! Mero
Meron!”
Carlo Aquino,
Ka Ginawa?
Bata, Bata...Paano
(1998)
A young Carlo Aquino rose to movie stardom after this 1998 film based on
the bestselling Lualhati Bautista novel.
The line alone would seem ridiculous,
but when Carlo said it to Vilma Santos
with such anguish, we all believed him.
7
“Para kang karinderyang
bukas sa lahat ng gustong
kumain.”
Vilma Santos,
Palimos ng Pag-ibig (1985)
The Star for all Seasons delivered
this stinging line to Dina Bonnevie in
reference to the latter’s unwomanly behavior. No, Bonnevie was not just gossiping. She was babymaking. That’s all.
tinatapakan
ng
“Ayoko
masikip,
ako. Ayoko ng
, ayoko
ayoko ng mabaho
ayoko ng
ng walang tubig,
ayoko ng
walang pagkain,
putik!”
Maricel Soriano,
“Oo, inaamin ko
, saging
lang kami. Pero
maghanap
ka ng puno sa buon
g Pilipinas, saging lang
ang may
puso! Saging lang
ang may
puso!”
Mark Lapid,
Apoy sa Dibdib ng
Samar (2006)
The movie was a certified flop, but
this (ridiculous) line (delivered ridiculously by Mark Lapid) became a cult
favorite (for its over-the-top ridiculousness). It even spawned a dance remix
that everyone enjoyed, even just a little.
Rosanna Roces,
Curacha,
Ang Babaeng Walang Pahinga (1998)
Corazon, a prostitute played by Rosanna Roces, exposes her breasts to a
cab driver. After a few seconds, she covers herself up. The cabbie complains,
to which Corazon gives this witty reply
that surely the driver can relate to.
“Cheeta-ehhh...
ganda lalake!”
(Echo: “Ulol! Si
nungaling!
Panget! Panget!”
)
Rene Requiestas,
Starzan (1989)
ang Langit (1984)
Kaya Kong Abutin
This line uttered by Diamond Star
Maricel Soriano in this ‘80s classic
could very well be the mantra of any
affluent person suddenly shoved to poverty. Or not.
“Pumapatak ang metro.”
A hilarious bit courtesy of the
parody Starzan, where comedian Rene
Requiestas portrayed Starzan’s sidekick
Cheeta-eh. He bellows to the forest how
good-looking he is, but the echoe of his
voice proclaim otherwise.
“Walang himala! Ang himala ay nasa puso ng tao!
”
Nasa puso nating lahat!
Aunor,
Nora
Himala (1982)
The pivotal scene in this Brocka
masterpiece shows Elsa (Nora Aunor)
admitting to her throng of supporters
that there was indeed no miracle, much
to the chagrin of the people who benefit
from her staged spectacle. A remarkable
scene from a remarkable film.
For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Most_Memorable_Philippine_Movie_Lines
8
F
Etched in Film
ilipino ingenuity in animation has been highly recognized in the global animation industry. In fact, the past decades have seen a significant surge in demand
for world-class Filipino animators. This year, two major animation productions
showcase Filipino talents by creating original full-length animated films.
Dayo
Dayo (Wanderer)
is a full-length
animated
film
by Cutting Edge
Productions. It
reinvents ghastly
images of Philippine mythical
creatures
into
heartwarming
characters in a young boy’s adventure.
This $1.3 million (roughly Php58 million) production involving over 500 local animators features the “tra-digital
animation” technique which uses paperless 2D and 3D technologies. It uses 2D
animation for its characters and 3D animation for the backdrops.
The production team of Dayo spent
several months developing the story,
mood, and digital animation. While
writing the script, the writers consulted
a book on local mythology by Maximo
Ramos entitled Creatures of Philippine
Lower Mythology. Compared to the usual three-year completion of a traditional
full-length animation, this film aimed to
be finished within a short span of two
years.
Dayo is written by Artemio Abad,
Jr. and Eric Cabahug and directed by
Robert Quilao. It is among the eight
movies (and the second movie of its kind
after Ibong Adarna which was featured
in 1997) that will be screened during the
34th Manila Film Festival in December
2008.
Urduja
Urduja, the first
Filipino
fulllength animated
film,
revolves
around the legendary warriorprincess Urduja.
This epic film of
love, war, and
bravery is the
brainchild of “Eat Bulaga” producer
Antonio “Tony” Tuviera. It features the
traditional hand-drawn animation of a
group of Filipino animators.
This film, which is Tuviera’s dream
project, was first envisioned as a series of
animated features to appear on television.
However, due to financial constraints,
the production had to be cut short. Tuviera then decided to turn it into a film that
took thirteen years to finish under APT
Entertainment Inc.
Urduja features the voices of Regine
Velasquez, Cesar Montano, Eddie Garcia,
and Jay Manalo. It received an “A” rating from the Cinema Evaluation Board.
For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Dayo_%28film%29
Photo: Dayo movie poster from www.dayomovie.com
For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Urduja_%28film%29
Photo: Urduja poster courtesy of APT Entertainment at PEP.ph.
9
B
The Lost Boys
(The Youngest) is a 64-minute documentary that captures the lives
of three young detainees in a provincial jail for adult prisoners. This film,
created by Ditsi Carolino and Nana Buxani, was filmed through the Consuelo
Foundation in its effort to reveal the state of the juvenile justice system in the
Philippines. It was filmed in Cebuano and subtitled in English.
It was in 1999 when Carolino and Buxani began making this film. They
spent three weeks in six different jails in the southern part of the country. It
was released on a limited screening in December 2004. Since then, it has been
featured in numerous film festivals and has earned international awards.
unso
About the film
The film documents the day-to-day life
of thousands of child criminals who
live in horrendous conditions in overcrowded cells with adult prisoners. It
highlights the experiences of 13-yearold Anthony, 11-year-old Diosel and
Tisoy (also known as Bunso) as they
struggle to survive inside the jail. All
three had been accused of theft and
robbery. Anthony stole money to feed
his siblings. Diosel was sent to jail by
his father after he got caught stealing
from a store. Meanwhile, Bunso, the
neglected child, went from begging to
stealing money in order to fund his addiction.
Inside the jail, 157 minor prisoners have alternate sleeping schedules
to fit in a space suited only for less
than a hundred persons. The kids could
only get a shower when it rained. They
would fight just to get enough food to
eat during meal time. In this film, Carolino shows how the kids gradually
lose their innocence even as it draws
attention to the lack of guidance from
parents and the failure of the justice
system in the Philippines.
For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Bunso_%28film%29
Photo: Bunso movie poster from www.ma-yitheatre.org.
10
test Pinoy Movie Sidekic
a
e
r
G
e
h
ks*
*T
T
the best friends, the alalay,
the shock absorbers, the comic relief
providers, the shoulders to cry on, the
kanang kamay. They are the sidekicks –
the ones who laugh hardest at the lead
comedian’s jokes, and the principal supporter of the dramatic actor’s choices.
There are actors in the Philippine
showbiz industry who make a living out
of being “the other ones.” Legends they
are so that even the top-billed stars feel
like they owe a portion of their success
to these thespians cast with them more
often than their love team partners. Here
is a list of those sidekicks that surely you
remember.
hey are
11
Panchito
Alfonso Tagle, Sr.
is Panchito Alba, or
simply Panchito. He
is best known as Comedy King Dolphy’s
main buddy in most of
their movies, playing various supporting roles in films like Kalabog at Bosyo (1959), Pacifica Falayfay (1969), and Bugoy (1979). Panchito
and Dolphy were famous for their English-Filipino song translation sequence.
This partnership that crossed over to the
small screen would last until the sidekick’s death in 1995.
Dencio Padilla
No one personifies
the word “sidekick”
more than Dencio
Padilla. Most, if not
all, of the films where
the King of Philippine
Movies Fernando Poe, Jr.
was cast as the lead had Padilla tagging
along as the ally, the friend, the comic
relief in the otherwise tense environments of action films. Some of their
films include Ang Leon at Ang Daga
(1975), Kahit Konting Pagtingin (1990),
and Dito sa Pitong Gatang (1992).
Babalu
Babalu is Pablito
Sarmiento,
another
Dolphy sidekick best
remembered for his
longer than normal chin
that was part of his comedic charm. He first worked
as the driver for Panchito, where the
comedy king discovered his natural
knack for telling jokes, and then gave
him a featured role on the television
show Buhay Artista. Since then, Babalu
appeared in countless movies and television shows, and established himself as
one of the Philippines’ most respected
comedians.
Rene Requiestas
Rene Requiestas was
one of the most successful comedic acts
in the late ‘80s and
early ‘90s. He had impeccable timing and humorous delivery, coupled
with that crazy hairstyle and
that toothless grin which made him very
popular. Joey de Leon, his co-star in the
‘80s comedy classic Starzan, handpicked
Requiestas to play his sidekick Cheetae,
a character that would go down in history as one of the funniest ever.
Eugene Domingo
The brilliance that
is Eugene Domingo
started as a dramatic theater actress
in Dulaang UP at the
University of the Philippines. But it was her role
as the feisty maid Simang to Claudine
Barretto’s Angeline in Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggang that got the attention of
the public. Then to solidify her career,
Domingo played Rowena, Ai Ai de las
Alas’ best friend in the hit movie Tanging Ina. Now Eugene is best known
for this no nonsense, almost aggressive
comedy that people dig.
For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=The_Greatest_Pinoy_Movie_Sidekicks
12
T
hroughout the history of the film industry in the Philippines, several filmmakers have produced projects which tackled Philippine political, sexual, social
and religious matters which are considered sensitive and controversial.
The following are some of the most controversial Philippine films which
spawned heaps of rumors and comments from moviegoers and movie aficionados,
were applauded; nearly banned, or totally banned in Philippine cinemas.
Toro (Live Show) was one of the most
talked about films released in Philippine
cinema, such that it was even banned in all
movie theaters. The movie dealt with a very
sensitive issue—the plight of the “toreros
and toreras” or people who do “live shows/
live sex” for a living.
affairs with many men end up in a bizarre
triangle of illicit romances. This sexy film
was almost banned, not because of its sexual theme, but because according to the Philippine National Police, it allegedly put the
image of policemen in a bad light.
Philippines’ most popular personalities,
the former First Lady Imelda Marcos. The
film explores Imelda’s complex persona,
documenting her stellar rise to power and
her plunge into notoriety. This film showed
the controversial opulence of the Marcos
family amid the poverty of the people they
enslaved.
for depicting political killings, the proliferation of paramilitary vigilantes and the
abduction of rebels or non-conformists.
The plot was based on actual incidents in
the Philippines.
Orapronobis (Pray For Us) was
Imelda is a documentary on one of the banned during the Aquino administration
Kontrobersyal is a movie created by National Artist for Film Lino Brocka in 1980
which deals with condemning and deploring pornography. Ironically, it was also
deemed pornographic. Most of the scenes
were deemed obscene and offensive to the
viewers and was almost banned in Philippine cinemas.
Scorpio Nights is a 1985 movie directed
by Peque Gallaga featuring Anna Marie
Gutierrez and Dan Fernando. Aside from
its provocative scenes and excessive skin
exposure, the film is also a metaphorical representation of Philippine society during the
early 80’s. It received an X rating from the Tatlong Hambog is a 1926 silent film
MTRCB, forcing it to be shown only in the which starred a race car sportsman Luis
Experimental Cinema of the Philippines. Tuason and vaudeville actress Dimples
Cooper. It was considered controversial beRed Diaries tells the story of three diffe- cause it was the first Filipino movie with a
rent women, all of them played by Assunta lips-to-lips kissing scene which was consida Rossi. One is a kept woman whose love dered scandalous at that time.
For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Most_Controversial_Philippine_Films
13
Lav Diaz:
Legacy
Beyond Length
B
films that run for no less
than five hours, Lav Diaz has become one of the most notable independent Filipino filmmakers of the
past decade.
Yet it is not so much the length
of Diaz’s films that make the Cotabato
native one of the most compellingly
unique figures in Philippine cinema
today. Instead, it is their depth and
breadth—and the equally unique vision he pours into them.
Diaz, 40, whose full name is Lavrente Indico Diaz, most recently made
headlines after winning a second
New Horizons award at the 2008 Venice International Film Festival for his
eight-hour Melancholia, a tale about
victims of summary execution. He
had been conferred a Venice Horizons
Special Mention in 2007 for his ninehour epic on the aftermath of a catastrophic typhoon and volcanic eruption in Bicol, Kagadanan sa Banwaan
ning mga Engkanto (Death in the Land
of Encantos).
“I usually write the script while
shooting,” Diaz told the Philippine
Daily Inquirer, explaining the creative
process behind his lengthy movies.
“Sometimes I would see new threads
and include them in the movie. The
story constantly evolves. In the end, I
become a slave to the process. I have
no choice but to follow.”
y creating
His muse might be one of the only
things he obeys.
“My cinema is not part of the industry conventions anymore. It is free,”
Diaz, who also does not use scores in
his movies, says in an interview on
greencine.com. “I am applying the
theory that we Malays, we Filipinos,
are not governed by the concept of
time.”
“I find long, long takes more emotional and more fulfilling in terms of
creating pathos. I could chop up a
scene in so many cuts, but I find long
takes very emotional or very deep,” he
adds.“This is the framework that really
gives me all the things that I want to
see in a film. In that sense, I represent
my culture. That is what I want to share
as a Filipino.”
Diaz’s concern for capturing Filipino culture and society on film makes
critics say he takes after the tradition
of legendary Filipino directors Lino
Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, Mike de Leon
and Peque Gallaga, who produced
films that unflinchingly examine the
ills of Philippine society. In fact, as an
“artist-as-conscience”, Diaz has already
been hailed as an heir to Brocka—the
very man whose Maynila: Sa mga Kuko
ng Liwanag (Manila: In the Claws of
Light) inspired Diaz to make use of the
power of his medium.
For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Lav_Diaz
Photo by Ruth Ehrmann from www.taz.de.
14
History of
Philippine Cinema
S
adly, the Philippine movie industry did not begin with Filipinos; it started when
foreign merchants brought film viewing equipment to the country.
First, the firsts
The installation of Manila’s first electricity-generating plant by Japanese engineers in 1895 was very important in the
development of cinema in the country, for
without power, film equipment wouldn’t
work.
In 1897, Señor Francisco Pertierra
used a 60mm Gaumont chronophotographe from France to show a series of
still photographs at his Espectaculo Cientifico de Pertierra (Pertierra’s Scientific
Spectacle), which served as an appetizer
to the showing of the first moving pictures
that year by two Swiss businessmen.
Pinoys make their move
After the Philippine-American War, Filipinos had more freedom and initiative
to make their own films. These pioneers
bought equipment from the Americanbuilt film companies, and in 1919, Jose
Nepomuceno produced Dalagang Bukid
(Farm Girl), which was based on a musical by Hermogenes Ilagan and Leon Ignacio. While Nepomuceno is known as the
“Father of Philippine Film,” Dalagang
Bukid lead actress Atang de la Rama became the first star of Philippine cinema.
By the 1920s, film had become one
of the most popular forms of entertainment in the Philippines. Stars were made
and directors made their mark, but early
Filipino movies were mostly copies of
American and European films.
Propaganda
When WWII and the Japanese Occupation came, filmmakers had to give up
their equipment to be used by the Japanese for propaganda campaigns. Filipinos
did not take very well to films the Japanese brought from their homeland, so the
foreigners decided to commission local
talents—one of whom was Gerardo de
Leon—to make movies about PhilippineJapanese friendship.
The first Golden Age
The 1950s heralded the resurgence of the
studio system, with the re-establishment
of Sampaguita Pictures and LVN, as well
as the appearance of Premiere Productions.
Film critics say that the 1950s is a
golden age not because of the number
of films produced but because it was
then that local productions evolved from
simply being movies to become works
of art. Directors began to explore new
techniques and styles of narrative. It was
also during this time that local films were
recognized in international film festivals:
Manuel Conde’s Genghis Khan was accepted for screening at the Venice Film
Festival in 1952.
For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Philippine_Cinema
15
The Last Stand
at Baler
L
os Ultimos de Filipinas (The Last
of the Philippines) (1945) is a film
based on a true story about a holdout
Spanish army unit fighting Filipino revolutionaries. The unit serves as a symbol
for the last days of the Spanish empire in
the Philippines. During the time of the
Spanish-American War, the commandante of a Spanish detachment in Baler, Philippines realizes that the native people of
his district are planning an insurrection.
He orders his troops to entrench in the
village church. During their stay, which
is prolonged for nearly a year, there are
several incidents which show the tenacity
and heroism of the Spanish.
Director/Writer
During the 1940s, Antonio Román was
Spain’s most celebrated filmmaker and
went on to become one of the managers
of the Cooperativa Cinematográfica Castilla. Originally planning to be a pharmacist, he instead turned to film criticism,
writing for some of Spain’s most distinguished journals. By 1934, he had also
begun directing, starting with a few short
documentaries. His first full-length film,
Escuadrilla (Squadron) (1941), was made
in collaboration with Sáenz De Heredia.
Other features directed by Román include
Lola Montes (1944) and La Fuentovejuna
(1947). Román went on writing reviews
and directing films throughout the ‘60s
and into the ‘70s, although his output
slowed. In 1970, he was fired from the
set of Ringo Del Nebraska, after having
filmed less than 10%, because the producer did not like his slow and meticulous
pace. He was replaced by Mario Bava,
his friend and protégé. Out of respect for
Román, Bava refused to accept credit for
the film.
Legacy
In the 1990s, the 1945 film experienced
a surge of popularity in Spain, with frequent rescreenings put on by Instituto
Cervantes and other revival festivals. In
American universities the film has been
studied by American cultural scholar
Marsha Kinder as part of the Falangist
movement’s drive to reinvigorate Spanish
attitudes especially after the disastrous
Civil War and World War II.
Filipino scholar Rolando B. Tolentino in his book National/Transnational
Subject Formation and Media In and On
the Philippines (Ateneo de Manila University Press, 2001) explained its recurring popularity in Spain as being due to
“its conflation of imperialist desire and
colonialist nostalgia.” While the mise
en scene takes place in 1898 with the establishment of the first Asian republic in
1898, what Spanish audiences see is the
mythologization of the imperial country’s
last stand in the Pacific. The film is read
by the Spanish public as the “valorization
of the heroism of its colonial past.”
For the complete article, visit http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Los_Ultimos_de_Filipinas_%28The_Last_of_
the_Philippines%29_%281945%29
Photo from Dennis Villegas collection.
16
Sulyap sa
Isang Lihim
A
driguez) at ama ni Santi (Jay Ilagan). Kasintahan ni Santi si Jonee (Hilda Koronel).
May isang ipinakatatagu-tagong lihim ang
Don na tanging ang matalik niyang kaibigan
na si Celso (Luis Gonzales) ang nakaaalam.
Bakla si Don Benito at mismong siya ay
kinasusuklaman ang katotohanang ito. Sa
puntong ito ay nakilala ni Don Benito si
Gracita (Marissa Delgado) sa isang club at
kinalaunan ay naging “imbakan” din ng kanyang personal na problema. Kinuha niyang
social secretary si Gracita upang pagtakpan
sa mata ng tao ang katotohanan hinggil sa
kanyang pagiging isang bakla.
Naging masalimuot ang relasyon ng
mag-asawang Don Benito at Donya Emma
sa loob ng halos isang taon na sumaksi sa
pagiging malamig ng kanilang pagsasama.
Pinararatangan ni Donya Emma na nambababae si Don Benito at isa si Gracita sa
kanyang mga pinagsususpetsahan. Hanggang sa dumating sa buhay ni Don Benito
si Diego (Mario O’ Hara), ang lalaking
nagmamay-ari ng maamong mukha at
matikas na pangangatawan. Naakit si Don
Benito sa kakisigan ni Diego at inalok niya
itong maging personal drayber. Hindi doon
lamang nagtatapos ang tungkulin ni Diego
sa matandang Don. Umabot sila sa sekwal
na relasyon at humangga sa pagkahaling ng
Don kay Diego na halos sambahin at idamLagom
Si Don Benito (Eddie Garcia) ay isang bana niya sa pedestal.
Hindi naglaon at lumabas ang tunay na
mayaman, matalino, edukado, respetable, at
ulirang asawa ni Donya Emma (Lolita Ro- kulay ni Diego…
ng Tubog sa Ginto ay isang obra
maestrang nilikha ni Mars Ravelo,
isang batikang manunulat sa komiks noong
dekada sitenta. Inilathala ang nobela sa mga
pahina ng Tagalog Klasiks at sinasabing ito
ang kauna-unahang kwento na pumukaw
sa isang napakamaselang tema kung saan
tinalakay ang isyu ng homoseksuwalidad
sa mga panahong napakasensitibong pagusapan ang tungkol dito.
Sa kabila nang napakarami nang pagsasaliksik at pagpapaliwanag hinggil sa
“third sex,” bigo pa rin ang lipunan na ganap
na maunawaan ang mga pasakit na dinaranas ng isang may pusong-babae na nakulong sa katawan ng isang lalaki. Ipinapalagay nang mga konserbatibo ang ganitong
kaso na nagtuturing sa kanila bilang mga
nagtatagong kriminal. Sa panahong isinulat
ang kwento, 1969-1970, ang kabaklaan ay
isang natatanging lihim na hanggang kamatayan ay hindi maaaring mabunyag. Sila
ay kinasusuklaman, ikinahihiya, nilalait at
ginagawang sentro ng katatawanan ng mga
taong tinatawag na kumbensyonal. Ang pagiging binabae ayon sa paniniwala ay isang
malaking kasiraan at eskandalo na nagdudulot ng malaking kahihiyan sa buong angkan
o lahi ng isang nirerespetong pamilya.
Para sa buong artikulo, bumisita sa http://fil.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Tubog_sa_Ginto
Larawan: Tubog sa Ginto poster mula sa video48.blogspot.com
17
Unang Sibol
S
a pangunguna ni Pedro Vera, itinatag noong 1937 ang Sampaguita Pictures, Inc.
(SPI), ang pinaka-una at tinaguriang pinaka-prestihiyosong kumpanya ng pelikula sa Pilipinas. Kasama ang Lebran, Inc, LVN Pictures at Premiere Productions,
Inc., binubuo nila ang “Big Four” ng industriya ng pelikula sa bansa.
Kasaysayan
Kasama ni Pedro Vera sa pagtatatag ng
SPI ay sina Hukom Jose O. Vera, Rep.
Jose Zulueta, Col. Antonio Torres, Dr.
Catalino Gavino, Dr. Pedro Abecilla at
Doña Apolonia Vda de Vera. Si Luis F.
Nolasco ang napili nila na mamuno sa
paggawa ng mga pelikula.
Ang Bituing Marikit ay ang unang
pelikula na nagawa ng SPI. Pinagbidahan ito ng “singing sweetheart of the
Philippines” na si Elsa Oria, kasama si
Rogelio de la Rosa. Lumabas ang pelikula noong 27 Disyembre 1937. Dahil
sa naging matagumpay ang una nilang
pelikula, ito ay sinundan pa ng iba’t
ibang musikal na pagtatanghal, tulad
ng Paru-parong Bukid, 1938; Madaling
Araw, 1938; at Dalisay, 1939.
Huminto ang operasyon ng SPI
mula 1942 hanggang 1945 dahil sa
Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig, ngunit nagpatuloy
namang muli sa ilalim
ni Hukom Jose O. Vera
noong 1946 matapos
na mamatay ang presidente nila na si Pedro
Vera.
Nakaranas ng malaking problema
ang SPI noong 1951, nang masunog
ang kumpanya at kasamang natupok sa
apoy ang mga master negatives nito.
Gamit ang mga natira sa istudyo, gumawa ang SPI nang isang pelikula na
may mababang badget, ang Roberta, na
pinagbibidahan ni Tessie Agana. Naging
matagumpay ang pelikula at nagpatuloy
sa industriya ang SPI, sa ilalim naman
ng pamumuno ni Dr. Jose R. Perez.
Nang mamatay si Perez, sinundan
siya ng kanyang panganay na anak na
si Marichu Vera-Perez Maceda, upang
patabukhin ang kumpanya. Sa ilalim ng
pamamahala ni Maceda. Itinanghal nila
ang AKO Batch ‘81 ni Mike de Leon.
Para sa buong artikulo, bumisita sa http://fil.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Sampaguita_Pictures
18
19
20
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