PEDRO FAUSTINO - OF SENTIMENTAL VALUE (By Chelo R. Banal, Philippine Panorama, June 15, 1975)

 Click on image to enlarge

Source:  Philippine Panorama, June 15, 1975

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HISTORY OF RP MOVIES: CRITICS VOICES IN WILDERNESS NO MORE (by Joe Quirino)

CRITICS VOICES IN WILDERNESS NO MORE

by Joe Qurino

 

Source:     The Times Journal, June 27, 1974

                 Vol. II, No. 249

                 "HISTORY OF RP MOVIES"

In the chapter on tearjerkers, we cited a favorite ploy of the critics of Filipino movies who maintain that there are only two kinds of local photoplays, both of which make the audience cry -- one kind because it is so sad, and the other, because it is bad.

The drumbeaters of the native film industry, on the other hand, would like the movie-going public to believe that local photoplays are the best in Asia, and that they can compare favorably with European and American films.

The true picture of the local cinema probably lies in between the two extreme viewpoints:  there are bad Filipino movies as there are lousy Hollywood and European pictures and there are good ones.

Film critic T.D. Agcaoili, now a member of the Board of Censors for Motion Pictures, observes:  "Despite the evidence of progress in the choice of story material, there are still debilitating influences on Filipino movies such as those exerted by writers of true-confession vernacular novels and comic books.

"One of the greatest setbacks in the development of Filipino film art", Agcaoili continues, "lies in the limitation of good imported films from Japan, Korea, India, Hongkong, Italy and France.  We only see Hollywood films.  It was only recently that we have been exposed to good European films."

The dominance of American or Hollywood films in the entertainment fare of Filipinos in the last 60 years has resulted in a false concept of the ideal way of life:  a concept that is utterly false, for the way of life that Hollywood generally depicts in its films is not typical of American life. It is an escapist world, a carnival, a mardi gras of beautiful women, beautiful homes and beautiful life -- a life untouched by tragedy, or if ever, is, at the final fadeout, saved by miracles of coincidence and convenience.

Hollywood films have greatly influenced the views and attitudes of our moviemakers.

"American movies have made our producers dishonest", says critic Agcaoili.  "They are unaware of, or unconcerned with Filipino life, with the world they live in.  As a result, the basic element in art, even in film art, that of being indigenous or heterogenic, is lacking."

Agcaoili, of course, is not indulging in idle prattle.

Many of today's local movies are rehashes or outright copies of Hollywood horror movies, Westerns and the kung fu photoplays which seem to be the rage all over the world today.

Espiridion Laxa, former president of the Philippine Motion Pictures Producers Association, on the other hand, bewails the prejudice of the intellectual segment against Filipino films.

"Since its birth six decades ago", Laxa declared, "the local movie industry has continuously suffered from the vestiges of colonial mentality sadly ingrained in some Filipinos who are avidly prejudiced against things made in the Philippines.  It is no solace for us movie producers to know that many local industries, also suffer from a similar public prejudice against anything made here, but the film industry is the hardest hit by such prejudice.

This prejudice against local films, Laxa continued, is anchored on two allegations, namely:  that the local films are of poor quality, and that they are mere or virtual imitations of foreign pictures.

But there are all sorts of critics, Laxa maintained, and they can be divided into the seeing and non-seeing critics.  "The seeing critics" are those who see out pictures mainly for the purpose of finding faults therein.  After viewing a movie, these critics issue a sweeping judgment against the movie, and to further stress their point, they would compare the quality of a local pictures filmed in 45 days at a cost of P150,000 with that of a foreign photoplay filmed in one year or more costing millions of dollars."

Such critics, Laxa maintained, are not only without a sense of proportion but are lacking mental honesty because the refuse to appreciate the ingenuity of Filipino moviemakers who sometimes produce low-cost pictures surpassing the quality as well as the box-office appeal of some high-cost foreign films.

"The non-seeing critics," Laxa went on, "are those who pillory the local films on the basis of what they hear from others or on the strength of their experience with movies of pre-war days."

Laxa's dander is up when he hears critics say that local Western and James Bond-type pictures are imitations of foreign films because, according to such critics, there are neither cowboys nor James Bondish agents in the Philippines.

"This is the height of absurdity," Laxa stressed.  "There are already Filipino cowboys now tending cattle ranches in many parts of the Philippines and we have intrepid sleuths in our NBI, CIS and Metrocom agents."

Laxa cites the cowhands at the Canlubang farms, mounted on imported horses and, before martial law, carrying their guns Texas style.

But even granting for the sake of argument that some local pictures look like imitations of foreign films, Laxa said, local pictures should not be summarily dismissed for two reasons:  firstly, we do not criticize the Hollywood producers for imitating the James Bond series, which are British productions, and secondly, there is no denying the fact that critics in this country 'are all praises for Shakespearean and Broadway plays staged in the Philippines, plays which are un-Filipino in flavor and concept.' It is ironic that those who accuse the local movie producers as imitators are great imitators themselves because they speak, dress up and behave like Americans."

But granting Laxa's argument, there is something valid in the plaint against local movies that one can hardly distinguish between comedies from tragedies.  This is so the (supposed tragedies) films are so heavily freighted down with heartbreak stuff that they become comic.  The comedians, on the other hand, become tragedians because of the prevailing belief on the part of our filmmakers that while the moviegoers love to laugh, they also go the cinema house to have a good cry.  Most of Dolphy's films are guilty of this ambiguity of characterization.

But there is a silver lining in the dark clouds formed by lousy Philippine movies.

Of late, there have been attempts by some moviemakers to produce pictures that may be the start of a new cultural consciousness.  TINIMBANG KA NGUNI'T KULANG, a superlative photoplay written and directed by Lino Brocka, one of the finest megmen in the country today, is one such attempt.

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LIKU-LIKONG LANDAS (1968)

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The 5 FAMAS Best Actresses in LIKU-LIKONG LANDAS (Gloria Romero, Rita Gomez, Lolita Rodriguez, Marlene Dauden and Barbara Perez)

Source:  Screen Stardom, December 1968

(Courtesy of Simon Santos, Video 48)

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GOLDIGER (1954)

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Source:  Literary Song-Movie Magazine, May 1954

(From the magazine collection courtesy of Simon Santos, Video 48)

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DRESSED TO KILL (1965)

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Source:  Screen Stardom, Vol. IV, No. 4 (1965)

(From the magazine collection courtesy of Simon Santos, Video 48)

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LAHING TEKSAS (GANAP ANG KANILANG KAHANDAAN) (Literary Song-Movie Magazine, September 16, 1961)

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Source:  Literary Song-Movie Magazine, September 16, 1961

(From the magazine collection courtesy of Simon Santos, Video 48)

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LOLITA RODRIGUEZ: BAGONG BITUIN (Sinulat ni Mar. M. Lopez, Literary Song-Movie Magazine, May 1954)

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Source:  Literary Song-Movie Magazine, May 1954

(From the magazine collection courtesy of Simon Santos, Video 48)

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IGINUHIT NG TADHANA (THE FERDINAND MARCOS STORY) (1965)

 Click on image to enlarge

Source:  Screen Stardom, August 1965

(From the magazine collection courtesy of Simon Santos, Video 48)

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HISTORY OF RP MOVIES: AWARDS, DESERVED AND OTHERWISE (by Joe Quirino)

AWARDS, DESERVED AND OTHERWISE

by Joe Quirino

Source:  The Times Journal, June 26, 1974

               Vol. II, No. 248

                "History of RP Movies"

  

No less than the First Lady, Mrs. Imelda R. Marcos, graces this year's (Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences) FAMAS awards presentation held last April at the Coral Ballroom of the Manila Hilton as guest speaker.

The practice of giving awards to producers, directors, actors and actresses, and technicians was unthinkable in the early days of Philippine movies.  This was because movie people then were considered second-class citizens.

Today, even the AFP civic organizations give awards to deserving movie personalities.  In recent search for The Outstanding Women of the New Society (TOWNS), two actresses -- Boots Anson-Roa and Rosa Rosal were chosen.  Boots was picked for her contribution in the field of arts while Rosa was singled out for her charity work.

Circulation booster

Within a few years after the first all-Pilipino movie (DALAGANG BUKID) was released in 1919, the various periodicals began to recognize the circulation-boosting power of movie write-ups  Movie magazines started to proliferate, with the Literary Song Movie setting the trend.

A few years before the war, the Literary Song Movie Magazine, the Philippines Herald and other publications conducted popularity contests to choose the King and Queen of Philippine Movies.  But it was not until after the war that more substantial forms of recognition were given to the movie industry and the people in it.

Maria Clara Awards

In 1950, the defunct Manila Times Publishing Col. established the Maria Clara Awards, an institution patterned after the annual Oscar Awards of the American Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) of Hollywood.  The primary purpose of the Maria Clara Awards was to encourage the production of quality movies in the Philippines and to spur local movie personalities to greater achievements.

In the very first Maria Clara Awards, several producers, pictures, directors, actors, actresses and technicians vied with each other to win the bronze Maria Clara statuette by Guillermo E. Tolentino, the country's top sculptor.

The Maria Clara Award statuette designed by

National Artist Guillermo Tolentino.

A board of judges, composed of well-known writers, film critics, playwrights and musical composers chose the winners that year.

First Winners

The winners of the first Maria Clara Awards were:  Narcisa Buencamino Vda. de Leon, producer of the year; Premiere's KAMAY NI SATANAS, best picture; Nena Cardenas, best actress for her performance in DOBLE CARA, a Premiere's film; Reynaldo Dante, best actor for his performance in KAMAY NI SATANAS;

Dr. Ciriaco Santiago, producer of 1st Maria Clara Awards 

Best Picture, Premiere Productions' KAMAY NI SATANAS

Tony Santos, best supporting actor, for LVN's HANTIK; Alicia Vergel, best supporting actress for Sampaguita's MAPUPUTING KAMAY; Premiere's Gerardo de Leon, best director, for KAMAY NI SATANAS; Lebran's Julio Esteban Anguita, best musical director, for THE SPELL;

Sampaguita's Higino Fallorina, best cinematographer, for BAGUIO CADETS; Lebran's Charles Gray, best sound recoroding; and Royal Production's Mila Nimfa, best child star, for NANAY KO.

In 1951, the judges in the Maria Clara Awards were Narciso Pimentel, Jr., chairman; Sarah K. Joaquin, Alejandro R. Roces, Wilfredo Guerrero, and Prof. Ramon Tapales, members.

FAMAS born

By 1952, another institution patterned after Hollywood's AMPAS took over the task began by the founders of the Maria Clara Awards. This was the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS).  It's current president is Romeo J. Arceo.

1st FAMAS Award winners ALICIA VERGEL (Best Actress, BASAHANG GINTO;

BEN PEREZ (Best Actor, BAGONG UMAGA) and GIL DE LEON (Best Supporting

Actor, KOREA)

Since 1952, the FAMAS has been giving awards to deserving movie folk.  Last April's FAMAS Awards rites saw the victory of Ramon Revilla as best actor for his performance in HULIHIN SI TIAGONG AKYAT, Gloria Sevilla as best actress for her portrayal of a confused mother in GIMINGAW AKO, a Visayan movie, and NUEVA VISCAYA, a photoplay that brings to the fore the problems of the Ilongots, as best picture.

The Philippines sent entries to the eight-nation Asian Films Festival which was launched in 1954.

In 1954, Sampaguita's Luciano B. Carlos captured the best screenplay award for his work in ANG ASAWA KONG AMERICANA.  The following year, the Philippines garnered five statuettes in the Asian filmfest when IFUGAO, a Premiere film, romped away with the best picture, best direction (Gerry de Leon), best actor (Efren Reyes), and best screenplay (Ding de Jesus) prizes while DAKILANG HUDAS won for Boy Soriano the best child actor trophy.

Banner Year

The year 1956 was another banner year for Philippine entries in the Asian filmfest.  Rogelio de la Rosa copped the best actor award for his memorable performance in HIGIT SA LAHAT while Gregorio Fernandez snagged the award for best direction for his work in the same picture.

Rogelio de la Rosa (Best Actor, HIGIT SA LAHAT), producer Manuel de Leon (Best Picture, ANAK DALITA) and director Gregorio Fernandez (Best Director, HIGIT SA LAHAT) presented the trophies the Philippine delegation have won at the 1956 Asia Filmfest to President Ramon Magsaysay.

To top it all, ANAK DALITA received the Golden Harvest Award as Asia's best picture of 1956.

In 1957, BADJAO garnered four prizes, namely:  best direction, Bert Avellana; best screenplay, Rolf Bayer; best photography, Mike Accion; and best editing, Gregorio Carballo.

The Asian filmfest was held in Manila for the first time in 1958.  the Philippines romped away with three major awards:  Romeo Vasquez, best actor, in AKO ANG MAY SALA; Rebecca del Rio, best supporting actress, in MALVAROSA; And Boy Planas, best child star, in DAY OF TRUMPET.

1958 Asia Filmfest:  Boy Planas (Best Child Actor, DAY OF TRUMPET);

Rebecca del Rio (Best Supporting Actress, MALVAROSA) and

Romeo Vasquez (Best Actor, AKO ANG MAY SALA)

(photo: Cesar Hernando)

Fat egg

The Philippines laid a big fat egg in 1959 at the Sixth Asian filmfest held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  The Philippine debacle meant two things:  while other countries had progressed in their filmmaking, the Philippines had remained at a standstill, or had retrogressed.

Not one of the five 1959 entries (LVN's KUNDIMAN NG LAHI and VENGANZA; Sampaguita's CONDENADO and TALIPANDAS; and Premiere's WATER LILY) garnered any prize.

In 1961, the Asian filmfest was held in Manila for the second time.  The Philippines won only one award -- a special one at that -- for MY SERENADE, an LVN picture, as the best musical.

For five years after that, the Philippines did not take part in the Asian filmfest, probably shaken by its three lean years.

1966 filmfest

In 1966, the Philippines again took part in the Asian filmfest -- this time in the 13th Asian filmfest held in Seoul, Korea.  It won two prizes:  a special award for MAN OF DESTINY (Iginuhit ng Tadhana), the controversial bio-photoplay of President Ferdinand E. Marcos, for portraying the life and times of an outstanding Asian leader, and for best sound recording which went to Zultana's GOLDEN BUDDHA, a colored potboiler starring Zaldy Zshornack and Perla Bautista.

In 1967, Charito Solis won the best actress award in the Asian filmfest held in Tokyo for her performance in DAHIL SA ISANG BULAKLAK.

Charito Solis won the 1967 Asia Filmfest Best Actress award for the movie,

DAHIL SA ISANG BULAKLAK.

The last time the filmfest was held in Manila was in 1969 when Ric Rodrigo won the best actor for his performance in IGOROTA.

In 1970, the Asian filmfest was rocked by a scandal when a Filipino juror exposed an irregularity in the voting procedure:  the jurors of certain countries voted identically to make their entries win.

Since then, the Asian filmfest has been conducted on a non-competitive basis.  The 1974 filmfest will be held in Taipei starting June 11, 1974. The local delegation will be led by Joseph Estrada, president of the Philippine Motion Pictures Producers Association.

Another festival that gives due recognition to achievements of local movie folk is the Manila Film Festival which was started under the aegis of Mayor Antonio J. Villegas.

This year's Manila filmfest, which will be held in July, promises to be the biggest and most colorful in the history of Philippine Movies.

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HISTORY OF RP MOVIES: THE VAMPS AND VILLAINS (by Joe Quirino)

THE VAMPS AND VILLAINS

by Joe Quirino

Source:  The Times Journal, June 25, 1974

               Vol. II, No. 247

               "History of RP Movies"

"Talent is nice

           Experience more so,

      The principal thing

      However, is torso.

The visit here of Jayne Mansfield, that superstructured actress from Hollywood, in 1967 proved that there is something more to the come hither away and the heaving bosom that meets the eye  This is why more and more cheesecake scenes are included in local pictures and fans are getting more appreciative of sex in the movies.

A Filipino movie pioneer once remarked:  "In the realm of Philippine movies, the other woman is ubiquitous and indispensable character without whom the leading lady, for want of feminine competition, would appear stale and unworthy of heroic attention of the handsome and brave hero.

On the other hand, it would indeed be a lousy movie where the hero succeeds in his mission or wins his lady fair without undergoing any kind of struggle to merit the final applause of a sympathetic audience.

Every story should have conflict and the best people to furnish this element of the dramatic photoplay are the movie vamps and the movie villains.

The Philippines has its own Marilyn Monroes, Jayne Mansfields, Gina Lollobrigidas, Claudia Cardinales, Sophia Lorens and Brigitte Bardots.  But while foreign films cast the vamps as heroines or, to be more specific, in sympathetic roles, local sweater girls are, more often than not, made to portray Cleopatra and her infinite variety.

Thus we have such sex queens as Divina Valencia, Stella Suarez, Gina Laforteza, Lucita Soriano, Merle Fernandez and Rosanna Ortiz.  Even such top dramatic stars like Rita Gomez and Charito Solis are not averse to disrobing scenes provided these are done with finesse and provided they are absolutely necessary for the development of the film's plot.

It is a paradox that while the Filipino audience stomps in glee when it sees a vamp portraying the heroine role in foreign photoplays, it still prefers local heroines to be of the clinging vine variety, the virginal and Gentle Berth type.

But tastes are changing and even what taboo before is now taken for granted.

It was Jose Nepomuceno, the 'Father of Philippine Movies', who revolutionized Philippine movies by including kissing scenes in TATLONG HAMBUG, a silent film, at a time when the movie kiss was unknown in local movies.  Later, he cast sexy contra-vidas in pictures to add spice to his photoplays.

Among the prominent villainesses of yesteryear were Antonia Santos (ANG MONGHITA and ANG ITINAPON), Naty Rubi (ANAK NG KADILIMAN, LAGABLAB NG KABATAAN, MILAGRO NG NAZARENO, and ANG KAMBAL), Angelita Rhumba Rey (GAGAMBA), Edna Stagner (sister of Rosa del Rosario) and Dolly Garcia.

Before the war, the best known villainesses were Pacita del Rio, Naty Ruby and Mina de Gracia who later graduated to sympathetic roles and became Paraluman.

Post-war vamps

The post-Liberation period saw the proliferation of sexy villainesses.

Some of them are:  Carol Varga, who is married to an American airline executive and now resides in Las Vegas; Rosa Rosal, who has graduated to more sympathetic roles, Lily Marquez now Mrs. Ronald Remy, Aida Cariño, best remembered for her torrid kissing scenes with Oscar Moreno in OBJECTIVE: PATAYIN SI MAGSAYSAY; Mercy Guia, known as the Sherry North of the Philippines; Mona Fernandez, the sweater girl of HANGGANG SA DULO NG DAIGDIG; Pacita Arana, Zeny Zabala, and Bella Flores.

Many of yesteryear's vamps became full-fledged stars  Mina de Gracia became Paraluman; Lita Gutierrez, popularized the term Alembong, for flirt; and Rebecca del Rio won the Asian filmfest award for best character actress for her able portrayal of a drunken mother in MALVAROSA.

The country's most durable contra vida is Bella Flores, whose real name is Remedios Limson.  This actress has made good by being bad - on the screen, that is.

"It is easy for me to be as mean as a cobra in my pictures," says Bella. "I just remember my unhappy childhood and I become a tigress ready to scratch out the leading lady's eyes."

Local moviedom's villains are even more colorful than their female counterparts.  These are the screen's worst scoundrels whose primary business is skulduggery.  Screen scallawags all, these 'ornery critters' make things difficult for the hero and the heroine.

"Without bad men to fight and conquer, there wouldn't be heroes," says Eddie Garcia, the most successful among all Filipino villains.

Garcia has won over a dozen trophies, including this year's FAMAS best supporting actor award for his performance in NUEVA VISCAYA.

"Screen ruffians", he continued, "provide the necessary ingredients that make a film more exciting and enjoyable."

It's a tough racket, indeed, where villains have to contend against both the hero and the audience.

Local cinema addicts, especially those in the barrios, give vent to their spleen by hissing and booing the villains when the latter are at their worst. Fans applaud and cheer the conquering hero who arrives just in time to save the leading lady from being seduced by the villain.

Indeed, Philippine films are fond of using seduction scenes just to make the villain appear more villainous.

How can Rosa Mia and other tearjerkers appear pitiable without an ornery critter to give her the works?  A touch of villainy also makes comedy pictures funnier.  What can be funnier than a toughie being given the works by a comedian?

But movie villains can also inject pathos in a comedy picture.  Take the scene in BONDYING (1954) where the father of Fred Montilla, who plays the title role, tears up the picture of Bondying's late mother.  Try topping that for villainy.

Movie scallawags, too, give creditable performances.  Aside from Eddie Garcia, other meanies who have won awards include Gil de Leon, Ruben Rustia, Panchito Alba (now a comedian and the sidekick of Dolphy, and Ramon D'Salva.

Moviedom's villains often graduate to leading roles and even become directors.  Van de Leon, 1957 FAMAS awardee for best actor, started as a screen toughie.  Fred Montilla, who won the 1954 FAMAS best actor award, and Tony Santos, now a TV producer, are former movie villains.

Max Alvarado, who is the personification of evil on the silver screen, is a comedian in real life.

Other movie toughies include:  Ric Bustamante, also a stuntman; Johnny Reyes, Joe Sison, Vic Diaz, Paquito Diaz, Romeo Diaz, Bruno Punzalan, Flor Bien, Martin Marfil, Bert Olivar, and Ding Tello, who's a dead ringer for the late President Ramon Magsaysay.

Joseph de Cordova, another durable movie villain, has met all kinds of deaths in his pictures.

Movie desperadoes who have crosses the Great Divine include:  Mario Bari, Fernando Royo, Jaime Castelvi, Gregorio Ticman (who was also a comedian), and Bert Leroy, who was killed by the Japanese.

Movie villains of the past who are now engaged in other trades include:  Manuel Barbeyto, now a salesman; Andres Centenera, now a boxing referee; Miguel Anzures, father of the late child star Narding Anzures, now in radio and television; Salvador Zaragoza, now a private entrepreneur; and Ben Rubio, now in the night club business.

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