tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555502225985589442024-02-20T01:48:00.464-08:00PINOY•COMICS•TV•MOVIESAnything concerning Filipino Movies, Comic Books, & Television.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-59818423989282410532010-02-07T21:08:00.000-08:002010-02-08T18:04:46.030-08:00What’s Wrong With The Current RP Indie Comic Books (According To All Anonymous Out There)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA79d5Ll9L8CnOjgiRt5jxwKlDGDkE-C3LViwgjqqBJ2_TdC1Az0XcmpkTOa-CtceZ2UralpVFyo8NY_S6qCL3cXdrd5DysmYMg4y-AmexKVCCI2I5uIn7IKlqly9dsKtMm8tQiVq78a0/s1600-h/comsophia.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA79d5Ll9L8CnOjgiRt5jxwKlDGDkE-C3LViwgjqqBJ2_TdC1Az0XcmpkTOa-CtceZ2UralpVFyo8NY_S6qCL3cXdrd5DysmYMg4y-AmexKVCCI2I5uIn7IKlqly9dsKtMm8tQiVq78a0/s400/comsophia.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435740099130861106" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">This is SOPHIA BOOKS in downtown Vancouver, BC. This is my favorite comic store because it's multilingual. It carries all comic books from allover the world.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkmbRo8gJ_Qku6c3jrmDxLgijZJ8g2_clmTC66zpReOmRZdXvDFZoTaw7h13_wys6ee3DwHg8jumxf8mQrth0aAlxbmYVL2pKQT0Ql7uWvaJFnM8fue-1X7rYgd-scMtDWZH2kYwgUv4/s1600-h/comDSC_0438.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkmbRo8gJ_Qku6c3jrmDxLgijZJ8g2_clmTC66zpReOmRZdXvDFZoTaw7h13_wys6ee3DwHg8jumxf8mQrth0aAlxbmYVL2pKQT0Ql7uWvaJFnM8fue-1X7rYgd-scMtDWZH2kYwgUv4/s400/comDSC_0438.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435738082416805842" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">If comic books are dead, why do we always see these fans buying comics in Vancouver, BC?</span><br /><br />Complaints, complaints, and more complaints.<br /><br />That opening sentence is definitely fragmentary and Strunk and White of that age-old Elements of Style rules would have definitely chewed my ear off for using it, but fuck the duo. It is there to emphasize the dissatisfaction of many irritated, disillusioned-sounding “anonymous” posting their sometimes nonchalant, other times extremely bitter, if not abusive – comments against the status of RP’s indie comic books.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcy4rQmLTXkYqz26D9Kqc2AkcGil4a61hSL5kf9eckl9ecLcaPiZsiewhpOVIlgcjlExt6scLEwKq6fOWIGIGZZk1NMgFgGwe5z1hmWTxFCHH6YhqSQcaSmqxHggUGFAf4JjukvkNuJDc/s1600-h/comhighoctane.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcy4rQmLTXkYqz26D9Kqc2AkcGil4a61hSL5kf9eckl9ecLcaPiZsiewhpOVIlgcjlExt6scLEwKq6fOWIGIGZZk1NMgFgGwe5z1hmWTxFCHH6YhqSQcaSmqxHggUGFAf4JjukvkNuJDc/s400/comhighoctane.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435739978532429954" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">A Neighborhood comic book store in Vancouver, BC.<br /></span><br /><br />However, this is now the time to give all of you the opportunity to be truthful in expressing your views.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DyGFH2qcIDjyvqvMm1DMVxYoLYczep6HR_AxHCkOYIt-MOhCQaIcuShr9EGUI9vkklJ82cy_Cv_EPfmY78LjmyMyII-2gOC5QHlWkXv69Z-vCCA2HbFk7ue1tGusQW3R9g6_Td2h_Rg/s1600-h/comDSC_0423.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DyGFH2qcIDjyvqvMm1DMVxYoLYczep6HR_AxHCkOYIt-MOhCQaIcuShr9EGUI9vkklJ82cy_Cv_EPfmY78LjmyMyII-2gOC5QHlWkXv69Z-vCCA2HbFk7ue1tGusQW3R9g6_Td2h_Rg/s400/comDSC_0423.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435737899744360274" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Would Bayani Fernando's alipores not kick you out of Cubao's sidewalks if you've worn something like this? Another "anything goes" in crazy Vancouver.</span><br /><br />It has been going on for quite sometime now, that these – what we call in Bicol – “tawong lipod”, meaning the “unseen people,” have been harping day in and day out on the dismal state of the RP comic book indie publishing. The other group, however, would swear to high heavens, how excellent these Indie comic books are, and that the anonymous critics are so blatantly unfair. By the way, Tawong Lipod is used to describe the MALIGNO in the Bicol region. They’re there in our midst, but most people do not see them (just like the anonymice in the world wide web), unless one has been born with very sharp psychic perceptions.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIM1CeDHda2WUdPWP43JSrO3mDUAsScrNm1BLRw2aODSzU1KwvR6z8JpDgLzKDCoEE8JhGrhbLd18TQ5ir1J7KYasc2Y5tIEY7C0AoZ0yrObaWUWV91on02l9hvpxEt0rWjkk0QclVPJ4/s1600-h/comgreyhaven.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIM1CeDHda2WUdPWP43JSrO3mDUAsScrNm1BLRw2aODSzU1KwvR6z8JpDgLzKDCoEE8JhGrhbLd18TQ5ir1J7KYasc2Y5tIEY7C0AoZ0yrObaWUWV91on02l9hvpxEt0rWjkk0QclVPJ4/s400/comgreyhaven.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435739857566808770" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Another neighborhood comics outlet in Vancouver.</span> <br /><br />Once and for all, I am opening a “portal” to let all the spirits, including poltergeists and other demonic entities, to enter into the world of “Tawong Lipod”, so that we can tackle this unsettling issue of RP Indie Comic Books. These unnamed critics have been pleading to be given the opportunity to unleash their dissatisfaction and their right to be heard. Well, the time has come for that opportunity.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4jrmkVsdENSpYhIkMDi2x0hTS8JLI7gE2x-FmjqmGBDtBw7eL3xt_HXR_zsdPof8O4dG0-kSKW5GrKw2ivBcVlU3LUPRVQmlUDYB1WQ4y6LFaupGcep4mZ1WneTPLH9l6yMOmuoxOWo/s1600-h/comgoldenage.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4jrmkVsdENSpYhIkMDi2x0hTS8JLI7gE2x-FmjqmGBDtBw7eL3xt_HXR_zsdPof8O4dG0-kSKW5GrKw2ivBcVlU3LUPRVQmlUDYB1WQ4y6LFaupGcep4mZ1WneTPLH9l6yMOmuoxOWo/s400/comgoldenage.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435739743430118674" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Golden Age Collectables, one of the biggest comic book stores in downtown Vancouver.</span><br /><br />But, let me make this clear, though. All comments will be screened. I am allowing the names of authors to be mentioned, the title of the book, and the review of the book. However, personal vendetta, invective, and/or innuendos, such as the ones relating to one’s sexual orientation, status in life, and other personal things, will not be allowed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJsX53kobNfqpoU1pTcB8FqdsmPS1qX_Ik23uYdESSctFnRZc1JihoFky9qvkANjy8OZ9vQ10rPxnrGDpq7Y07NwdG4fKQ-pC-V4Snb108dwX7XG_GoWCgcd6CN4pM3F0R2gd6m63rz_Q/s1600-h/comDSC_0467.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJsX53kobNfqpoU1pTcB8FqdsmPS1qX_Ik23uYdESSctFnRZc1JihoFky9qvkANjy8OZ9vQ10rPxnrGDpq7Y07NwdG4fKQ-pC-V4Snb108dwX7XG_GoWCgcd6CN4pM3F0R2gd6m63rz_Q/s400/comDSC_0467.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435739177360807682" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Would you be caught dead wearing one of these costumes in downtown Cubao? Comic book fans donning their favorite superhero costumes during Free Comics Day in downtown Vancouver.</span><br /><br />I am expecting every criticism (pro or against a book) to be written with care and civility. We are here to express CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, and nothing more. Constructive criticism, by the way, is an honest-to-goodness review of the book. It should be fair even if one is disagreeing with the book. Say why you like or don’t like a particular Indie Comic Book and the accompanying explanation. I will allow phrases that professional critics use in their work to make the language colorful and alive and to give emphasis to an idea, but any abusive word will definitely be flushed in the toilet.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LwkV7CiWy7l5-nQ5_44ku_1S-g4fMFvUXiF3ZC2a1ScbaMkngkRxPASr6WmjgO5vqXk7NgAJo9RoU1IT7DkpRQ9dlbB3n88UYYYg0_l3TRRmUD5SWFnpX6-Y6vAY0dYOPCJsWlPv02w/s1600-h/comfcbd.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LwkV7CiWy7l5-nQ5_44ku_1S-g4fMFvUXiF3ZC2a1ScbaMkngkRxPASr6WmjgO5vqXk7NgAJo9RoU1IT7DkpRQ9dlbB3n88UYYYg0_l3TRRmUD5SWFnpX6-Y6vAY0dYOPCJsWlPv02w/s400/comfcbd.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435739600224727250" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Laban kayo sa kanya? He could barely walk, but he's already a comic book fan! Way to go, wee one!</span> <br /><br />Well, then, let’s hear your brilliant ideas, critics. Let’s also hear your response, Indie Comic Book creators. If your book has been critiqued, you are more than welcome to give your response. If you chose not to respond, that’s fine as well. Rest assured that I am doing this here in my blog to give both sides the opportunity to exchange both side’s ideas, and if we can come up with satisfactory outcome, it will be the best of both worlds for all.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxsv9_M-b44Z0gPIU0sX0ZKpmgPWjYGt0cqmhdgposPkAEb31W7ISAofRWLGasPkwaqwkWrFUZTeFOsTXR90INb_6aXJ52WHXWaWoMgCOC1k1BuOG40UgknhtDcXme9AJya5YPYtvujQQ/s1600-h/comDSC_0103.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxsv9_M-b44Z0gPIU0sX0ZKpmgPWjYGt0cqmhdgposPkAEb31W7ISAofRWLGasPkwaqwkWrFUZTeFOsTXR90INb_6aXJ52WHXWaWoMgCOC1k1BuOG40UgknhtDcXme9AJya5YPYtvujQQ/s400/comDSC_0103.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435737350869973634" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Archie comics just won't go away. They're everywhere in every nook and cranny of the north American landscape.</span><br /><br />The portal is now open. You are all cordially invited to express your views. You may come in.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com129tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-86691545848199335772010-01-27T22:51:00.000-08:002010-01-28T13:06:32.454-08:00Confronting Our Mortality<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWSs-Z9DGU1Y49N6PMmNFQJleSfBe9qPRBSFm_T2y0wwpwHmhSXnigiwqOYCbGWigEdTDJJj-E50Xnk0AgAjuPjWkfwl4Vz-Kl8cKZgZuDCf18RLheUBDt6P4qHotywi0JPU3s8zoENo/s1600-h/Picture+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWSs-Z9DGU1Y49N6PMmNFQJleSfBe9qPRBSFm_T2y0wwpwHmhSXnigiwqOYCbGWigEdTDJJj-E50Xnk0AgAjuPjWkfwl4Vz-Kl8cKZgZuDCf18RLheUBDt6P4qHotywi0JPU3s8zoENo/s400/Picture+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431681667711323634" /></a><br />It is always good for us to confront our mortality.<br />It makes us see where we're going, what we can do to make our existence meaningful, hope to be good to our fellowman.<br /><br />I usually stroll in cemeteries. I read what's written on gravestones and markers. Sometimes, what you read can make you sad. Some people die at a very young age, others very old, many are at the prime of their lives.<br /><br />And now...<br />We can see images that are real to tell us how vulnerable we are as human beings.<br />Nobody lives forever, and the images we see can give us a very good lesson in life.<br /><br />We have to be brave. Don't hesitate now. Let's go to:<br /><br />www.kiuma.com <br />or<br />www.viraldeath.com<br /><br />and confront our own mortality.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-89532247597035311322010-01-26T00:49:00.000-08:002010-01-26T01:48:17.992-08:00The Filipino Boy And The Death Of Murnau<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PoLUNpE18L5f1jj0f-LBG7cJZy195bfZPiqLFpdT4zOfpQIPkjyIy_sUhberLkYqzENHjShzxIUgjNk94rhDOTMY-uykC06owEt-AF25Q5AYc58-vNDpHWWNv6ZNN808smtyRCL-qL4/s1600-h/mur1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PoLUNpE18L5f1jj0f-LBG7cJZy195bfZPiqLFpdT4zOfpQIPkjyIy_sUhberLkYqzENHjShzxIUgjNk94rhDOTMY-uykC06owEt-AF25Q5AYc58-vNDpHWWNv6ZNN808smtyRCL-qL4/s400/mur1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430974276139246978" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau – the tragic film genius</span><br /><br />Despite the fact that the Philippines has been producing films in Manila sine 1899, Filipinos were never heard of in America, let alone in Hollywood, during the 1930s.<br /><br />The first time a Filipino became an item in Hollywood was in 1931 when a freaky accident happened in Los Angeles, where German-born Hollywood film director genius Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau died. This tragic event was in fact the very first time a Filipino became part of the Hollywood scene – and how!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRn1zzjFcvoRLev6e9XCSHtPySwFxpP_9vKOxqKBLhPmljnY1yNO2oSngFjAlhZPFY6hHCtPw2Acp0tcqCQFbNXgzCk_8XN8T461etjAkrLNK_IRwOyMstZrAXHpXZDNUn3dLz9kg-Evs/s1600-h/mur2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 340px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRn1zzjFcvoRLev6e9XCSHtPySwFxpP_9vKOxqKBLhPmljnY1yNO2oSngFjAlhZPFY6hHCtPw2Acp0tcqCQFbNXgzCk_8XN8T461etjAkrLNK_IRwOyMstZrAXHpXZDNUn3dLz9kg-Evs/s400/mur2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430975061742136530" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Nosferatu, Murnau's well-known horror feature is amongst the creepiest horror films</span><br /><br />Murnau, a proponent of the expressionistic film movement in Europe and who directed the film NOSFERATU – a milestone in the history of world cinema – was gay. He was well-known to like young boys.<br /><br />In 1931, seven days before the premiere of his film TABU, he allowed a fourteen year-old, exotic-looking, very handsome Filipino boy named Garcia Stevenson, for a ride in his limo. And for some absolutely bizarre reason, he let the boy drive the Packard vehicle. Stevenson, driving too fast and swerving to avoid a truck, eventually crashed against an electric pole, killing the legendary film director. Garcia was not hurt, nor the other person in the car, but Murnau’s head was cracked open on a roadside pole and died in hospital shortly afterwards. He was 42 years old.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnWJ2fys_3pj7EwvEz0O5c5uxVSBfDLg0rGnfUv9fy8q2TEmi11blXS0cVzlXoc7BfvAXy_TcuHV6zR5Pg7WUrdhypqtWteWZ5m8yaDwLs0Vfo3EWxYbhi0WxJ73fEejJHCO_xqeOvks/s1600-h/1930Packard740SeriesPhaeton.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnWJ2fys_3pj7EwvEz0O5c5uxVSBfDLg0rGnfUv9fy8q2TEmi11blXS0cVzlXoc7BfvAXy_TcuHV6zR5Pg7WUrdhypqtWteWZ5m8yaDwLs0Vfo3EWxYbhi0WxJ73fEejJHCO_xqeOvks/s400/1930Packard740SeriesPhaeton.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430974503186598082" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">A 1930 Packard 740 Series Phaeton, similar to the limo driven by Garcia Stevenson</span><br /><br />It was reported later on, that while Garcia Stevenson was driving, Mr. Murnau was playing with the boy’s genitals, and one report even went further by saying that the legendary director was actually performing fellatio on the boy, which distracted the latter, and eventually resulted in the tragic accident.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiom4zRp-Rx058fg_7B8Nf_vMwbxzWjVCQANJZLU3CLIdy4WgNLFi6bjqOa3zFqhr7jYklha6u6em7-jbAKbAluut2YmZdMKccUjovaEhLZhZdnYOEvTkj0AABaDBzOwrHdiWlxieDvgpQ/s1600-h/mur3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiom4zRp-Rx058fg_7B8Nf_vMwbxzWjVCQANJZLU3CLIdy4WgNLFi6bjqOa3zFqhr7jYklha6u6em7-jbAKbAluut2YmZdMKccUjovaEhLZhZdnYOEvTkj0AABaDBzOwrHdiWlxieDvgpQ/s400/mur3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430975540987138818" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">One of the most memorable scenes in Nosferatu that scared the hell out of moviegoers</span><br /><br />This tragic incident was predicted by a psychic in Los Angeles and told Murnau to be careful and never ever to ride in a car for this particular trip. Murnau listened at first, but changed his mind later – a choice which led to his death.<br /><br />Before Murnau came to Hollywood, he was already a well-known filmmaker in Germany. He was the most distinguished and talented of all the directors brought over to Hollywood in the 1920s with major press blitz and received the most elaborate red carpet treatment.<br /><br />His first Hollywood film, Sunrise (1927) has been firmly included in the ten best lists of critics and film-historians of the world.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmVuOtM9foFh6jGHQsxOi9tptivRoDEaShoP_CrzVVIlB-tsumj9wicDcUmK4ahMUxbOC1R61NuFVV0hdlkfub6LITtr6EcMzJCgTY8t_WHdTmIL9BDRTWTxGYfe36dfdsM-jP1K8zbs/s1600-h/mur5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 286px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmVuOtM9foFh6jGHQsxOi9tptivRoDEaShoP_CrzVVIlB-tsumj9wicDcUmK4ahMUxbOC1R61NuFVV0hdlkfub6LITtr6EcMzJCgTY8t_WHdTmIL9BDRTWTxGYfe36dfdsM-jP1K8zbs/s400/mur5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430976138383844818" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Sunrise (1927), is on the favorite list of film critics</span><br /><br />Along with Fritz Lang and G.W. Pabst, Murnau was at the forefront of the outstanding creative German cinema of the early Twenties.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QZX5q1nXr3q6uE81hVYqAZYLvXJagX6gtD-PNBo0tnRwGAuRI5qpjQ28xCKEKZxF35VmQb0bea67k3FyitZHOU79nkE1O7Ez76zQtd3pPuQajecVe1uy8RyIpo-KdZtW7CeKvaqVrJM/s1600-h/mur6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QZX5q1nXr3q6uE81hVYqAZYLvXJagX6gtD-PNBo0tnRwGAuRI5qpjQ28xCKEKZxF35VmQb0bea67k3FyitZHOU79nkE1O7Ez76zQtd3pPuQajecVe1uy8RyIpo-KdZtW7CeKvaqVrJM/s400/mur6.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430976733792368018" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Pallbearers during Murnau's interment</span><br /><br />While the scandalous rumors surrounding Murnau's death resulted in the appearance of only a handful of mourners at his funeral, Greta Garbo showed up during the interment. She requested that a death mask be made, which she kept on her desk throughout her life.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidplnOCzcpsUbamUT3KGCB3yCVCqJ72WlRYVZ34Ae3yC-03l4Yy7VJCzvrAB-oxOzDXa8Nfou64_9yUxIR48xqQhJU-WWZ1FhPtzml55oa4EnJSCBpY2q0cFTfXnJp7DtTkN5NWXlaR7A/s1600-h/mur7-.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidplnOCzcpsUbamUT3KGCB3yCVCqJ72WlRYVZ34Ae3yC-03l4Yy7VJCzvrAB-oxOzDXa8Nfou64_9yUxIR48xqQhJU-WWZ1FhPtzml55oa4EnJSCBpY2q0cFTfXnJp7DtTkN5NWXlaR7A/s400/mur7-.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430977607625216882" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Murnau was buried in Waldfriedhof Stahnsdorf, a cemetery at the outskirts of Berlin</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfqYAKv7P3_iRHEA0xyzRlusFBmdxQJ5RJLSxG3M2TgkMBLO71UmzW_kmCiAdUbtYowZc15EEoldWsu9cQtFkh98RyMF5-gnjpoVPgbBi6_eUgAxHQ56qJrwqgJkDpfVg1cs07yF2jJU/s1600-h/GRETA_GARBO.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfqYAKv7P3_iRHEA0xyzRlusFBmdxQJ5RJLSxG3M2TgkMBLO71UmzW_kmCiAdUbtYowZc15EEoldWsu9cQtFkh98RyMF5-gnjpoVPgbBi6_eUgAxHQ56qJrwqgJkDpfVg1cs07yF2jJU/s400/GRETA_GARBO.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430978401266490034" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Greta Garbo went to Murnau's interment</span><br /><br />And Garcia Stevenson?<br /><br />Would you like to know what happened to our kababayan after the scandalous accident?<br /><br />Well, one source revealed in 1986 that he was still alive and was still a hunk-looking grampa at 69.<br />:)TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-21676422878296236632010-01-20T23:52:00.001-08:002010-01-21T01:23:03.551-08:00Do You Believe In Psychic Abilities?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHHejhuufRXApkZAyXFHrEhrdbkS4K0QuM9AVAhFj6Phy0Oxo8FJYxJdFjSIH0X13yozu-nW4fU5KhMIv7AYSMaHBk3_9uxCAEaPBaZKUq4jam7d8p1VlZSm9IoccsfUWVxDNYB1HJYU/s1600-h/hand.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHHejhuufRXApkZAyXFHrEhrdbkS4K0QuM9AVAhFj6Phy0Oxo8FJYxJdFjSIH0X13yozu-nW4fU5KhMIv7AYSMaHBk3_9uxCAEaPBaZKUq4jam7d8p1VlZSm9IoccsfUWVxDNYB1HJYU/s400/hand.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429106543502430930" /></a><br /><br />In the mid to late 1970s, I was part of the fund-raising concerts for indigent heart patients at the Philippine Heart Center for Asia. We had Andy Williams, Jack Jones and Tony Bennett. The last concert I was involved with was the Tony Bennett Show, and I was in-charge of advertising, solicitation and the distribution of tickets. We were targeting executives of multinational companies and other large companies in the Philippines. The ticket for this dinner concert was Php 5,000 per plate. In those days, minimum wage was Php 13.00 per day (Php 260 per month). You can gauge how much the price of the ticket for this concert in those days.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCvNdqPpy4TbqKOw3EoVFk7tje2zn1jKoUhaoevJANLexybebOwK37UVwwJpp7b9a-zfqUXl_AMwI6NCsNa12nmgZ6ZpD-u3Xc_xn3bwMQreRhv7G2wIQYNDWRvJwefjefZ7_kIsmjv4/s1600-h/manila-hotel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCvNdqPpy4TbqKOw3EoVFk7tje2zn1jKoUhaoevJANLexybebOwK37UVwwJpp7b9a-zfqUXl_AMwI6NCsNa12nmgZ6ZpD-u3Xc_xn3bwMQreRhv7G2wIQYNDWRvJwefjefZ7_kIsmjv4/s400/manila-hotel.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429120834306496674" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Manila Hotel.</span><br /><br /> <br />One morning, I went to Manila Hotel to see the guy running the hotel, an official business regarding the concert. As I sat at the hotel’s restaurant, waiting for my breakfast order, a guy in Barong Tagalog approached my table, smiled and said: <br /><br />“May I join you?”<br /><br />The place was full of people, and I was the only one sitting alone at a table, and I told the guy:<br />“My pleasure.” <br /><br />He sat across from me, and the waiter came. The guy in-front of me ordered his breakfast, and the waiter turned away. I felt the goodness of the person in-front of me. <br /><br />“Since we’re sitting at the same table, maybe we should introduce ourselves to each other? My name is Brother John.”<br /><br />“Now, that’s unusual,” I said. “You’re telling me that your first name is Brother, and your last name is John?”<br /><br />He laughed nervously. “You already know my initials, but you refuse to concentrate to find what they mean.”<br /><br />“Actually, no. I have no idea.”<br /><br />“Okay, my name is John. John Edralin. I used to be a seminarian. My dream was to become a priest. Now, people I know simply call me Brother John.”<br /><br />“And what happened to your dream?”<br /><br />“Didn’t you know? Some are called, and others are chosen.”<br /><br />“Interesting,” I said. “Did you know that my original dream was to become a priest as well? I’ve always dreamed of helping people of their spirituality. I’ve always imagined myself delivering the sermon, inspiring the congregation to have hope, believe in love, and learn charity. Man, it would have been the noblest thing I could have done for my fellow man.”<br /><br />“We’ve actually known that, didn’t we?” Brother John said. “I have chosen your table because I felt you.”<br /><br />“You felt me? What do you mean?” <br /><br />“I guess I can’t encourage you to participate in an exercise.”<br /><br />He took out his pen and several sheets of writing paper. He started to draw. Four hearts. Then a TV screen. Then he said: “You’re connected to these things, aren’t you?”<br /><br />Is this guy trying to bull shit me? He must have known that I was involved in Imelda Marcos’ fund-raising campaign for the poor heart patients confined at the Philippine Heart Center for Asia. The hospital’s logo of course has the image of four hearts. And the TV screen, why, I was also involved in television.<br /><br />But, before I could do anything, he spoke again: “You’re missing the Bicol Region. You adore the place. But, you were heart-broken once and you’re afraid to revisit sad memories of your adolescent.”<br /><br />I felt violated, and I got up to bolt out of the restaurant.<br /><br />“Your father is very sick right now. I am so sorry. It won’t be long now before he leaves us. But then again, this is no longer news to you, is it?”<br /><br />I couldn’t believe what he said. I sat down.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmANvBSY41mNLlnhNPf1lnVxar_en2i3zmg3UU0pRaHMAQZBD1CJ-Y7wkIpU2JI5HjLZvr61wTTCoCAiosbUQcP-E-rMxflyGyx1rwUm4VD9Dk1MwqcmF0zvxveMRsHsVBV5SAF-NC-mQ/s1600-h/coyote.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmANvBSY41mNLlnhNPf1lnVxar_en2i3zmg3UU0pRaHMAQZBD1CJ-Y7wkIpU2JI5HjLZvr61wTTCoCAiosbUQcP-E-rMxflyGyx1rwUm4VD9Dk1MwqcmF0zvxveMRsHsVBV5SAF-NC-mQ/s400/coyote.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429112958361386130" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">A lone coyote in the memorial park. I tried to lure it to come towards me but it just went away.</span><br /><br />“Please don’t play with my emotion right now. I’m so emotionally drained because of my father’s illness. If this is a joke, please stop it.”<br /><br />“Why do you refuse to acknowledge what you have?” He started writing again. This time, a name: Erlinda.<br /><br />“She misses you like the way you miss her. You bid her goodbye when you were thirteen. Tears were running down her cheeks when you kissed her lips. You miss her so much, don’t you?”<br /><br />I felt a cold chill on the back of my head. This guy was pushing me to the brink.<br />“I do,” I said, totally succumbing to his words. They were all so true. <br /><br />“You were not meant for each other, and you know that already. You have to think of her as one of your friends. You will meet other women and will eventually find your partner. You will be very happy, but it will be short-lived.”<br /><br />“Short-lived? And why is that?”<br /><br />The waiter came. He placed our order at the table. For me: Mango juice, Cassava bibingka, and a fruit platter. For him: Coffee, several toasted bread with butter, strips of fried bacon, truffled egg benedict.<br /><br />“You already know the answer,” he said after the waiter went away. “Why do you still ask me? You still can live your life to the fullest despite all the outcome. When the right moment comes, you’ll be okay. It will be difficult, but there’s nothing that you can’t overcome.”<br /><br />“You’re a fortune teller” I said.<br /><br />He smiled like an imp.<br /><br />“You know I’m not. You know exactly what I am. What I read, feel, you also do. We both know the past, the present and the future. You know you’re going to the USA, but you will live in a country that begins with a letter C,” then he laughed, almost giggling, teasing me.<br /><br />“Not really,” I said.<br /><br />He smiled: “Why do you still refuse to recognize your gift?” He said. “I know the things you see, you felt. They were trying to reach out for you since your childhood, yet you refuse to listen to them. You know what I’m talking about, and I won’t insist that you embrace it. Whether you accept it or reject it, there will be no significant effect in your life. If you decide to go for it, join the Rosicrucians. It will reinforce what you already have. I developed my gift fully after I joined the group. Don’t deny the things you’ve seen since your childhood. You’ve pulled the shut off valve to the spirits in the house, the evil ones trying to hurt you. You’ve shrugged your shoulders at them instead of acknowledging them. They will not leave you until you face them and pay attention to them.”<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpC4rj1pYr5zDtJAIxrTHfcFU4dSvGQ2Yf-xwR4mLmM1CxvEK088NEfgyh95pboP6C86LvZWr-U1hZaOcXVeQCKjwc9Mw6LXcAsn8-H3Ue8Lb8hC21ZWML9PoHgBmKjlkc-TFOwBiTtY/s1600-h/MtnView+fall+view+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpC4rj1pYr5zDtJAIxrTHfcFU4dSvGQ2Yf-xwR4mLmM1CxvEK088NEfgyh95pboP6C86LvZWr-U1hZaOcXVeQCKjwc9Mw6LXcAsn8-H3Ue8Lb8hC21ZWML9PoHgBmKjlkc-TFOwBiTtY/s400/MtnView+fall+view+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429113680331782466" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Mountainview cemetery in Vancouver, BC. Hundreds of Hollywood films were shot in this cemetery, including TV series such as Highlander, The X Files, Vampire Diaries and many more.</span> <br /><br /><br />I didn’t say a word. I knew what he was talking about. <br /><br />Finally, I told him: “If you’re indeed for real, tell me at what age I will die.”<br /><br />“Is this a test?” He replied, smiling sweetly. “Here’s a piece of paper. Write down a number. Make sure you cover it so I don’t see it. I will write a number. I will hide it so you won’t see it. Then, both of us will reveal what we’ve written on the table.”<br /><br />I took the paper, and I wrote a number. He also wrote something on his paper. Then, we both placed our pieces of paper on the table. Both papers said: 78.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-30325435596761462752010-01-12T22:45:00.000-08:002010-01-14T01:45:07.582-08:00So what – if today’s Filipino comic book practitioners want to dominate the world?World domination. <br /><br />This item had triggered much emotion lately in this blog. A group of people are totally against it, others are taunting the komiks practitioners whom they claimed to be stupid dreamers who are trying to fool themselves. Pretty heavy accusation, I must say. These critics are against any comic books printed on glossy stock, written in awkward “Filipino English”, whose themes, they claim, are nothing but mere imitations of Hollywood stuff that dreams are made of. These critics’ mantra is: the komiks should be written in Tagalog, printed on newsprint, in black and white, and must be sold cheap (I guess as cheap as products made in China?).<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskqHzJwWkkalbsTJ8B5JvQ6TQ9y1qgoemoJ69Re4bQizQDUxpX79At4k2Hrqfi2AvgAr4CN_PcWfxTqT7ilWKN2juTrheq99pL9aibggS1HfMktIB1JweUzYWDoHNRFn_9MEsgd-Hs78/s1600-h/SANTELMObookcover.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskqHzJwWkkalbsTJ8B5JvQ6TQ9y1qgoemoJ69Re4bQizQDUxpX79At4k2Hrqfi2AvgAr4CN_PcWfxTqT7ilWKN2juTrheq99pL9aibggS1HfMktIB1JweUzYWDoHNRFn_9MEsgd-Hs78/s400/SANTELMObookcover.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426112715534013410" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">After 25 years of not drawing anything, I've decided to draw a book jacket using nothing but Adobe Illustrator pen tool and the software's effects. It's very quick, very good for PANG-DILIS and not PANG-LECHON work which Kapre described during his local komiks adventures. HHHHHHH. This type of graphic novel is thumbs down according to the critics because this is not Tagalog and not cheap paper.</span> <br /><br />Meanwhile, the Filipino superhero comic books are done in Tagalog, printed on newsprint, also in black and white, and cheap (maybe a little more expensive than those made in China products), and yet, these critics also reject the latter genre, because they claimed that the themes of superheroes are nothing but an (again) imitation of Hollywood stuff that dreams are made of.<br /><br />So, what, according to these critics, are the acceptable local komiks?<br />Well, if you’ve taken any Yoga lessons, be prepared to say in unison:<br />OOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM.<br /><br />And that means:<br />• Tagalog<br />• Newsprint<br />• Cheap<br />• No Superheroes<br />• No English<br />• Filipinos: in terms of theme, story, characters, sentiment, outlook<br />• No abusive slang such as: fuck you, what the fuck, you mother fucker, you sonofabitch, you fucking shit hole, you fucking ass hole, you piece of shit, you turd fucker, ass sucker, ass-peddler, bishop beater, monkey spanker, packet catcher, dicky-licker, dingle-dangle sucker...<br /><br />...Oh, well. You get the drift.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXU9o_IlrlyaJYeZ69Hhyphenhyphen28Hvv9TWPN6LMDQogXq1u0bZPv6XJ87dgqjJ_fYy2qvrKhbrnARDPxV4cu5zJvqFJXCfriX3N6Ga6pE-eKSvpjcnC5wiejjYH96NtQcPMA6daAdOgoV0sZcY/s1600-h/Santelmo+%231.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXU9o_IlrlyaJYeZ69Hhyphenhyphen28Hvv9TWPN6LMDQogXq1u0bZPv6XJ87dgqjJ_fYy2qvrKhbrnARDPxV4cu5zJvqFJXCfriX3N6Ga6pE-eKSvpjcnC5wiejjYH96NtQcPMA6daAdOgoV0sZcY/s400/Santelmo+%231.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426135078794252274" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">This graphic novel will receive thumbs down because the characters are not speaking Tagalog, and the life it is depicting is not Filipino at all. Give me a little time to practice drawing again and you can add me to your list of world dominators. HHHHHHHH</span><br /><br />Therefore, if your book does not conform to these requisites and/or guidelines – well, you’re out of luck, bud. They will fight tooth and nail, even to the death – to campaign against your masterpieces.<br /><br />It would be healthy to confront this issue head on once and for all. Let’s brainstorm on what can be done to make these two groups meet in the middle? Let’s express our opinions as honest as we can (without naming names, please, and without thrashing my unsteady drawings from the lack of practice), so that we might find some sort of concession to settle this burning issue.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkEYV0Gf-zC9YPXlwS3ROCMLGvYUP65Q7bAhAto_JDwygIFgBMVs1-qC_bu2eV-Y6zLYf_0wco5cRcaCk4Ownn-F2b8_OJivB7SeFoe9284ZspOuIF__cAADq6rGI-4dPLPKDgeBj3Pw/s1600-h/Santelmo+%232.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 248px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkEYV0Gf-zC9YPXlwS3ROCMLGvYUP65Q7bAhAto_JDwygIFgBMVs1-qC_bu2eV-Y6zLYf_0wco5cRcaCk4Ownn-F2b8_OJivB7SeFoe9284ZspOuIF__cAADq6rGI-4dPLPKDgeBj3Pw/s400/Santelmo+%232.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426125128912902450" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Don't worry about my drawings. This is just added to put some visuals here. What's important is your reaction to the topic that we all want to settle once and for all.</span> <br /><br /><br />Remember now. You can express your feelings freely, but if you mention any names in a negative context, your message will be dropped like a hot potato... er... kamote pala. So, you can only mention someone's name when it is presented in a positive light.<br /><br />And I ask, again: So what – if today’s Filipino comic book practitioners want to dominate the world? Do you have any suggestion/advice? <br /><br />Speak up, my children, speak up.<br /><br />-Your Father ConfessorTheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-48757782258591103362010-01-11T00:30:00.002-08:002014-09-16T21:30:03.900-07:00A DAY IN THE LIFE OF LEOPOLDO SALCEDO<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2CRl0JdwuBGZPxeJ7PGCbD47o0Km_s-SFqhYcXaDIA_FnLnK_FziY97GNEB685WlPFnYyVBAJBuwwWFHYcSwn69HpE9kTT5-oINTMi38pw4OcD5NZgte66GsmyY5E-FKtZ6GOKqPkYJs/s1600-h/leopoldo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2CRl0JdwuBGZPxeJ7PGCbD47o0Km_s-SFqhYcXaDIA_FnLnK_FziY97GNEB685WlPFnYyVBAJBuwwWFHYcSwn69HpE9kTT5-oINTMi38pw4OcD5NZgte66GsmyY5E-FKtZ6GOKqPkYJs/s400/leopoldo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425403963241156306" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Leopoldo Salcedo, dubbed as Philippine Movies' "The Great Profile"<br /></span><br /><br /><br />“Guys, what are these prewar actors doing here in the studio today?”<br />Asked one of the production people on the set of one of my TV shows being taped.<br /><br />“We’ve been seeing all these old actors come alive. I thought they have died already,” said another.<br /><br />“Aha!” The Floor Director said. “I know why, it ‘s because Joemari Lee is here!”<br /><br />Everybody blurted out laughing. This became a standard joke among my colleagues in BBC-Channel 2.<br /><br />Of course, the production people involved in any of the shows I was writing for that time knew all along that when there was a role for an older person in the drama, rest assured that a prewar actor was always my choice.<br /><br />Everybody knew as well, that prewar actors were the true performers. They seemed not to make mistakes during tapings and were they ever good.<br /><br />One of these prewar actors was LEOPOLDO SALCEDO.<br /><br />He was one of our most talented, handsomest actors, and he was someone who looked and act like a true, honest-to-goodness gentleman: always well-dressed, good-mannered, confident, stylish, charming, gregarious, and a very witty conversationalist. A true image of a debonair that I didn’t seem to see anymore in the younger actors of those days.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9iKDG2OOo0T0epaACnzPO9ec9TNxunhEAhTwI4aiEQNmFwrcNFjC2MGYmzw71SRvDAOUkEkTPSiZ0IaCVb2qXhiOhhlipDx8ZVWvmVSqHZ7xNiIXItJZVg1Lhj_TTywAL5lRq7IVItg/s1600-h/nelapol.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 252px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9iKDG2OOo0T0epaACnzPO9ec9TNxunhEAhTwI4aiEQNmFwrcNFjC2MGYmzw71SRvDAOUkEkTPSiZ0IaCVb2qXhiOhhlipDx8ZVWvmVSqHZ7xNiIXItJZVg1Lhj_TTywAL5lRq7IVItg/s400/nelapol.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425402367247524082" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Leopoldo Salcedo with Nela Alvarez in SIERRA MADRE, BUNDOK NG HIWAGA<br />Photo from Kabayan Central</span><br /><br />In the 1970s, he was still appearing in local movies and I made sure I cast him in my scripts in TV dramas. He was indeed a fantastic actor, he came on time, ready, all the dialogues memorized (just like Rosa Rosal). While the younger actors were all fumbling during the rehearsal before the take, Pol and Rose were patiently trying their best to understand the shortcomings of younger actors (except Gina Alajar, of course, who would also come to the set well-prepared, and whose caliber was A1).<br /><br />One conversation I had with Pol that really stuck in my mind was when we were outside the studio of Broadcast City one taping day of the show Alindog. While waiting for all the cast to arrive, we both leaned on the railings on the top landing of the stairs leading to the studio, overlooking the vastness of the network compound – the same raillings where the child Romnick Sarmenta would wait before taping starts. The same raillings where, after seeing me arrive, the child would hurry to meet me, and would jump right at me where I would raise him above my head, up and down, three to four times, while he was laughing hysterically.<br /><br />So, while Pol and I looked out to the vastness of the compound of the biggest network in RP in those days, he suddenly said:<br /><br />"Joey, I'm celebrating my 66th birthday this weekend. Do you have time to come to my house?"<br /><br />"Of course, I will find the time, just for you, Pol. I'm sure all your friends in showbiz are coming as well?"<br /><br />"Oh. God, no. Many of them are gone now. The ones I worked with like Rose (Rosa Rosal) are much younger than I am. It's really sad when you grow old. You wake up one day, realizing that your closest friends are not around anymore because they have passed on. It makes you feel so all alone. In my youth, every time I would celebrate my birthday, it was always a big event. Producers, directors, movie stars, movie scribes, and even my fans would be there. It was wonderful. Life was beautiful. Now, they're all gone. Sometimes, some people I used to know would even ignore me when they see me."<br /><br />I choked, and it took me a few minutes before I gathered myself together.<br /><br />"Pol," I said, "you may be old now, some people may ignore you now, but always remember that you are Leopoldo Salcedo who made many ordinary people happy. They went to see your movies and for two hours, at least you've lightened their load. You made them forget their problems at least for a few moments, and they’ve gone home refreshed, inspired, even thankful for being alive – because there was someone like you who made their daily toil bearable, thus lessening their miseries. You are one of the Philippines' finest actors, and your name will never be forgotten for a long, long time. I will admit to you that when I write a character in my script, and I know that it will be you who would play that role, I feel so happy because I know that, that particular role will be in good hands. You are a great actor and thank God for giving you to us."<br /><br />He said: "Thank you for all the kind words. You are a good kid. And each time I see you, I am reminded of my children. I wish I have been a better father for them."<br /><br />I turned to look at him. He was looking away at the distance. There was a profound sadness on his face. We both remained quiet. After a long beat, I told him: <br /><br />“Pol, nobody’s perfect. We are all infallible. There is no such thing as “slam dunk” formula for being a perfect parent. We all have shortcomings. The only thing we can do is to try to do our best. You’re not a bad father. I know you’ve tried your best.”<br /><br />“I could have tried my very best,” he said. “But my career had always gotten in the way. I seldom saw them because I was always busy. I could have made them my first priority.”<br /><br />“Sometimes, we are trapped by life. We have to make choices for our loved ones. Some parents are always at home with their children, yet they can’t afford to give them the bare necessities of life. You have chosen what you thought was the best for your loved ones and that was a wonderful thing. Don’t worry about the past. You’ve done okay as a father. “<br /><br />I extended my hand to give him a handshake. <br /><br />“Happy 66th birthday in advance.” I said. And we smiled at each other.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNvZK_zPfna6_lB90lUXWz0L9IXrRaICioNP8PoEzBAHUypWzWMTvtzRk3_k-X3GrgNTV_dr30e_wlA4q6paDjY1Ni4tfJxYJoPeOqkbw6t8UV6rJ5kfz21Mbhpgrmt0_uQnGFMiJ_pww/s1600-h/Sierra_Madre_-_vida_&_leo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 317px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNvZK_zPfna6_lB90lUXWz0L9IXrRaICioNP8PoEzBAHUypWzWMTvtzRk3_k-X3GrgNTV_dr30e_wlA4q6paDjY1Ni4tfJxYJoPeOqkbw6t8UV6rJ5kfz21Mbhpgrmt0_uQnGFMiJ_pww/s400/Sierra_Madre_-_vida_&_leo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425402662809285730" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Leopoldo Salcedo with Vida Florante in SIERRA MADRE, BUNDOK NG HIWAGA<br />Photo from Kabayan Central</span><br /><br />Suddenly, Charo Santos appeared at the landing of the stairs, greeting both of us. She was replacing Alma Moreno that day because Alma was filming in Baguio City. And we all went inside the studio.<br /><br />In my mind, I remember the lyrics of one of Shirley Bassey’s songs:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">“But love, if you had been behind the curtain when it fell<br />When all the lights were out, and I was all alone<br />You would have seen this actress crying.”</span>TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-31023223436563357492010-01-03T16:59:00.001-08:002010-01-05T14:34:25.008-08:00A SLICE OF LIFE 1: MY FIRST DRIVING EXPERIENCE IN THE PHILIPPINESAt age 15 (two months before I turned sixteen), I figured I should stop asking our family driver or my older brother or older sister to be driving me around. Everyone at home became worried when I declared to the whole family at the dining table one evening: “I’m ready to drive a car of my own!”<br /><br />My mother’s reaction was: “With the kind of traffic we have here in the city, I don’t think it will be sensible for someone as young as you are, to drive!”<br /><br />My father seconded: “There are just too many reckless drivers out there, and you’re a bit too young. Wait for another year, maybe two – by then you’d be old enough to do so.”<br /><br />“You always want to grow old too quickly,” my older brother told me. “Relax. I’m still here, and I can drive you when you go to the studio at midnight for your taping sessions.”<br /><br />The words that came out of my mouth surprised everyone: “I don’t get it. If at thirteen, I was old enough to have sex, why am I not old enough to drive a car at fifteen?”<br /><br />Silence. Everyone, especially my four sisters, glowered at me in disbelief and annoyance. We were brought up allowing to express our opinions freely, but this latest repartee was a rude awakening for everyone.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipG5XFIqPvrx8eIk_Z8xhGWVQmFkVRQOqqGGgAOg1iYTo5L788kfHIfJC18WgfK4VWeMNzp6ODbbAxxwTPr5oi8a3620oRnd9IUyIRV9p5OMCAMUR5KcG7X2_32vN2tNzOeAW3fb4zJn8/s1600-h/cubao.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipG5XFIqPvrx8eIk_Z8xhGWVQmFkVRQOqqGGgAOg1iYTo5L788kfHIfJC18WgfK4VWeMNzp6ODbbAxxwTPr5oi8a3620oRnd9IUyIRV9p5OMCAMUR5KcG7X2_32vN2tNzOeAW3fb4zJn8/s400/cubao.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422686677000050338" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Cubao during rush hour, photo by Istvan Hidvegi</span><br /><br />“You had your first time two years ago?” My brother said with wide eyes open. “My God, I’m a late bloomer, then. My first foray into sexual intercourse was when I was sixteen!” <br /><br />“Now, I have no time listening to all your nonsense, boys! And especially you,” My sister (who became a nun) said with embarrassment and clearly offended, pointing at me. “And I thought you said you want to become a priest, thank you very much!” She got up and left the table.<br /><br />My father took a deep breath and exhaled, then smiled: “Okay, okay. I’ll let you drive, but first, I want you to go to a driving school. This very popular driving school in Quezon City will train you to become an excellent driver.”<br /><br />I got up, hurried towards between my dad and my mom, hugged them and kissed their cheeks. By the way, I forgot to mention that I came from a family of kissers. We kiss our parents when we arrive home, and they kiss us in return. We kissed our parent’s goodbye, we kissed them when we woke up in the morning, etc., etc. In short, we were like one happy Mafioso family (who even kiss their co-gang members scheduled to be butchered in a matter of a few minutes before execution). But, no. We did not execute any members of our own family.<br /><br />But, you may ask: man, what has this got to do with my first driving experience?<br /><br />A lot, actually. Because this incident was the plot point (from a scriptwriter’s POV) that made the story turn around, and which, had catapulted it into another direction.<br /><br />I will not mention the name of the so-called EXCELLENT driving school that everybody talked about in Quezon City, which, I think, had hoodwinked many people including my own father.<br /><br />So, I went to the well-known driving school. It had a presentable facade, spacious compound, and lots of standard transmission cars for student drivers.<br /><br />Its syllabus was nothing to sneeze at. It divided the lessons in four parts: <br />• Lecture on the mechanics of a North American cars vs. European cars vs. Japanese cars.<br />• Familiarization of different car parts<br />• Lecture on trouble shooting and car care<br />• Actual road driving experience<br /><br />Very comprehensive! I whispered to myself.<br /><br />My first day was the lecture, and I indeed became enlightened to the difference between the North American, Japanese, and European cars. I also became aware of the different car parts and how to operate them. I also enjoyed the trouble-shooting lectures.<br /><br />But, the actual road driving experience was another story.<br /><br />On my first day of driving, I met my driving instructor on our way to the parking lot to go to the car I would be driving. The instructor began talking to me. The first thing I noticed was his somewhat slurred speech. I thought, oh, well, maybe he had some speech problem. He was bragging to me that he was one of the best drivers in the Philippines, that he got his international driver’s license in California and took the road test in Los Angeles, and got one of the three highest scores among the examinees. <br /><br />Really. Then I must be in good hands.<br /><br />When we entered the car, the first time he opened his mouth, I smelled alcohol. Hmm, what’s going on here?<br /><br />The school bragged about their facilities, yet when I started the engine, I realized that he didn’t have his own steering wheel! He placed his foot on top of my foot to control the clutch. Oh, my!<br /><br />First, we drove along the quiet road by the school and everything was fine. He showed me the “hanging” technique and how to control a standard transmission. The lesson was going well when suddenly, he said: “I think you’re ready to hit the highway. Let’s go to EDSA!”<br /><br />I hesitated: “It’s now rush hour. Do you think it’s a good idea to go there?”<br /><br />He was agitated by my suggestion: “Huwag ka na ngang nag-i-English at naiilang ako! At saka ba’t mas marunong ka pa sa nagtuturo sa iyo? Sino ba sa atin ang estudyante, ikaw o ako?”<br /><br />“Di ba’t obvious naman ang sagot diyan, at di na dapat itanong. Ang inaalala ko lang, ngayon lang ako humawak ng manibela, tapos pupunta tayo sa highway, at rush hour pa.”<br /><br />“Masyado kang matalino,” was his curt reply. “Basta doon tayo sa EDSA.”<br /><br />So, to EDSA we went. Gosh, the reckless drivers were having their merriest moments. They passed, they cut, they honked like there were no tommorow. It’s not as bad as Interstate 5 leading towards the entrance to Seattle City Center, but EDSA was bad enough due to undisciplined drivers who didn’t seem to understand the meaning of Defensive Driving.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeV78TCsRmxkLjsWuhUA9aI7vdJq64LQCXMirhmsOaJ-5QZr8aweONBafl_a0uG8p4IJUpVMp56pYkIFpgFReA2p5PJBz7v9lfHroAeVbXM_Zp8PlAN5lOnENzldpla1BfyDC0FgpufM/s1600-h/seattle1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeV78TCsRmxkLjsWuhUA9aI7vdJq64LQCXMirhmsOaJ-5QZr8aweONBafl_a0uG8p4IJUpVMp56pYkIFpgFReA2p5PJBz7v9lfHroAeVbXM_Zp8PlAN5lOnENzldpla1BfyDC0FgpufM/s400/seattle1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422687692923707090" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">These snaking freeways leading to Seattle city center may look harmless, but try driving here during rush hours, especially during a long weekend, and you'd probably swear to high heavens never to take this route ever again. The flow of the traffic is extremely smooth, but nobody's keeping the speed limit. Everybody's speeding. One driver error could mean a huge disaster.</span><br /><br />When I reached the Cubao area, I watched from my side view mirror a small orange bus coming in full speed, passed me and abruptly cut me to pick up a waiting passenger on the sidewalk.<br /><br />The instructor had a conniption. <br /><br />“Putang inang baby bus iyan, ah! Ginitgit tayo! Hintayin mong umandar iyan at ipapakita natin sa anak ng putang iyan kung ano ang ginawa niya sa atin.”<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0e2hdQsEQG3dOlKUz6WB8Vlrhq9PBrC-YSXMFEFGU2Ye4fno_KRvhqR5L-bxduW88yRmTHahxrhIOdwWYoaPT1cWFu00W7zIIP8ddx7sudtH9GaNL3v2rLWhVaiCKyqYhfwm2HPLDXMU/s1600-h/seattle2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0e2hdQsEQG3dOlKUz6WB8Vlrhq9PBrC-YSXMFEFGU2Ye4fno_KRvhqR5L-bxduW88yRmTHahxrhIOdwWYoaPT1cWFu00W7zIIP8ddx7sudtH9GaNL3v2rLWhVaiCKyqYhfwm2HPLDXMU/s400/seattle2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422688599013900178" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Don't let this bright, multi-colored lights outlining the Seattle Interstate 5 (I-5) leading to Seattle City center fool you as something exalting to your spirits. Only when your car becomes one of the many lights you'd realize why the moth in Rizal's story got burned by the lamp. Taken from Dr. Jose P. Rizal Bridge in Seattle, Photo by Charles Middleton.</span><br /><br /><br />So, when the little orange bus glided again, he ordered me: “Ngayon, habulin mo ang anak ng putang iyan.” He said while honking nonstop.<br /><br />“Bakit pa, para ano pa?” was my protest.<br /><br />“Putang... isa ka pa! Sinabi nang habulin mo! Habulin mo!”<br /><br />He was fuming mad and was forcing his foot on the gas, so I had to obey. I drove like a maniac and ran after the baby bus. When we got ahead of it, my brilliant instructor who got his licensed from Cali (I don’t think so), told me to: “Gitgitin mo. I-cut mo ang putang ina. Dali. I-cut mo at ipreno mo nang bigla para maleksion ang anak ng putang iyan!<br /><br />Well, I did exactly that. I cut right in-front of the baby bus and stopped.<br /><br />SCREEEEEEECH! The baby bus missed us by a few inches.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihE7X2nc7SUPlrD-zPd1yGqNzX36Z0wj0FKdyLcr9LeVN0-zHBHLttHURsZXlXd3y1fvWDDuya1BLQCQ6hUSSy5Bnt918T7z0TWJeGborbc9bdUaFeSdjvqkCt0vFD7NtU7tuYti6bQ0E/s1600-h/Dr-Jose-Rizal-at-night1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihE7X2nc7SUPlrD-zPd1yGqNzX36Z0wj0FKdyLcr9LeVN0-zHBHLttHURsZXlXd3y1fvWDDuya1BLQCQ6hUSSy5Bnt918T7z0TWJeGborbc9bdUaFeSdjvqkCt0vFD7NtU7tuYti6bQ0E/s400/Dr-Jose-Rizal-at-night1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422690610674338818" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Dr. Jose P. Rizal Bridge in Seattle, Washington.</span><br /><br />The instructor got out and hopped on the bus, and I swear he was about to beat up the other driver, but thanks to the lady konduktora and some civic minded passengers, the THRILLA IN EDSA had been aborted.<br /><br />The incident had given me migraine. And I can say for sure that one of my most unforgettable experiences in life was my first driving experience in the Philippines.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-16338828772067641072009-12-30T00:13:00.000-08:002010-01-03T19:26:01.846-08:00WHO IS THE KING OF PHILIPPINE COMIC BOOKS?The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.<br /><br />Supremong Kapre (Floro Dery) will take another stab at a topic that, according to him, would rattle many comic book fans: <span style="font-style:italic;">Filipino Comics Kings with no crowns, scepters, throne, and even kingdoms.</span><br /><br />Intriguing enough?<br /><br />Well, maybe I should present who the possible candidates are for this title.<br /><br />It is of paramount importance, therefore, to ask the comic book fans to cast their votes on whom they think is the True Comic Book King of Philippine Comic Books. I am including the names here of the candidates. Your vote will be counted according to your choice. Post the name of your choice and the reason you think why he should be called the King of Philippine Comic Books. Since there is transparency here, dagdag-bawas will not work. So, cheaters, you're out of luck.<br /><br />Here are our candidates:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1. MARS RAVELO<br />2. FRANCISCO COCHING<br />3. CLODUALDO DEL MUNDO<br />4. PABLO GOMEZ<br />5. CARLO CAPARAS</span><br /><br />Each candidate has some strong points and weak points as a comic book creator. Since I am very familiar with the bulk of works of these candidates, let me give you some backgrounder about them.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">MARS RAVELO</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9waRLxV0_AEkBkvpjL91DZ63XjrhkAExTjFtirZwmbkrqaU0pzQc0u9QYnwTpDK7_TBX1S-jSt4GpX79b0oUgxJ0mf4ADzlSy6_4tr56i9TgGWyoSdR7JT3g1UgELlayX-BCo5twvlw/s1600-h/alicia.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9waRLxV0_AEkBkvpjL91DZ63XjrhkAExTjFtirZwmbkrqaU0pzQc0u9QYnwTpDK7_TBX1S-jSt4GpX79b0oUgxJ0mf4ADzlSy6_4tr56i9TgGWyoSdR7JT3g1UgELlayX-BCo5twvlw/s400/alicia.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420941260145805218" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Good:</span><br />His comic serials had mass appeal and quite entertaining. He had a solid grip on human foible. The psychological darkness of his characters even reminded me of Dostoevsky's characters. He had a wide sense of humor. Watch a Ravelo serial translated to film and you’d see the audience in the theater laughing in one moment, then crying the next. Many of his serials reflected the Filipino way of life. Many of his heroes were ordinary people and/or the ones on the fringes of society – the poor or the marginalized: Kwatang, Facifica Falayfay, Roberta, Gabriel in Maruja, the physically ugly spinster Bruna Bangengak, snake head Valentina, fish bottom Dyesebel, the bashful Kapre Goro, the Impakta head behind Rona, and even the deadly Bartola. His antiheroes are all looking for poetic justice. They all possessed good hearts until they were trodden by their fellow human beings, generally, the brutish beast macho men: Valentina after being bum rapped by her town mates and lover Edwardo for the mere reason that she was born different (I mean being born a snake head is different, isn’t it?). Ursula, who was a victim of domestic violence, and after deliberately entombed by her husband in an old cemetery, she ate rotting flesh of the dead, and soon she was on her merry way to becoming an Asuwang, and, finally ate the liver of her husband. Bartola, for being fooled by men due to her physical ugliness, so, when she used that ax to butcher the men, we can’t exactly blame her 100% for doing so or can we? Mars Ravelo didn’t spare any subject under the sun: child abuse, homosexuality, nymphomania, satyriasis, metempsychosis (reincarnation), psychic power, fear, prostitution, necrophilia – you name it, he had written it (except Adobo westerns which was Coching’s favorite, and Sinigang Royalty, which was Clodualdo del Mundo’s forté). He also wrote stories from all sorts of genre: fantasy, horror, adventure (of the Disney type); action, drama, political, period pieces. His period stories such as Maruja, Asuwang, Alicia Alonzo, and Bittersweet were well-researched and authentic looking, from costuming to social mores and general attitudes of people who lived in the era the story was set. He had never declared himself as RP’s Comics king, but the readers did. No one in his colleagues questioned the title, and since he lived until his old age, this title was attached to his name for many years, until the komiks congress happened recently, when suddenly, someone unabashedly declared himself as king of RP comics. Ravelo, despite his popularity, never threw his weight around. He never sought the limelight. He never resorted to ridiculous “costuming” or had worn a certain laughable get up such as wearing a mask like Captain Barbell, or a pair of wings on his forehead like Darna. He refused to be interviewed and call attention to himself. He didn’t even brag the fact that he had saved Sampaguita Pictures from being bankrupt after the studio had burnt down. Roberta, starring Tessie Agana, had saved the studio that produced many, many more movies for several years. Ravelo had the most serials made into films compared to Francisco Coching, Pablo Gomez, Clodualdo del Mundo, and Carlo Caparas.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Bad:</span><br />He decidedly geared his serials towards the low brow crowd. He resorted to adding subplots to his serials that sometimes would go astray, weakening the story proper. He tended to “lift” characters from western comics to cater to the fans who loved to see foreign superheroes as local heroes. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Ugly:</span><br />I did an experiement here in North America by showing photos of Ravelo’s superheroes to westerners who had never seen our local superheroes. Here’s their response: DARNA - WONDER WOMAN • LASTIKMAN - PLASTIC MAN • VALENTINA - MEDUSA • KAPTEN BARBELL - SUPERMAN WITH A BARBELL. He also used well-known world celebrities and made them Filipinos, with his own original stories but nevertheless patterned from the well-known personalities: Rosa Rossini was definitely Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias; Bruldo Grajo was none other than Edgar Cayce, the American psychic who even predicted the exact date of his own death. <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">FRANCISCO COCHING</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv6tiM-g72t-l2k1umeTYFLA1Mjzu754G-aaiOS0s6IfVd9ukD_jC3kiY2CTiskCFZnQPdl1l8zSl89w84GxZ2KW81X5bjBmqY3Ke5-WwDLCdy1vX2umuqk10B08q9sRlngRdzjK8Uxbw/s1600-h/gumuho.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv6tiM-g72t-l2k1umeTYFLA1Mjzu754G-aaiOS0s6IfVd9ukD_jC3kiY2CTiskCFZnQPdl1l8zSl89w84GxZ2KW81X5bjBmqY3Ke5-WwDLCdy1vX2umuqk10B08q9sRlngRdzjK8Uxbw/s400/gumuho.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420941524197966498" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br /><br />The Good:</span><br />He was known for his action serials, but what really shone were the contemporary stories of his own time, the 40s and the 50s: Talipandas, Gigolo, Tatlong Magdalena, Gumuhong Bantayog, Maldita, Waldas. His characters are mostly Sirkian: raw and down-to-earth, they are battered by forces beyond their control, and their lives were outlined by cultural mores that constrained their behavior and their moral choices. Most of his serials were made into films, about a third of the bulk of Ravelo’s creations. Coching’s drawings made the RP comic fans awestruck, despite the short height of his heroes – something that his colleague artists questioned because most of them seemed to follow the 8-head structure by Andrew Loomis; but it made sense to me, because he was just drawing what a true Filipino looked like during his time: not too tall and more on the mesomorph/endomorph type.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Bad:</span><br />His Adobo Westerns were treated by his critics as tongue-in-cheek and I’m with them, knowing that this era never existed in the Philippines. This genre was similar to what Sergio Leone started in Italy, the Spaghetti Western (and I won’t be surprised if he got the idea from one of Coching’s Adobo westerns). His comics serials catered more to the male audience, leaving the women out in the cold.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />The Ugly:</span><br />The use of Deus ex machina to solve insurmountable conflict in some of his stories rendered them weak and undesirable. His period stories were convoluted and contrived (El Indio, Barbaro). The subjects he tackled in his stories were limited to action-adventure, domestic drama, and relationships, making Ravelo’s serials more versatile and adventurous.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">PABLO GOMEZ</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73TTlSSlISOmVEJHe6t0D5AnCHhoklYfPCnVKW55oumXy60Sxt28xW_e35wlQdT2EJA_AhABsLQjm1eDfV4QoBYsUfxD81NhC6SyDnIjTFYpkZwPGQWwNk2I42m_F3enaI2ygRmvaSk8/s1600-h/MAKASALANAN.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73TTlSSlISOmVEJHe6t0D5AnCHhoklYfPCnVKW55oumXy60Sxt28xW_e35wlQdT2EJA_AhABsLQjm1eDfV4QoBYsUfxD81NhC6SyDnIjTFYpkZwPGQWwNk2I42m_F3enaI2ygRmvaSk8/s400/MAKASALANAN.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420952817644633922" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Good:</span><br />Gomez’ protagonists are usually underdogs. Everybody identifies with underdogs, hence, the endearment of his characters to the comics readers, mostly the women. Life-like as if you have known them from somewhere, Gomez’ characters breathe with life. The readers identify their dreams and their hopes, agonize with their trials, celebrate with their triumphs. His storylines are engaging, the characters interesting, and the messages are thought-provoking. Many movie versions of Gomez’ serials were quite good: Donata, Gilda, Debborah, Pitong Gatang, Asyong Salonga, Mga Ligaw na Bulaklak, Anino ni Bathala. Gomez loves stories about family secrets, domestic turmoil and jealousy within the family unit. Some of his works like Bahay na Bato and Lihim na Lihim have the trimmings of Nick Joaquin’s brand of writing.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Bad:</span><br />His characters tend to be melodramatic at most times. They usually have to deal with repression, and their minds are usually dictated by fatalist view.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Ugly:</span><br />His characters have to face insurmountable trials and mountains of obstacles, yet in the end, they are emancipated from the quagmire, even if the result becomes contrived sometimes, but hey, it was time to end the story, so let’s do it. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">CLODUALDO DEL MUNDO</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1V195mpT3Ox9VPgRElSq5GY73p7STm5UPT6G_zskvxvWpuA9WOyyrQ5S0qUhxOaApMzBMsCdF961ZsMyo8sQsbJqwaQdqtMj6wIomhnH5r6scoK51VkIReF_93LdEsGYMS7NioyA6oY/s1600-h/kadena.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 289px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1V195mpT3Ox9VPgRElSq5GY73p7STm5UPT6G_zskvxvWpuA9WOyyrQ5S0qUhxOaApMzBMsCdF961ZsMyo8sQsbJqwaQdqtMj6wIomhnH5r6scoK51VkIReF_93LdEsGYMS7NioyA6oY/s400/kadena.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420942020795222706" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Good:</span><br />Del Mundo was both an intellectual and an entertainer of the masses. He created a big chunk of Filipino literature that many were used in schools. Yet, he had also written many serialized stories for the RP comic books. He was a very careful writer. His research was unbelievable. Many of his works in RP comics entailed stories that were almost semi-documentary in appeal, because of the subject they tackled and the surprises it delivered: an exposé. His brilliant works include: Kandelerong Pilak, Kadenang Putik, Magnong Mandurukot, and the film version of his Malvarosa won the best Picture in Asia in the 1950s, one of the early international awards won by the Philippines. His characters were never wishy-washy; they always meant business and ready to protect their lot. They were strong and well-defined, and when placed in a realistic milieu within their own universe, the outcome was three-dimensional. This was the reason every comic serial by Clodualdo del Mundo had translated beautifully as a movie.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Bad:</span><br />In his time, stories about kings and queens were the most popular, therefore, he was writing stories about them in a Philippine setting. We can call this type of genre Sinigang Royalty. Despite the wonderful research work, these stories never happened in the Philippines and like Coching’s Adobo Western, I felt too uncomfortable reading them and/or watching them as films. He had almost always chosen Fred Carillo as his teammate in RP comics, and despite Carillo’s wonderful drawings, some genres would have looked more glamorous and/or more realistic if assigned to other brilliant artists of the so-called Golden Age of Philippine Comics. I could just imagine what Magnong Mandurukot would have looked like if it were drawn by Nestor Redondo or Alfredo Alcala. Malvarosa might have looked more “Filipino” with Elpidio Torres or Petronilo Marcelo and might have resulted with more impact and power.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Ugly:</span><br />Just like in acting, an actor can create a character and play it with restraint like Lolita Rodriguez, or all-out like Charito Solis – and del Mundo’s writing was always on the restraint side, a disadvantage, because the readers would be looking for more. He could have adopted Ravelo’s all-out story-telling, of going out on a limb, and the devil may care if the branch he was sitting on would break.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">CARLO CAPARAS</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9FIxTkIjNzt1-O8u0Gs-Cs-8seDnZ5xfYleq87nxCa2Kib5POHT9OFFbYFTd3t-R-8lS2sGPZSvr0RCif5HTl93anV8PhRhQRlefLh5wwnwxj3box6-uGz8QNyHmrbjIqSXQj-hjufc/s1600-h/rosa.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 248px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9FIxTkIjNzt1-O8u0Gs-Cs-8seDnZ5xfYleq87nxCa2Kib5POHT9OFFbYFTd3t-R-8lS2sGPZSvr0RCif5HTl93anV8PhRhQRlefLh5wwnwxj3box6-uGz8QNyHmrbjIqSXQj-hjufc/s400/rosa.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420943358463836418" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Good:</span><br />Caparas inspires many disadvantaged individuals because of his rags to riches life story. He is definitely a very hard worker, and he really tried so damn hard to emancipate himself from poverty. Now that he’s well-off, he's still trying to achieve more embellishments to his existence. What for? Search me. He has written some good comics stories, namely, Angela Markado, Till Death Do Us Part, Ako’y Lupa, and Somewhere. When his stories are well-written, they are innovative, enthralling, and even endearing. See what happens when a writer tries to slow down and writes his material with tender loving care?<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Bad:</span><br />Caparas turns out stories like a recycling depot: used tin cans will be grounded and a new, same looking tin can will emerge from it. Many of his stories are not well-thought of, some have no redeeming value and others are just plain silly. He seems to have forgotten that quality is always better than quantity. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Ugly:</span><br />Manoling Morato, being Caparas’ friend and colleague, should teach Caparas how to do research. Many of Caparas’ stories are so inaccurate and ridiculous from zero research. His massacre films are horrendously bad that he should really pause and reflect, take a deep breath and ask himself: Why am I rushing always? Can’t I slow down a little, think deeply and write something worthy than rushing to finish half-assed manuscripts that would only gag many people?<br /><br />• • • • •<br /><br />There you go, folks: our Five Candidates for RP Comics King. Before you vote for <span style="font-weight:bold;">Noynoy</span> or <span style="font-weight:bold;">Gibo</span>, make sure to vote first for these five guys.<br />Take it away.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com121tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-32707790566565901762009-12-04T18:20:00.000-08:002009-12-04T19:02:31.985-08:00My Heartfelt Condololences To The Family & Friends of Mohammad Ali Shariff<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6UjTiFnTr1ULnVnvDeaxgaWTLW0pdTBJpSP-vdX_RJc9_QSUPqI796HTT19tu4vCMeejNjz5wQcVbxk87UTAWnQr9EHu3Nfs1aK15JMyK6yKrCw-ypFg_pMPgTAaIsx4JvVoz7UQjBo/s1600-h/pinatay.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6UjTiFnTr1ULnVnvDeaxgaWTLW0pdTBJpSP-vdX_RJc9_QSUPqI796HTT19tu4vCMeejNjz5wQcVbxk87UTAWnQr9EHu3Nfs1aK15JMyK6yKrCw-ypFg_pMPgTAaIsx4JvVoz7UQjBo/s400/pinatay.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411571964477389106" /></a><br /><br />This shocking news makes us to question man's inhumanity to his fellow man.<br />Here was a friendly, kind, extremely hard-working young man trying to enjoy life to the fullest, when suddenly, some evil, envious individual – killed the victim, Mohammad Ali Shariff just because he was granted a God-given gift of beauty.<br /><br />This is revolting. These ugly Filipino men should be locked up for the rest of their lives. They're not only ugly physically, they are also ugly deep inside their souls.<br /><br />The incident is almost unbelievable, something we can only read from komiks, like this short story published in mid-1970s.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6YLVG1BrlFpfKeR1Lr4PJFdDmjCip1a0okph59CTnjCe80zqp6p579eX6JDZW8hh-ADXnAjDLfn0HiFT3bq_t0FhIt9bjpTWiShDHZZXPoZTvoqbwLMWZ2oSCLjzqRlQiaiTPFhnkGc/s1600-h/mapalad1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 284px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6YLVG1BrlFpfKeR1Lr4PJFdDmjCip1a0okph59CTnjCe80zqp6p579eX6JDZW8hh-ADXnAjDLfn0HiFT3bq_t0FhIt9bjpTWiShDHZZXPoZTvoqbwLMWZ2oSCLjzqRlQiaiTPFhnkGc/s400/mapalad1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411581693938769298" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1X0NGrBi3O-nDbIY314G7zIIIuNUTdxDgzGdGrR696ivY13txfYAcfypwL5Bbfhon7FfgUZxt7ZOICEAky-F5cHGfEUtu7uVh0xNd2axB-eKcmEOpzclBFR-LPEOUASMXf0Par_iqmd4/s1600-h/mapalad2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1X0NGrBi3O-nDbIY314G7zIIIuNUTdxDgzGdGrR696ivY13txfYAcfypwL5Bbfhon7FfgUZxt7ZOICEAky-F5cHGfEUtu7uVh0xNd2axB-eKcmEOpzclBFR-LPEOUASMXf0Par_iqmd4/s400/mapalad2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411578859472217218" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJyhauuDhZIYWvNM0_XwVbP0M13GXf1hLlmDPh0-Em8UNbkSJEytkjVFE4y5piHmHOjZWx63t8y9q7mWxeC_Wq4Y6lpftWJ8IzDuAr8l_jPXStGCU2_XgxcXMPemxiHGUdOYF3OUqALI/s1600-h/mapalad3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJyhauuDhZIYWvNM0_XwVbP0M13GXf1hLlmDPh0-Em8UNbkSJEytkjVFE4y5piHmHOjZWx63t8y9q7mWxeC_Wq4Y6lpftWJ8IzDuAr8l_jPXStGCU2_XgxcXMPemxiHGUdOYF3OUqALI/s400/mapalad3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411578748378570370" /></a><br /><br />It is not easy to be good-looking. People will tempt you left and right. People either like you so much or hate your guts and despise you for no reason at all.<br />May Mohammad Ali Shariff rest in eternal peace.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com74tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-31987851220180148952009-11-28T10:41:00.000-08:002012-10-18T09:23:27.906-07:00Amorsolo's "Marca Demonio"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXObRw0wuMr6KVFkTHnP_jxgwS-jrq0GodlmdcohCg9mBHEWZ1lZgDt3lHFGP1dgCnnREfd1X8bwvXEXZl0Q9Y_QHlBJH2FpL8S0uyyRHnnYoKDsQx57A3HQVE4tLoYRRjmezdsGzHXpE/s1600/amorsolo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 367px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXObRw0wuMr6KVFkTHnP_jxgwS-jrq0GodlmdcohCg9mBHEWZ1lZgDt3lHFGP1dgCnnREfd1X8bwvXEXZl0Q9Y_QHlBJH2FpL8S0uyyRHnnYoKDsQx57A3HQVE4tLoYRRjmezdsGzHXpE/s400/amorsolo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409238220304312098" /></a><br />Fernando Amorsolo was born on May 30, 1892 in Paco Manila. In 1909 he went to the School of Fine Arts in the University of the Philippines. He was one of the first graduates in 1914. He went to study further in Spain through the sponsorship of a prominent Spanish man, Don Enrique Zobel, a naturalized Filipino. But, before Amorsolo left for Spain, he designed the ever popular logo "Marca Demonio" used as the label of the well-known Ginebra San Miguel. This logo showed St. Michael vanquishing the devil. A favorite drink in fiestas, weekend camaraderie, and other important celebrations, this graphic design eventually became the symbol of the Filipinos’ tenacity when facing adversities and crises; and also their vigilance to protect and fight for what is right.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UflNpTMfgunw3WqGdjOnMFSxTl59jcczf82Ehg40Z7ZLbDqk_Q13cOz5RdxEkQwHGc5V9o_dpB59Tvfm89JkkZNEfrtSKRSkX1H3SAkn3t2pnF0kjb1GrNGNpUfWL1V45_KzEDb_p5g/s1600/marca+demonyo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 156px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UflNpTMfgunw3WqGdjOnMFSxTl59jcczf82Ehg40Z7ZLbDqk_Q13cOz5RdxEkQwHGc5V9o_dpB59Tvfm89JkkZNEfrtSKRSkX1H3SAkn3t2pnF0kjb1GrNGNpUfWL1V45_KzEDb_p5g/s400/marca+demonyo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409277065882447138" /></a><br /><br />I have always been a big fan of Amorsolo. I have seen his works when I was a child from the books of my older siblings, the Philippine Readers. But, by the same token, since time immemorial, I was bothered by the fore-shortening of St. Michael's right arm brandishing a serrated sword in the "Marca Demonio" bottle label. If you look closer, you'll think that the arm is somewhat attached to the Archangel's neck!<br /><br />I am not pretending to be a better artist than my favorite Amorsolo, but I somehow moved the arm around a little to make it look more natural.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXWnSZz74-W8nGvDE4W7UI10-uiLyOg24om55ohHpmnlshzF7ujIVMEOZfb5PQOCWER0L5tlhDf2ANEsW2x2MpaTy5SOrtMLMAWZCfJDOHFEP8DEQ1MpzTVFBOT-hu6pWI5DT8f5Dplo/s1600/ANGELES.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXWnSZz74-W8nGvDE4W7UI10-uiLyOg24om55ohHpmnlshzF7ujIVMEOZfb5PQOCWER0L5tlhDf2ANEsW2x2MpaTy5SOrtMLMAWZCfJDOHFEP8DEQ1MpzTVFBOT-hu6pWI5DT8f5Dplo/s400/ANGELES.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409238334574204258" /></a><br /><br />I may have been a fool to do this, but the label bothered me for so long and I feel I had to do something and hear other artists' opinions regarding this issue.<br /><br />Meanwhile, let's lift our glasses filled with Ginebra San Miguel and clink them: "A votre sante, mesdames et à messieurs!"<br /><br TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-78635903366076391432009-11-21T00:53:00.000-08:002009-11-22T08:35:30.260-08:00SISTER THELMAIt was a mildly cold night in December, a week before Christmas, in the early 1970s. A ferry was smooth sailing along Cabra Island in Lubang, an island between Batangas and Mindoro. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6bHXjT6irN7VbQaPd2rsGhpJEdZ9kXZ6QifeWZsTLW2VO_QkLNxcfKyJoj94fD3I4lyNeHOYClFrrNHt2httgmn8s4I5bQf0vPTrhdFlN2GRiw20IE09SUQ3KD9QB-3rB7XK0IH3Y24/s1600/cabra+island.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6bHXjT6irN7VbQaPd2rsGhpJEdZ9kXZ6QifeWZsTLW2VO_QkLNxcfKyJoj94fD3I4lyNeHOYClFrrNHt2httgmn8s4I5bQf0vPTrhdFlN2GRiw20IE09SUQ3KD9QB-3rB7XK0IH3Y24/s400/cabra+island.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406478465272457490" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">This is Cabra Island in Lubang, an island in-between Batangas and Mindoro.</span><br /><br />As usual, the vessel was filled to overflowing with passengers. Most of them were housemaids who were going home to the Visayas to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones. Blasting from the ferry’s loudspeaker was <span style="font-weight:bold;">Eddie Peregrina</span>’s recording of the song <span style="font-weight:bold;">What Am I Living For?</span> Many passengers were enjoying the song, some were even singing in desafinado voices, almost in chorus, following the song.<br /><br />Instantly, a bright light suddenly appeared from the sky and it shined down below, illuminating the bushes, the boulders and the trees of Cabra Island.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0D1Z7q5apTB2_LKdi-r_voWnYUEj-acG7qdwQPxUA-ILCkq4x_bNKmCtEl-YeNoyx8sE2tGJDKLmFKuiAG9u2zFrq0vej048eW8KjXLldsuvGitFA2uEJtPKya4Je1ulPpeBiFB6tKWc/s1600/cabra2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0D1Z7q5apTB2_LKdi-r_voWnYUEj-acG7qdwQPxUA-ILCkq4x_bNKmCtEl-YeNoyx8sE2tGJDKLmFKuiAG9u2zFrq0vej048eW8KjXLldsuvGitFA2uEJtPKya4Je1ulPpeBiFB6tKWc/s400/cabra2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406479154613051474" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Cabra Island in Lubang, in between Batangas and Mindoro</span><br /><br />A few days ago, before this ferry trip, several allegedly visionary Filipino children have claimed to have seen the Holy Virgin who had spoken with them. The publicity of the incident was still fresh in the passengers’ minds. And now, here was this bright light illuminating Cabra Island. Could this be part and parcel of the miracle?<br /><br />I wasn’t a passenger in this ferry, but since my relatives owned Rodrigueza Shipping, they would be able to tell me what really happened that night. Since they were not passengers either, they referred me to the ferry’s purser, who, in turn, have told me the whole nine yards of what had really happened.<br /><br />He related to me that it was the scariest experience he ever had on a ferry trip. He described to me that as soon as the passengers saw the unexplainable bright light, a deftly felt fear and excitement triggered a surge of adrenalin, resulting in the panic that almost culminated into a horrific disaster. They began screaming hysterically, many were weeping, and like stampeding wild horses, rushed towards one side of the ferry to get a glimpse of the “miracle,” causing the ferry to lean on one side that it nearly toppled! <br /><br />The purser, with presence of mind, quickly turned off the music and announced over the loudspeaker, telling the passengers to get away from one side immediately or the ferry would sink. Only when the vessel began to tip over that the hysterical mob finally woke up from their foolishness and realized that they could really end up seeing the Holy Virgin prematurely – in the real McCoy place – called heaven.<br /><br />When the light has finally dissipated (it was never explained by <span style="font-weight:bold;">PAG-ASA</span> what it was – though I suspect it was possibly a big meteor), everybody was traumatized both by the “miraculous light” and the tension of the near-disaster. Many housemaids approached the purser to play music in the ferry to lessen the stress of the event. They specifically asked him to play <span style="font-weight:bold;">Eddie Peregrina</span> songs, such as: <span style="font-weight:bold;">I Believe</span>, <span style="font-weight:bold;">You’ll Never Walk Alone</span>, and it should be followed by <span style="font-weight:bold;">Two Lovely Flowers</span>, <span style="font-weight:bold;">Mardy</span>, and <span style="font-weight:bold;">Together Again</span>. The purser told me that his anger towards the silly passengers would not go away just like that. Instead of playing an Eddie Peregrina song, he played a Chinese song of Hongkong recording artist <span style="font-weight:bold;">Nancy Sit</span>. This really pissed the housemaids off.<br /><br />“We paid our fares!” Screamed some of them. “We want Eddie Peregrina songs, not <span style="font-weight:bold;">Chekwa</span> songs!” <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Chekwa</span> is a derogatory slang for Chinese.<br /><br />But, their screams fell on the deaf ears of the purser. He was still seething from the awful near-disaster. Hence, the whole trip was graced by Nancy Sit’s Chinese songs that nobody understood and appreciated. The loud songs blasted the eardrums of the housemaids until the ferry had finally reached its destination.<br /><br />And the “miracle?”<br /><br />Oh, well, at least the kids have enjoyed their so-called “fifteen-minute fame.”<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAQkqiro4js9GBYUJi34pOsmpb2ff0CcBHUsZCuOGNVYoE-G6GZL5hw4BOXMmt2n_NKmJwmql1V4iiHYTlL7ovCpCBOYRJHbpLMeVVh1_SZoaZwdmik1edSyve9pgknICEnJPSuvnEXY/s1600/phillipines+ferry.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 333px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAQkqiro4js9GBYUJi34pOsmpb2ff0CcBHUsZCuOGNVYoE-G6GZL5hw4BOXMmt2n_NKmJwmql1V4iiHYTlL7ovCpCBOYRJHbpLMeVVh1_SZoaZwdmik1edSyve9pgknICEnJPSuvnEXY/s400/phillipines+ferry.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406479917514726562" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The panicking passengers would have caused the ferry to sink, just like the photo above.</span><br /><br />Meanwhile, Virgin Mary sightings kept happening in the Philippines. In the 1980’s, some children from Ilocos also claimed the appearance of the virgin. Apparently, she talked about the mission of each child. Many believers, fence-sitters, and nonbelievers went to Ilocos in droves. Fights happened because the nonbelievers were there to taunt the believers, and the believers, naturally were pissed off. Thank God the fence sitters were there to pacify the warring groups.<br /><br />But, let’s go back to the 1970’s, one of the most interesting and wackiest decades on earth.<br /><br />I have four older sisters. When I was a child, my mother and my sisters would always read me stories. They also introduced me to the alphabet. At the age of five, I was already reading the Manila Times. When I went to school that year, the only thing my Grade 1 teacher had to teach me was writing. It was also the time when I started drawing. <br /><br />The practice of reading the newspaper daily became habitual for me. During my adolescent years, the first thing I would do in the morning was have coffee while reading the morning paper. As a teenager, one morning, while browsing Panorama, a magazine supplement of the Manila Bulletin, I saw an article on a woman who claimed to have seen the Santo Niño (Baby Jesus). <br /><br />This time, the visionary was not a child, but an adult named <span style="font-weight:bold;">Sister Thelma</span>. <br /><br />“Now that was a new twist,” I said to myself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDS_9qpgljn11IbjMOvPLshb6ThmYVHP3r73F1wujNNF7XLg4g-GQ2W40nR3b_k0CKJgCECwlsyZ3feIXK44vIKWP8G8UBwDYRv9ZowVlqy5mBtCcS6mES4gS8_KXnIimq-Upr2KhaXA/s1600/jose-rizal-house-in-calamba-laguna.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDS_9qpgljn11IbjMOvPLshb6ThmYVHP3r73F1wujNNF7XLg4g-GQ2W40nR3b_k0CKJgCECwlsyZ3feIXK44vIKWP8G8UBwDYRv9ZowVlqy5mBtCcS6mES4gS8_KXnIimq-Upr2KhaXA/s400/jose-rizal-house-in-calamba-laguna.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406480608725033586" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Jose Rizal's residence in Calamba, Laguna.</span><br /><br />The article described her as a healer, a God-sent individual whose mission was to heal the sick and emancipate the ailing spirits of people in turmoil. She claimed that the Santo Niño, God the Father, and the Immaculate Concepcion, had told her to build a chapel in a particular location in Calamba, Laguna, where a spring would appear and its water would heal the sick. People came in droves in Laguna to see Sister Thelma. Many have claimed to have been healed by her. She would go into a trance and would use her tongue by licking the wounds of many of her patients. She also used a wooden cross and coconut oil. She would pour oil on the cross, then lay it flat on the patient’s skin. When the patient had no illness, the cross will fall. If the patient was ill, the cross would stick on the patient’s skin and only Sister Thelma who could remove it.<br /><br />“Holy shit,” was my reaction. “This one is definitely an uber faith healer. Licking the wounds. My, my. I just have to meet this person,” I told my girlfriend.<br /><br />So, my girlfriend and I drove to <span style="font-weight:bold;">Calamba, Laguna</span> to see Sister Thelma.<br /><br />This visionary was a thirty-something small woman with smooth olive-skin and a winsome smile that instantly melted my heart. Talking to her, I have felt – or imagined to have felt – a certain tenderness that surged allover deep within me. Could it be this charisma that made so many people trust her and surrender their salvation completely in her? She was extremely busy healing many people that day and she promised to see me the following week at the Broadcast City in Quezon City. <br /><br />On the day of our meeting at the TV network, I announced to everyone that the well-publicized healer from Laguna would be coming to the studio for an interview. She arrived with two assistants. She was wearing the white habit and the white veil that she was wearing during the healing sessions. We sat across from each other at a desk and started the interview. While I was talking to her, there came a time when she suddenly fell into a trance. Her voice became like a little child and continued answering my questions. I noticed that producers, directors, actors and production people started to gather around us. Soon, we were surrounded by many people. A lady production assistant whispered to me, saying that she had been stung by a poisonous jelly fish on the beach in Cavite and the nasty wound was not healing. She asked me whether I could ask Sister Thelma if she could help her. But, before I could tell Sister Thelma about her problem, the latter turned around and said: <br /><br />“Come to me, my child,” the childlike voice said. “I will heal the wound in your leg.”<br /><br />The production assistant was taken aback and so was I. She approached Sister Thelma and the healer started licking the patient’s wound. After a while, the healer became very stiff. The assistants hold her and let her lie on the floor. <br /><br />At this point, comedian <span style="font-weight:bold;">Gary Lising</span> taunted the lady in trance, stumping his foot near her, saying: “Cut! Cut! The scene is over! Cut!”<br /><br />Suddenly, Sister Thelma spoke in a low, deep man’s voice: “I want you to listen to me! Come closer!”<br /><br />The comedian kneeled on the floor and leaned towards Sister Thelma. He moved his ear closer to her mouth. She whispered something to him. The comedian’s expression suddenly changed. He got up and left, leaving everyone baffled. When the healer came to, her assistants lifted her to her feet and I asked everyone to leave us alone for the interview.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBG5sZpKuO3bilhFxRjcgBENOJpCNWqSbSxEroEPHqZ5e7ntz_ivo4Zl29vY4OvxYntR7gXpMYKSKKL_MNk5e6ykDitOrpybOTT9AiG6cBBcoLIiE8WjFtcTwhVeDG5hkNDLKk0uuV3s/s1600/GaRY+LISING.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBG5sZpKuO3bilhFxRjcgBENOJpCNWqSbSxEroEPHqZ5e7ntz_ivo4Zl29vY4OvxYntR7gXpMYKSKKL_MNk5e6ykDitOrpybOTT9AiG6cBBcoLIiE8WjFtcTwhVeDG5hkNDLKk0uuV3s/s400/GaRY+LISING.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406481156112851746" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Funnyman Gary Lising.</span><br /><br />She was an only child. She was a spoiled brat. Whatever she wanted, she got. At 17, she fancied to be queen at the town fiesta. Despite the expense, her father obliged. When she was going to college, her father asked her for just one thing: to finish her studies before getting married. She was on her last year in university when she eloped. Her father never forgave her. She and her husband lived a difficult life. They had two children. One day her husband got killed. It was an unsolved murder. The police officer who was assigned to the case became her second husband. When her mother was dying, she went to visit her, but at the doorway, he father stopped her and told her to go away. Her mother died, and she wasn’t even allowed to attend the burial. After two years, her father had a stroke and while bedridden, he summoned her through her best friend. The father asked forgiveness, and she willingly forgave him, then asked for his forgiveness as well. <br /><br />She inherited all her parents’ properties. Her new husband convinced her to start a minimart. She obliged. She also bought an expensive car for him. She also sold her parents’ house to buy another in a subdivision. But, the husband became a compulsive gambler. They lost the minimart, the car, and now the house is in danger of being foreclosed by the bank because they didn’t pay it in full. Faced by her husbands’ beating, hunger, and the prospect of homelessness, she attempted to poison her two children from her first marriage and the baby from her second husband. It was when the apparition of a child stopped her from doing it. He told her to go to the house of a cancer patient that she didn’t know in Canlubang. Afraid, she went and found the patient’s house. She introduced herself and told her what her mission was. Not knowing what to do, she massaged the neck of the patient. She then told her she was coming back the next day to continue healing her. But, she had no intention of coming back. That night, the apparition of the child appeared again and persuaded her to go back to heal the sick. She did. The patient was healed, and her husband mended his ways when he saw what was happening. Many people were healed. <br /><br />She then told me that the apparition (the Santo Niño), gave her a mission: to build a chapel where a spring would arise and the water will heal the sick. When her youngest son Kristopher reaches the age of seven, she will die. And Kristopher will continue her mission until his death.<br /><br />The TV episode would have been about the miracles of the healer. However, after my interview with her, I did my own further research and undercover work. Sister Thelma omitted one thing about her life. She, it turned out, was a former radio drama talent. This discovery gave me enough reason to debunk her claims, especially the changing voices. And yet, I discovered another thing that I could never explain. While wearing a disguise and dark sunglasses, I came to the healing session to observe. When she fell into a trance, four men were trying to lift her yet they couldn’t do it. I came to their rescue and helped. She was just too heavy to be lifted. It boggled my mind how a 120 lbs woman who was slightly taller than Nora Aunor would become so heavy and impossible to be lifted by five men.<br /><br />When I sat down to write the two-hour episode done in semi-documentary style by including actual footages of the healing sessions and interviews, I could no longer just write a straight-forward healing story. I was compelled to write the story of Sister Thelma, the woman. Sister Thelma the person, who, despite her little weaknesses didn’t deserve to be treated like a rag. She was a beautiful person, someone far from being a saint, but someone with a good heart who gave so much to her loved ones and the throngs of people who came daily to be healed. What was amazing was the fact that she never charged even a cent. But, the well-off insisted on giving her subsistence which she reluctantly accepted. But, the most important thing was: she gave hope to the hopeless, and the miracles might not even be true miracles but might be some sort of a placebo effect. Divine intervention or not, Sister Thelma remained a beautiful person who deserved to be respected and accepted. And who else would play this role with panace and grace but <span style="font-weight:bold;">Gina Alajar</span>? Indeed, she played the role brilliantly.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJzz2la1e7gZoPYg0W4mfhslqpTa7qmBEhTxIZhnlwoy1HEAJA4bst3c9LRRMl_dh4s5M3PBkDUOqluGSMm5REeX1dleK9-yCSffSgwW5f0XptsNc6YXqoMT0Jmw3tMR7dNdk-zqRKdc/s1600/Gina+Alajar_thumb.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 186px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJzz2la1e7gZoPYg0W4mfhslqpTa7qmBEhTxIZhnlwoy1HEAJA4bst3c9LRRMl_dh4s5M3PBkDUOqluGSMm5REeX1dleK9-yCSffSgwW5f0XptsNc6YXqoMT0Jmw3tMR7dNdk-zqRKdc/s400/Gina+Alajar_thumb.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406481655920946882" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Gina Alajar, played the role of Sister Thelma. Gina, even now, is one of Philippines' fantastic actresses.</span><br /><br />My only regret is: I left the country soon after this episode had aired. I have totally lost the tract of whatever happened to Sister Thelma’s plight after that. <br /><br />Did she really die after seven years?<br /><br />People of Calamba, Laguna do you know what really happened?TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-76552601148531941212009-10-26T21:33:00.000-07:002009-11-09T02:43:16.610-08:00Dreaming about people from the other sideFor several weeks now, I have been dreaming about people I have known who have already passed on. I have dreamed about my dear mother and father, my wife, some classmates, even Consuelo “Ateng” Osorio and Vincent Benjamin Kua, Jr. <br /><br />Since the last time I talked to Ateng Osorio and Vincent Kua was during the late 70s, I figured I should write something about them to remember them.<br /><br />When I was a kid, I have always been critical about every movie I watched. I looked for the errors in them, I noticed bad acting when I see one, and even became quite aware when the film was awfully directed. At age 8 in 1968, during the summer vacation, I went home to our house (I was staying in my grandpa’s ranch in Bicol and going to school there). I thought I was ready to write a movie. Therefore, when I went home for the summer in the city, I asked our family driver to take me to the ABS-CBN studios on Bohol Avenue to find out how to apply as a writer. At the gate, the guard asked the driver who he was looking for. The driver said the TV director of the program being taped that time. The guard let the car in. Once inside the building, I asked the receptionist who was the TV writer present that day and she mentioned the name: Consuelo Osorio, also known as Ateng Osorio. She told me which studio she was working that time and I proceeded to find her. Unfortunately, upon entering the TV barn, a production assistant told me that she actually went to the cafeteria to have coffee. So I went to the cafeteria and tried to find her. I asked the person at the till to point out to me Miss Osorio, and she did. She was seated at a table, smoking, talking to another lady, and both of them, I noticed, were looking at me.<br /><br />I approached them and introduced myself. She gave me a handshake and introduced the other lady: “She’s Mitos Villareal, our director.”<br /><br />After shaking Miss Villareal’s hand, I didn’t hesitate to tell them that I was there because I want to become a writer for TV and the movies. They both smiled. <br /><br />“You’re a bit too young to work as a writer,” Ateng told me. “Besides, you look more like an actor than a writer! We immediately noticed you the moment you entered this room. You are unusually fair. You are even fairer than Jeanne Young. Leave your phone number with me, I’ll find something and I’ll give you a call.”<br /><br />That’s exactly what I did.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNFWss7vFRmhuxTxx7LGAy3wvHuFe4BBq_dwwMnZcjedRuMVa4uZW2d_fa4NS-yqc3sebsg5If3hWnNsu5UZe5zniNblkbtnXHa9lfRIBTinmqCKD6_GNi5O-ohmE62GsWOEPpkYCKZs/s1600-h/Malva1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNFWss7vFRmhuxTxx7LGAy3wvHuFe4BBq_dwwMnZcjedRuMVa4uZW2d_fa4NS-yqc3sebsg5If3hWnNsu5UZe5zniNblkbtnXHa9lfRIBTinmqCKD6_GNi5O-ohmE62GsWOEPpkYCKZs/s400/Malva1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397135194644393602" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">A scene from Malvarosa. Written by Clodualdo del Mundo, Screenplay by Consuelo Padilla Osorio. Asia's Best Picture, starring Charito Solis. (Photo from Kabayan Central).</span><br /><br /><br />After two days, Ateng called: “Something came up. Come to the TV station and I’ll discuss something with you. Is it possible to talk to your mother?” <br /><br />My mom and dad were away that day and my older brother talked to her. Afterwards, he volunteered to drive me to the TV station.<br /><br />Once we got to the station, Ateng handed me a piece of paper and told me to read it quietly, then aloud with feeling. I did. She said: “I’m impressed. You delivered the lines perfectly. You will be playing Helen Gamboa’s little brother in Bang-Shang-A-Lang”<br /><br />“Bang-shang-a-lang? Is that the title of the movie? It sounds stupid!”<br /><br />My brother laughed and so did Ateng.<br /><br />“It is stupid because it is full of dancing and singing. It’s lots of fun.”<br /><br />“I don’t like to be an actor,” I told her. “Besides, I don’t dance. I can sing, but I don’t want to sing. I want to be a writer.”<br /><br />“Okay, then you have to wait a few more years for that. Maybe after high school, see me and by then maybe you can be a writer.”<br /><br />So I went home that day disappointed. Six years quickly went by.<br /><br />At age 14, I’ve met a komiks writer-editor named Robert Bornay. I was on my first year university, and I told Robert that I can write better stories than other komiks writers. He laughed. Maybe because he believed what I said, or maybe he thought that I was just a cocky teenager. Anyway, whatever it was, Bert handed me a script written by Mars Ravelo and told me to study the format and write something. But it was summer time again and there were too many activities here and there, and I procrastinated. I didn’t write anything. One night, Bert came to our house, a surprise visit. He took with him Tony Tenorio, Orlando Nadres and Deo Fajardo Jr. Bert asked me about my script. I was really embarrassed and promised the visitors that I will write a script. Orlando Nadres, on the other hand, asked me if I want to be on the cover of Sixteen Magazine, a komiks he was editing – an idea that Deo Fajardo seconded. I told them I am a very shy guy, so thanks but no thanks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEaIhuCWLEM7TRPYB_ItaRnOe9ZcqXkjOnRFkeTC7nSMhINHCONSEzcNjXga2Du8Ku7Zbz_qnqSrVpk6_9nrtmQvxjMHptS4lyAsZMKsgkJ3l1eiLT-uWULemRVc5e7Qw8kB3cKBiCJk/s1600-h/blueboy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 244px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEaIhuCWLEM7TRPYB_ItaRnOe9ZcqXkjOnRFkeTC7nSMhINHCONSEzcNjXga2Du8Ku7Zbz_qnqSrVpk6_9nrtmQvxjMHptS4lyAsZMKsgkJ3l1eiLT-uWULemRVc5e7Qw8kB3cKBiCJk/s400/blueboy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397142371709294450" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Blueboy was Bert Bornay's well-loved nobela by teenagers in the late 60s. It was published in Teenagers Songs & Shows komiks/magazine. Filmed by Joy Productions starring Fred Cortez Jr as Joey and Dorothy Joy as Loretta. First Directorial work of Elwood Perez.</span><br /><br /><br />The following week, I sat down and wrote my first komiks script. It was about the called and the chosen. A story of an aspirant nun whose fervent desire to become a full-fledged nun encountered some problems. Divine intervention? Perhaps not her true vocation?<br /><br />Tony Tenorio approved the story and he introduced me to another newcomer writer/illustrator named Vincent Benjamin Kua. My first story, was Vincent’s first komiks drawing. I was also heavy into drawing and my favorite illustrator was Stan Drake. It turned out that it was also Vincent’s favorite.<br /><br />It was then that Mr. Tenorio proposed to me and Vincent to work as editors in Atlas. I was in first year university and I was worried it might affect my studies, so I had to turnn down the offer. Vincent was more gung-ho to write and to draw his own komiks stories and he said no as well. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The very first komiks story I've written for Atlas in late 1974 and came out early 1975. This was Vincen'ts first published drawing.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcBrRG1UcY5eNIamzS1scX6O5KkMEFHOowmSQHDxfT2l2esGULC9E9dsPoShLWk05-vpC1hRKptJMFMvAl6i0nTYfBrk30mktwO5TWNU6TlaLffzTWM5rySppr6kPiWqNcnmMwFMKbE94/s1600-h/hanap1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcBrRG1UcY5eNIamzS1scX6O5KkMEFHOowmSQHDxfT2l2esGULC9E9dsPoShLWk05-vpC1hRKptJMFMvAl6i0nTYfBrk30mktwO5TWNU6TlaLffzTWM5rySppr6kPiWqNcnmMwFMKbE94/s400/hanap1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397144860587648082" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODbpo2avySvipPQ-ood6atsAW5rEN1xFypubXe4AoAAGr-eCPlL23AcluCowGg07_GJM2aGA28P39RtSNSICwC05jrXohDNx1T6kTMzawgyKP91Lao1VszPeEgYHYsbt8f5iozKi8EpA/s1600-h/hanap2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 254px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODbpo2avySvipPQ-ood6atsAW5rEN1xFypubXe4AoAAGr-eCPlL23AcluCowGg07_GJM2aGA28P39RtSNSICwC05jrXohDNx1T6kTMzawgyKP91Lao1VszPeEgYHYsbt8f5iozKi8EpA/s400/hanap2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397145059949678434" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQfRWL6LapX8OK4tF3tqN6JBJwHbV2EMI5nRgsyfZL96Cqk7gKVzRR5xKm2_UfU_sNowwzOIdbOwqKCKTG49UrG18uwnBJhgVpB_35C2LTXUE-7fVtXaOmkBwrYad-vmtxXg7Z_eDNK4/s1600-h/hanap3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 251px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQfRWL6LapX8OK4tF3tqN6JBJwHbV2EMI5nRgsyfZL96Cqk7gKVzRR5xKm2_UfU_sNowwzOIdbOwqKCKTG49UrG18uwnBJhgVpB_35C2LTXUE-7fVtXaOmkBwrYad-vmtxXg7Z_eDNK4/s400/hanap3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397163725556324002" /></a><br /><br />Vincent drew a few scripts of mine but never drew other writers’ work in Atlas. He concentrated on his own “Katha’t Guhit.” What really struck me about him was that, he tended to question everything about our existence in this planet. And I would usually tell him: “Just look up and look at the vastness of the evening sky. There are billions of blinking stars out there. Why are they there? Vincent, there are things in this world that we should rather not ask why they’re there. They’re just part of our own existence. Don’t go crazy knowing the reasons for everything.”<br /><br /> Then I would quote Blaise Pascal’s famous: “The heart has its reason, which reason cannot know!” that sometimes he would say it with me in unison and we’d end up blurting out laughing.<br /><br />And then one day, I told him: “You must just believe in Descarte’s mountains without a valley. That’s something our mind cannot grasp, but which our hearts utterly understand. Then, you will have peace within you.”<br /><br />But, he continued to question things that it became a standard joke greeting from me every time we would see each other in Atlas: “What’s our question for today, Vincent? Are we going to discuss the Alpha and the Omega of the universe?”<br /><br />Once, Tony Tenorio overheard me joking to Vincent and he thought we were serious: “Huh! Are you guys planning to co-write a mind-boggling nobela? Just give me the synopsis as soon as you finish it.”<br /><br />Vincent and I started laughing and Tony was so puzzled and figured out what was going on and he just said: “You guys turn crazy every time you’re both here in my office.”<br /><br />“Tony, in Psychology this type of illness is called Folly, also known as SHARED INSANITY! Only one person has the problem, yet it can influence other people around him to mysteriously be afflicted with temporary insanity!” I joked.<br /><br />“Then who’s the real mentally ill?”<br /><br />Vincent and I both pointed at each other. Then the three of us all laughed.<br /><br />I continued writing scripts for Atlas publications while I was studying in university. <br /><br />One weekend, our Mass Comm Association had a tour of ABS-CBN. It was there in the TV barn that Mrs. Osorio and I have seen each other again after six years.<br /><br />“Mrs. Osorio!” I said as soon as I saw her.<br /><br />“You look very familiar,” she said.<br /><br />“Oh, I was the 8-year old boy you said – who was fairer than Jeanne Young six years ago!”<br /><br />Ateng Osorio laughed. “And you’re still fairer than Jeanne Young even now! Now you’re here to become a writer, aren’t you?”<br /><br />“Actually, we’re just having a class tour of the station.”<br /><br />“Well, perfect timing. I need someone your age. I am auditioning today and tomorrow for new talents for BBC Channel 2. Since I already know that you can do it, you’re in. I need you to come for taping on Saturday night. Come with me and I’ll give you the script.”<br /><br />I wanted to say no, but for some reason, I couldn’t. Besides, this lady was super nice and I didn’t want to say no to her. So I went with her and we proceeded to the office and the producer of the show handed me a blue mimeographed script. It says: <br /><br />PROGRAM: Dulambuhay ni Rosa Vilma<br />WRITER: O.B. Pangilinan<br />MAINSTAY: Vilma Santos<br /><br />To make the long story short, I ended up appearing with Vilma Santos and Walter Navarro. I played Walter’s younger brother in that episode. Thank God all my scenes were take one. And after the show aired, all my friends teased me non-stop about it. Ateng Osorio was directing films that time as well and she wanted to cast me in them but I begged off. I finally told her that acting is not what I wanted to do. I want to write. She then said: “I’m committed for seven months to direct movies which I have already written myself. After they are all finished, we’ll discuss a movie I will be directing for Barangay Pictures. I have a storyline. You will write the screenplay.”<br /><br />I was delighted.<br /><br />But, after three months went by, in mid-1975, BBC Channel 2 phoned me. Marcial Sanson, the big boss of programming that time, told me that he read some of my komiks scrpts and he liked them a lot and now he offered me to write for Alma Moreno’s TV show, Alindog. I didn’t hesitate and this was how I began my TV writing adventure in the Philippines.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiQ0L9sO3P910H3tqv1j_CjbTS2RpMdbpm4CTCG8vovPHxkx6SZ4cpBBODMFpKRYVQkCVAbSj0VDqvQT1FWOsQbveB7p0wzqZCzZ09mTNbMgnj6r2EeY6W91zr7PWMukdq7AXzrRmVsg/s1600-h/ULILA.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 291px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiQ0L9sO3P910H3tqv1j_CjbTS2RpMdbpm4CTCG8vovPHxkx6SZ4cpBBODMFpKRYVQkCVAbSj0VDqvQT1FWOsQbveB7p0wzqZCzZ09mTNbMgnj6r2EeY6W91zr7PWMukdq7AXzrRmVsg/s400/ULILA.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397153049764130850" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Scripts in the 1970s were typewritten by the writer. Then the network would copy it and print them en masse using the very low tech called MIMEOGRAPH. They were usually done in blue, like this sample here.</span> <br /><br />I didn’t have time anymore to write a screenplay for Ateng Osorio, but she understood that I was having a hectic schedule writing for several TV dramas. We remained friends (it was like having your grandma around while working in showbiz). And definitely, for me, she was one of the most memorable persons in RP showbiz.<br /><br />And Vincent? His questioning about things never ended. He was still the same sensitive guy who was easily hurt especially when people act unkindly. He tended to brood about it for sometime. I guess he wanted this world to be a perfect place. I know it was an impossible dream. But, I can’t blame him. This planet would have been really a perfect place to live in if only human beings were perfect. <br /><br />I’m sure Vincent is now in a perfect place where he has found all the answers to his questions. And Ateng must be mingling with so many RP showbiz souls now also enjoying eternal peace, perhaps, somewhere where the sky and earth meet.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com52tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-81088331075509690142009-08-16T23:11:00.000-07:002009-11-14T21:28:26.130-08:00THE GIFTED FANNY SERRANOIn 1978, my girlfirend was a fashion model for Girard Peter Models. I was writing dramas for television that time. I don't watch any of the shows of the Girard Peter models, but one day my girlfriend insisted that I should watch, and I did. It was a dinner show at a plush night club in Ermita. The first thing that surprised me was that one of my friends at the YMCA, Henry Cando, was also part of the Girard Peter Models. His job in the show was to lift the women models, including my girlfriend. Henry and I worked out together at the YMCA GYM on Arroceros Street, with Joey Sanchez (Gino Antonio). Henry never told me and Joey that he was doing some modelling jobs. Nevertheless, it was a bit of surpise for both of us, because he didn’t know either that one of his co-workers was my girlfriend.<br /><br />So there we were, laughing at each other while the models changed costumes. The intermission was a group called PAPERDOLLS. When they started their act, I had to watch them because they were very good. One of the members of the group was quite a looker. She performed so gracefully, and she was indeed a stunning woman. So I asked Henry who she was. Henry laughed so hard and said: “Man, he’s not a woman. He’s an impersonator. His name is Fanny Serrano.”<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-AbcBLezLALTxU16sB4kiB6gLSvyrOrVkgx6ozr3qhIFjWgs6DBBwBgyM0gLsSDSloMt1InEd7BmGNyaUk0Rck0Y2s-U8eqZvxUDI3kb19MG6LGE1YqEfsOxsQr5tYMLblci0lXzkOQ/s1600-h/00005769.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-AbcBLezLALTxU16sB4kiB6gLSvyrOrVkgx6ozr3qhIFjWgs6DBBwBgyM0gLsSDSloMt1InEd7BmGNyaUk0Rck0Y2s-U8eqZvxUDI3kb19MG6LGE1YqEfsOxsQr5tYMLblci0lXzkOQ/s400/00005769.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370812698790281874" /></a><br /><br />I was stunned. I really thought he was a woman. I looked at him again, and watching him perform showed no scintilla of evidence that he was indeed a he. Graceful movement, soft features, and a beautiful face – but a face that exuded some sadness, some vulnerability that almost broke my heart.<br /><br />“I’ve got to talk to him,” I told my friend.<br /><br />“What for?”<br /><br />“I’m in-love with his face!” I said, and Henry blurted out laughing.<br /><br />After the show, my girlfriend, Henry and I went to see Fanny. I introduced myself to him and I realized that his face was even more feminine tête-à-tête. I asked him if he had any experience in acting. He said no, only impersonating. <br /><br />“Would you like to act with Rosa Rosal?” I asked him.<br /><br />“Are you kidding?” he said, smiling.<br /><br />I told him that his performance inspired me to write an episode of ULILA, and by just watching his movements, I just knew that he can act. He agreed, and I told him that I will let the studio send a script when I’m done with it.<br /><br />The episode of ULILA was called FARIDA. It was the story of Alfredo, Jr., a.k.a. Farida (Fanny Serrano) a womanish-looking young man who was working as an impersonator in a gay bar without his father’s knowledge. He thought that something was wrong with him because he was feeling dizzy all the time. In their neighborhood, the macho men imbibibng alcohol outside made Farida the butt of their jokes. Unfortunately, his gayness was affecting his younger brother (played by Caloi Pimentel) who got teased a lot by his peers just because his older borther was gay. He would come home bleeding from fisticuffs. This constant rigmarole irked his father Alfredo, Sr. (Rolly Papasin). Alfredo Sr. punished Farida by hitting him so hard and dragging him out of the house and disowning his Junior because the latter was bringing nothing but shame in the family. The pleadings of Farida’s mother Tinay (Rosa Rosal) fell on deaf ears. <br /><br />Farida stayed with his friends in the gaybar. A male dancer named Erwin (Rafael Lucas) was the most caring in the joint. Erwin was a komiks illustrator who was being paid so low that he had to moonlight as a macho dancer in the bar to finish his university degree. Farida was glad that Erwin was trying to strive for a better life. Farida had the same dream. He was trying to save up some money so he could go to college and change his life, and be accepted by his father and hoping that someday, his father would finally be proud of him. But for now, impersonation was the only available job for him that would pay better to fulfill his dream. One of the other impersonator in the club was UBANGGA (Joey Galvez) a dark complexioned funny impersonator who was also kind to Farida.<br /><br />One day, Farida collapsed. He had an inoperable brain tumor. Ubangga and Erwin went to see his father but he refused to allow his son back to his house. Farida died. Tinay went to the hospital and hugged her son’s cold body. Alfredo Sr remained firm, unrelenting, untouched by his son’s death. But after the burial which he did not attend, we see him late at night, boozing up alone at the dining table, then shoving the bottles of alcohol and weeping, his whole frame shaking. He lost his son, after all. The son he loved but refused to tell him so when he was still alive.<br /><br />This father and son story was directed by Mario O’hara, and during the taping, Mario and I were both stunned when almost all of the crew were deeply affected by the scenes involving Rosa Rosal, Rolly Papasin and Fanny Serrano. Many became tearful. Danny Vibas, a movie reporter, approached me after the scene where Fanny was beaten by Rolando Papasin, and whispered to me: “Joemarie, it’s too violent. I’ve never expected it this way,” he said, removing his glasses, and wiping his tears.<br /><br />My hunch was right, after all. Fanny Serrano was indeed a fantastic actor. He played his role as if he was a veteran performer. He was the only new actor who made the crew react this way. When the episode aired, BBC-Channel 2 was stormed by phone calls. Televiewers where asking who Fanny Serrano was. It was the first time they saw him perform and yet his performance struck their hearts and minds. When TV week magazine came out, there were requests from viewers to cast Fanny again in future episodes.<br /><br />Meanwhile, I got all the flak from the gay community. Many were mad at me for writing an episode about a gay person, which they claimed, of which I had no idea what it's all about to be gay. They accused me of ostracizing the gays by making the father beat the gay son unabashedly. They even told me to do another episode, but make sure that the gay son will fight back and kill his father! There was even a TV producer who confronted me after the taping, accusing me of being so irresponsible for writing a lifestyle that I was totally ignorant of. He even threatened me to bring up the matter to the Benedictos and he will do his best to yank me out of all my TV shows. He went on saying that if it were him who was being abused by his father, there is no doubt he's going to retaliate. Quietly, I told him: "well, why don't you write a script about that?" The more he got mad and screamed. "From now on, I don't want to see your face ever again. Just be careful. All the gays in UP are fuming mad!" He left and had never spoken to me again. I was not yanked out from the network, and the young producer suddenly disppeared. After six months, I asked Marcial Sanson where the guy was. Marcial told me that the guy was diagnosed with cancer of the mandible and died a few weeks after being diagnosed. The gays from UP never confronted me.<br /><br />But going back to Fanny Serrano, his impersonation scenes as Carole King were fabulous. After being thrown out by his father, the next scene became so heart-rending when he performed “You’ve got a friend”, where Erwin and Ubangga were watching him. His costume was amazing, and he was the one who made it. I wrote several more episodes with Fanny Serrano in them and all of them had accented his wonderful gift in acting. What’s really funny was that Fanny killed Rolly Papasin in an episode called WALANG HANGGAN ANG DILIM NG GABI. In this episode, singer Romy Mallari played Fanny’s younger brother, and I was in disbelief when Romy performed the role so well. I never knew the guy was an amazing actor as well.<br /><br />There you go, folks. Fanny Serrano is not just a very talented beauty specialist that many of you know him to be. He is also a very talented impersonator, actor and costume designer. A multi-talented individual that the Philippines can be really proud of. <br /><br />Thank you, Fanny Serrano. You’re not only a wonderful actor and beauty specialist par excellence, but you are also an amazing person. Mabuhay ka.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-80153728921915298502009-06-19T22:11:00.000-07:002009-06-19T23:26:43.273-07:00Down Memory Lane: Tikoy's Rizal Is Heavy Handed With Josephine<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_TLfk8R28oMd2Ii_W88w62Om3pEgxJY-eA_RYzBoobIBMv3QmIC9mbVHL1flb2mz29_CZ6QqkrfRA4Gj7kmd6B0uH1r6D7-IQnr6ACh3hOVGOKqVIQ_QsRNd2FF8vMNQgl0QiGoaO9g/s1600-h/rizal1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 216px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_TLfk8R28oMd2Ii_W88w62Om3pEgxJY-eA_RYzBoobIBMv3QmIC9mbVHL1flb2mz29_CZ6QqkrfRA4Gj7kmd6B0uH1r6D7-IQnr6ACh3hOVGOKqVIQ_QsRNd2FF8vMNQgl0QiGoaO9g/s400/rizal1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349277895497816274" /></a><br /><br /><br />Tikoy Aguiluz’ RIZAL SA DAPITAN is a somber and ominous film. It utilizes many unknown actors; uses some hand-held shots quite reminiscent of Cinema Verité; a lot of tripod shots borrowed from neo-realism; dubbing of dialogues that do not match with the actors’ lips, something that reminds me of Felinni and Pasolini's films.<br /><br />Most of the films about Rizal’s life that had been made before had always shown his execution by musketry.I am not blaming those filmmakers (including my favorite filmmaker, Gerry de Leon) because indeed that part had been the most dramatic scene in Rizal’s life. His execution by the Spaniards was truly a temptation for any filmmaker. It’s like the Devil in the garden on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem, who tried repeatedly to temp Jesus. Unfortunately, Filipino film directors are only human and it’s not surprising that many had succumbed to this temptation. They emphasized this part (usually as the final scene) and in fact, many of them were done in the much abused device known in the annals of filmmaking: the slow motion.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgDYcSQvAwBRl2kceAoHfDCCcgLN4OB2pLrk444b0Q26J5VLbmqzV9dNX5T1YVRbcrQs9lstxMRL9kmTmBTE0eUxVTAqIbqDL1NJeyk3lSHCuV9VEML8FAv7AQTm_pRPuGDePzVf_ENo/s1600-h/rizal3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 216px; height: 151px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgDYcSQvAwBRl2kceAoHfDCCcgLN4OB2pLrk444b0Q26J5VLbmqzV9dNX5T1YVRbcrQs9lstxMRL9kmTmBTE0eUxVTAqIbqDL1NJeyk3lSHCuV9VEML8FAv7AQTm_pRPuGDePzVf_ENo/s400/rizal3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349277161450584642" /></a><br /><br /><br />Therefore, what a relief when Aguiluz’ version opens with Rizal’s execution already carried out and his remains are being dragged by two of his executioners, los dos guardia civiles. This scene is extremely clever and powerful. Unfortunately, from this masterful beginning, the film utilizes another device that seems to haunt many scriptwriters and directors: the flashback.<br /><br />We are told how Rizal, banished by the Spaniards to Dapitan, lived his life as a farmer, teacher, surgeon, entrepreneur, lover, son, brother, and even as a father to a still-born child. All these ploded on and on, that I began to wonder whether Tikoy Aguiluz is a member of of a club where Kevin Bacon and Keifer Suherland are both members: the Flatliners. Sure, there are obstacles and triumphs along the way as Rizal’s daily existence is expounded, but the whole movie is so flat, even the humor used is so dry, it would have been better if they had deleted them altogether.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaGXWSLIgn0sYTG6ZZCdChxy7mU19hPFJDMJdfewOgaUda-7mnJmAuPBIvgpGL_oMI0Ff4P401PQE07tdvf3zJaBMmgBhev1pcXG2ORcVknVMBQ7P-w0B_i7XNqFc_wJeuaYLn6XbNPw/s1600-h/rizal4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 382px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaGXWSLIgn0sYTG6ZZCdChxy7mU19hPFJDMJdfewOgaUda-7mnJmAuPBIvgpGL_oMI0Ff4P401PQE07tdvf3zJaBMmgBhev1pcXG2ORcVknVMBQ7P-w0B_i7XNqFc_wJeuaYLn6XbNPw/s400/rizal4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349277243139543234" /></a><br /><br /><br />In the movies (both Hollywood and Tagalog, but more in Tagalog), there is a recurring scene that seems not to go away: a leading man shoving her leading lady.<br /><br />Charito Solis was shoved by Nestor de Villa in BULUNG-BULUNGAN; Marlene Dauden suffered the same fate from Eddie Rodriguez in MILAROSA; Charito Solis, once again, by Ric Rodrigo in DAHIL SA ISANG BULAKLAK; and even Faye Dunaway by Jack Nicholson in CHINATOWN.<br /><br />When Albert Martinez (as Rizal) confronts Amanda Page (as Josephine Bracken) about her fidelity and veracity, I told myself, “Oh, boy! DON’T do it, Tikoy! Don’t! Please!”<br /><br />But, Tikoy had succumbed to the second temptation! His Rizal shoves Josephine!<br /><br />Now, I will have to add Amanda Page’s name on the list of belted leading ladies.<br /><br />But the film’s trouble isn’t over yet. Even if the filmmakers added a disclaimer at the end that they had to invent many things to dramatize Rizal’s life in Dapitan, how can they explain the fact that many of the dialogues and motivations were totally UN-RIZAL?<br /><br />Let’s examine some of Rizal’s wisdom here. “Sa mabahong tae ay sumisibol ang isang mabangong bulaklak” (From a stinky manure, a flower blooms).<br /><br />I don’t think that Rizal would have insulted our intelligence by telling us that shit smells bad. Any farmer out there who had smelled a sweet-smelling manure, please send us some so that in return, we could send it to Tikoy Aguiluz. I know Jose "Pete" Lacaba's writing style, and he would never write such dialogue (either it was added by Tikoy, or was suggested by a leg man to add into the film). And unfortunately, the credit of the writing went to Lacaba (and this is one of sticky points in screenplay writing, everyone on the set has something to say, and the poor writers are blamed when the dialogues come out horrendous). Which reminds me of what I have experienced with Gosiengfiao in Bedspacers. I wrote the dialogue: "That's the bitch! The one we saw on Recto Avenue yesterday." During the shoot, the American actress who was playing the part said: "That's the bitch! The one we saw on Azcarraga yesterday."<br /><br />I protested: "For crying out loud, Joey! No young people would even know what Azcarraga is! That name was known during my mother's time!"<br /><br />"But Joey, it sounds classy!" he replied.<br /><br />And, yes... the movie said Azcarraga, not Recto.<br /><br />But wait, we're discussing Rizal Sa Dapitan. <br /><br />How about Jose Rizal’s characterization? When one of Rizal’s sisters accused Josephine of infidelity and lying, Rizal confronted Josephine right there and then, hence the shoving scene.<br /><br />I don’t think that Rizal, whose IQ was that of a genius and who was against violence and tyranny, would have listened to hearsay without investigating first, let alone resort to such violent action. I don't know if Pete wrote the script this way, but it's unlikely. The shoving must have been added during the shoot. Sure, Tikoy wants drama here, but if the character’s motivation is totally inconsistent from the personality of that character, such dramatic build up is rendered useless. Rizal, who was a very good doctor and a champion of women’s rights – would shove a woman who is also his wife and who is pregnant with a child?<br /><br />Balderdash! <br /><br />Pete Lacaba had written the most sensible scripts in local movies and unless the devil made him do it, it's unthinkable for him to write this way. <br /><br />Albert Martinez’s interpretation of Rizal’s characterization shows the intensity of Rizal’s demeanor. It may or may not be accurate in real life, but I rather liked the edgy touch he added into it.<br /><br />Amanda Page is not Irish-looking enough for Josephine, but she’s quite charming and endearing. I just hope she refuses her director next time he asks her to be shoved by her leading man. Charito Solis, a world-class actress, had agreed to be pushed twice in her career, plus the other people who pushed her in real life as well. But that was during her time. That was then, this is now. If another director is going to use this scene in a film, he should be thrown in the slammer for being so banal.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNejAN9__kbZxwDfV2jySd__imyqqqtoeOw1nhG_PSwxhh1U_dcnkAUEJZBWH0JaDGRHZxDQGeS6TtsajP9gEDNNEgVKgVRxg0NzvWJGgMDiGIMvlBl5T7JaZjpYZf1OMy8ZwaQjXkG3M/s1600-h/rizal2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 391px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNejAN9__kbZxwDfV2jySd__imyqqqtoeOw1nhG_PSwxhh1U_dcnkAUEJZBWH0JaDGRHZxDQGeS6TtsajP9gEDNNEgVKgVRxg0NzvWJGgMDiGIMvlBl5T7JaZjpYZf1OMy8ZwaQjXkG3M/s400/rizal2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349277071515719426" /></a><br /><br /><br />Despite the many problems of Tikoy’s Rizal, there are some nice touches to this film. The shot of a gecko trying to crawl laboriously up the banyan tree is something akin to Rizal’s life who is facing an arduous future as an exile. The sunsets and the starless nights are like paintings done by a master. The overall dark look of this production reminds me of the Tikoy Aguiluz brand that is always present in his films, including the Boatman. If he were careful in his choice of materials, wean himself from the influence of the neo-realist movement of the fifties and used more established good-looking actors (and quit using every Tom, Dick, and Harry off the streets who can't act), stayed away from overused tableau vivants that are more recognizable than the soldiers raising a flag in Iwo Jima; and if he borrowed more from the French New Wave – he might end up yet as one of RP's better filmmakers.<br /><br />Rizal Sa Dapitan is far from being a masterpiece, but its components (Lacaba's vision) have the makings of one.<br /><br />Happy 148th birthday, JR.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-67478086398440269512009-05-14T22:37:00.000-07:002009-05-15T07:30:08.669-07:00SCRIPTWRITING 101: DIALOGUERecently, a commentary from two “high brow” observers of komiks and comics, annoyed a lot of komiks talents when these two bozos (who badly need to take Philosophy 101 - Logic) argued and argued nonstop with reasoning only ignorant people like them would understand. One of these guys accused me of using HIGH FALUTING (sic) dialogues in a short komiks story which he claimed was forgettable, yet he remembered who wrote it, and remembered the story, and remembered the dialogues. Yet, he said it was a forgettable story. Forgettable, but he remembered everything about it, including the so-called “High Falutin” dialogues.<br /><br />My understanding of his “high faluting” description, is its current use here in north America. I thought he meant my dialogues were “Showing off, ostentatious, pretending to be above one's station in life, putting on airs.” This is the context now of this word here in north America. But, it turned out that the guy using this word, must have meant : “bombastic speech,” a context which was the status quo in the 1950s. Today, in north America, if you tell someone “high falutin”, it will always be interpreted as “Showing off”. Example, if there is an exclusive, pricey restaurant where only the people who have extra money would go, chances are people in the south or Midwest would say: “Them rich guys will all go to that high falutin restaurant called TURO-TURO.” Nowadays, if your dialogue or speech is bombastic, it will be labelled: STILTED, not “high falutin.” If you call a dialogue high falutin, it will be the same as saying GAY because you’re HAPPY. But of course, that was in the 1950s. If you say the word GAY these days, it would only mean one thing: HOMOSEXUAL.<br /><br />Well, since we’re discussing this topic, this is the best time to discuss DIALOGUES in scriptwriting. In the old komiks industry, even in our old tagalog movies, TV and radio dramas, dialogues were never utilized to ADVANCE THE ACTION OF THE STORY, or to suggest an incident in the past to make the scenes interesting. This does not encompass all the writers, but many were guilty of this shortcoming.<br /><br />What exactly is the main purpose of dialogues?<br /><br />• Dialogues must sound convincing and natural, but should also be entertaining<br />• Dialogues should be in keeping with a character, even emphasizing his/her traits and disposition<br />• Dialogues must build & advance the action of the story. It should give foreshadowing, state facts and other information that can’t be shown in the action<br />• Dialogues must intensify, reveal – the emotions of the characters<br />• Dialogues should be fragmentary just like in real life, simple, but witty. If you can keep them short and crisp, the better<br /><br />and the most important of all, avoid:<br /><br />• Tired, worn-out phrases! If you have heard it too many times before on tv, movie, or even in real life – don’t use it as is! Re-invent it. You don’t want to write clichés:<br /><br />“The devil made me do it”<br />“I’ve got a bone to pick”<br />“Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”<br /><br />Think about the image a phrase can convey, and reword it:<br /><br />“Jeffrey Dahmer’s soul made me do it!”<br />“I’ve got a fish to scale”<br />“Don’t twist the hand that holds your paycheck!”<br /><br />When I was writing for TV in RP, I have always opened my dialogues “after the scene has already begun”. This way, I could inform the audience of what has happened before, the characters would discuss it, ponder it over here and there, maybe worry about the past action, and wonder what might happen because of it.<br /><br />So, instead of:<br /><br />“Magandang umaga, Kiko.”<br />“Magandang umaga naman, Kikay. Kumusta?”<br /><br />This sort of exchange of words is lifeless. Empty. Static.<br /><br />“Magandang umaga, Kiko. Akala mo di na titigil yung ulan, ano?”<br />“Oo nga, e. Mabuti nga’t nakauwi ng walang problema si Lagring”.<br /><br />By putting an incident in the dialogues, the audience will pick-up the past action.<br /><br />For smoothness, use connective words whenever possible.<br /><br />“Tumakbo yung aso patungo roon sa tambakan ng basura!”<br />“Ano’ng klaseng aso?”<br />“German Shepphered.”<br /><br />“Sigurado ka ba?”<br />“Oo, sigurado ako.”<br /><br />• In TV and movie scriptwriting, SHOW, rather then TELL as much as possible. Use dialogues only to explain and to build interest and suspense – use only when necessary. Make the dialogues speed up the plot. Stress the visual. Use pictorial story-telling all the time.<br />• Avoid too much dialect. Suggest his nationality by using one or two foreign words, but don’t overdo it, unless subtitles will be used in the actual film. If the format is TAGLISH, finish all the english and don't insert the Tagalog in between. It will be too confusing to the readers or to the audience. So, if taglish is what the characters speak, spare us the agony. Please finish the sentence in full tagalog, then begin another sentence in English and finish the whole sentence in English. It will be wishy-washy to mix the tagalog and english together in one sentence. Avoid this as much as possible.<br /><br />What leads to a better dialogue?<br /><br />• Well-developed characters and contrasting characters will reveal their uniqueness. As a writer, you don’t even have to force the words. They will come out naturally. <br />• Listen how people talk in real life. Use the idea, but make sure that their conversation is arranged with splendor of order. Real life dialogues are meandering at times. This characteristic must not be included in your dialogue. Make the dialogues sound like in real life, but arranged artistically, and must move the plot forward, not hinder.<br /><br />If you watch tagalog movies and/or tv shows, you will notice one very big problem. Almost always, if, say, there are two characters having a conversation, they would talk about something that they already both know from the past, and yet they are now talking about it because the writer’s intention is to inform the audience (expound) about this past. This strategy is a no-no. It’s purely schlock writing.<br /><br />“Grabe ang tiniis natin sa buhay noon, di ba, Mystica?<br />Lasenggo si itay, labandera si inay. Tuwing uuwing<br />lasing si itay, laging sinasaktan<br />si inay.”<br /><br />“At lagi tayong umiiyak, ate Auring, kadalasan ay<br />nakakatulog tayong walang laman ang sikmura at<br />may mga luha sa mga mata.”<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHTr9qpr64cFJx5uyH1rbv8jhRWLIzZtc04ZHEyMBUA2dF-y5hZGq6PlCGIAsEDJFqnP7ItrWkI54AS9_QpONG4Mr_Ai2NL2GriOX7_rYSH7gPQYoUMqc16HweZEXsXYTK8cXtUIpH_c/s1600-h/auring2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 332px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHTr9qpr64cFJx5uyH1rbv8jhRWLIzZtc04ZHEyMBUA2dF-y5hZGq6PlCGIAsEDJFqnP7ItrWkI54AS9_QpONG4Mr_Ai2NL2GriOX7_rYSH7gPQYoUMqc16HweZEXsXYTK8cXtUIpH_c/s400/auring2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335923829940623394" /></a><br /><br />This kind of dialogue is always used by many RP writers. Both the characters talking to each other knew all the facts from way back when, yet they are saying these facts to each other! What for? To inform the audience of the past. Isn’t this awful?<br /><br />“Sino ang mag-aakalang makaka-ahon rin tayo<br />sa dati nating buhay? Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko <br />pa rin maintindihan kung bakit naging lasenggo si itay.<br />At ewan kung paano hinayaan ni inay na saktan siya<br />ni itay nang paulit-ulit?”<br /><br />“Kung hindi naging lasenggo si itay, hindi sana tayo<br />nagdanas ng katakut-takot na hirap sa buhay.<br />Naalala mo pa ba, kung paano tayo natutulog nang<br />walang laman ang ating mga sikmura?<br /><br />This second alternative is more logical. The characters are reminiscing the past without the OBVIOUS unabashed spoon-feeding dialogues of the first example. Also, you'll notice how the two characters never addressed each other with their names. There is no need for that. When we talk to someone, WE DON’T SAY HIS/HER NAME each time we begin to say something like in the first example. As a writer, take note of this.<br /><br />BTW, Madam Auring and Madam Mystica are both pop icons in RP. He-he-he. May ASIM pa silang dalawa. Damang-dama ko ang kanilang mga alindog. Sana, kayo rin.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-61228677253324829572009-05-03T12:36:00.000-07:002009-05-03T19:14:28.099-07:00HIMALA & RESURRECTION: TWIN MOVIES?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeKX0j6CMjzHcbFUF1FarGqELpWKo-xRZkN48FRO_-Ui5RcHupfDV1F3qqqJjUtfjQYRsUmTgrra2rmmmti3l4NA2mKdV2Nl92KmxWt1dCsrfpieFGq1msIl_l5Nv4NLFAN_vedoMD8rw/s1600-h/nora1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 257px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeKX0j6CMjzHcbFUF1FarGqELpWKo-xRZkN48FRO_-Ui5RcHupfDV1F3qqqJjUtfjQYRsUmTgrra2rmmmti3l4NA2mKdV2Nl92KmxWt1dCsrfpieFGq1msIl_l5Nv4NLFAN_vedoMD8rw/s400/nora1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331685731922326818" /></a><br />HIMALA (1982)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdmfVk3I70YLlJPv0qYpPMBw__7mwXVtVP7pHMsgtmmdvPd-ag5LFukyMAVfIOiGXkJKudMZtWkZA3JfOq4aR_DJTzLT51qoAD7P1z_5hbPz7xCsrGLAIhyphenhyphenukuhR7buC1an20xoPHG0c/s1600-h/resurrection.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 263px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdmfVk3I70YLlJPv0qYpPMBw__7mwXVtVP7pHMsgtmmdvPd-ag5LFukyMAVfIOiGXkJKudMZtWkZA3JfOq4aR_DJTzLT51qoAD7P1z_5hbPz7xCsrGLAIhyphenhyphenukuhR7buC1an20xoPHG0c/s400/resurrection.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331785377174567218" /></a><br />RESURRECTION (1980)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">RESURRECTION</span> (1980) and <span style="font-weight:bold;">HIMALA</span> (1982)<br />are two movies that resemble each other in unbelieveably many ways.<br /><br />In Resurrection: Lewis John Carlino's story goes: <br />Once upon a time, there was a woman named Edna (Ellen Burstyn) who was very much in love with her husband. Then she gave him a sports car for his birthday, and he died in an accident. Edna nearly died in the accident herself, and had a “near death experience,” having “seen” the other side where loved ones who had passed on now reside. She lived, and found herself partly paralyzed, and became depressed, until a long driving trip with her father triggered something: she met a very strange man in the desert. The man had a two-headed snake. It was a casual meeting, a brief one in fact, but this event obviously changed her. She found herself having the power to heal the sick.<br /><br />In HIMALA: Ricky Lee’s story goes: <br />Once upon a time in a small Philippine town called Cupang, a young woman named Elsa (Nora Aunor) announced that she had seen the Virgin Mary. Soon enough, she demonstrated a new-found ability to<br />heal the sick. <br /><br />In RESURRECTION:<br />Edna was now curing patient after patient by the laying on of hands and she even healed her own paralysis. Soon, she became sexually involved with a handsome, but extremely volatile young man who questioned the source of her powers. He insisted that she should recognize the ability as a grace from the Divine Power, but Edna believed profoundly that her healing power was just a manifestation of love (love can move mountains). While on a platform healing the sick, her lover shot Edna dead.<br /><br />In HIMALA:<br />Elsa’s “healing power” made her whole village the center of national attention as people come from every nook and cranny of the Philippines – to buy statues of the saints and bottles of the village's holy water. One of the visitors is a skeptical film director hoping to visually document Elsa's healing powers, and without his knowing it, some frames captured a secret Elsa had kept from everyone for a long time, a secret which led to her sister's suicide. Elsa was a victim of rape, and soon became pregnant. The townspeople believed that Elsa’s condition was nothing but a “virgin pregnancy” exactly like Mary, the mother of Jesus. While standing on a platform facing her followers, Elsa was shot dead by someone from the crowd.<br /><br />See what I mean? These two films are almost TWINS! And how strange that even the first names of the characters both begin in letter E: Edna, Elsa.<br /><br />Personally, I like RESURRECTION than HIMALA. <br />Resurrection, directed by Canadian Daniel Petrie is a joy to watch. It is subdued, the crowd management is done beautifully – like music coming from an orchestra. In fact, it is quite reminiscent in the crowd scenes done by Cesar Gallardo in Premiere Productions’ I BELIEVE, a graphic novel written by Mars Ravelo in the 1950s.<br /><br />HIMALA, on the other hand, must be Filipino film director Ishmael Bernal’s most hysterical film. Screaming, burlesque acting, and rowdy crowd scenes are allover the place, there are moments when you hear nothing but screeching voices and gave me a migraine after watching it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_kDZpzwgUa2vTd7H6DKdDpsszU8GoDvVlkD-Bk_YT7pKarrt4-OwcJrz0NEufcPaWj2Amkt_iiV4wXKbnl5RFVWYL9iSa0Lpe0O2KkLAYXAUrY4c6KK8zFHC0zOh_cCa_WJPD-u8TE_I/s1600-h/nora+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 350px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_kDZpzwgUa2vTd7H6DKdDpsszU8GoDvVlkD-Bk_YT7pKarrt4-OwcJrz0NEufcPaWj2Amkt_iiV4wXKbnl5RFVWYL9iSa0Lpe0O2KkLAYXAUrY4c6KK8zFHC0zOh_cCa_WJPD-u8TE_I/s400/nora+3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331689302177831362" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HuytGU8npXgbYm08n3_aYvNNKv4t4emsHRvOElgGy111VAjBhhkfz3DB__q5xQpdnjS_2F4b__nc7p2hmtDDt8xBChikOA-e0RlSDBvsSsJBywdW5tflBz6vzMccZ1sBae9rvNnCtb8/s1600-h/ellen+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 304px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HuytGU8npXgbYm08n3_aYvNNKv4t4emsHRvOElgGy111VAjBhhkfz3DB__q5xQpdnjS_2F4b__nc7p2hmtDDt8xBChikOA-e0RlSDBvsSsJBywdW5tflBz6vzMccZ1sBae9rvNnCtb8/s400/ellen+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331689201194781586" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8RGH6zYVDsWlso8mKBnAST0GX6lSlySgAETU_KXldf6Q72EncTn931GwPKnnIKXquDKeVWZXI_4Iqt7rpZV0DMB-GR_YvoxeHlCCtrFyWB3JqEqEpIntyIlQsnQHniV2wUW_qb7A9_w/s1600-h/nora+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 324px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8RGH6zYVDsWlso8mKBnAST0GX6lSlySgAETU_KXldf6Q72EncTn931GwPKnnIKXquDKeVWZXI_4Iqt7rpZV0DMB-GR_YvoxeHlCCtrFyWB3JqEqEpIntyIlQsnQHniV2wUW_qb7A9_w/s400/nora+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331689097401559058" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcWIT-wWt_33kQf-9qx1yIofCcOhw34RKLSgBhqme15qyiEiSF9jQQBUN9yYXSjqhwGe_O-OD4DLrkhTkLs7JHgp45J07LbtqHWPVTHwUpf16be3l6zbDtoe4M2H8EoMMkV2UHWHXu1w/s1600-h/ellen+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 383px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcWIT-wWt_33kQf-9qx1yIofCcOhw34RKLSgBhqme15qyiEiSF9jQQBUN9yYXSjqhwGe_O-OD4DLrkhTkLs7JHgp45J07LbtqHWPVTHwUpf16be3l6zbDtoe4M2H8EoMMkV2UHWHXu1w/s400/ellen+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331688986863091090" /></a><br /><br />I am not insinuating anything here, just because RESURRECTION was done in 1980 and HIMALA was done in 1982. This fact is immaterial. I am just showing you the COINCIDENTAL SIMILARITIES in these movies.<br />It’s up to you to decide.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-89074897292025833872009-04-25T20:43:00.000-07:002009-04-26T18:14:57.423-07:00Basic Scriptwriting: Teleplay, Comics & ScreenplayI was scheduled to end my vacation in May, but due to the SWINE FLU outbreak in Mexico, I've decided to go home early. Better safe than sorry.<br /><br />First, let me thank GOSSIP GIRL... er... Heather... (LOL), for answering my emails. Thank you, Miss Dublin, Ireland. Funny how Ireland and The Philippines' music, sentiment, and temperament resemble in many ways.<br /><br />There were many nasty emails coming from different people and I'd rather let sleeping dogs lie, except for one who advised me to come clean on something, as if I had done an illegal thing, or maybe he thought I run as Vice Mayor of Manila? Well, let me tell you, my friend, I am not Iskho Moreno, but I admired what he did after the mudslinging he endured during the elections. In my case, I am not running for public office, so whatever I do is not important to anybody but to myself.<br /><br /><br />FOR NOW... HERE ARE THE DRAWINGS OF:<br />• RODRIGO BENITEZ<br />• RIC M HERNANDEZ<br />• JOEL MAGPAYO<br /><br /><br />RIC M. HERNANDEZ<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdMjZImwhSvukxJtFEH0v-8FZJch0O14tVQv-tXGmEJN2hOXrkj0CfjYiCxPv-x6LctSmemIByhK_G61VpODCHVu68PXluahcff31fkgiq7LKMtQ58sGX31RRhf6cLsh3JDVJX-kzlro/s1600-h/Ric+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 289px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdMjZImwhSvukxJtFEH0v-8FZJch0O14tVQv-tXGmEJN2hOXrkj0CfjYiCxPv-x6LctSmemIByhK_G61VpODCHVu68PXluahcff31fkgiq7LKMtQ58sGX31RRhf6cLsh3JDVJX-kzlro/s400/Ric+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328905482844049906" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1rd1LxwNaVkYeWjHbT53obm6ImD116-r15vQYWvDWaBoENlcKzEyOio2EupXtX4JrevrLB2QzpKN2o0EZFddixcfRdTrBOjAPIuxjdD4rgOkAROrXnj1lrN-_17gD-hmG_MN_3vo7tFY/s1600-h/ric2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 285px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1rd1LxwNaVkYeWjHbT53obm6ImD116-r15vQYWvDWaBoENlcKzEyOio2EupXtX4JrevrLB2QzpKN2o0EZFddixcfRdTrBOjAPIuxjdD4rgOkAROrXnj1lrN-_17gD-hmG_MN_3vo7tFY/s400/ric2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328905334952277730" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhniNPZzsCCnyMz-WX5w1giSpMHKflP9bXL6giqWap49_PACK3XSjksDBKiw3aNNUf9GVKi8ZGc8wf2w1ZeEifQbRXGYeSWKmbSNWYR2vFsYKO1laZ9sFj64OCtLzgAC7yjnVkVPPZXM44/s1600-h/ric3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhniNPZzsCCnyMz-WX5w1giSpMHKflP9bXL6giqWap49_PACK3XSjksDBKiw3aNNUf9GVKi8ZGc8wf2w1ZeEifQbRXGYeSWKmbSNWYR2vFsYKO1laZ9sFj64OCtLzgAC7yjnVkVPPZXM44/s400/ric3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328905131734227778" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfskJbjDTn61J_ln_zzzqVTFlxnjVkvox7Nr5kEVKSLrn4Rvb2AxnyFkBOV6ngAPdieqDE39zZebVVhhf-bNCkH8b_L8Qzvv_O-aTHAy8Jq5XbnfzktS74VZRKb1nK-1BirwoGldB8-X0/s1600-h/ric+4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 285px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfskJbjDTn61J_ln_zzzqVTFlxnjVkvox7Nr5kEVKSLrn4Rvb2AxnyFkBOV6ngAPdieqDE39zZebVVhhf-bNCkH8b_L8Qzvv_O-aTHAy8Jq5XbnfzktS74VZRKb1nK-1BirwoGldB8-X0/s400/ric+4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328904944084753266" /></a><br /><br /><br />RODRIGO BENITEZ<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHbx_mbO2MZrunZNZlxeObr6_d_wv7D4L2KUalRcfcrVaex8Q3xgSOwAhyphenhyphenDqJ9v-Fi51U8pXuvmSi5z630jv5VjV_vXLS-MCswk7CAGr6ndX8gZS5FfaMWLOuw7G03TjuG9cK6_59ywY/s1600-h/rod1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 285px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHbx_mbO2MZrunZNZlxeObr6_d_wv7D4L2KUalRcfcrVaex8Q3xgSOwAhyphenhyphenDqJ9v-Fi51U8pXuvmSi5z630jv5VjV_vXLS-MCswk7CAGr6ndX8gZS5FfaMWLOuw7G03TjuG9cK6_59ywY/s400/rod1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328904734173106450" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ei4MsyHhdU-9FQvM8EFIvrYRTzwjGgpKKWC_NE6_DwtaLymgMuQJitxI1S6gHooq6BhoA96yUUGVj0WTIxr8aOo7SvU9UMRZPlS7YyvqgndtifM269fxY3Jim2nFSeRCHqlon4U9C8w/s1600-h/rod2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 287px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ei4MsyHhdU-9FQvM8EFIvrYRTzwjGgpKKWC_NE6_DwtaLymgMuQJitxI1S6gHooq6BhoA96yUUGVj0WTIxr8aOo7SvU9UMRZPlS7YyvqgndtifM269fxY3Jim2nFSeRCHqlon4U9C8w/s400/rod2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328904471041857362" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8yZtEcjw1lfWeFHdJPsLfnkv5P7Xbc8cPM7ud2kYwhTcFdkNUjp2eY1IwicWSdpOwBgnLY1cbpqR2Vyrw-8K1_md7ZgmRXikd2fNljkZq10V1RkOwRSgnzQ7gncGfQvRBB-SuFfxWIOM/s1600-h/rod3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 276px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8yZtEcjw1lfWeFHdJPsLfnkv5P7Xbc8cPM7ud2kYwhTcFdkNUjp2eY1IwicWSdpOwBgnLY1cbpqR2Vyrw-8K1_md7ZgmRXikd2fNljkZq10V1RkOwRSgnzQ7gncGfQvRBB-SuFfxWIOM/s400/rod3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328904251527160386" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX14jQTLrRlWKv5BIG9RwW12VNn3QsxBG-xO0ROf-bIQA8Nv-G_KifJ-gTyKNrMSj-sFxpFS4gW9IXm-hlL3O54M8G0G7HQWZsfw6jsXwcHnPjMf6PO2O2bfldQogUaViAsSbYWy8OzoU/s1600-h/rod4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 275px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX14jQTLrRlWKv5BIG9RwW12VNn3QsxBG-xO0ROf-bIQA8Nv-G_KifJ-gTyKNrMSj-sFxpFS4gW9IXm-hlL3O54M8G0G7HQWZsfw6jsXwcHnPjMf6PO2O2bfldQogUaViAsSbYWy8OzoU/s400/rod4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328903830725968002" /></a><br /><br /><br />JOEL MAGPAYO<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbb7VgLK1kqlAtZBFV4rEi5OTzlai1f6uvOsNKVWIsAem79DntMeFYs7vIABFtCPvBZqH0O1kFTTPWDyvpb37DXQXQ9exAq92rtRMyCvO-XOE2iEafZzq3cY6z0iw1qILXt4hLr27EBo/s1600-h/joel1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 287px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbb7VgLK1kqlAtZBFV4rEi5OTzlai1f6uvOsNKVWIsAem79DntMeFYs7vIABFtCPvBZqH0O1kFTTPWDyvpb37DXQXQ9exAq92rtRMyCvO-XOE2iEafZzq3cY6z0iw1qILXt4hLr27EBo/s400/joel1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328912189965729714" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOGIKWJMuh-_G9IZzcCEOjiTXnPoO1XMGE2L2_SvwzukaDruCiIGprwQE1Gc14zwnNHd36VbArrDc6GFyfPQfqq8AnBhAHBvnOHKsXoTeUs5naa41_WN8VsEUBWGFlmjFd_ZhWQQLfi0/s1600-h/joel2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 272px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOGIKWJMuh-_G9IZzcCEOjiTXnPoO1XMGE2L2_SvwzukaDruCiIGprwQE1Gc14zwnNHd36VbArrDc6GFyfPQfqq8AnBhAHBvnOHKsXoTeUs5naa41_WN8VsEUBWGFlmjFd_ZhWQQLfi0/s400/joel2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328911925449049202" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1KWPg3ORK0g85O5n5KLwvNuyl5E6HNMWPY1N-W-BydCiFnB17hnD-dbGGWdSzo3NGIauOY5fjKF8CO6mRfkTFkYkhnAFMDdra6sWPcSEztEUTM5qYeOIDeFcTsAqMjN3inzDwmcpQko/s1600-h/joel3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 280px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw1KWPg3ORK0g85O5n5KLwvNuyl5E6HNMWPY1N-W-BydCiFnB17hnD-dbGGWdSzo3NGIauOY5fjKF8CO6mRfkTFkYkhnAFMDdra6sWPcSEztEUTM5qYeOIDeFcTsAqMjN3inzDwmcpQko/s400/joel3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328911762204105474" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwC1kQXyui-04wlyMkIEuOhNLNu51MPqGPD-2VbQWoaoYvEx0zpjWhzJ4cOqTX-gp9LSvh0niCJXZZlqMxeyPUF6wvtLkpDPJlcNDHyXh1TdFbYoctk0rQcwEoI5nitu6T7Vz7Y4TH44/s1600-h/joel4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 281px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwC1kQXyui-04wlyMkIEuOhNLNu51MPqGPD-2VbQWoaoYvEx0zpjWhzJ4cOqTX-gp9LSvh0niCJXZZlqMxeyPUF6wvtLkpDPJlcNDHyXh1TdFbYoctk0rQcwEoI5nitu6T7Vz7Y4TH44/s400/joel4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328911596887761314" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Another letter that needs attention:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">JM,<br /><br />You promised in your blog several months ago that you will tackle the basic principles of scriptwriting. I've waited and waited, but nothing came out. Now I will remind you to please fulfill that promise.<br /><br />Good luck, good health and God bless you.<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />David Garcia<br />Garden Grove, CA</span><br /><br /><br />Well David, thank you for reminding me. The basic things sometimes, are the most important in anything.<br /><br />So, here it goes. I know that not all the people out there are interested in this, but I'll make it quick and dirty. If you guys get something from it, good. If you think you already know everything on this subject, then let's just say that it is a review of what you already know.<br /><br />• What is the most important thing in a story?<br />For me, it is the character. Why? Character creates action. Action moves the story forward. <br /><br />• What are the things involved within a character?<br />Purpose, or goal. Like any person, a character in a story has a purpose. Good purpose, bad purpose. And when there is purpose, what does it make him do? Work on it. Strive, struggle, pursue. <br /><br />• When the character pursues something, what does he experience?<br />Failures, obstacles, successes, triumphs.<br /><br />• After all these trials, what is the ultimate thing a character must do?<br />Decide, hoping that the decision he made is the right one. Some character succeed, others fail. Some pursue their goal and would not stop until they win. Others give up and abandon their goals, their dreams.<br /><br />These are the basic purposes of a character. From the Bible, to great literature and down to comic books, we encounter all these things in a character.<br /><br />Therefore, when you're creating a character, that character must have a goal, or some kind of philosophy that he believes in. A story without conflict is like a penis that would not get hard. The Aussies would certainly not like that and they'd call you "dry blow". <br /><br />So make sure that when you create your leading character in your story, give him a goal. Let him struggle to reach that goal. While trying to work to succeed in fulfilling that goal, give him triumphs and obstacles. Build it up by making the trials harder as he goes deeper into the story. Near the end, he will do the so-called "greatest performance of his life" by finally deciding on what he must do to "once-and-for-all" achieve his goal. That decision may make him win... or lose the game.<br /><br />Many beginning writers are groping in the dark when it involves the technical aspects of scriptwriting. Take note that for any story to make sense and to work as comics, tv or movie (and even stage play), it has to have some sort of paradigm where your story will play wonderfully and beautifully.<br /><br />Since ancient times, the Greek tragedy was already using this paradigm. Now, we are already in computer age, but the paradigm still works and the reason why we like a movie, a TV series, comics, or stage plays. Look at the image below to illustrate the division of the acts.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSKHwGQ-37HH_jgB2097rdU3Tfr-c3v7NmDjrkVGtdVG9QVvXa1ezfvIWukjeBNGnog4us-IZDk_GcfSvGE3sZRhvnqD3RfHmsnaHqzwknSHMju-k4Mt_ws0inuYz0pYOwu4kGLkAEzLk/s1600-h/division+of+paradigm.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSKHwGQ-37HH_jgB2097rdU3Tfr-c3v7NmDjrkVGtdVG9QVvXa1ezfvIWukjeBNGnog4us-IZDk_GcfSvGE3sZRhvnqD3RfHmsnaHqzwknSHMju-k4Mt_ws0inuYz0pYOwu4kGLkAEzLk/s400/division+of+paradigm.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328867773934892930" /></a><br /><br />Why are the current telenovelas so boring and atrociously nonsensical?<br />Because the writers seem not to realize that scriptwriting also means time. Every second counts. If they think this way, there's no way in hell they're going to dilly-dally with their scenes and waste the time of the viewers.<br /><br />Let me give you an example of a one-hour TV script.<br />We know that one hour is 60 minutes. But if you're a writer, you know that a one-hour TV drama is only 44 minutes script running time. The remaining 16 minutes are used up by COMMERCIALS.<br />Therefore, your teleplay should be divided this way:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwqwj8ZeHZ3PP-xbjGkkixwTiGBGM6GdTUKbRf9jV78znDO3oL7uFKphyphenhyphenigp9Im0SiJgYR1jD8n0iKczW3fvVYmZNGRS1-r7F6wqsUYJDkt80YiPDnqRyJQc9qAJmgj7maI52S96AFyY/s1600-h/PARADIGM2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 322px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwqwj8ZeHZ3PP-xbjGkkixwTiGBGM6GdTUKbRf9jV78znDO3oL7uFKphyphenhyphenigp9Im0SiJgYR1jD8n0iKczW3fvVYmZNGRS1-r7F6wqsUYJDkt80YiPDnqRyJQc9qAJmgj7maI52S96AFyY/s400/PARADIGM2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328899232307155970" /></a><br /><br /><br />For Comics: If you have 40 pages, divide them as follows:<br /><br />10 pages - beginning<br />20 pages - middle<br />10 pages - ending<br /><br />For Screenplays: a one hour movie is 120 pages of letter size paper<br />(8.5 inches x 11 inches)<br /><br />30 pages - beginning<br />60 pages - middle<br />30 pages - end<br /><br />If you have more questions, just ask me in the comment area and I would gladly answer them.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-365194590250560022009-04-20T08:37:00.000-07:002009-04-20T08:53:31.021-07:00Toons, Comics, Games Invade Vancouver Art GallerySince I am not very knowledgeable on Filipino comics, let me post something comics related. I hope you will find these two articles interesting.<br /><br />– Heather Rankin<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixyDTGe8kImbnwa0Y_z0ji0UxEJOkOv-FQrc8DzvYJLcLt4FNk_m_uelCTE0wHCuvb6gflw-vrlUM4RkavVM9ihfY4TkaA8qROus9SLe8d_rWF2n4QVCnjGoAT-cKPo98H3ntn_JGb2I/s1600-h/krazy!_150.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixyDTGe8kImbnwa0Y_z0ji0UxEJOkOv-FQrc8DzvYJLcLt4FNk_m_uelCTE0wHCuvb6gflw-vrlUM4RkavVM9ihfY4TkaA8qROus9SLe8d_rWF2n4QVCnjGoAT-cKPo98H3ntn_JGb2I/s400/krazy!_150.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326801282920342018" /></a><br /><br />The Vancouver Art Gallery is bringing various forms of popular art together in one exhibition titled KRAZY! The Delirious World of Anime + Comics + Video Games + Art. On view from May 17 to Sept. 7, the exhibit aims to reveal the uniqueness of each medium, while uncovering their histories, interrelations and future trajectories. The installation is co-curated by such influential artists and producers as Maus author Art Spiegelman, The Sims creator Will Wright, comic artist Seth and animated feature film director Tim Johnson (Antz, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, Over the Hedge).<br /><br />“Despite the pervasive presence of these media, little has been done to assess the ties that bind them,” notes Kathleen Bartels, director of the Vancouver Art Gallery. “By offering an interdisciplinary account in a major survey exhibition for the first time, we will illuminate their importance as a sustained cultural force.”<br /><br />One of the largest exhibitions ever organized by the gallery, KRAZY! will occupy two entire floors of gallery space and is designed in collaboration with Tokyo-based architectural firm Atelier Bow-Wow. Divided into seven sections by medium, the exhibition will include a mini-theatre for viewing animation, immersive video spaces and environments for reading manga, graphic novels and comics. In all, the installation will offer more than 600 works of art, including original sketches, concept drawings, sketchbooks, storyboards, production drawings, films, video games, animation cels, 3D models, sculptures, books and more.<br /><br />Specific pieces include George Herriman’s last three drawings for Krazy Kat; Lotte Reiniger’s 1927 The Adventures of Prince Achmed, the first feature-length animated film; sneak preview of Will Wright’s new video game, Spore; and a selection of drawings from Yuichi Yokoyama’s latest manga, New Engineering. Also included are works by Moyoco Anno, Lynda Barry, Marcel Broodthaers, Chester Brown, Cao Fei, Milt Gross, Pierre Huyghe, Ichiro Itano, Yoko Kanno, Satoshi Kon, Harvey Kurtzman, John Lasseter, Roy Lichtenstein, Christian Marclay, Winsor McCay, Sid Meier, Shigeru Miyamoto, Junko Mizuno, Mamoru Nagano, Claes Oldenburg, Mamoru Oshii, Katsuhiro Otomo, Nick Park, Raymond Pettibon, Iwatani Toru, Chris Ware and Masaaki Yuasa. Conceived and developed by Vancouver Art Gallery senior curator Bruce Grenville, the KRAZY! will travel to a New York City arts institution in March of 2009.<br /><br />• • • • • •<br /><br />Will Eisner Comic Book Award Nominees Announced<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8ZVTDqXR6yD5zPzYTxHzy2rGoC9hbVtYSYCOQ7mLuEbm57budpTjW0LA5QSECWBdqqht-Ccm6Pa95tcJj2wF8gMZjjpJbYelHtZaDtN3fqS1Lfd-LvvnhvJfYQol2GHr1iJs8LpPouM/s1600-h/will_eisner_award_logo_150.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8ZVTDqXR6yD5zPzYTxHzy2rGoC9hbVtYSYCOQ7mLuEbm57budpTjW0LA5QSECWBdqqht-Ccm6Pa95tcJj2wF8gMZjjpJbYelHtZaDtN3fqS1Lfd-LvvnhvJfYQol2GHr1iJs8LpPouM/s400/will_eisner_award_logo_150.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326801833897363698" /></a><br /><br />Diversity is the rule for the 2009 Will Eisner Comic Comic Book Industry Awards, which announced its nomination in 26 categories today.<br /><br />The leading projects, garning four nominations apiece, are the graphic novels Skim, Alan’s War, Umbrella Academy, Fables and Madame Xanadu.<br /><br />Among comic book creators, Emmanuel Guibert and Chris Ware each lead the pack with four nominations for their work. Dark Horse Comics lead the pack among publishers with 13 individual and five shared nominations, followed by DC Comics with 10 individual and two shared noms and Marvel Comics with nine individual and two shared nominations.<br /><br />The winners will be announced July 24 at Comic-Con International in San Diego.<br /><br />Best Short Story<br />* Actual Size, by Chris Ware, in Kramers Ergot 7 (Buenaventura Press)<br />* Chechen War, Chechen Women, by Joe Sacco, in I Live Here (Pantheon)<br />* Freaks, by Laura Park, in Superior Showcase #3 (AdHouse)<br />* Glenn Ganges in Pulverize, by Kevin Huizenga, in Ganges #2 (Fantagraphics)<br />* Murder He Wrote, by Ian Boothby, Nina Matsumoto, and Andrew Pepoy, in The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror #14 (Bongo)<br /><br />Best Continuing Series<br />* All Star Superman, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC)<br />* Fables, by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Niko Henrichon, Andrew Pepoy, and Peter Gross (Vertigo/DC)<br />* Naoki Urasawa's Monster, by Naoki Urasawa (Viz)<br />* Thor, by J. Michael Straczynski, Olivier Coipel, Mark Morales, and various (Marvel)<br />* Usagi Yojimbo, by Stan Sakai (Dark Horse)<br /><br />Best Limited Series<br />* Groo: Hell on Earth, by Sergio Aragones and Mark Evanier (Dark Horse)<br />* Hellboy: The Crooked Man, by Mike Mignola and Richard Corben (Dark Horse)<br />* Lock & Key, by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW)<br />* Omega the Unknown, by Jonathan Lethem, Karl Rusnak, and Farel Dalrymple (Marvel)<br />* The Twelve, by J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston (Marvel)<br /><br />Best New Series<br />* Air, by G. Willow Wilson and M. K. Perker (Vertigo/DC)<br />* Echo, by Terry Moore (Abstract Studio)<br />* Invincible Iron Man, by Matt Fraction and Salvador Larocca (Marvel)<br />* Madame Xanadu, by Matt Wagner, Amy Reeder Hadley, and Richard Friend (Vertigo/DC)<br />* Unknown Soldier, by Joshua Dysart and Alberto Ponticelli (Vertigo/DC)<br /><br />Best Publication for Kids<br />* Amulet, Book 1: The Stonekeeper, by Kazu Kabuishi (Scholastic Graphix)<br />* Cowa!, by Akira Toriyama (VIZ)<br />* Princess at Midnight, by Andi Watson (Image)<br />* Stinky, by Eleanor Davis (RAW Junior)<br />* Tiny Titans, by Art Baltazar and Franco (DC)<br /><br />Best Publication for Teens/Tweens<br />* Coraline, by Neil Gaiman, adapted by P. Craig Russell (HarperCollins Children's Books)<br />* Crogan's Vengeance, by Chris Schweizer (Oni)<br />* The Good Neighbors, Book 1: Kin, by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh (Scholastic Graphix)<br />* Rapunzel's Revenge, by Shannon and Dean Hale and Nathan Hale (Bloomsbury Children's Books)<br />* Skim, by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood Books)<br /><br />Best Humor Publication<br />* Arsenic Lullaby Pulp Edition No. Zero, by Douglas Paszkiewicz (Arsenic Lullaby)<br />* Chumble Spuzz, by Ethan Nicolle (SLG)<br />* Herbie Archives, by "Sean O'Shea" (Richard E. Hughes) and Ogden Whitney (Dark Horse)<br />* Petey and Pussy, by John Kerschbaum (Fantagraphics)<br />* Wondermark: Beards of Our Forefathers, by David Malki ! (Dark Horse)<br /><br />Best Anthology<br />* An Anthology of Graphic Fiction, Cartoons, and True Stories, Vol. 2, edited by Ivan Brunetti (Yale University Press)<br />* Best American Comics 2008, edited by Lynda Barry (Houghton Mifflin)<br />* Comic Book Tattoo: Narrative Art Inspired by the Lyrics and Music of Tori Amos, edited by Rantz Hoseley (Image)<br />* Kramers Ergot 7, edited by Sammy Harkham (Buenaventura Press)<br />* MySpace Dark Horse Presents, edited by Scott Allie and Sierra Hahn (Dark Horse)<br /><br />Best Digital Comic<br />* Bodyworld, by Dash Shaw<br />* Finder, by Carla Speed McNeil<br />* The Lady's Murder, by Eliza Frye<br />* Speak No Evil: Melancholy of a Space Mexican, by Elan Trinidad<br />* Vs., by Alexis Sottile & Joe Infurnari<br /><br />Best Reality-Based Work<br />* Alan's War, by Emmanuel Guibert (First Second)<br />* Blue Pills: A Positive Love Story, by Frederik Peeters (Houghton Mifflin)<br />* Fishtown, by Kevin Colden (IDW)<br />* A Treasury of XXth Century Murder: The Lindbergh Child, by Rick Geary (NBM)<br />* What It Is, by Lynda Barry (Drawn & Quarterly)<br /><br />Best Graphic Album — New<br />* Alan's War, by Emmanuel Guibert (First Second)<br />* Paul Goes Fishing, by Michel Rabagliati (Drawn & Quarterly)<br />* Skim, by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood Books)<br />* Swallow Me Whole, by Nate Powell (Top Shelf)<br />* Three Shadows, by Cyril Pedrosa (First Second)<br /><br />Best Graphic Album — Reprint<br />* Berlin Book 2: City of Smoke, by Jason Lutes (Drawn & Quarterly)<br />* Hellboy Library Edition, Vols. 1-2, by Mike Mignola (Dark Horse)<br />* Sam & Max Surfin' the Highway Anniversary Edition HC, by Steve Purcell (Telltale Games)<br />* Skyscrapers of the Midwest, by Joshua W. Cotter (AdHouse)<br />* The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: Apocalypse Suite, deluxe edition, by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba (Dark Horse)<br /><br />Best Archival Collection/Project — Strips<br />* The Complete Little Orphan Annie, by Harold Gray (IDW)<br />* Explainers, by Jules Feiffer (Fantagraphics)<br />* Little Nemo in Slumberland, Many More Splendid Sundays, by Winsor McCay (Sunday Press Books)<br />* Scorchy Smith and the Art of Noel Sickles (IDW)<br />* Willie & Joe, by Bill Mauldin (Fantagraphics)<br /><br />Best Archival Collection/Project — Comic Books<br />* Breakdowns: Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@&*!, by Art Spiegelman (Pantheon)<br />* Creepy Archives, by Various (Dark Horse)<br />* Elektra Omnibus, by Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz (Marvel)<br />* Good-Bye, by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly)<br />* Herbie Archives, by "Sean O'Shea" (Richard E. Hughes) and Ogden Whitney (Dark Horse)<br /><br />Best U.S. Edition of International Material<br />* Alan's War, by Emmanuel Guibert (First Second)<br />* Gus and His Gang, by Chris Blain (First Second)<br />* The Last Musketeer, by Jason (Fantagraphics)<br />* The Rabbi's Cat 2, by Joann Sfar (Pantheon)<br />* Tamara Drewe, by Posy Simmonds (Mariner/Houghton Mifflin)<br /><br />Best U.S. Edition of International Material — Japan<br />* Cat Eyed Boy, by Kazuo Umezu (VIZ)<br />* Dororo, by Osamu Tezuka (Vertical)<br />* Naoki Urasawa's Monster, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ)<br />* The Quest for the Missing Girl, by Jiro Taniguchi (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)<br />* Solanin, by Inio Asano (VIZ)<br /><br />Best Writer<br />* Joe Hill, Lock & Key (IDW)<br />* J. Michael Straczynski, Thor, The Twelve (Marvel)<br />* Mariko Tamaki, Skim (Groundwood Books)<br />* Matt Wagner, Zorro (Dynamite); Madame Xanadu (Vertigo/DC)<br />* Bill Willingham, Fables, House of Mystery (Vertigo/DC)<br /><br />Best Writer/Artist<br />* Rick Geary, A Treasury of XXth Century Murder: The Lindbergh Child (NBM); J. Edgar Hoover (Hill & Wang)<br />* Emmanuel Guibert, Alan's War (First Second)<br />* Jason Lutes, Berlin (Drawn & Quarterly)<br />* Cyril Pedrosa, Three Shadows (First Second)<br />* Nate Powell, Swallow Me Whole (Top Shelf)<br />* Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library (Acme)<br /><br />Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team<br />* Gabriel Ba, The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse)<br />* Mark Buckingham/Steve Leialoha, Fables (Vertigo/DC)<br />* Olivier Coipel/Mark Morales, Thor (Marvel)<br />* Guy Davis, BPRD (Dark Horse)<br />* Amy Reeder Hadley/Richard Friend, Madame Xanadu (Vertigo/DC)<br />* Jillian Tamaki, Skim (Groundwood Books)<br /><br />Best Painter/Multimedia Artist<br />* Lynda Barry, What It Is (Drawn & Quarterly)<br />* Eddie Campbell, The Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard (First Second)<br />* Enrico Casarosa, The Venice Chronicles (Atelier Fio/AdHouse)<br />* Scott Morse, Tiger! Tiger! Tiger! (Red Window)<br />* Jill Thompson, Magic Trixie, Magic Trixie Sleeps Over (HarperCollins Children's Books)<br /><br />Best Cover Artist<br />* Gabriel Ba, Casanova (Image); The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse)<br />* Jo Chen, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Serenity (Dark Horse); Runaways (Marvel)<br />* Amy Reeder Hadley, Madame Xanadu (Vertigo/DC)<br />* James Jean, Fables (Vertigo/DC); The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse)<br />* Matt Wagner, Zorro (Dynamite); Grendel: Behold the Devil (Dark Horse)<br /><br />Best Coloring<br />* Steve Hamaker, Bone: Ghost Circles, Bone: Treasure Hunters (Scholastic Graphix)<br />* Trish Mulvihill, Joker (DC), 100 Bullets (Vertigo/DC)<br />* Val Staples, Criminal, Incognito (Marvel Icon)<br />* Dave Stewart, Abe Sapien: The Drowning, BPRD, The Goon, Hellboy, Solomon Kane, The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse); Body Bags (Image); Captain America: White (Marvel)<br />* Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library #19 (Acme)<br /><br />Best Lettering<br />* Faryl Dalrymple, Omega: The Unknown (Marvel)<br />* Jimmy Gownley, Amelia Rules! (Renaissance)<br />* Scott Morse, Tiger! Tiger! Tiger! (Red Window)<br />* Nate Powell, Swallow Me Whole (Top Shelf)<br />* Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library #19 (Acme)<br /><br />Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism<br />* Comic Book Resources, produced by Jonah Weiland<br />* The Comics Journal, edited by Gary Groth, Michael Dean, and Kristy Valenti (Fantagraphics)<br />* The Comics Reporter, produced by Tom Spurgeon and Jordan Raphael<br />* Comics Comics, edited by Timothy Hodler and Dan Nadel (PictureBox)<br /><br />Best Comics-Related Book<br />* Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front, by Todd DePastino (Norton)<br />* Brush with Passion: The Art and Life of Dave Stevens, edited by Arnie and Cathy Fenner (Underwood)<br />* Drawing Words and Writing Pictures, by Jessica Abel and Matt Madden (First Second)<br />* Kirby: King of Comics, by Mark Evanier (Abrams)<br />* The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America, by David Hajdu (Picador/Farrar, Straus & Giroux)<br /><br />Best Publication Design<br />* Breakdowns: Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@&*! designed by Art Spiegelman (Pantheon)<br />* Comic Book Tattoo, designed by Tom Muller, art direction by Rantz Hoseley (Image)<br />* Hellboy Library Editions, designed by Cary Grazzini and Mike Mignola (Dark Horse)<br />* What It Is, designed by Lynda Barry (Drawn & Quarterly)<br />* Willie and Joe, designed by Jacob Covey (Fantagraphics)<br /><br />There you go, folks. Linda Barry, a Filipino cartoonist, is becoming unstoppable. I hope she wins!TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-33317405257015681722009-03-29T23:13:00.000-07:002009-03-30T09:44:58.711-07:00The One & Only... ROSS MATIENZOIn the old komiks industry, Coching and Redondo were the most copied by the younger illustrators. These younger illustrators had developed their own styles after a few years. Some became unique, others became a clone forever, and still a few remained just so-so.<br /><br />And yet, there was one character whose style was something akin to what an out-and-out hippie would emphatically stand for: non-conformism.<br /><br />Ross Matienzo was that character. He had his own style: unconventional, angular, bizarre if you will. His drawings were a celebration of the grotesque.<br /><br />The one and only... ROSS MATIENZO. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULFzA0oyhwGZnw4YE1FqYcX3zcDETzPNfU4wLHDwVtkWJCVc2B3M8UPGi0T6jQ9irgMNK1BPVwALYcJ4bHyLc3Cagm9K4zUDNV-d13Fiw4f9awhqFM1zTJBijmVwgwYt5pvv8m1SN-Yg/s1600-h/ROSS1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULFzA0oyhwGZnw4YE1FqYcX3zcDETzPNfU4wLHDwVtkWJCVc2B3M8UPGi0T6jQ9irgMNK1BPVwALYcJ4bHyLc3Cagm9K4zUDNV-d13Fiw4f9awhqFM1zTJBijmVwgwYt5pvv8m1SN-Yg/s400/ROSS1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318860482938320258" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoTKpQwG3Fe76egXkbPgtg8_-HUR8ha2trgc8OOSrcApypNPIZbmu1glDxThJI3kvL8pvJSTbGjIng0ITZBpEJJPczLRNlPSkTTUOXm70AZrmt3fscYQlIt9jDIT1Uxl0M_QIYQbDTus/s1600-h/ROSS2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 277px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoTKpQwG3Fe76egXkbPgtg8_-HUR8ha2trgc8OOSrcApypNPIZbmu1glDxThJI3kvL8pvJSTbGjIng0ITZBpEJJPczLRNlPSkTTUOXm70AZrmt3fscYQlIt9jDIT1Uxl0M_QIYQbDTus/s400/ROSS2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318860698256472818" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3fYiqnNL0e1XX8-x3tTxRBUaTOcyhwfjoySVzhGj56r1kCpFKyA0RmhCghGnfw5sBUrt-2jDhYpf7pTOUCAAlL72md-86UZ7foxDucU_n2RUJdOuf0LeIbjJXqX4Wv1ataC1o2tWU1Q/s1600-h/ROSS3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 275px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3fYiqnNL0e1XX8-x3tTxRBUaTOcyhwfjoySVzhGj56r1kCpFKyA0RmhCghGnfw5sBUrt-2jDhYpf7pTOUCAAlL72md-86UZ7foxDucU_n2RUJdOuf0LeIbjJXqX4Wv1ataC1o2tWU1Q/s400/ROSS3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318860941915214002" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9B1MURX7Rt34oOub3iADKIEiprHOf4r7i97nnR0B3EJx3y4ywgIYA66BafNvmZHHBXY0TFQ13Nvj9bve_eA5nD8sAFXyaO3FakkwDd3p6hqezq4pqUhgyUtJ-gRHBPxe4OYrpt1VG9o/s1600-h/ROSS4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9B1MURX7Rt34oOub3iADKIEiprHOf4r7i97nnR0B3EJx3y4ywgIYA66BafNvmZHHBXY0TFQ13Nvj9bve_eA5nD8sAFXyaO3FakkwDd3p6hqezq4pqUhgyUtJ-gRHBPxe4OYrpt1VG9o/s400/ROSS4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318861222630643826" /></a>TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-16475723539646722902009-03-15T22:36:00.000-07:002009-03-15T22:43:55.427-07:00Here's BES PASCUAL<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJYlMBOFU4WVqCjJh4DRv97Nsa6QyAsVXr5LWjRdM_Vp2nSfHj36tAI8EU6N-ePEdbrimC1d4brhw_NeIMi4jPjtvZS8gEHVnrYmCk9dNawr4SUTwtj7mnAMV8UbtYYq_1hRCMg6DjgI/s1600-h/bes1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 277px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJYlMBOFU4WVqCjJh4DRv97Nsa6QyAsVXr5LWjRdM_Vp2nSfHj36tAI8EU6N-ePEdbrimC1d4brhw_NeIMi4jPjtvZS8gEHVnrYmCk9dNawr4SUTwtj7mnAMV8UbtYYq_1hRCMg6DjgI/s400/bes1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313657020264141826" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBn7sSLou0J0IynhCgYUqGPam9_j3VYWrYdZeyG83PGjRl-nGZL3XNK54mwFgtp6sc0oYkXhtmJauPurIsXYlsnFR-GduQ8m6nzWynlT72xLWdAmRbd58mqEppqaNelva2ZTJfvUqe4qA/s1600-h/bes2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 286px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBn7sSLou0J0IynhCgYUqGPam9_j3VYWrYdZeyG83PGjRl-nGZL3XNK54mwFgtp6sc0oYkXhtmJauPurIsXYlsnFR-GduQ8m6nzWynlT72xLWdAmRbd58mqEppqaNelva2ZTJfvUqe4qA/s400/bes2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313656893557414786" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KG_EVIvvin-g7a1LuKsI2Jlim2WpUjMpvwrfIHOkuQxHcH3M5l5-sNXJWzYRCu1LHzVhK6_kcoTqWSAxDo_UbUFnv-JrEeKXWodaKLyWitntdsUcvF-Mza0t4qh8AtEyxi8ozuuOOSs/s1600-h/bes3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KG_EVIvvin-g7a1LuKsI2Jlim2WpUjMpvwrfIHOkuQxHcH3M5l5-sNXJWzYRCu1LHzVhK6_kcoTqWSAxDo_UbUFnv-JrEeKXWodaKLyWitntdsUcvF-Mza0t4qh8AtEyxi8ozuuOOSs/s400/bes3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313656459135511554" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKekiqTe-Ai71gdVRiVymMcfw1-CniIfOS9ja2APT7XfjwAhWgUdl4urQgbDuKuoRAkKbxbJQislx4zP-e_LicHsE1nPmH0y1gGqfc_KzxZRY7QZLNaWW_DR7k8hy728M1h2UM7MU8b0/s1600-h/bes4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 285px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKekiqTe-Ai71gdVRiVymMcfw1-CniIfOS9ja2APT7XfjwAhWgUdl4urQgbDuKuoRAkKbxbJQislx4zP-e_LicHsE1nPmH0y1gGqfc_KzxZRY7QZLNaWW_DR7k8hy728M1h2UM7MU8b0/s400/bes4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313656279520483042" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2_A1v0MWOhNoDjTVkZwDyTi03Yo1ZUnauG1dMMTl5y3JMPetNBkj-bRW6CXi9Skdpj6tx5Gzcs8-rRMZYM1qAO3ehTKkM1cnk05ez59w2qKDcHcCg_EgWF6eeC2acCdkq7R-jSP4HAQ/s1600-h/bes5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2_A1v0MWOhNoDjTVkZwDyTi03Yo1ZUnauG1dMMTl5y3JMPetNBkj-bRW6CXi9Skdpj6tx5Gzcs8-rRMZYM1qAO3ehTKkM1cnk05ez59w2qKDcHcCg_EgWF6eeC2acCdkq7R-jSP4HAQ/s400/bes5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313656155910117330" /></a><br />Well, someone requested to see what sort of work Bes Pascual did in RP komiks.<br />Here are some samples. If you're familiar with EC Comics (published in the 50s), I'm pretty sure this style will look familiar.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-84201400823372789092009-02-09T19:38:00.000-08:002009-02-09T22:19:05.103-08:00FELIPE ILAG, VIR AGUIRRE, AND RICO RIVALTwo eerie series by Mars Ravelo that I really like were:<br /><br />ASUWANG & MARUJA<br /><br />Asuwang was serialized in EXTRA KOMIKS in 1960-1961. Ravelo was at his best when he wrote period pieces. Among the best were Asuwang and Maruja. Asuwang was drawn by FELIPE ILAG. Though he was a proponent of FV COCHING, Ilag’s innovations made his work such a joy to behold. Like Rico Rival’s Maruja (set in the late 1800's - the series' beginning), Asuwang was set in the late 1800s as well, and Ravelo captured the period’s pulse like the way Rizal captured the Philippine society during his time. <br /><br />Rico Rival’s MARUJA illustrations were his best. His costuming and fashion of late 1800s were very authentic looking. In fact, I chose him to be my illustrator for my Graphic novel Angelus (in the 1980s) because of his glorious work in Maruja. <br /><br />And VIR AGUIRRE? He had drawn so many series that I dare say – were the most beautiful illustrations in Philippine Komiks history.<br /><br />Here are the samplers of Ilag, Aguirre and Rival.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rlNDpEg4mYIIcXaTsqwXJnewFEbNebWuCPApYQq-Vw4TlOHHUb4sVxl9LPwufiqyW_Qk8Sn2je_HxHJrRmbMeYRwPTmbTtCSVq6XfzWERSLcugLacu6YQlVQb68xqHgJt1Fum33aQFU/s1600-h/ilag1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rlNDpEg4mYIIcXaTsqwXJnewFEbNebWuCPApYQq-Vw4TlOHHUb4sVxl9LPwufiqyW_Qk8Sn2je_HxHJrRmbMeYRwPTmbTtCSVq6XfzWERSLcugLacu6YQlVQb68xqHgJt1Fum33aQFU/s400/ilag1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301048199656662002" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TsbuHOlifgrTKqExRWf8Vogg-lF3goMpyp5pAbk_C5ERxyXIUIMRAMBgEUp3mJz-lIbPA1W-LwU0iThLgVijvS2HCKHCKaxqq1QYE33OnOoPTYAbDK3ex7AMtZJ_wwkHWisEhYiWXRE/s1600-h/ilag2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TsbuHOlifgrTKqExRWf8Vogg-lF3goMpyp5pAbk_C5ERxyXIUIMRAMBgEUp3mJz-lIbPA1W-LwU0iThLgVijvS2HCKHCKaxqq1QYE33OnOoPTYAbDK3ex7AMtZJ_wwkHWisEhYiWXRE/s400/ilag2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301048077557879762" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcwD7GVOuEYEiYCfaR5-0W8x6xiRfk9lY0oEmnrVnlg0rvUFDICkJ2IHYCMzleA42qrOKAywxgXTcLCoHc8wdVRcYHyUGoayALZEuKcJ-dNLwe8OHB9zvJF9pm8Z2Fu8vZdLN1ZY0l7A/s1600-h/ilag3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 273px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcwD7GVOuEYEiYCfaR5-0W8x6xiRfk9lY0oEmnrVnlg0rvUFDICkJ2IHYCMzleA42qrOKAywxgXTcLCoHc8wdVRcYHyUGoayALZEuKcJ-dNLwe8OHB9zvJF9pm8Z2Fu8vZdLN1ZY0l7A/s400/ilag3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301047946917542802" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wZtVjnt-K5JHx6YAeJKrl5Nm1KqaTDO4X9bYO8nVJODOBm-7w-jpdEES4DNwEWLvAO-fxaM4hUrwObC6W2Q_48dAgJjkzCxWqznNUbercJ2d1ZFPVX_Z7jii0t76VQZNvCjkzTJDbgE/s1600-h/ilag4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wZtVjnt-K5JHx6YAeJKrl5Nm1KqaTDO4X9bYO8nVJODOBm-7w-jpdEES4DNwEWLvAO-fxaM4hUrwObC6W2Q_48dAgJjkzCxWqznNUbercJ2d1ZFPVX_Z7jii0t76VQZNvCjkzTJDbgE/s400/ilag4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301047822622692402" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3sDrOxkWzDIvZ4L8PZ3ZrGQoISHf4mwAOznVVD19aNP469XMc94OYCBV75MfJh7HwgVl3T_ESSKt8E_fvlmtg4rJ6OU3o7RWyyCF_zQTK55a6FiqcsaLBOXZxTydXHxpDzrJu8S9pIY/s1600-h/ilag5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 273px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3sDrOxkWzDIvZ4L8PZ3ZrGQoISHf4mwAOznVVD19aNP469XMc94OYCBV75MfJh7HwgVl3T_ESSKt8E_fvlmtg4rJ6OU3o7RWyyCF_zQTK55a6FiqcsaLBOXZxTydXHxpDzrJu8S9pIY/s400/ilag5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301047674219987906" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRufuNaK_yZYNmETTxf5d2A6KEio7Mp4WIMvbW9Bfzvzdr6jlnZWk3FNzNaCRO4HqmvSmOTWyO_i9Ne2zkaQsOZrCEU_cCFzim50gbfCDJev6FbSc3kbn96M33h30kp56VR68-JLb24JI/s1600-h/ilag6.jpg"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 302px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxRILYKSdGRMJQYw9vZqVJICBQ8a3WJK5_yFWu8iCyVj97NcljaDzR-p-xnoUzlYfcz86sWOBt_7rKwQFjlyVR7mjzI_yH1_cOdzPdiBy8Cm87HVEFNlLFH-hBePKwV8xGa5NRM1miqU/s400/new+angelus.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301044558330414674" /></a>TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com85tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-25621214067556114572008-11-25T07:26:00.000-08:002009-02-19T21:53:08.938-08:00ROMNICK SARMENTA, Child Actor NonpareilGulong ng Palad was serialized over radio station DZRH (1949-1956). Written by Lina Flor, it was one of the most successful radio dramas (if not the most) in the history of Philippine radio. Luisa, the leading character, was played by Loida Viriña. Twenty years or so later, Loida proposed the idea to Marcial Sanson (who was the programming head honcho that time of Channel 2), to revive the soap opera. In the mid-70s, the second serialization of GULONG NG PALAD was launched by BBC-Channel 2. Loida, who used to play Luisa, now was the writer of the series. She was Lina Flor’s Sister in law – she was married to Lina’s brother: Virgilio “Beer” Flores who was a comedy writer. He was the scriptwriter of Tang-Tarang-Tang starring Pugo, Bentot, Rosa Aguirre, Sylvia la Torre and Leroy Salvador; He also wrote Sebya, Mahal Kita, with Sylvia la Torre, Eddie San Jose, Pugo & Bentot. When Beer Flores died quite untimely in his late-30s, Loida, his widow, became the writer of comedy series that starred Pugo and Bentot, and one of them was Si Tatang Kasi.<br /><br />Marcial and Loida didn’t really think that a remake of an old radio soap opera would still appeal to televiewers. The TV network went ahead with it, anyway, and they started auditioning for the cast. The role of the mother was given to Caridad Sanches; the Father to Augusto Victa; Luisa was Marianne de la Riva; Carding was Ronald Corveau. When the character of Peping, the youngest son in the family, was searched, one child won the audition hands down, 4-year old ROMNICK SARMENTA.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_QrXt8NJgjj8yvuBRxUVDIY_t8Dh2-9a_2-Txcq07Fs5hySu3ONpTpHYFhyphenhyphendRd0PEBIhAEDBI35cFyvn_pCnVZ6oP0cDj08HLLrjrWDgg4ivd3QOTbVTgblS5O0kEevicBum97DxvEoc/s1600-h/romnick.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_QrXt8NJgjj8yvuBRxUVDIY_t8Dh2-9a_2-Txcq07Fs5hySu3ONpTpHYFhyphenhyphendRd0PEBIhAEDBI35cFyvn_pCnVZ6oP0cDj08HLLrjrWDgg4ivd3QOTbVTgblS5O0kEevicBum97DxvEoc/s400/romnick.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272640554965139234" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />The telenovela became an instant hit. In fact, all the competing telenovelas were dragged deep down into the gutter of oblivion and no other TV stations dared to compete its time slot. Together with the series, Romnick Sarmenta became a very hot child actor as well. Then, the network thought that it was time the tot had better had his own show. And that’s when I was assigned to write for a spin-off from the character of Peping.<br /><br />The show was called: Peping, Ang Munting Anghel. The network thought that maybe we should write the series quite along the same storyline with Gulong ng Palad. I argued, however, that it would fizzle if we did that. I suggested that we will only use the title because it carries an easy recall. But the series should be a drama anthology rather than a telenovela. This is the only way we can keep its own integrity. When the drama anthology aired, it also became an instant hit that the televiewers were clamouring for more of the child actor. Romnick then was still “no read no write”, so we had to dictate to him the dialogs before the take. Despite this handicap, the kid delivered his lines brilliantly and acted so naturally that you believe in everything he did in a scene. Soon, another show was assigned to me with Romnick as the lead: BATA. It has a wider scope since it involved the stories of children. When the CHARITO SOLIS STORY was shelved due to threats of a class action lawsuit being filed by characters involved in the life story of the actress, the network decided to do another Romnick starrer, this time, two more TV dramas: True Story and Señor Santo Niño. And yet, apart from his own shows, we also used Romnick as guest child actor for Alindog, Alma Moreno’s weekly drama anthology, and Ulila, Rosa Rosal’s weekly Drama Anthology.<br /><br />In the 70s, Romnick, no doubt, was the most talented Filipino male child actor alive (the other one was Darling Postigo, a.k.a. Julie Vega - who died at a very young age). It was amazing how a child as young as Romnick – was able to give life to a role despite the fact that he wasn’t even capable of reading the lines. We didn’t have to explain to him what kind of role he was going to play, we just dictated to him the lines during rehearsals, and even this was truly incredible, for we didn’t even have to repeat the lines for him! He remembered every dialog during the actual take. He was such an intuitive and creative actor. He listened to the dialogs of his co-stars and he has an instant understanding of what the scene was all about and he performed like a real pro: with conviction, precision, and right direction where the character is supposed to be going.<br /><br />In an episode of Señor Santo Niño, Anita Linda played the role of a mother who paid more attention to her business than her own son. The son got involved in a life of crime and was eventually killed in a shoot-out. After the mayhem and the realization, we see her walking in a park, ruing the decisions she had made and its sad outcome in the end. That's when she looked in the eyes of a child (Romnick) and without opening his mouth, she heard him say: "Whatever you do the least of my brethren, you do unto me." Romnick's stare sent goose bumps to the crew while we were filming this and the final outcome when it was aired had the same impact to the audience.<br /><br />But, like any other child, there were moments when he could get really moody, especially when he lacked sleep or too tired from his taping schedules. And when he was in these once in a blue moon demeanor, Marcial Sanson, the director, would scold him in-front of everyone. That’s when the boy would remain quiet and standing in one corner like a sad sack. Several times before, when it happened, I would come to him and try to cheer him up. Little did I know that Marcial was observing this all the time. Then the next time it happed, I was about to approach the child when Martial stood right in front of my path, saying: “Don’t even go there, Joemari. I want him to learn his lesson.”<br /><br />So, there we were, just like one big happy family. I was a teenager, Romnick was my younger brother, and Marcial Sanson was our strict father, and Romnick and I were the sons who were both being disciplined by their father. <br /><br />But, as what Shakespeare had said: “All’s well that ends well,” and we all lived happily ever after. Marcial, despite his strictness, was truly generous. People went in and out of his house and everyone was welcome. He has passed on a few years ago. <br /><br />Going back to Romnick, I still have to see another Filipino child actor who could at least match his intuitiveness and brilliance. Reminiscing his wonderful performance as a child actor is a true delight.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-15447631154190188592008-11-19T20:38:00.001-08:002008-11-19T21:06:09.747-08:00An Old Photograph<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXuNVBiIeFATVQMH7_yWI9LkD0Rv7spuhODvaWecl0tPb3pogsKwiZsiYrOsI4wrgy_kNp_mLFfx2UyjoAENQ8EMEStuVLgBSh_NN0FH6yXnvcC9af9GuAcJpHuvIFe5pKbgakkjx6AE/s1600-h/mama.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 277px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXuNVBiIeFATVQMH7_yWI9LkD0Rv7spuhODvaWecl0tPb3pogsKwiZsiYrOsI4wrgy_kNp_mLFfx2UyjoAENQ8EMEStuVLgBSh_NN0FH6yXnvcC9af9GuAcJpHuvIFe5pKbgakkjx6AE/s400/mama.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270601596313795714" /></a><br /><br /><br />Visiting my sister, a Catholic nun in Montreal, brought back a lot of memories. I haven’t seen her for a while and seeing her again led us to reminisce the past, especially things involving our family.<br /> <br />She also showed me old photos. It was rather touching to see people and places captured by the camera many, many years ago. It is fascinating to imagine how a particular fleeting moment somewhere in time - was captured and immortalized. Looking at that particular moment when time stood still forever, can render a person awestruck.<br /> <br />One particular photo was that of my mother. It was snapped in 1948 in Escolta, Manila.<br /><br />The city was ravaged by the Second World War that ended in 1946. This photo was taken two years after the war and Manila was still being restored to make it look like the way it was before the Japanese Imperial Army ruined the whole city. As can be seen here, the sidewalks crossing the estero is made of a temporary wooden bridge. My mom went to church in Quiapo, and after the mass she went to Escolta to go shopping. She was carrying here my older sister who was born in 1948. Following behind her was Rosita, one of the maids who was really good with children, and the guy behind Rosita was a guy named Inocentes, the driver. <br /> <br />I was baffled when my sister told me that the photographer was a total stranger. She explained to me that in the old days, photographers in Manila where everywhere. They take pictures of people passing by – without asking for permission. Then, these photogs would develop the photos and when they were ready, they would go back to their hang-out and wait for the people that they had photographed, hoping to see them pass by again. When they do, they would approach the subject of the photograph and showed them the photos and if they want to buy them they are more than welcome. This photo was one of those taken by a sidewalk photographer. And knowing my mother who would never let anyone down, I’m pretty positive that she must have paid him more than what he asked for. <br /> <br />Little did anyone know that in just a matter of few years after this photo was taken, Escolta became the financial district of the Philippines. It was also the glitziest part of Manila, something akin to LA’s Rodeo Drive or Vancouver’s Robson Street. There were shopping malls, specialty stores, boutiques, excellent restaurants, first class movie houses and what-not.<br /> <br />Photographs. Snap-shots of the past. Reminders of long lost memories. Harbingers of color swatch of emotions. They could bring happy or sad memories. No matter what emotions they evoke, it leaves you, the viewer, wistful, sometimes with feeling of loss.<br /><br />What happened to the four people captured forever in this photograph?<br /><br />My mother passed away almost five years ago. My sister became a nun and she lives in Montreal. Inocentes, the diver, when he got married, he asked my parents to be his God-parents and my parents gladly accepted, therefore he became our God-brother. As a wedding gift, my father gave him 10 hectares of land in Bicol and that’s where he settled with his wife. Rosita, the young maid who genuinely liked taking care of children, was given by my father with a bigger land when she got married, nearly 20 hectares, and just like Inocentes, she also became our God-sister. But, despite the distance, previous maids, drivers, cooks – that worked with our family – would always come back to visit us. Then, one by one, as I grew older, they began to disappear. When one disappeared, we knew the answer. He or she have passed on.<br /><br />Then, you can only see them again in old photographs, photographs that are linked, so to speak, to the past. And then, the color swatch of emotions will once again engulf you.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-46685638310898543012008-07-13T23:21:00.000-07:002008-12-11T23:23:10.226-08:00TIME OUT: SAY WHAT? YOU CAN GO TO FARMERS' MARKET AND WATCH A PLAY?Indeed, you could. But that was many years ago, 1975 to be exact.<br />The group was called KALINANGAN NG LAHI, established by Loretta Lichauco.<br />They’ve selected the works of new playwrights, and funny how even an established film director like Lino Brocka and well-known komiks writer and screenplay writer/director Orlando Nadres joined in to showcase their first plays written (that was when they were also new writers). <br /><br />The theater was on the third floor of the market, and when Miss Lichauco phoned me asking my permission to present two of my plays AMAG SA KARIMLAN and LUKSANG BITUIN (ARTISTA), I couldn’t believe that it was indeed at the Farmers’ Market. I found it quite amusing at first, but what the heck, it was a fantastic idea to bring theater in the market, and that was that. The group also went to different schools and each school was assigned to mount the play. I thought it was a fantastic idea to let the young people (who were more or less about my age) be exposed and have some training in stage plays.<br /><br />My plays were assigned to JASMS. The actors were amazingly good and the director was brilliant, she was actually the valedictorian of their school.<br /><br />Here’s the cover of the program.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGnWjrvDwLdXx60kQEK3T2AIMtXZaCaajEUiXKh_gD5R-KpObnlkRBXdo8T46pxUSTxE5AO41727y4x62sEtVIpI_7zCxmcxQLU3XwFZCECtTHOwiUIPyS_NkpEWEglhVcfuC4qbD9wk/s1600-h/Lahi1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGnWjrvDwLdXx60kQEK3T2AIMtXZaCaajEUiXKh_gD5R-KpObnlkRBXdo8T46pxUSTxE5AO41727y4x62sEtVIpI_7zCxmcxQLU3XwFZCECtTHOwiUIPyS_NkpEWEglhVcfuC4qbD9wk/s400/Lahi1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222751610605112306" /></a><br /><br />And here's the list of playwrights:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsywkSot1RMDrw4SkcSEh4mo2TVQHakTzr2_aC6jiiuGitalJMaJr9HuSVSBlcvw4I2FOfJC-abmgC-qCLrDaE-DzcJTBIwBDAL2L4pBb4CF25BkRjBvSz3SdjX2Wr-GQKLmftB9NlBwc/s1600-h/lahi2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsywkSot1RMDrw4SkcSEh4mo2TVQHakTzr2_aC6jiiuGitalJMaJr9HuSVSBlcvw4I2FOfJC-abmgC-qCLrDaE-DzcJTBIwBDAL2L4pBb4CF25BkRjBvSz3SdjX2Wr-GQKLmftB9NlBwc/s400/lahi2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222751980505555266" /></a><br /><br />Though I didn’t know what happened to KALINANGAN NG LAHI afterwards. I became too busy writing for TV, and in 1980, left for north America.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-455550222598558944.post-53201023601277873802008-07-08T22:33:00.000-07:002008-12-11T23:23:10.370-08:00BILAO & SALAKOT: BOTH CAN FLY BUT INVENTED BY DIFFERENT FOLKS<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWt5b0X7fdUoPcbAAU6fpQz-51C_VzxGmvncf281yzgqsHuyEpet6fpi5_nc72Eare6XnoNPgmdsQccOth_qREP1aVq6C7IVAhYSXvowGCye5d_CP_rPEzRz3SGyzyNEqQbs0neQD9cE/s1600-h/Magic+Bilao+65-sf.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWt5b0X7fdUoPcbAAU6fpQz-51C_VzxGmvncf281yzgqsHuyEpet6fpi5_nc72Eare6XnoNPgmdsQccOth_qREP1aVq6C7IVAhYSXvowGCye5d_CP_rPEzRz3SGyzyNEqQbs0neQD9cE/s400/Magic+Bilao+65-sf.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220883615165327042" /></a><br />The previous post, I mentioned that BES PASCUAL wrote MAGIC BILAO in LAGIM KOMIKS. Thanks to SIMON SANTOS for sending me a movie ad of MAGIC BILAO.<br />It is actually written by AMADO S. CASTRILLO & AFLREDO ALCALA, serialized in REDONDO KOMIX. <br /><br />On the other hand, BES PASCUAL wrote & illustrated BATIKOBRA AT FLYING SALAKOT, serialized in Lagim Komiks. Both appeared almost simultaneously, hence the confusion. Therefore, I apologize for being a SPACE CADET!<br /><br />Here’s that wonderful Alfredo Alcala rendition of MAGIC BILAO movie ad. Enjoy the art, folks.TheCoolCanadianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196452866916000202noreply@blogger.com6