Wednesday, October 31, 2007

AN EMOTIONAL SCENE FROM 'ASEDILLO'

Received his second Famas Best Actor in 1971, for "Asedillo," a true-to-life story of Teodoro Asedillo, an idealistic schoolteacher who rebelled against the American colonial government.

FPJ as Asedillo, a schoolteacher turned rebel, entering the town of San Antonio.


















Asedillo addressing the people of San Antonio:

“Masakit para sa isang anak ng San Antonio na umuwi sa kanyang bayan para katakutan ng kanyang magulang at kapatid. Narito ako upang maghugas ng kamay sa mga pagkakasala na ibinibintang ninyo sa akin--- na ako ay magnanakaw."







"OO, ako ay magnanakaw…pero hindi ko ninanakaw ang mga butil ng kanin na isusubo na lang sa bibig ng mga mahihirap. Ang pinagnanakawan ko ay mga taong mawalan man ng kaning isusubo sa kanilang bibig ay mayroon pang isang dangkal na lupang pagtataniman ng palay upang may maisaing. Sila ang mga lihim na tagapagtaguyod ng aking simulain. Alam kong sila ay nagagalak sa ginagawa kong pagnanakaw sa kanila. At alam din nila na ako at ang aking mga tao ay di maaaring mabuhay sa bundok sa pamamagitan lang ng matibay na pananalig sa aming ipinaglalabang karapatan. Gusto nilang tumulong pero sila’y natatakot. Natatakot silang matulad sa akin na pinaghahanap ng mga constable sa kabundukan ng Sierra Madre… "




"…Ako raw ay pumapatay? OO, ako ay pumapatay. Subali’t ang pinapatay ko ang mga adhikain na kumikitil sa aking simulain na nagtatanggol sa mga karapatan ng mga mahihirap na katulad niyo."
"SAN ANTONIO!!! HINDI AKO MAARI MAGTAKSIL SA IYO... KAYONG MGA TAONG BATIS, ANG ILOG AT ANG DAGAT…AKO…AY ISDA!!! PAPAANO AKO MABUBUHAY KUNG WALA KAYO!”




TWO HORROR FILMS FROM GERRY DE LEON

Two horror films from our very own, Director Gerry De Leon, released abroad (available at Amazon) under The Blood Collection:
Blood Drinkers (1965) was released locally (Philippine cinema) as "Kulay Dugo ang Gabi." It stars Amalia Fuentes, Ronald Remy and Eddie Fernandez.


Product Description:This weird and chilling tale of vampires and the undead seeking to bring their kind back to life features the evil Marco (Ronald Remy), an updated version of the vampiric Count Dracula replete with cape, fangs, and clean-shaven head! Marco seeks to reanimate his long lost love and infuse her with the blood of his victims as he casts his evil spell over the inhabitants of a lonely village. Sharp fangs gleam in the night as bloodsuckers and bats seek fresh blood from the veins of their victims in this eerie drive-in favorite, also known as "The Vampire People" and featuring unusual color photography and tinting effects. A must for any vampire film collection.



Blood of the Vampires (1966), released locally as "Ibulong Mo sa Hangin." It stars Romeo Vasquez, Amalia Fuentes and Eddie Garcia.
Product Description: Eerie visuals and authentic dungeon locations enhance this tale of the undead who live on the warm blood of human victims! Philippine horror star Eddie Garcia stars as an innocent victim of his family's dreaded bloodsucking curse, which causes him to prowl by night, Dracula-style, in a quest to comfort his insatiable bloodlust. Even his amorous seductions take an evil turn from passion to bloody frenzy! Presented here for the first time on video completely uncut from the original negative, this chilling gothic shocker (also known as "Curse of the Vampires") will leave you clutching your throat!

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

TONY FERRER: THE LEGENDARY AGENT X-44

It's FPJ and Tony Ferrer in the
1979 movie "Ang Agila at ang Falcon."

The popularity and success of James Bond in the 1960s [Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964) and Thunderball (1965)] gave rise to a legendary secret spy agent which they called Tony Falcon, Agent X-44. This was what actor Tony Ferrer needed for stardom, a right role and vehicle to inject life to somewhat lackluster and mediocre movie career. After doing supporting and second lead roles to top action stars, like Fernando Poe, Jr., Joseph Estrada, Romeo Vasquez and Zaldy Zshornack, Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions gave him his first starring role in “Markong Bagsik” (1964). But it was the role of Agent X-44 that made him a star and propelled him to the top. The movies, “Sabotage”(1966) and "Modus Operandi" (1967) were his biggest X-44 films, the top grossing movies of the 1966 and 1967 First and Second Manila Film Festivals.

G-2 (1965)


Contra- Senas (1965)


Interpol: Hadlang sa Manlulupig (1965)

Mastermind (1965)


Deadline: Agosto 13 (1966)

Trapped! (1966)

Blackmail! (1966)


Sabotage (1966)


Solo Flight (1967)

Crisis (1970)


Monday, October 29, 2007

MALANG'S KOSME THE COP (RETIRED) ---ALL SAINT'S DAY


Kosme the cop (retired), a daily cartoon strip by Malang appeared regularly at the Manila Chronicle in the 1950s. Its about the henpecked husband who gets into all sorts of troubles, particularly from his nagging wife. Here, it's All Saint's Day for Kosme... Enjoy the humor of the 1950s!!!







Thursday, October 25, 2007

EDDIE FERNANDEZ: ALYAS "LAGALAG"

Eddie Fernandez was discovered by Director Cirio Santiago during a horse race. He was attracted by his dark good looks and athletic build. He cornered the young man, and offererd him a screen test. The test turned out to be a small part in Mga Yapak Na Walang Bakas, and that was it. Eddie was in pictures. He was next cast in Walang Susuko, Labanan sa Balicuatro and Apat na Agimat. The roles got fatter and fatter, until he landed secondary roles in Puro Labis, Puro Kulang (1962) and Masikip na Daigdig (1963), an FPJ starrer.

A popular DZRH radio program was upped for production and the young Fernandez was chosen to do the movie project. It was a break he needed for a long time. Lagalag was born. That was in 1964. The success of Lagalag prompted his home studio to do a series of sequels on the expliot of the famed spy agent Bakas ng Dragon (1964), Scorpio (1964), Hongkong 999 (1965). Somehow, Eddie's sudden success got to his head and his hotheadedness and temperament proved disastrous for which he was charged and imprisoned for the fatal killing of a Bulacan businessman (see link). He was eventually released with a pardon but was later in his life got involved in an altercation in a checkpoint incident in Makati that cost him his life

His life was made into a movie in 1994 titled “Lagalag: The Eddie Fernandez Story” starring Rudy Fernandez and Dawn Zulueta under the direction of Romy Suzara.


Puro Labis Puro Kulang (1962)

Ripleng de Rapido (1963)
Magandang Bituin (1963)

Lagalag (1964) - First Starring Role

Bakas ng Dragon (1964) - Second 'Lagalag' movie

Scorpio (1964) - Third 'Lagalag' movie

Hongkong 999 (1965)- Fourth 'Lagalag' movie

Codigo Trece (1965) - Fifth 'Lagalag' movie

7 Mukha ni Dr. Evans (1965) - Sixth 'Lagalag' movie

Hanapin si Leo Baron (1965)- Seventh 'Lagalag' movie


Cosa Nostra [Kaaway ng Lipunan] (1965) - played a different role- as Johnny Oro

Counter Spy (1966) - another non-Lagalag movie

Kulay Dugo ang Gabi (1965)


Mga Batikan (1964)

Song-Movie Magazine cover with actress-wife Dulce Lucban