FRANCISCO V. COCHING'S EARLY FILM VENTURES (Circa 1947-51)

Francisco V. Coching, illustrator and master storyteller, is a towering figure in the world of Philippine comics. A self-taught artist, Coching mesmerized his readers with his remarkable and stunning pen-and-ink illustrations for four decades--- from Hagibis in the late 40s to Pedro Penduko in the 50s, Tiagong Lundag in the 60s and El Vibora in the 70s.

Hagibis (1947)- Stars Fernando Poe, Sr., Erlinda Cortez, Pacita del Rio, Rolando Liwanag, Rosa Mia/ Music by Lucio San Pedro/ Directed by Lamberto Avellana

Coching’s first serialized novel and probably the first in the history of Philippine comics to be filmed was Hagibis in 1947, starring Fernando Poe, Sr. Hagibis, which ran in the pages of Liwayway magazine from 1947 to 1950 was to become a big hit at the tills. Inspired by the characters of Kulafu by Francisco and Pedrino Reyes and Edgar Rice Burrough’s Tarzan, Hagibis proved to be so popular that it was followed by five adventure-filled sequels. With the phenomenal success of Hagibis, Coching’s fame was secured.

Bertong Balutan (1950)- Stars Fernando Poe, Sr., Patricia Mijares, Fred Penalosa, Salvador Zaragosa

Also adapted into the big screen was the 1950 movie, Bertong Balutan, another Fernando Poe starrer. But Coching’s more successful early film venture was Satur, an LVN production directed by National Artist Lamberto Avellana. With Manuel Conde playing Satur, the devil incarnate and masquerading as a handsome dapper young man in cape, the film further made Coching novels an excellent source of film material.

Source: A Filmic Flight by Justino M. Dormiendo

Satur (1951)- Stars Jaime de la Rosa, Delia Razon and Manuel Conde/ with Alfonso Carvajal, Rosa Aguirre, Jose de Cordova/ Directed by Lamberto Avellana

Satur- serialized in Pilipino Komiks/ 1950