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| Company Of Women
Sa paghihingalo ng administrasyong Marcos, nagkasunod-sunod ang pagpapalabas ng mga pelikulang FF sa Manila Film Center sa ilalim ng pangangasiwa ng Experimental Cinema Of The Philippines. Isang pelikula ang Company Of Women (Athena Productions, Inc.) na sadyang ginawa para sa mga parokyano ng Manila Film Center. Sa silong ng kasa itinago ni Julius (Tani Cinco) ang kaibigang si Al (Mark Gil) na sangkot sa isang gulo. Isa si Cita (Liz Alindogan) sa nag-alaga kay Al hanggang sa ito ay gumaling. Di nagtagal, napaibig siya sa binata. Sa tulong ng kapuwa putang sina Rosie (Zelda Soler) at Amelia (Becky Misa), itinuring nilang kasambahay si Al. Samantala sa pagpupursigi ni Teddy (Ariel Moral) ay nakumbinsi nito si Isabel (Irma Alegre) na mamasukan sa kasa nang mapag-alaman niyang si Al ang pumaslang kay Belinda (Aya Fernando), ang kanyang nakababatang kapatid. Pumasok sa kasa si Isabel ngunit lingid sa kaalaman ng lahat ang kanyang pakay. Ang maipaghiganti ang kasawiang sinapit ng kapatid na si Belinda kay Al.
Narito na ang lahat ng tinututulan ng Catholic Women's League sa mga pelikulang itinatanghal sa Manila Film Center. Ang hayagang pagpapakita sa babae at lalaking hubo't hubad na nagse-seks, pagpapakita ng ari at bulbol ng babae at ng ari ng lalaki. Ang walang pangiming galaw at ingay ng nagseseks. pagsusop ng babae sa hayag at simbolikong paraan sa ari ng lalaki, pagsasalsal ng lalaki, sodomy at iba pang pagsasalarawan sa pisikal na pagtatalik ng hayok sa laman na dati ay sa mga pornong pelikula lamang nasasaksihan. Hindi naiiba ang pagpaksa ng Company Of Women sa seks bagamat ginamitan ng makasining na panlasa at pagkakaayos sa disenyo ang pelikula. Pinagbuhusan man ng imahinasyon, pag-iilaw at pagpupuwesto ng kamera hindi pa rin maitatatwa ang pagka-halintulad nito sa pangkaraniwang porno. Kung gayon, ano ang pakay ng pelikula ni Mel Chionglo? Sa biglang malas, tila gustong patunayan ng direktor na ang seks ay lehitimong paksain ng pelikulang ipinapalabas hindi lamang sa munting silid ng nalilibugan, kundi pati sa mga sinehang pinapasok ng mga responsableng manonood. At kung hahanapan ng kabuluhan, maaring basahin ang Company Of Women bilang larawan ng lipunang sinarhan ng mga may kapangyarihan kung saan ang ang mga taong puno ng pagnanasa ay humahanap ng layang magpapatunay na ang buhay ay dapat lasapin at kung ang pagpapalaya sa pagnanasa ay patuloy na sasagkaan, nagiging lason ito at pumapatay. Malinaw na sa Company Of Women ay walang pakialam si Chionglo sa ipinagbabawal ng mga grupong relihiyoso. Kung ang pagbabawal ay nagiging pagkakait sa tao ng pagkakataong saliksikin ang karanasan upang tuklasin ang iba't-ibang aspeto ng buhay ng tao sa mundong ito. Higit sa lahat alam ni Chionglo ang midyum ng pelikula, at handa niyang sagasain ang alinmang sekto ng lipunan na nagtatakda ng mga hangganan para sa mga manlilikha. Ito ang batayan ng kapangahasang karaniwa'y hindi nakikita sa mga obra ng direktor na sa ngalan ng hanapbuhay ay handang pumailalim sa kaayusang sumisikil sa pagkamalikhain.
Direksiyon: Mel Chionglo
Dulang Pampelikula: Raquel Villavicencio
Sinematograpiya: Clodualdo T. Austria
Musika: Willie E. Yusi
Editing: Jesus M. Navarro
Disenyo: Benjie de Guzman
Produksiyon: Athena Productions, Inc.
Release Date: July 26, 1985
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3:37 AM
Your screencaps are so hot, Jo. I can't believe this was written by Racquel Villavicencio who gave us INIT SA MAGDAMAG and her collaboration with Doy del Mundo in those Mike de Leon classic films. Its a trash and the only purpose of this film is to arouse your senses and it certainly succeeds! The gratuitous sex scenes are graphic but very far from Gallaga's SCORPIO NIGHTS, Castillo's ISLA and.
3:40 AM
thanks! just wanted to show that the commercially released VCD was the butchered versions minus all the gratituous sex scenes. Raquel Villavicencio was one of Mel Chionglo's earlier collaborators remember Teenage Marriage? the sex scenes aren't in the same league as that of Scorpio Nights or Isla but the film was chock full of it...
3:44 AM
Liz Alindogan's most daring film and Mark Gil can't refuse Mel Chionglo that's why he succumbed to frontal nudity on this film.
3:49 AM
Liz Alindogan has done more daring films after Company Of Women although the film still remains to be Mark Gil's boldest movie. imagine my surprise when i saw him in full frontal glory during that scene with Irma Alege...
3:53 AM
Did this movie made a killing at the box-office in Manila Film Center, Jo?
3:55 AM
not as much as Isla & Scorpio Nights... i guess by the time Company Of Women was shown MFC moviegoers were all sexed out...
3:58 AM
Was this the last film from Douglas Quijano's Athena Productions? Aside from the original SHAKE RATTLE & ROLE?
4:02 AM
yeah it is... Athena Productions only made two films. wish they had produced some more...
4:10 AM
They occasionally show this at Cinema One with cuts.
4:12 AM
they do? have you seen it on Cinema One? it was probably the exact version as the VCD which was a big letdown...
4:16 AM
Yep, they shorten the graphic sex scenes and the frontal ones are left out in the cutting floor.
4:22 AM
i would think that the original 1hr 45min running time was reduced to one hour?
4:25 AM
Probably but I didn't check the exact running time.
4:31 AM
i wonder why they haven't showed Company Of Women on Cinema One Global? why should i complain? afterall i have the complete, uncut version...
3:29 PM
Hi Jojo,
Lucky you, I bought the butchered VCD and I didn't bother to watch it. It's weird that they were able to release Scorpio Nights fairly intact.
BTW I also have Kirot (Stella Estrada) and that too looks trimmed.
Regards,
RSE
5:42 PM
hello Ron!
could you believe that i also bought the VCD hoping that it would be the complete version? imagine my disappointment when i found out that they released the theatrical cut of the movie. Scorpio Nights on DVD & VCD were missing a couple of scenes as well. the VHS release from Trigon Home Video & Regal was complete & uncut. most of Seiko's bold flicks suffered under Manoling Morato's scissors and back then the Censors would cut the master negative. Mother Lily along with Vic del Rosario were smart enough to to keep the master prints so the Censors wouldn't get their hands on them, hence the complete versions of Isla & Scorpio Nights.
8:00 AM
stumbling upon your blog was a thrill! I really love the screen shots! One question, I have been looking for a good copy of 'Virgin People' by Topaz Film Productions. Not sure where and how to get it. Does anyone here have a copy?
12:34 PM
thanks a lot for stopping by! i'm sure there is a copy of Virgin People lurking around... unfortunately, i don't have one. i won't be surprised if it gets released commercially on VCD very soon.
6:42 AM
Well, kuya...
It's a great Film..
I love Filipino films.. sad to say.. karamihan ng napopost mo dito.. parang ang hirap nang maghanap...
hehe.. :)
3:55 PM
that's the sad part of it, availability. Company Of Women is released commercially on VCD but with cuts, it's probably the only master copy in existence.
8:47 AM
Hi Jojo,
PLEASE naman, can you share your vhs copy of "company of women". I was really disappointed by the one i bought. a vcd version..totally mess. Full of cuts.. Hoping for your very kind consideration..
thanks a lot
7:15 PM
hi, jojo... its funny, i attended a gathering last night hosted by my best friend of almost 24 years, liz alindogan... it was her daughter's 17th bday and i was not to miss it... only one of our friends came, maria isabel lopes with her daughter mara. well, i'd like to share these whatnots about my friend, she has been happily married to bennie kho for almost 2 decades now and they are blessed with 4 kids... 3 girls & a boy. i can say that she is one happy momma nowadays and i hope to see her more often just for laughs and precious reminiscence!
6:32 PM
we were about to watch this movie in a local theater when we were denied because we were too young.ha ha ha.our ages would range from 12,13 and 14 years old. sumubok lang naman baka makalusot. nakalusot kami sa ticketing pero hindi sa nagbabantay. sayang!
8:23 PM
hi jojo,
can i request a copy of the uncut version??
1:33 PM
mark gil was so hot in this movie. i have the vcd copy but it was full of cuts. can i request a copy of the uncut version? is this available for download online? i'm not in the philippines.
10:54 PM
where can i have a copy of this RARE movie
5:48 PM
Company Of Women is available on both DVD and VCD...