In Bilanggo Sa Dilim (Solid Video) Mike de Leon has taken an extraneous source, John Fowles novel The Collector (1963) as the basis for his story and judging from the onscreen evidence, it is the filmmaker's bravura orchestration of the video format's exasperatingly restraint instruments that saves the adaptation from an obviously literary premise. In one singular instance he completely subverts the language of film when in the climactic chase scene, he cuts to a high-angle slow motion shot of Marissa (Cherie Gil) and Eddie (Joel Torre), wherein basic cinematographic conditioning ascribes a connotation of detachment for high angles and that of relaxation for slow motion takes but in Bilanggo Sa Dilim the combined usage of both techniques produced a startling realization of the beauty inherent in outbursts of violence. This is not in itself an original idea but it points to something that has never been carefully considered before in local practice, that video, instead of acting as an adjunct to film can in fact attain more effective peaks of expression by breaking free of the rules of conventional usage, in the manner of the more advanced items in cinema. That in itself should ensure more than just incidental stature in an already reputable body of aesthetic achievements in Philippine cinema.
In his past films, Mike de Leon used to rely on the relative expertise of his performers as a given, in Bilanggo Sa Dilim he has been able to draw out harmonious ensemble acting from his cast. In addition, he allowed one of the protagonists to develop with a sympathetic sensuality that forges a face of violation and ambiguous sympathy coupled with the appropriate resources of Cherie Gil resulting in the first honest to goodness flesh and blood character as opposed to performance in any de Leon film yet. Joel Torre bears the full weight of his films' dilemmas on his shoulders but never shows weariness, only the strain of a kind of portrayal that acts, thinks and makes sense of experience deeply and not so much to shift the burden as part of the collective predicament. Rio Locsin's performance as Margie evinces in highly nuanced auras the emotional ravage of desperation. The stress is engraved into her harried face which festers like a wound or lesion. Bilanggo Sa Dilim is able to rethink the ways in which the melodramatic thriller could be appropriated as the idiom through which the suspense of violation is conveyed.
Direction: Mike de Leon
Adapted From The Novel The Collector By John Fowles
Screen Adaptation: Mike de Leon, Jose Almojuela And Bobby Lavides
Lighting Director: Ely Cruz
Associate Lighting Director: Rody Lacap
Music: Jun Latonio
Film Editors: Mike de Leon And Emy Santiago
Production Design: Lito Perez
Produced By: Solid Video
Release Date: September 29, 1986
5:47 AM
Nice screencaps and review, Jo. I've been haunting a copy of this one. Mike de Leon can infuse his genius whatever format a film can deliver. If this will be release as an indie feature, it will be among the best, indeed.
5:50 AM
Thanks Ronald!
This one was screened in 1986 as part of The Independent Flm & Video Festival at the Sony Wave Cinema in Cubao... hard core film fanatics went to see Bilanggo but it was never released commercially.
8:54 PM
Why is it that the Sony project didn't last long? Im curious about it. How many people flock to Sony Wave Cinema in Cubao during that time?
2:12 AM
I guess it's due to the lackluster public respornse to the festival. You have to remember that this was in 1986 and mainsteream productions from the big studios are being shown each week. When I saw this at the Sony Wave Cinema there were only a handful of us inside the theater considering that the auditorium itself is relatively small.
2:59 PM
Hi Jojo,
I've heard so much about this film. At least now I can see how it looks. Nice screen caps! The film looks mint. I didn't know that Rio Locsin and Cherie Gil were also in this.
Regards,
RSE
4:45 PM
Hello Ron!
It's one of Mike de Leon's best films and his most daring. I haven't seen Bilanggo Sa Dilim for a long time and it's quite refreshing to revisit this video movie. This is independent film at it's best. Rio Locsin was competent but it was Cherie Gil who matched Joel Torre's intense portrayal. With Mike's guiding hand these two actors deliveres the best perfomances of their respective acting careers.
5:00 AM
Is this film available commercially? Where can one buy a copy?
4:52 PM
Like most films of the 80's Bilanggo is not available in any video format so it can't be bought anywhere.
9:10 AM
Creepy. Very creepy. With feelings of claustrophobia.
2:32 AM
Hi Jojo!
I'm not familiar with the novel it was based on. Is Bilanggo faithful enough with the novel or resembles at least in its Hollywood version?
As always, the three actors are very competent in their given material.
By the way, loved your review's title, very apt! It reminds me too of a movie with the same title.
5:43 AM
It wasn't exactly based on the novel.
James Foley's After Dark My Sweet, is one of my favorite movies based on Jim Thompson's novels the other one being The Grifters.
I saw this at the Sony Wave Cinema in Cubao and it wasn't well received. Iilan lang kami sa loob ng maliit na sinehan. I thought it was an excellent film at apakahusay ng tatlong leads and the direction, solid.
8:54 AM
Nice to know that!
Ano sa tingin mo ang dahilan kung bakit tinangkilik ang Bilanggo? Kulang sa promotion, star value, etc.?
Nakaka-tense din ang bandang huli kahit pa alam mo na ang character ni Joel.
4:01 PM
The only Mike de Leon film that really made money was Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit. Kisapmata was a mild hit after winning at the 1981 MMFF but all of his other movies were box office disappointments.
Rio and Cherie on the other hand, starred in commercially successful films. I guess, moviegoers weren't sold on the idea of a movie shot in video.
Come to think of it, there are only a handful of independent productions that actually made money... Maybe Maximo Oliveros and Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank.
4:48 AM
And now all of his movies are being sought after by film enthusiasts and the like. I may add that his only komiks-based melodrama Hindi Nahahati is one of the better made films in the '80s.