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| Asedillo |
Ganoon din ang nangyari sa musika. Tulad sa obra ng isang mahusay na musikero, nakakatangay ito. May lamyos kung naglalambing, may lungkot kung gustong magpaiyak at may alab kung gusto kang pasiklabin. Kung pagsasabayin ang musika at ang biswal, maraming pagtatalong nakakagulo sa isipan. Sa isang tagpo ng pakikipaglaban sa mga konstabularyo, makatindig-balahibo ang musika, pero hindi naman makita ang kahulugan nito sa pangyayaring nagaganap sa iskrin. Sayang na musika, kung aalisin ito, ano pa ang matitira sa alamat? Kulang rin sa pamamaraan ang pagganap. Sa puntong ito, dapat linawin na ang ganitong uri ng kuwento ay nangangailangan ng mga tipo ng tauhang kakatawan sa kani-kanilang mga institusyon. Si Lucing (Imelda Ilanan) ay isa raw dalagang kimi, pero sa halip na kimi ay kasa-kasama ito ni Dodo sa bundok. Sa totoong buhay, hindi papayag ang matatanda sa ganoong sistema. Ang pagtutulungan sa kahirapan ay isang pilosopiyang pinaniniwalaan ng mga mangagawa, pero sa tauhan ni Castillo, hindi ito malinaw. Malimit na kumikilos ang kanyang mga tauhan nang kanya-kanya na mas totoo sa siyudad kaysa sa lalawigan. Naging patunay ito ng kakulangan sa pagkaunawa ng direktor sa milyu ng kanyang materyal. Kung susuriin ang problema ng pelikula, lalabas na ang kakulangan ng pagkaunawa o ang kawalan ng tamang perspektiba sa materyal ng direktor ang siyang ugat ng problema. Ang mahihirap, bilang uri ng tao sa lipunan ay may sariling kakayahan, may sariling pananaw sa buhay na ginagamit na basehan sa pagkilos, pagharap at paglaban sa kanilang problema. Hindi ang ating haka-haka kung paano sila mag-isip ang dapat namayani sa pelikula. Kung ipagpipilitan ang ating mga akala at wala rin ang ating simpatiya sa kanila, mali ang lalabas na interpretasyon natin kung hindi man mapagkunwari. Ano ngayon ang katuturan ng alamat ni Asedillo? Wala, isang leksiyon sa madyik na nagagawa ng kamera, pero hindi ng isang pelikula. Leksiyon ito sa potograpiya, hindi sa historya.
Dulang Pampelikula At Direksiyon: Celso Ad Castillo
Sinematograpiya: Sergio Lobo
Musika: Restie Umali
Editing: Augusto Salvador
Produksiyon: FPJ Productions
Release Date: September 3, 1971
Release Date: September 3, 1971
12:27 AM
Hi Jojo,
Excellent observation about the film. You know what? I haven't seen this in full yet, I tried a few times but I was kind of bored with it. I should give it a try and finish it.
Regards,
RSE
12:51 AM
Thanks a lot Ron!
The film had a lot of good things going for it. Fernando Poe, Jr. and Barbara Perez delivered excellent performances. It just seemed that the director's utmost concern was the look of the film which is a visual stunner. If only he focused more on character development, Asedillo would've been a great film.
1:42 AM
Very insightful review Jojo! Asedillo is definitely one of the late great FPJ's signature films.
Barbara Perez is very beautiful in the movie. Loved your last image of screencap.
5:54 AM
Maraming salamat Dennis!
FPJ made more than a handful of significant films. Santiago and Asedillo in my opinion would be the ones on the top of the list. Although he also directed quite a few movies that could very well be included among his best.
Asedillo is a visual feast which took away the film's ambiguity. If only Celso wasn't carried away with the shots but like what you said, Barbara Perez's beauty was well captured by the camera and even if she was hurting, just like in the last image, she was still captivating.
7:58 AM
Every decade may signature films si FPJ hehe. Santiago and Asedillo were among the top nga.
'Pag real beauty talaga lalabas at lalabas kahit pa death scene ang shot. I always like Barbara Perez in movies she's in most especially Snooky's mother in Blusang Itim in later years. She was then paired (sort of) to equally goodlooking actor Ramil Rodriguez as Joel Alano's father in the movie.
8:31 AM
Aside from Santiago and Asedillo, another of FPJ best films is Eddie Romero's Aguila. Alupihang Dagat which he also directed is my most favorite of all his films. I remember my parents took me to watch it at the movies and I was really entertained. Come to think of it, Alupihang Dagat was the first Filipino pirate movie, unlike Pirates Of The Caribbean.
When Barbara Perez was offered a role in P.S. I Love You, her one condition was to make sure that Romy Vitug was the film's cinematographer. Apparently, she wanted to maintain her beautiful look on screen...
1:46 PM
Panday of course is another signature film of his. I have Alupihang Dagat but I haven't seen it yet. Will check it out.
RSE
4:01 PM
The Panday series definitely belongs to the list of FPJ's best. Unknown to most is the fact that some of the movies he directed were highly entertaining.
You should definitely watch Alupihang Dagat. I was the one who suggested to include the film as part of the FPJ Retrospective at last year's Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, nung malaya pa sila ;)
11:50 PM
His movies are always watchable, although a lot of them are just variations of the the same theme.
RSE
1:03 AM
Those were epic movies Jojo! It's nice that FPJ were also directed by top filmmakers of the country.
When it comes to cinematography, the named Romy Vitug always comes to mind.
By the way, I haven't seen all of Barbara Perez's movies but she did have one that I didn't like much, her role in Ibulong Mo Sa Diyos as Eddie Garcia's secretary who was secretly in love with him. I was used to seeing her in good motherly role.
5:45 AM
You're right Ron, it was more evident later in FPJ's career although his fans still went in droves to see his movies...
5:55 AM
Most definitely Dennis! I learned that Peque Gallaga refused to direct FPJ in a movie but worked with him in his San Miguel Beer commercials. The two forged a friendship unlike no other ever since.
Romy Vitug was one of the country's top cinematographers during that time along with Conrado Baltazar.
Barbara Perez appeared in numerous Sampaguita produced movies and starred in some of the most important Filipino films such as Gerry de Leon's Daigdig Ng Mga Api where she won FAMAS Best Actress. Barbara was also Joseph Estrada's leading lady in Ito Ang Pilipino and played kontrabida to Vilma Santos in Hatinggabi Na, Vilma.
7:08 AM
Speaking of Romy Vitug, it seems like he's not as regarded now as before. Is he still active? I think I've seen his name in a few indie movies but I don't know for sure if it's him or some young cinematographer using a derivative of his name. What do you think is his best work? Too bad most of his old movies don't have any good surviving copies
RSE
8:34 AM
Romy Vitug still works as cinematographer in lesser known independent films some are gay themed. Unfortunately, his work nowadays pales in comparison to what he has accomplished in the 70's and 80's. He also defined the glossy look of most Viva produced movies.
I would certainly single out Atsay, Burlesk Queen, the Bukas, Madilim, Bukas episode in Tatlo, Dalawa, Isa and Salome.
11:13 AM
Didn't he also shoot all those Reyna Films in the 90's?
2:35 PM
As a mater of fact, he did Ron. His work in those movies is adequate, not spectacular.
Even Vitug's camerawork in films like Isla is noteworthy. He was cinematographer to the country's best filmmakers and worked closely with the likes of Celso Ad Castillo and Eddie Garcia.
I failed to mention Dung-Aw, Init Sa Magdamag, Pagputi Ng Uwak, Pag-Itim Ng Tagak and Mga Uod At Rosas among his best.
2:42 PM
Just saw Dung-aw and it's beautiful. Imagine seeing that in that in the cinema?
2:46 PM
I saw Dung-Aw for a film class in college and the cinematography was breathtaking. Surprisingly, the print used for the screening was pristine. Armida really takes good care of the movies and TV shows she produced...
3:41 PM
She should release their catalog on DVD. May market naman sigurong yun. Btw it reminded me...cinefilipino.com no longer exists. Bankrupt?
4:21 PM
Armida doesn't seem to be interested in releasing any of the films she produced on DVD. She has quite an impressive catalog of movies from Dung-Aw, Mga Bilanggong Birhen, Laruang Apoy, Pag-Ibig Na Walang Dangal, Silang Mga Mukhang Pera and Salome, not to mention the ones under Reyna Films.
Unitel decided to close Cine Filipino due to lackluster sales of their DVD releases...
5:06 AM
That San Mig commercial ad was very successful! Two giants in their own field joined together.
Hopefully, C1 has those movies you mentioned. I've been wanting to watch old horror/suspense movies the likes of Hatinggabi Na, Vilma the one you mentioned. Anak Ng Asuwang, Carmela, etc. Carmela is a suspense 'di ba?
Nice infos on those replies Jojo!
1:16 PM
I haven't seen any of FPJ's San Mig commercials na dinirek ni Peque Gallaga, only the ones from the late 80's. I'm not sure kung alin ang ginawa nila together.
Most of the movies you mentioned are not available. As far as I know walang copy ang Cinema One ng Hatinggabi Na, Vilma since it was produced by Sine Pilipino. Carmela, under NV Productions was Nora's first horror movie and first venture as producer.
3:15 AM
Thanks for the info Jojo!
6:04 AM
No worries Dennis...