There was a time when you couldn’t see classics such as Himala, Oro, Plata, Mata and Manila by Night. Now, these films are just a click away. But will a cinephilic culture continue to surround them? Does it matter if that culture continues to shrink as long as it’s enthusiastic? In the realm of film history appreciation, the reverse seems to be true, more films are being saved and restored than ever before. It remains an open question how many people will continue to watch them over time. Cinephiles get excited about the ability to access a range of classic movies that they often forget who gets alienated in the process. But if you were to drop the average layperson looking to learn more about film history into its offerings, let alone the classic film titles available they might get lost in the sheer amount of choices available. As the history of film expands, there will be a flattening of values. Some films continue to live on because of previous critical momentum. But as more people become less conversant in the language of classic Filipino films, the qualities that make them exceptional will most likely become increasingly obscure. Streaming sites need content that can serve the function of keeping users glued to their screens. Dwell time means engagement and revenue. The goal is to keep you occupied for hours and to keep you coming back.
These days, if there are enough celluloid assets of a movie, there is no excuse for them to ever become lost. The technology just didn’t exist to digitize them. The time required and cost of these restorations keeps coming down. Before, it could take up to a year to restore a film, now they can be done much, much faster. There’s no reason to think that trending direction is going to change. We’re in a golden age of film restoration, because now we’re able to see these films look better than they ever have. They’re scanning original negatives, if they can be found, at 4K resolution making us see all the little details. Now, it is an incredible time to be discovering older cinema. And that’s actually part of the reason these titles will remain accessible. Studios with major libraries have preservation budgets, but this new impulse toward volume means those budgets aren’t going away as long as the current streaming model exists. Viva Films and FPJ Productions are preserving their entire library. Every title may not get a full restoration, but they are digitally enhanced with a new high definition master. ABS-CBN Film Restoration package archive titles and remaster them while creating new artwork and extras. Today’s drive toward film preservation and restoration has been catalyzed by filmmakers singing the praises of movies that influenced them. And rising filmmakers need to know about the classics to fuel their own visions. There’s a certain amount of rules that come with the craft of filmmaking. Filmmakers won’t know whether or not something has been done before, unless they study Philippine cinema history.
