Reflections on watching Filipino Films
(and how come the Industry comes dying)
As the title goes, this writer can't deny the fact he also watch filipino movies. Yes, that whether it is in a pirated DVD or in the Cable, this writer watch Filipino movies for a recreation or rather say just plain fun so to speak, except to those that is serious of course (Like Sakada or Sister Stella L.)
However, in this changing society, most movies, especially those which are part of Metro Manila Film Festival, ought to reflect in it, but instead we sought same old topics in a new setting. Whether it is fantasy, love, horror, suspense, or even porn, everyone simply sought it and thinking that they sought it again, again, ...and again. For sure most producers are quite tardy enough in producing genuinely new ones as they produced same old crap for their own sake, a typical reflection of a system that maintains its rotteness guised as prestige.
Obviously, most Filipino films are rather made just for consumption regardless of its essence that is, nonsense. For sure most institutions rather emphasise producing money, increasing profits, less welfare and social development, these reflects the current structure the Philippines prevailing nowadays-a continuation of age old past further aggraviated.
And since this writer also thinks that most producers in the mainstream scene are quite tardy in creating genuinely new films, of putting new flavor and technology unto it, would think that like fertilizer given to a dying tree or plant desperately applied to make them live; as the film industry seemed to be dying (sorry to say so), due to influx of foreign films and rampant "piracy" (this writer would say that some makers of 'pirated' films are unearthing old films rather than those who really make profit unto new ones such those from the MMFF) prevailing this time around. By the way, are there any new, idealistic producers similar to Galleaga, Brocka, Bernal or Manuel Conde? Tikoy Aguiluz did so in his Asiong Salonga work, but then he end up dismayed due to the industry itself had done to the movie. (that of course, made its fans dismayed as they're tired of comedy and drama!)
Kinda weird that regardless of modern technology in showing movies, tv shows, even the internet, it rather lack reality and substance. Except to say that the producer was creating films for goddamn sake, it is all worthless so to speak, regardless of having bigger audiences as part of a film festival, with titles leaving nothing to the imagination of the audience, same actors and actresses playing the lead roles, or some hot young flavor-of-the-month of one producer or another trying to parrot the same old crap as others may say so.
Otherwise, it is sort of crass imitation guised as modern-day work. Most have sought Bong Revilla's Panday II and kids somehow "loved" it regardless of being criticized for being a blatant rip-off of the 2010 Hollywood blockbuster remake of Clash of the Titans. Sorry to say so but then Panday had undergone a cheap modernization that would say having its essence far from Fernando Poe Jr's, otherwise it showed how desperate Carlo J. Caparas trying to maintain prestige regardless of not engaging directly in the Film industry, after all he's the one behind that Panday movies although most think of him as producer of massacre films, or using his parlance, Justice films.
Well, in midst of people looking at these eye candies regardless of being imitated from somewhere else, rehash of old works, or made all for goddamn sake, these are simply manifestations of having everyone be ought to escape rather than to face the problem, like taking Methampetamine or Extacy so to speak, giving them short term "relaxation" yet the crisis worsen-to think that most producers are producing for money rather than for culture.
And as for Panday, this person prefer FPJ's. There's a lot dignity in it for they use real music. And for sure there are producers willing enough to create new movies not for the sak of winning the contest but to express their views that perhaps make the industry revived and going.