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More books on RP cinema being written
By Nestor Torre
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:24:00 07/23/2008
MANILA, Philippines—It’s good to hear that ace comedian Dolphy is coming out with his “selective” biography, the launching ceremonies for which, along with a new TV special, will mark his 80th birthday celebration.
Also upbeat news is Nic Tiongson’s book on the acclaimed filmmaker, Manuel Conde. We share Nic’s enthusiasm for Conde’s movies, many of which we were privileged to view in retrospectives before they fell apart. So, we’re glad that the book will remind or inform local film buffs about the quality and variety of Conde’s oeuvre.
We hear, too, that a book on Mona Lisa has been written. And Rustica Carpio has come up with a book on her theater and film careers.
For our part, we have written the text for a forthcoming book on Sampaguita Pictures. And a monogram on National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Eddie Romero.
These publications and others like them are noteworthy, because books about the local film scene are seldom written. To see so many of them published within a year or two is definitely cause for celebration, and should help film buffs arrive at a more informed appreciation of the importance of movies in the nation’s life.
While these publications are welcome, many more are needed to do full justice to all of the outstanding filmmakers and studios in our movie industry.
More coming up
For instance, a publisher has asked us to write a book on our late National Artist for Film, Ishmael Bernal. However, we begged off and told him that a close friend of Ishmael was more qualified to write such a book. For years now, we have been urging this friend to do so.
We would also like to see books written about our other major studios, like LVN, Premiere, Star Cinema, etc.
A book on Fernando Poe, Jr. is definitely needed, and we hope that his widow, Susan Roces, will initiate its research and writing soonest. The edge of the FPJ project over many others is the fact that he took very good care of his movies, so many of them are still available for viewing by the book’s author or authors.
That would make the FPJ book more authoritative than some other publications that have only limited access to productions that detail the development of other movie people’s filmographies.
Some books on Nora Aunor have already been written, but an update is clearly in order.
And, just last week, we talked to our good friend, Ivi Avellana-Cosio, at the opening of her “Scrolls” art exhibit at Le Souffle, Rockwell, and she gave us the wonderful news that her mother, the much-loved National Artist for Theater, Daisy Avellana, is in the process of coming up with her memoirs. Keep the good news coming, folks!
Movies on MGM
Today (July 24), “Eddie and the Cruisers II.” Tomorrow (July 25), “Spaceballs.” July 26, “Much Ado About Nothing.” July 27, “The ’70s.” July 31, “The Commitments.”
‘Ang Lihim ni Antonio’
The bold digital gay movie, “Ang Lihim ni Antonio,” is now out on video. Directed by Jay Altarejos, the film casts Kenji Garcia as a curious 15-year-old beginning to come to terms with his sexuality. Sharmaine Buencamino, Josh Ivan Morales and Jiro Manio also star.
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