CHRIS MITCHUM interview with Andrew Leavold, December 2009
...Being the adventures of a young Mr Mitchum in Taiwan and the Philippines under the patronage of Messrs. Bobby A. Suarez and K.Y. Lim.
AL: I can only imagine what it's like in Manila right now.
CM: Exactly. When I worked in Indonesia they told me, "There are only two seasons here." I said, "What's that?" they said, "Hot and hotter."
AL: Oh Jesus. Well, at some point I'd like to touch on the Indonesian adventures, because they do somehow interrelate. That and the Thai adventures, too. Because South East Asian filmmaking is like the Wild West. And I can only imagine that it operates under its own set of rules and its own weird internal logic. So, can you let me know what you're working on at the moment, to get a bit of background?
CM: Well, I've gotten more involved in writing, I'm getting too old to be jumping off motorcycles. [Laughs.] So I'm actually working with someone, I've written a children's book, they're doing the artwork on it now. And I've written a screenplay with some partners, it's called Slaughterhouse College. We're in the process of trying to get it funded. And I'm finishing up a screenplay called The Host which is an end-of-the-world 2012 film. And I'm working on a mystery novel called Victoria Falls, which is a kind of an Agatha Christie-type mystery. And other than that, just hanging out.
AL: That's amazing. Have you done much writing before.
CM: Well, I've written all my life, yes.
AL: There you go. That's something I didn't know.
CM: I've written things for everything from Black Belt magazine to Architectural Digest, Brides [?] magazine…
AL: Have you written screenplays before?
CM: Actually, most of the stuff I did in Asia, I actually wrote. There's one I did in Thailand - I was living in Spain and I was contacted by this guy they call Mason out of Los Angeles, and back then this was all Western Union. I asked what the story was and I got this twenty-page synopsis in the mail, so I Western Union telegrammed them back, I said I'd like to see the screenplay, and they telegrammed me back, it took about three days, and they said "That is the screenplay."
AL: And that was H-Bomb.
CM: Yeah, it was literally twenty pages long. So I sat down and I hammered out a script and sent it off. I sent a telegram saying 'There's a screenplay on the way. This is what a screenplay is supposed to look like." And they telegrammed me back and said 'We will have a finished screenplay ready for you when you arrive.' And when I got there, they handed me my script. (laughter) I actually wrote the screenplay for H-Bomb. I didn't get paid or credited, but I did it.
AL: That is incredible.
CM: And that's the way, you know, I ended up doing a lot of writing on the Bobby Suarez films… I wrote all the films they did in Indonesia. They'd send me forty-page scripts and I'd sit down and do the screenplay, send it back to them before the shoot… Back then, most of these places, they didn't shoot on a schedule. They started work, and if everyone survived long enough, they'd finish the film.
AL: And then it's all on a wing and a prayer.
CM: I remember the first time I got to Thailand. My Thai lead was a guy called Krung Srivilai, he was making sixty-five films at the same time. He got two thousand dollars up front, which was a lot of money in Thailand at the time. And of those sixty-five, maybe seventeen would get finished. I said, "How long does it take to make a film here?" He said "Oh, about two years. But most of them never get finished, they run out of money or the producer dies, or a couple of the actors die. And that's why I get paid up front." He'd come to our set, shoot for a couple of hours, then drive across the country and shoot another one. And because of my time restraints, we sat down and worked out a schedule. So we had a real script and a real schedule, so we made the movie.
AL: My Lord.
CM: This was a different time then. I guess I revolutionised Asian filmmaking in a lot of different ways.
AL: Well, internationalised it. Because I really don't think they were doing international productions. They were doing Asian productions.
CM: Well, because of my stuff with Terry Lai and Bobby, being the first Anglo-Saxon to be the hero, the lead star in an all-Chinese production, I got the Golden Horse award in 1981. The Chinese Academy award.
[Note: Cantopop star Alan Tam won Best Actor at the Golden Horse Awards for his role in the mawkish Taiwanese melodrama If I Were For Real in '81.]
AL: That's amazing.
CM: I mean, they had white guys before, but they were all bad guys who [CM affects gruff voice] 'talk like this'.
AL: [Laughs.] Yeah. What do they call them, gweilos?
CM: Yeah. [Gruff voice] 'Ha, ha, ha.'
AL [Laughs.] Bobby definitely had a vision of taking the Asian action film to the international stage.
CM: Oh, absolutely.
AL: And I guess riding on the crest of the kung fu phenomenon, but also adding other elements to it. Because if you look at Cosa Nostra Asia, it's not just a regular kung fu film. There are elements of The Godfather and James Bond in there…
CM: That's pretty much what the Asians would do, though. They would see an American successful film and they'd make an Asian version of it. When I made my first film in Indonesia, I got a phone call and they said, "We're doing a film down here." I asked, "What kind of a film is it?" They said, "Lethal Hunter.” And Lethal Weapon had just come out, so I said, "Great, is it a similar story?" They said "Yes, but this one is much better." I thought, "Lethal Weapon was pretty damn good, I'm going to enjoy this project." Well, 'better' to them was less talking and more action.
AL: [Laughs.] Yeah, cut all that shit out.
CM: Yeah, all that relationship crap, get rid of it.
AL: Let's go back a little bit further, to when you were in Europe. You were based in Spain for a while.
CM: Yeah, I was kinda run out of the United States because I'd worked with John Wayne. And there was - It was kind of bizarre. I did Chisum, that was a small part, and I did Rio Lobo and Big Jake with him.
AL: And John Wayne was not cool at the time. This was The Green Berets-era John Wayne, right?
CM: Exactly. And Hollywood, you know there was all these people burning flags and booing soldiers returning from the war. And Hollywood could not differentiate between supporting the troops and supporting the war. So they thought he was pro-war. He wasn't - he was pro-American soldier. They were out there taking orders. And they basically set up a policy that anyone who worked with John Wayne was blackballed in Hollywood. Duke was noted for having friends work in his pictures. You watch twenty John Wayne films and you'll see faces repeat, you know, film after film after film the same actors in character roles. A lot of that had to do with the fact that they were of the same political bent. And Hollywood took the position that if you worked with John Wayne, they would not promote you in Hollywood because they did not want a second voice coming out, you know, talking about the Vietnam protesters.
AL: So basically it was McCarthyism in reverse.
CM: Yeah, it's reverse McCarthyism. Exactly. After I did Big Jake, I was on the Johnny Carson show. I was given the Photoplay gold medal award. Photoplay was a magazine which - their awards were sort of a people's choice award, their readers voted on it. And it was a pre-runner to the Academy Award. They came out before the Academy Awards ceremony. And they actually gave out a medal, about five inches across, of solid fourteen carat gold. And this is back when gold was still thirty-two dollars an ounce.
AL: My God. That's a lot of teeth.
CM: Oh yeah, I got that baby sitting on my shelf. I got that for being the best new actor of 1972. I was on the cover of Seventeen magazine three times that year, and I couldn't get a job interview. And I got this job offer while I was actually doing promos around the country. Me and Patrick Wayne were doing a twenty-one city tour in nineteen days, flying around doing interviews. And my agent said this director and producer were in New York, and we had a Sunday rest in Houston. So they flew me up from Houston to New York to have lunch, they gave me the script, told me about the project - it was called Un Verano Para Matar - Summertime Killer - and they flew me back down and offered me five times what Duke was paying me. And I said yes before I read the script. And it was a great script, we had Karl Malden, Olivia Hussey, Claudine Auger, Gerard Barry, Raf Vallone, a great cast. And yeah, in L.A. I went to a cast interview, and the casting director looked at me and said, "Oh, you're THAT Chris Mitchum." I said, "What do you mean?" And she said "I can't cast you because you starred with John Wayne."
AL: And that's how you found out!
CM: Yeah. So I went off and did this film in Spain, and I came back, and again I couldn't get an interview. The guy who did the stills photography on the film called me up and said "I would like to send you a script. The producer contacted me and wants me to get a script to you. Would you be interested in coming back to Spain?" I said "Yeah, sure." So I went back and I found out that Summertime Killer was the biggest-grossing film in Spain's history. It won something like seven Spanish awards, and I was a major star in Spain. My second day there I got offered another film in Spain, so I think, "Screw this," I go back after the first film, rent out my house, pack up my family and move to Spain for three years. And everything I did there, when Franco was alive, I mean Rosso [?] was living north of Barcelona, Eastwood was shooting all of his Spaghetti Westerns down at Almaria, it was a happening place. All the stuff I did there was being exported to Asia, and it turned out I was a big star in Asia. There was Eastwood, Bronson, Alain Delon and myself. I mean, Alain Delon was always number one. And the other three of us were two, three and four depending on who had the latest release. So I started getting job offers over there, and that's when I moved back to the United States, because I figured, what the hell am I doing living in Spain and working in Asia. And I wanted a hamburger and a milkshake.
So I went back there and I started doing stuff, the first one being the one in Thailand, so I started working there a lot. And the one in Thailand, it was the first… actually, I think Summertime Killer was the first film Olivia Hussey did after Romeo and Juliet. Because that was so successful over there, they brought her over to star in H-Bomb.
AL: So the producer said, "Let's, get lightning to strike twice. Let's get Olivia Hussey in here."
CM: I guess so, yeah.
AL: Bobby told me he was working as an errand boy on Summertime Killer.
CM: No, Summertime Killer was shot in Spain, Italy and France…
AL: Bobby maintains that he was in Spain trying to buy the Asian rights to Summertime Killer in advance, and the producer said, "If you come and work on the set as an errand boy and learn the ropes, then I'll give you the SE Asian rights."
CM: This is the first I heard the story. You'd think if I'd seen him on the set, he'd have said something to me when we did make films together.
AL: But regardless, Bobby sees you in Summertime Killer and thinks "Aha! Let's get him for…"
CM: I think he saw me in Summertime Killer after it was released in Asia.
AL: Bobby was based in Hong Kong, and he was operating Intercontinental.
CM: Was he ever married to Terry Lai?
AL: That's a very good question. I think he might have been. And for that reason he got in a lot of trouble.
CM: I thought so. Even though she still went under the name of Terry Lai, she was introduced to me as his wife. And we'll have to talk about the first film I did with him, which was Chinese American Commandos. [Big laugh.]
AL: So that was the very first one?
CM: That was the first one. And that was never made. We were shooting down in Taiwan, and Tony Ferrer was on it. And it was absolutely hysterical. I mean tragic, but hysterical. We're down there, and we have two typhoons coming in. Over in… I forget the name of the town, it's on the coast, the east coast. And the hotel we're in is divided in half. One half is a functioning hotel, the other half is a whorehouse. And the girls, the whores, they're also operating the hotel, they're at the front desk. And the town, it's this little dinky town with the open sewers running down the street and everything, and every single evening, around 4.30 or 5, a busload of Japanese tourists would come in. And they're all hungover, you'd see them with the big bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label, they'd go up to their room and have a big drunken party all night long, you know, screwing the whores. And then at nine in the morning they'd all get up with blood-red eyes and crawl onto the bus to go to the next site for sight-seeing. But we were hit with two typhoons when we were there, so we just sat on our asses for God knows how long, waiting for the storms to go through. I decided to do something nice, so I thought I'd throw a party for the crew, because they're all going stir crazy in there. Larry Chiu helped me decide the meals, you know, some of them can eat this, and some can have this… And one of the meals they had was tiger dragon soup. And Larry told me, "This is wonderful. They can't afford to buy this at a restaurant." So at the night of the party there's this huge soup tureen, and I look in, and the dragon is a snake, and it's wrapped around a pheasant, some bird they trapped on the roof, and the tiger is an alley cat. And as the host and the guest of honour, I got to have the eyes of the alley cat. But I said "No, you set up this party, I'm just writing the cheque. You get the eyes." He was ecstatic. He was so appreciative. But that was on Cosa Nostra.
When we were doing Chinese Daredevil Commandos, that was a story that took place during WWII, and it's about a bunch of Chinese and Americans who go up against the Japanese. But they didn't - and I understand this is the way with Chinese thinking, I'm told there is no future tense in their language. And that pretty much exists in the way they think, they don't think ahead at all. And we get out there, and they said "Chris, do you think you could go to the American base here, and get some uniforms? And maybe some jeeps and some troop trucks." All that kind of stuff. So I go down to the base, you know, and talk to the base commander, and he says he'll be happy to do this, the military does co-operate with film companies, but you have to go to Washington, it starts at the Pentagon, you fill in some forms, and then it comes through here and we try to accommodate it. And that takes about three months. So I said, "Oh well. Is there anything you can do for me?" He says, "Well, I can give you a camouflage uniform for you to wear." And I wore that uniform with the sewn-on captain bars. And we had no guns. Guns are outlawed in Taiwan. So we got these toy guns, and they got the special effects guy to put firecrackers up the gazoo. The gun was like an M-1 carbine, and it had a light, and when you pulled the trigger it would light up. So they took out the light and packed it full of fireworks.
AL: Oh my God.
CM: So we get to the first real shot, and the shot is, you know, here comes this Japanese troop carrier, which is just a flatbed farm truck with a plastic machine gun mounted on it, and it's got these guys hanging off it, and it's coming across the field towards us, and they're going to engage us in battle. But there are guys falling off the truck, you know, the road is so bumpy, and they open fire with a machine gun and you see this big purple cloud… So then when the car hits this ditch, it's about five feet wide and six inches deep, they hit the embankment and we all have our M-1s and start to fire, and when we fire, it's like, yellow, poof! Orange, poof! Purple, poof! Coming down to the end of the line, every different colour. And Tony Ferrer, he pulls the trigger and nothing happens, he tries two more times but it doesn't work, he's supposed to shoot the driver of the truck, he tries two more times, then he brings it up to look at it and it goes swoosh! [Laughs.] Cloud of smoke comes over and for like four seconds you can't even see his head. I said "Cut, cut," and turned to Bobby and told him, "Bobby, this isn't working. It looks like a rainbow coming out of these guns." He said, "Okay, you're right. Let's all go back to the hotel to see what we can do." So we have another four or five days off. And Tony's room is a few doors down from the special effects guy's room. So I'm sitting in Tony's room having a beer, and I hear a big swoosh! I said, "What the hell is that?" Tony says, "You've got to see this," and we go out into the hallway. The door at the end of the hall opens, and a huge cloud of smoke drifts out. [Laughs.] And the special effects guys' standing there coughing his lungs out. [Laughs so hard I can't hear the next sentence.] And he's been working on it for three days. But then he comes in and says "We're not going to do it. We can't make this picture. We'll pay your salary and send you home." I said, "I'll tell you what, Bobby. When you can get the act together, I'll come back and do another film for you if you pay my expenses and five grand. I'll do another for you. And he said, okay, that's great. And the following February I came back to the Philippines and did what at that time was The Agency but became Master Samurai.
AL: And where was Cosa Nostra sitting in there?
CM: When we were in Taiwan.
AL: Okay, so you're making two films back to back.
CM: Right, two films back to back. We made one, and the other….
AL: So Chinese Daredevil Commandos you did first, but it never…
CM: No, it never got filmed.
AL: But then you went ahead and stayed in Taiwan and made Cosa Nostra Asia.
CM: Cosa Nostra Asia, right.
AL: Was Bobby director on Chinese Daredevil Commandos or just producer?
CM: To my recollection, he was.
AL: Right. Whereas on Cosa Nostra Asia he's got some guy called John Liao.
CM: Actually, John Liao spoke beautiful English, and from what I understand he studied film and film history at Stanford, or Berkely, or wherever he was. And somewhere in San Francisco he went to film school. And he really had it together, you know, my first day's shooting - you've seen the film?
AL: Yeah.
CM: That scene where I walk into the dojo and I fight everybody in the room. Then I go in and fight the two girls with the sai, and then I go and fight Dick Chen. That was my first day on the set. And they kind of roughly choreographed the first run-through, fighting the guys. And they said "Cut!" And they're looking at me like someone farted. They say "Chris," and we walk off to the side and he goes "It doesn't look like you're hitting them," so I said, "Yeah, but they're not taking the punch, you know, if I punch at the head they gotta snap their head back, if I hit them in the stomach, they gotta double over." He says, "No, I mean really hitting them." I said, "Well, no wonder it doesn't look like it." He says, "That's what they're there for. Hit them!" I said, "You mean really hit them?" He says, "Yes!" I said, "That'll hurt them." He said, "Yes! That's what they're here for!"
So, I said okay, we go back in the room and do it again. And I'm trying to pull my punches, but if somebody moves forward a half-inch, then you crack a rib. And we get through the shot, and there's a couple of guys moaning and groaning, the director yells "Cut!" and they all applaud. And it got worse. For my fight scene with Dicky, I knew he was something like that year's Hong Kong kung fu champion. And we would work out a routine, and every time the camera came on, he would change the routine a little. Just haul off and went. So I think, "Is he just stupid, or is he trying to hit the round-eye on camera?"
AL: He's trying to one-up you, by the sounds of it.
CM: Yeah, that's what he's doing. So I - I had to basically get in a fight with him, to protect myself. And I'm, you know, guarding myself from punches and kicks, using my arms and shins. When I finished that first day's work, from my knee to my ankle and from my wrist to my elbow on both legs and arms were black and blue from taking punches.
AL: 'Cause it's a long scene.
CM: Oh yeah.
AL: And it really comes across as brutally realistic.
CM: Believe me, it was. And later on we had another fight scene, again he was thinking he was really going to do me in. And while we were mapping it out I had my fight instructor there, Larry [name indistinct, sounds like 'Elkins', but the fight instructor for Cosa Nostra was Larry Chiu]. And word was getting around, you know, because some of the crew actually liked me and they said Dicky was really trying to give me a hard shot, beat me out. And I said to Larry, "If he takes me down, don't let him stomp on me when I'm unconscious." He said "Oh yeah, you're joking." So we're doing the thing and he throws a punch to my stomach, in slow motion 'cause we're working it out for the camera, and suddenly he steps in and whacks me on the side of the head with his elbow. So I drop to one knee and I come back up to hit him and he says, "Sorry, Chris, I just got carried away. It was an accident, please forgive me." Well, now we get to about five shots later and I'm about to do a side kick into his chest, and he can see the look in my eye, he knows I'm looking for a chance… We come in to do the shot, and we rehearse it and everything's fine, and he braces his hand across his chest to protect it from a hard kick, and I change my kick a little bit, and do a knife-edge hand to his throat. [Imitates painful choking noise.] I said, "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, it was really an accident, I'm really sorry." And that's the last time he took a swing at me.
AL: Nice.
CM: Yeah, after that we went into movie magic. I mean, that's a hard way to make a living, when you actually have to go there and fight people. That's crazy.
AL: But obviously you'd been trained to fight in Hollywood movies.
CM: Actually, back in 1969 I made a film called Bigfoot, where I fight Bigfoot, you know, the sasquatch monster. And a friend of mine, Tom Bleecker, who later ended up marrying Bruce Lee's widow, Linda Lee [Note: Linda tried to prevent the publication of Bleecker's brilliantly bitchy book Unsettled Matters: The Life and Death of Bruce Lee, which is a fantastic combination of accurate biography, wild surmise, and some very sour grapes indeed.] He's a third dan black belt in kenpo karate. He and Ed Parker learned a lot from Bruce Lee about that stuff. So I went to Tom, and I said, "Can you show me a routine? I don't want to take three swings at this monster and have it club me on top of the head. I'd like to do something fun." So we worked out a routine, which we put in the movie, and I thought "Hey, this martial arts stuff is kind of neat." So I started working with him, and I got my first couple of belts, you know… And he was good, I learned stuff about hand-eye co-ordination that you can use in reality if you need to, and how to use ordinary furniture for exercise, so you can stay in shape without having to carry a bunch of weights. You know, very useful things. So when I got into doing Asian films, they just thought I was a round-eye actor, but when we get into doing a fight scene, I'd say, "Well, should we try this?" And they'd go [comedy Asian accent] "Oh, he knows martial arts!" So all of a sudden I became this kung fu star over there. But the difference was, the real kung fu stars were kung fu stars who became actors. I was an actor who became a kung fu star. So my martial arts onscreen were nowhere near as good as those guys.
AL: And of course, Tony Ferrer was a karate champion too.
CM: Oh yeah, Tony was great. He's a lot of fun.
AL: From what I can tell, he was a first-class karate performer, but also a first-class gambler.
CM: Well, that I didn't know.
AL: Apparently he spends a lot of time at the casino. And he's very successful at what he does. So, that's your impression of Tony Ferrer - that he actually was quite a fun guy?
CM: Oh yeah, we got along very well. Very well. We had a lot of laughs together. I don't know how close he was to Bobby, but he had sort of the same detachment that I had. He could could look and see what was going on and appreciate - I mean, as tragic as it all was, appreciate the thing.
AL: Well, it's a very Filipino way...
CM: Yeah.
AL: And of course, there's Terry Lai. Who everyone describes as sort of… businesslike. Which you can take one way or another.
CM: You know, she had her brother Joseph there, too. And at the beginning, everyone thought she was kind of like this inscrutable Chinese. Just wouldn't talk to anybody. But the more I got to know here - I mean, she was a very sharp businesswoman. But I think socially she was just very shy and not sure of her English, and was just very reserved because of that. I didn't go this year, but I think last year or the year before I went down to the International Film Market down at Santa Monica and stopped by the IFD office to say hi to Joseph and Terry. We chatted for a few minutes, and had a catch-up on old times. They went ahead and did more films with Bobby… Because I think Bobby moved Master Samurai to the Philippines to get away from Terry. That was my take on the whole thing. And once he was able to do that and get the money into the Philippines, it was "Adios." Because he already had a wife in the Philippines, and that didn't go down very well. The whole thing got really messy. So I think she was a little stand-offish with me because I had worked with Bobby. We did American Commandos a couple of years later together.
AL: You would have gone back to Spain, and then you get the call from Bobby to do another film. Which is Master Samurai, or The Agency.
CM: Well, The Agency we did eight months after the other two… or, the other one-and-a-half.
AL: Right. [Laughs.] So there would have been at least one day of Chinese Daredevil Commandos in the can.
CM: Ah… We might have had two or three. But probably no more than that. I would like to see it. It'd be hilarious.
AL: Like a Keystone Cops short!
CM: I tell you, Tony and I would get talking about this, we'd be laughing so hard there'd be tears coming out of our eyes.
AL: So… Master Samurai is your first introduction to the Philippines. And you get there, and it's under Martial Law. And you're doing a film that's set during Martial Law. What were your impressions of Manila at the time?
CM: You know, I think I had a little bit of jaded view of it. Whether it was because it was the film business or because Bobby was tied in, we were never really affected. You know, with the curfew, if you wanted to go to a club after curfew - curfew was ten o'clock, and we could drive back at one in the morning. And my driver had an M-16 there on the seat with him. So we had pretty much privileged access. So I was not really affected by Martial law while it was going on.
AL: What are your impressions of Manila as a city, then?
CM: I loved it. I mean, what's not to like? I stayed most of the time at the Manila hotel, which was just absolutely beautiful. I stayed at the General McArthur suite.
AL: Wow.
CM: Yeah, how can you go wrong with that?
AL: And then, you know, what about experiences off the set? Did you get to experience the craziness?
CM: Not really. Back then I had a wife and two kids, and I would usually go to a location and for the first two weeks I'd scope it out, and if I needed to change accomodation to get something better for my family, I would. And once I'd gotten all set up and bring them over to spend a couple of weeks with me. So that would usually keep me pretty sedate. But I enjoyed the people, I loved the food. I had a good time there.
AL: Do you remember the two American guys that went on to work on quite a few of Bobby's films - Joe Zucchero and Ken Metcalfe?
CM: Ken had a really good business going. He was in charge of all the round-eye extras. And what he would do is, he would line up the various expatriate Americans and have them play these parts. And part of the deal was he would get a part in the film. So he had it pretty well covered. But he would get parts not so much because of the actor he was, but because he could supply all these round-eye actors.
AL: But he was actually an actor, though. A trained actor.
CM: Well… Self-made, yeah. I don't think he ever went to the Neighbourhood Playhouse in New York and studied.
AL: Well, anyone could be an actor in the Philippines… And of course Bobby has you riding around on a motorbike as an obvious nod to Summertime Killer.
CM: I rode a bike all throughout that. And after that when I'd make a film in Asia, I'd read the synopsis, but after I'd signed up, there'd be an extra eight pages with me on a motorcycle. I was looking at… Which one was it? It must have been Master Samurai. There was a car chase in it, and they have to blow up the car so they get the worst car they could possibly get. And if you look at that, you'll notice that the car chase isn't very fast. They're going along at twenty-five miles an hour. Because it's completely shot. The transmission's gone, the engine's gone. Everything. I hit a guy on a motorcycle, I jump out, do I help the guy? No, I take his motorcycle! I'm in a car, for Christ's sake, what do I need with a motorcycle? But that's how it was, Chris Mitchum on a motorcycle, that's what sells.
AL: Oh wow.
CM: It was funny, we were doing this car chase, and we're going around the roundabout, and I got this sucker floored. I'm going as fast as I can. And the traffic is passing. And this is our big chase scene!
AL: Now, that film was co-directed by Cesar 'Chat' Gallardo and his son Jun Gallardo. And Jun, you ended up working with later on SFX Retaliator (1987).
CM: Yeah, They would take turns. I don’t think they really collaborated much. They would take turns doing different scenes.
AL: But Chat was a really experienced action director. I mean, going back to the Forties.
CM: Absolutely, yeah. He'd been around for a long while. And I think part of it was, he was mentoring Jun on how to do it.
AL: Yeah, he probably hadn't done more than five or six films up till then. But Bobby's version is, they begged him to co-direct a film together.
CM: Well… I can't deny that…
AL: Is there anything else you wanted to add about Master Samurai? Since you only got to see the damn thing recently.
CM: There is one little bit… Because I found it interesting at the time. We're doing a scene in Asia Cosa Nostra. And we're doing this scene on a ship, and the wanted me to get knocked off one deck down to another deck. And it's like a twelve-foot fall. And I think "Hey, that's a steel deck, I don't want to do this." So I said "I'll tell you what, get me like twenty cardboard boxes, and two twin bed mattresses and we'll do the shot tomorrow." They're looking at me like I'm nuts. But they bring them, and I set the boxes up myself, stacking them up, then put the mattress on top. I say, "Put the camera down here right by the mattresses, get another camera up there for when I go over." And I go up and do the shot, I go over the rail, fall down, drop out of frame of the camera below, land on the mattress." I say "Okay, get this stuff out of here, bring me an apple box." I get up on the box, I say, "Put the camera right here, that's where I'm going to land." They roll camera, boom. I fall down on my back. They're like "Oh… He's such a good actor!" Two shots! Wow! It's such a revelation to 'em. You know, Jackie Chan still does this stuff. And these guys, they'll fall out of a three-storey window. They'd drop you out of a window and wonder why you couldn't get up off the cement.
AL: So they've been doing it the hard way.
CM: Yeah. It never occurred to them that these things were done in two shots. With stunt doubles. And that's why, like Krung Srivilai told me in Thailand, actors were dying left and right, and they couldn't walk anymore. They wanted me to jump out of a car at thirty-five miles per hour, I said "You're out of your mind! I'm not gonna do that!"
AL: You could probably picture them mentally forming a stuntman's union right at that moment.
CM: Well, absolutely. But this was pretty much throughout Asia. There's sort of this belief that if you're doing a stunt, and you fail the stunt - we've probably lost a person a picture. No matter what country I worked in. And if you died doing a stunt, the producer would take care of your family forever. Well, the thing is, the producer's not going to be around forever.
AL: Yeah, he's going to get into real estate real quick.
CM: Yeah. I remember in Thailand, we were coming back from a picture we were shooting and ran into this other crew who were making a movie. They were doing motorcycle stunts - everybody was doing motorcycle stunts. And the shot is, there's a guy being chased, he's on a motorcycle, he runs up the back of Volkswagen beetle, jumps over a moving train, lands on the other side, and takes off. And the bad guy's car stops right in front of the train. They're stealing the shot from the railroad. The railroad doesn't even know these guys are there. And they're getting everything set up, they move the Volkswagen to the other side of the tracks and set up a ramp. And the ramp has, like, a forty-five degree angle on it, and they've placed it about six feet from the track, and it's something like eight feet high. I said, "The guy's going to come off this ramp, he's going to go almost straight up in the air, and he's going to apex maybe thirty feet on the other side of the train, and he's going to go straight down." They said, "Oh, no. Thai stuntman number one." I said to the driver, "Pull over, I gotta see this number one Thai stuntman." So, here comes the train, cue the motorcycle, the train crosses, and sure enough, the guy comes flying up, he's going about sixty miles an hour, he flies up, maybe forty feet in the air, he's coming straight down and lands on the back wheel. The back wheel hits so hard, it collapses. And he flies off the bike [sound drops out for a few seconds], but the guy's still alive, he's moving and he's breathing. They pick him up, throw him in the back seat of the car and take him to a hospital. So he's probably got a broken back - at the very least - and they just pick him up and throw him in the car. Now, the director turns around - they do have a double bike, a back-up bike - and the director says "Okay, who wants to try it next?"
AL: Oh, no…
CM: Yeah. "We need a good landing. It wasn't a good landing, wasn't a good shot." They all talk amongst themselves for a while and then this guy holds up his hand, he's going to do it next. I said "Well, you gotta change the ramp. You gotta move it back about fifteen feet, drop it down a foot, and change the angle." "Oh, no. Thai stuntman number one, he do it!" They're gonna do it exactly the same way. So I say to my driver, "I can't do this, I can't watch this. I gotta go." They just didn't get it. And this is pretty much across the board throughout Asia.
AL: And of course the number one action star of the sixties, who was in sixty per cent of the country's films throughout the sixties, died in the last shot of his last film. Because he wanted to do a helicopter stunt and insisted on doing it in one take. He ended up plummeting to his death on a beach.
CM: That doesn't surprise me at all. I'm surprised Jackie Chan has lasted this long. What with all those films from Hong Kong, it's like he's trying to kill himself. But that's how it all was back in the early seventies, my friend. It was scary stuff.
AL: Pretty much making up the rules as they go along.
CM: Oh, absolutely. They didn't have a clue. Did not have a clue. They just went ahead and did it and hoped it came out okay.
AL: It was criminal recklessness.
CM: Yeah, absolutely.
AL: You know, Bobby told me he was one of the first people to actually pay stuntmen in the Philippines a real wage. Because up until then, they were getting something like a hundred pesos a day. Which wasn't even feeding their family. And these guys were jumping off the top of three, four, five storey buildings and not surviving.
CM: That's it. They just did it in one shot, and there was no flop mat. They would just land on cement and they couldn't figure out why they kept dying. I told them American stuntmen could do this and not get hurt, but they didn't get it.
AL: Burt Reynolds went to the Philippines to do a film back in the late Sixties [Impasse, 1969]. And he worked with a group of stuntmen called the SOS Daredevils. And he was just gobsmacked - a former stuntman himself - at just how good the Filipino stunt guys were, and how crazy they were. He ended up buying them a dune buggy at the end of the shoot.
CM: Yeah, well - they ain't lacking courage. What they lacked in planning they made up for in courage.
AL: So… Then there's a break. You take a break from Bobby for quite a number of years. And then, about twelve or thirteen years, you get asked to do American Commandos or Hitman, as it was called at the time. Had you even thought about the Philippines in that period?
CM: Yeah, it crossed my mind. I actually did try a couple of times to put together a project over there… But yeah, we kind of kept in very loose contact. He contacted me to do American Commandos, and I had actually just finished a shoot with John Philip Law down in Indonesia, a German production. And John and I hit it off, we were like brothers at one point. And I recommended him to Bobby. I read the script and I said "How about John Philip Law for the other guy?" And they thought it was a great idea, so I called up John and told them I'd given them his name and said, "Why don't you come out and do it?" And it was a little classier than the other productions, they'd already gotten the money so it was much better bankrolled than Bobby's other ventures. That was the first one, it may be the only one, that actually made it to video in the United States.
AL: Probably. But it also got pretty decent distribution, too.
CM: Oh it did. It actually came out looking like a real film.
AL: I interviewed one of your co-stars, a British guy called Nigel Hogge…
CM: Oh, Nigel, yeah. He was the cop.
AL: That's the one. And in real life he was the Sultan of Sleaze on Makati Avenue. He owned eight out of the eight bars and restaurants along Makati Avenue.
CM: The bum should've invited me out for a drink! [Laughs.]
AL: [Laughs.] Well, he remembers you on the set being completely obsessed with chess.
CM: I do love to play chess, yeah. Either playing chess or reading a book, between takes I like to totally take myself out of my work. Just really clean my mind out. And those are two things I can get totally involved in. It's a great form of relaxation. When I worked with Duke, he was an avid chess player. And the first few times I played with him, he was totally intimidating. He had these huge hands, he'd reach over to pick up a piece with his thumb and forefinger and slide in another piece at the same time - he'd cheat at chess. But what was I going to do? He was my star producer, the guy's six-foot-six, you know, and that big voice… totally intimidating. There was a guy called Ed Faulker, he did a lot of films with him, and I went up to him and I said, "Eddie, what's going on? Duke cheats." And Ed just said "Aw, he's just waiting for you to tell him to knock that shit off." So I thought about, and then the next time we were playing and he cheated I called him on it, and he said [John Wayne voice] "Well, I wondered when you were gonna say somethin'."
AL: Wow.
CM: And when I worked with Heston, he was an avid chess player. And I would constantly beat him. And he'd say, "Well, I can't see the pieces, they're too small." And we're working down in Mexico, and on the weekend I went down to Mogales and got a chess set. And the pieces were like, two feet tall. So I take them back and he walks off the set, and there's this huge chessboard, and I said "Well, now you can see 'em. Play me." And he beat me! And he said "I told you I just needed to see them." I love playing chess.
AL: So… You've obviously seen American Commandos, 'cause it's on video.
CM: Yeah.
AL: What are your impressions of that film?
CM: Well, I think it's the best one I did with Bobby. Like I said, the money was there, and they were able to put some value up on the screen. I think it came out pretty decently. I tried to help him with a few things, like we were shooting up on the Marcos Highway, and the road was just falling apart right after they built it. And there's a big chunk of highway missing. So I said "Bobby, how about we do this bit where there's this truck coming, and I fire a rocket from a motorcycle, and it blows a chunk out of the road, and it'll look like I blew it up out of the road." And he used it, he didn't really shoot it well enough to pay off, but he did use the idea. We actually had this armoured car thing… we had some real stuff going on.
AL: And some crazy ideas. Because the one thing you can say about Bobby's films is, he's never short of a crazy idea. In fact, downright loopy.
CM: You know, it's kind of sad really. Some of these guys, like Willy Williams, the black actor in it, he had done maybe five or six films in the Philippines already, and he thought, "Gee, maybe Hollywood's ready for me." So he sold everything he had and moved to Hollywood to be a movie star, and then realised that nobody cared he had done films in the Philippines. Oh, it's tragic…
AL: I wondered what happened to Willy.
CM: Well, last I heard, he was in San Pedro, California, and he was hitting me up for a loan.
AL: Do you remember the German guy, Robert Marius?
CM: Yes.
AL: Did you hear what happened to him?
CM: No.
AL: It's really, really sad. He hung himself a couple of years ago.
CM: Oh my God.
AL: Yeah, he was still in the Philippines.
CM: Well, that's what did it.
AL: He had a gay lover who ended up stealing just about everything that Robert owned. And he was really messed up on crystal meth. He ended up killing himself. It's really, really tragic. And the most tragic thing is, it was only Bobby and Jim Gaines who told me about it. Nobody else in the Philippines knew about it, because they'd lost track of Robert over the previous ten years. So I've been the bearer of bad tidings, talking to everyone who worked with him. Because the word had not gotten around the community.
CM: Yeah, I guess he'd dropped out from all his friends, found a new group.
AL: Exactly. But you got to work on the film American Commandos. That must have been fun. You and John had been friends for some time, right.
CM: Right. Like I said, I was down in Indonesia, I got contacted by Rapi Films, Indonesia. And he was a local co-producer with the Germans. And part of the deal was, they got the name actor on the film, and that name was me. And I was money in the bank down here, again because of Summertime Killer. So I fly in… [chuckles]… It's kind of amazing, I fly in, this great first-class flight, I get there, I have a suite at the Hilton, and we're shooting in the Hilton another suite, and there's a tailor-made suit waiting for me. And the next day I get five beautifully tailored English wool suits. I go ahead, I shoot three days at the Hilton, they have a big party for me at the end of the shoot, all the publicity people and all the Indonesian stars and everything out by the pool. The following day I was allowed an extra room because we ran over schedule or something, I went down to Bali for a day, came back and flew home.
AL: Amazing.
CM: But then I get to Israel, I've got this tiny little room - the Germans are paying for Israel, the Indonesians were paying for Indonesia. It's this teeny little room, they eat health food and stuff, they've got ropes everywhere, wall to wall, with bananas hanging from it, mangoes… All this kind of crap. And it's like eighty degrees, it's like being in the tropics in this room. And when I join up with John - I don't think I've had a scene with him, you know, I'm on the phone talking to girls in slinky dresses most of the time. But he's getting up in the morning to shoot with another unit, waking up at six in the morning and driving halfway across the country, riding a motorcycle and getting punched in the face, doing these twelve-hour takes outside. I stopped by to say to say goodbye, he says "Jesus, Mitch!" I said "I didn't know, I thought I was the star on this movie." But anyway, I brought him to the Philippines and we had a great time. John had a propensity for smoking dope, and he was pretty much a stoner. And one day I said to him, "J.P., why don't you just… not smoke anymore?" "Gee, Mitch, you think so?" I said, "Yeah, try acting without getting stoned." And he said "Okay, I'll try that." For some reason I was some kind of mentor, how I ever got appointed that… So he comes out to the set, and he's all clear-eyed and ready to go. But come eleven o'clock he's flailing around and going "We could put the camera over here," and he's got all these ideas, and…
AL: My God, he was manic!
CM: "And we can blow up trees…" I mean, he's just out of control, hyper. I end up walking up to the JP, I say "Have you got any dope with you?" "I got some in my briefcase, you want some?" "No, but you go ahead and smoke a joint." He says, "Gee, do you think so, Mitch?" I said, "Yeah, I think it'll be good for you." He goes behind the door and comes back like a normal person. So I never said another word about it. He's 100% perfectly normal with dope. Without it, he was so hyper, he was out of control. He'd go in after work, eat his protein powder and six bananas and go to sleep. I said to him, "Come on out to the club, we'll have a few drinks, maybe meet some girls and go dancing." He says "Okay, Mitch." We go down and he was knocking off like four or five scotches by twelve, twelve-thirty in the morning, and he's sitting there with three girls on either side of him. I go off to bed and we have a six o'clock call in the morning. But he just drank, he got to bed at four in the morning. And he looks at me and he says "I don't know how you do it, Mitchum. Keepin' hours like that? Look at you. You're all fresh and -" I said, "Look, I had six hours' sleep, for Christs's sake, you had an hour and a half!" He didn't realise that I had left. So I came some sort of God to him.
AL: Drinking from the fountain of eternal youth.
CM: Yeah. But I loved the guy, we had a lot of fun. I was very sad when he passed away last year.
AL: So then another year goes by, and SFX Retaliator comes along. Did you get a chance to watch that?
CM: Yeah. I tell you. What was the name of the guy who produced that?
AL: Lim. Kimmy Lim. Silver Star.
CM: I gotta tell you, that's one of the top three most bizarre movies I ever worked on.
AL: It's nuts. I watched it last night, and it is insane.
CM: He would come and pick up Linda - Linda, I absolutely loved. I never worked with her before or since, but God, was she lovely. But he would come and pick us up at 7 in the morning, we're ready to go to work, and he'd say "I thought we'd go have lunch first." And we'd go south of Metro and go to the museum, we'd go see an exhibition and have a lunch at some club of his. And we'd get to the set at about two in the afternoon. And we're thinking, "Um, we just wasted half a day's shooting." We'd do a couple of shots and go home. And I'd say, "But what about the other stuff?" He'd say "Don't worry about it." And I'm supposed to do this big confrontation with this huge armoured car with a fire-breathing cannon on it… but we didn't get that. "Oh, don't worry about it. Just say whatever you wanna say." Bizarre way to make a movie. And we had Gordon Mitchell, he ended up going down to make movies in Italy and became a star in Italy. He said, "I just want to tell you, Chris, I know your brother." I said, "You know my brother? How do you know him?" He said, "Before I became I film star, I was a teacher at Unity high school in Los Angeles, and your brother was in my class." I guess he was a bodybuilder, he got a part in some movie in Italy, and became a movie star down there.
AL: He did the Hercules films.
CM: Yeah. And I totally stumbled into him.
AL: Well, like you said, it was a totally different world than working in a Bobby film. Because Bobby at least was professional.
CM: Oh yeah, this guy didn't know what was going on.
AL: And Silver Star is the Filipino version of Poverty Row.
CM: Yeah, and I find it hard to believe that he was actually able to put together a film out of what we shot. I mean, we'd be doing a car scene, and deliver dialogue from one of us straight to the camera sitting where Linda's supposed to be. And then we'd go. And I'd say "What about her dialogue?" "Oh, we'll get it another day." It's missing half of the scene! You can't put it together, there's nobody in it! It was absolutely crazy. He was a nice guy, but he obviously didn't have a clue.
AL: It was Jun Gallardo directing.
CM: Oh yeah, but he wasn't producing. Kimmy was the producer.
AL: But, you know, Jun's good for action scenes, and the action scenes are quite decent. But as soon as it comes to the dialogue - whoa. I think they've got the microphone in the next room.
CM: Like I said… I never saw one! I don't know how they did the dialogue. I said "What about the dialogue?" They said, "Don't worry about it."
AL: Do you remember how long you shot that film for?
CM: I think we were there four weeks.
AL: Right. And Linda obviously wasn't there for all of it, because she only has probably about four scenes in the whole film.
CM: Well, she had a hell of a lot more scenes in the script! They just threw those pages away because they never shot them. She was there the entire time.
AL: That's surreal!
CM: Yeah, she'd come out on the set, and we'd sit there and talk, then I'd go do a shot, I'd come back, we'd talk some more and go home. Absolutely nuts. She and I'd look at each other and I'd go "What are you doing here?" And she'd say "I don't know." But Kimmy, the producer, he does whatever he wants. He'd send the car out, or he'd call up and say "I'm not going to send the car out at six to pick you up for the set. I'm going to send it around at one, and we'll go and have lunch." We'd have lunch before going to the set.
AL: Sounded like he just wanted to hang out.
CM: Yeah, he just wanted to hang out with American movie actors.
AL: The movie - meh. Just an excuse.
CM: Well, he's paying for our time, he can do whatever he wants.
AL: And the other bizarre thing about the film is that it's set in California. But it's so clearly the Philippines. Do you remember where you shot the film?
CM: The opening of American Commandos, you know, that's supposed to be up in Whitewood in California. We did all that in the Philippines, of course.
AL: I noticed a lot of pine trees. Was that up near Baguio?
CM: Yeah, near Baguio. Exactly.
AL: Gotcha. Because Baguio always doubles for the United States.
CM: Yeah, we did that in Baguio. And we did the Vietnam flashback in Baguio.
AL: And Gordon Mitchell, of course, plays your nemesis. And he looks kind of bemused most of the time, too.
CM: Well, he had to be. [Laughs.] He had to have been. It was just - nobody could understand what they were doing there or how they were doing it. But I guess the stuff with Bobby, at least he had a shooting schedule and a screenplay. But that seems more like an anomaly than working with Kimmy Lim. Back at that time, that's probably how films were made.
AL: Definitely how films were made on the local level. Now, you played a movie effects guy who set off a lot of explosions. I mean a lot of explosions. Was that one of the roles where you were writing it for them as you went along?
CM: Well, they actually had a screenplay. But what they did is they just tore the pages out, because they didn't have the stuff. They just sort of winged it.
AL: Oh, God. There you go. The wonderful world of Silver Star pictures. Because I've seen a lot of films from that company, and they're all insane. All of them.
CM: I assume they made other movies that they distributed.
AL: There's about twenty of them. Twenty, twenty-five.
CM: Pardon? [Laughs.]
AL: And I'd say that was probably among the most coherent of all the Silver Star films that I've seen. Did you ever see his wife, Mrs. Lim, on the set?
CM: Yeah.
AL: Because I think she used to do the catering, didn't she?
CM: Yeah, on the set.
AL: I went to see Mr. Lim once. He's still in the same office in Manila's Chinatown. He doesn't make movies anymore. They just in in the office, and they have lunch. And there's laundry strung from lines across the office. And they just hang out. Him and his wife just hang out.
CM: That's sort of what making his movie was like.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Passage To Hell (1988)
c.1988 – Passage To Hell (company unknown)
[A Japanese production from around the same time as Watanabe’s B-Team/Above The War/Search And Destroy. The BFI catalogue lists this as a separate film – can anyone help out with any further information?]
Director Ken Watanabe
Cast David Light, Michael Welborn, Jim Moss, Anthony East, Donald Wilson, Philip Gordon
NO OTHER CAST OR CREW DETAILS AVAILABLE
Above The War (1989)
c.1989 – Above The War (Toei)
[Japanese production filmed in the
Director/Producer/Screenplay Ken Watanabe Executive Producer Dick Kajiwara Cinematography Jun Pereira,
Cast “Rom”/Romano Kristoff, Michael Welborn, Jeff Griffith, Yasuaki Kurata, Shinya Ono, Richard Harrison, Bert Spoor
Assistant Director Henry Strzalkowki on the set of "B-Team", later Above The War (1989)
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Bobby A. Suarez Interview Part 2
Andrew Leavold with Bobby A. Suarez outside the BAS Film office door, January 2008
BOBBY A. SUAREZ Interview with Andrew Leavold Part 2
[filmed in Bobby's backyard in Bulacan, November 2006]
Andrew: You've just had a meeting with potential investors. How do you feel at the moment about the future of Cleopatra Wong?
Bobby: I don't know them, and they believe that Cleo is still a name to reckon with. And they agree with other people like you, that the name Cleopatra Wong is a cult and Marrie Lee is known all over the world as Cleopatra Wong. I still call her Cleopatra Wong. Like James Bond, right? Cleopatra Wong and James Bond are the same.
You've always had a close relationship with Marrie Lee – what would you put that down to?
I just felt there was something in her. Also when I found out that she was orphaned from her father and mother, like me, there is that same feeling. So first there is respect, and then a little bit of pity, and then love. Love for a fellow man.
And mutual respect, too?
Yes. I respect her very much. Because, like they say, I discovered her I moulded her. Clay. And I made a Cleopatra Wong out of this clay. From Doris Young to Marrie Lee, from Marrie Lee to Cleopatra Wong. So I was proud, not for myself but for her. Because she was able to do it by herself.
She is obviously the face of Cleopatra Wong, but you are the person responsible for creating the character. What was the inspiration?
Remember the movie Cleopatra Jones? I said why don't we make an Asian heroine, not a Chinese heroine but an ASIAN heroin. Because there are none. You will agree with me that there were none at the time. So she is the first Asian actress and I'm happy to say the first Asian accepted internationally.
Cleopatra Wong was sold worldwide and it's fair to say it was an international phenomenon. It's been sold on video from
Well, I did it with One-Armed Executioner with Franco Guerrero – look, he's just an ordinary Filipino actor. But you know also that One-Armed Executioner was released in
On the flight from
For me it is, but Marrie Lee the actress, or Cleopatra Wong as she is known all over the world, deserves it. And the
The new film of Vengeance Of Cleopatra Wong, as it stands at the moment, looks like it will reunite Marrie Lee and Franco Guerrero?
Yes, and another Singaporean, an Eighth Dan in martial arts, Peter Chong. He is very happy when I contacted him; he said, “Bobby, it's a pleasure to work with you and I hope this will not be the last one.” I said, “Look, we are still young. Even if we are already in our sixties, we are still young!” And it's true. And I believe we can do something for him with Cleopatra Wong.
It would be incredible for him. His first film [1973's Ring Of Fire] was buried by the Singaporean authorities, and now he gets a chance to make a comeback film with Bobby A. Suarez, who he respects deeply.
And Gary Daniels, the European kickboxing champion, who's a British staying in
Would you as producer and director ever consider making movies strictly for the local Tagalog-language market?
I would love to, but the problem is the cost of hiring the services of the bankable movie stars here, it's too high and I can't afford it, I'm sorry to say. Even if I wanted to, I cannot afford it. I'm just a poor producer. For me, if I make 10 to 15 percent profit out of my capital, or a maximum of 20 percent, I'm already happy. If a distributor or exhibitor makes money, I am happy. Because they will keep buying my movies. If they lose money, there are a lot of movies all over the world, who am I? Let them make money. For them to help me make movies, that's more than enough.
It's an economic necessity to make films for the international market?
Not only that, because it makes me happy. For example you, as a film buff and an artist, a creator, people call you crazy. I am also crazy! I have been out of show business for quite some time and it was people like you, people from Europe and Scandinavia, from
Because I wanted to see you make more movies. We do it for a love of cinema.
People like you. Especially the video distributors all over the world, they want another one or two Cleopatra Wong pictures. I was so happy, I thought only here in Asia gives credence to Marrie Lee, but in
You have an eye for talent. I suspect it comes from a love of people.
Number one, I cannot make a movie for the kind of money that I'm spending. But you see, I care about my people, the lowest – the coffee boy, the staff, the crew. If I treat my actors and actresses – what I eat, what they eat, is the same food that my people eat. If they drink coffee, three or four cups of coffee, everything's the same. So I treat them like human beings.
It's always been said that when you make a movie with Bobby Suarez, you become part of the Suarez family.
And it's forever. Like now, if I'm going to shoot another movie, it's the same people who will be working with me. Not for me, but WITH me. Because they are my family.
Will you be shooting it on the same camera I just saw sitting in the cupboard?
(Laughs) I think so. You know there is one Scandinavian director who came here and we became friends. When he saw my camera he said, “Bobby, is it for sale?” I said, “They got plenty of this kind of camera in
But it's not for sale!
Crazy, right? But that is the truth, that's what they believe.
They think the camera's blessed?
I think they will put it in one place, and say, “This is the camera that Bobby Suarez used to shoot Bionic Boy, his One Armed Executioner and the rest of his movies.
Do you think they'll stuff you and put you in a film museum?
I don't know! I don't want to be stuffed like that!
It's a strange series of events that have led you to reuniting with Marrie Lee after 27 years – can you please tell me how you got back in contact with her?
When she left the
And so you lost contact?
Yes, and she was afraid to call me up or to contact me. Because she knows my temper.
She knows you're a son of a bitch?
Yes...
How did you get in contact with her recently?
I read several articles about her being not too busy, doing this and that. So I tried to contact Philip, one of my friends in
Can you tell me about Queen Cobra [a BAS Film project slated for production in 1978]?
Queen Cobra is the first Asian superheroine, like Superwoman, like Wonder Woman – she would have been like that.
Half woman, half snake?
No. Magical, like Wonder Woman.
Marrie said she'd even been fitted with a snake headdress.
When we were talking about the story, because it came from another place and another time, and the mother is the enemy of the witch. When they found out – like Superman – this witch followed her and tried to destroy her also. So there would be one Queen Cobra fighting another Queen Cobra.
Was it planned as a series?
We were going to... In the
That's indicitive of how Filipino films could be sold internationally back then. And also, your ability to sell BAS films.
For them, they do not consider my film a Filipino film. because my film is not like the movies that they made here, it's a totally different kind. You have seen a lot of popular
Could you tell me how you see the essential difference between the films you were making, and the Tagalog films made for the local market?
Here if you say 'action film', it's action from the start to the end without any let-up. When you say 'drama' it's a crying picture from beginning to end. And a lot of Filipinos will get mad at me again – I wanted to introduce the kind of little movies that you can sell even to the
So the difference is, Tagalog films don't traditionally travel well outside of the
Nowadays there is what we call 'festival films'. But commercial movies – I don't know. I don't think they're going to change, especially now. To make an action movie here in the
As I see it, one difference between your films and a lot of films destined for the international market is that the profits are coming back to BAS Films rather than an American or European film company. Back into the
Coming back here. because I use [the profits] again to make film. I'll give you a good example. You know the movie Warriors Of The Apocalypse? I was shooting it as Searchers Of The Voodoo Mountain. And then Mr Betzer, who bought the world rights except the
How did you find the Pygmies?
There is a night club, and the pygmies are the waiters. One of my friends said, “Bobby, why don't you go to that night club and see?” So when I saw the Pygmies, I said, “Well, why don't we use several of these Pygmies?” And when I approached them and offered them parts in the movie, they were overjoyed. “Yes, direk, we would love to do your movie.”
Andrew Leavold, Dr Tillman Baumgartel and Bobby A. Suarez at the Annual South East Asean Cinema Conference, Quezon City November 2008
You're telling me there's an all-dwarf bar in
One of these days I'll bring you there so you can see for yourself. You know what they said? “Can we make a sequel, but this time, make us Immortals?”
They don't want much, do they! Marrie told me she came across WW standing on your desk, while you were talking about possibly making a film about the Little Christ (Santo Nino).
Not exactly...but at the time we were thinking of doing something unbelievable. But not the Little Christ. Something unbelievable.
Do you remember what projects you were trying to fashion for him?
You don't laugh, eh? I think it's about Superman. Now you try to visualize it. Weng Weng as Superman!
Can I laugh now? I guess Weng Weng as James Bond was just as believable.
You accepted it, right? But you will also accept this is the new Superman.
This is around '78, before he made Agent 00 (1981)?
When he made his first movie, his producer approached me, because they cannot find a theatre – even ONE theatre – that will show his movie.
This is Peter Caballes?
Yes. So Peter approached me with his wife and said, “Bobby, can you help me?” At that time I was the Vice President of the Motion Pictures Producers' Association. So I said, “I'll try my best.” And then I approached ex-President Estrada and I said, “If we are not going to help the producer of this movie, he will lose a lot of money.” There is a chance that the picture can make good, but the theatre owner doesn't want to give a play date, eve two days. So I told ex-President Erap, “If we cannot help this small producer, I for one want out.” We were very close friends, so he said, “Don't worry, I'll try my best.” A funny thing is that ex-President Estrada promised me something because I hurt his feelings, because I said this Association is not fair, you only care about the big ones, the small ones you don't care [about]. “It is like this, I want out. And I will be putting up another one.” You know what he did? Called up Fernando Poe Jr and said, “Ronnie, my friend, my brother, I want your picture out of the Festival” - the Metro Manila Film Festival – 'as that is the biggest theatre in
So Weng Weng's movie was screened at the Metro Manila Film Festival?
He became a superstar because of that one movie house.
This is around '79? '80?
Yes. And Peter said after that, “How can I repay you?” I said, “Forget it. You deserve it, you worked hard for it.”
So in other words, you are indirectly responsible for Weng Weng being sold around the world! Would you say the
Yes, and I was happy about it. Very, very happy. I said “YEAH!!”
What was Weng Weng like as a person?
He's a loveable guy, but not a funny guy. And I resepcted him so much. Bacuase like you and me he's a human being, a beautiful human being, and you will love him. If you love his movies, you will love him better in person, because he's a human being. Humble. Very, very humble.
You mentioned once he was always bowing?
Because that is the way – like Japanese, right? But the Japanese say good morning (bows), good afternoon, good night. But this one for him is to show respect for you, so he would bow. That is Weng Weng. He respected people so much.
It's strange how Australian audiences connect with him as a person.
I'm sorry to say I didn't bother to see his movies. And the producer sent me about twenty tickets. So I returned the tickets, and said, “Look, don't issue free tickets, make money off your first movie, don't waste money.” And he did, he never issued free tickets!
I heard his family believed he was Santo Nino.
If his mother came from a very far province there is a possibility. Because Filipinos believe in superstition and so many things.
I also heard Peter Caballes adopted him and he lived like a superstar.
As his son. He adopted him, treated him like his own son. And you know, when Weng Weng went out, he was wearing a coat and tie! It's very hard to make a coat and tie for a young guy, and it costs probably three times more than the normal coat and tie. But the producer gave him what is due him. That I know because I've seen how he treated Weng Weng.
Peter Caballes would have been heartbroken when Weng Weng got sick.
I heard that he was drunk for a couple of days. Had a really hard time.
I heard that Weng Weng was quite poor when he died.
That I do not know. If he is poor, then somebody made money. But I don't think the Caballes stole it. because I saw how Peter treated Weng Weng.
What do you know of Weng Weng's origins?
Well, the first and last time I saw Weng Weng is like what Marrie told you. They came to the office, met the producer of Weng Weng. The producer told me, “Bobby, I owe you one. Weng Weng wants to make a movie with you, so that you can help him go all over the world.” I said, “Look guys, we did make a couple of sales – wait for the others to come, because I receive enquiries already.” So I gave them the list. I said, “Don't ask for Heaven, just ask reasonable royalty.” The buyer and seller, they're happy. And they made another movie.
Which wasn't as successful?
I don't know because for me, at that time, I'm busy going around the world trying to make friends, trying to look for buyers. And I'm happy I have friends all over the world. The small one who pays me a little money, but ON TIME. And if I need money, they send it to me without contract, no nothing. Advance? I say I'm going to make a movie like, for example, Devil's Angels, I don't have a cent. I don't have money, can they help me, and they did. Believe me or not, I was able to raise $50,000 and I made Devil's Three. Not my money, but my distributors' money.
Devil's Angels came hot on the heels of a film that was never completed [The Destroyers]?
It hurts me a lot. It's not my fault, on my side. It was supposed to be a co-production.
The Destroyers would have been the third Cleopatra Wong adventure?
Yes. Because Marrie Lee is known all over the world, some Malaysian producer wanted to rival the success of Marrie Lee. He was married to a Malaysian actress, and he convinced my distributor in
It's gone forever?
My wife asked me, “Why don't we continue?” I said, “Ma, I don't even want you to mention it.” Cleo was crying. I said, “Cleo, forget it. We're going to make another picture.” Then I made Devil's Angels. And when Lou George saw the picture during post-production, I didn't have a cent. I was in a small post-production studio in
I was the one who sold the movie to a friend of mine, Antonio Blanco of
I remember Marrie showing me a Variety ad from 1977 with the BAS Film schedule. There was not only Queen Cobra, but Vengeance Of Cleopatra Wong!
Yes. When we finished Cleopatra Wong and Dynamite Johnson, we are supposed to make the co-production movie [The Destroyers], right? Afterwards we were to make one picture after another. But then Cleopatra vanished into thin air.
What was the original idea for Vengeance...?
Actually I said to myself, how can I make this girl acceptable all over the world? Before I became a producer and director, I was a salesman. I would buy Chinese pictures, dub it into English and sell it to the
Soon after you went to
Actually I went there because I was fighting with another importer from Continental Films of Hong Kong, I was Intercontinental Films. I was there to buy Summertime Killer (1972) for the
And you ended up working as a...
Coffee boy.
You literally started at the very bottom!
Senor Isasi already told me, “Keep your eyes, ears open, but your mouth closed. Lust look and listen.”
It must have been an invaluable experience!
After that was Cleopatra Wong, as producer and director that was my first. But using my Filipino name, who cares? So I said what name should I use? I tried to think of an American name, then the American name [George Richardson] came into my mind. So when I'm sitting in the movie, they said, “Who's George Richardson?” “Don't you know him?” So everybody is asking me who is George Richardson? Now I said, “Look, I made a mistake.” Because they said, “Bobby, you should direct a movie.” They don't know the director? “We will buy your movie, even if we don't have to see the movie.” “Well, I produced the movie... So I thought that if I used an American name as director, you guys would buy it Because everyone wants Americanos.” They said, “No. You started with Chinese pictures. We cannot even spell the name of the Chinese producer or director, we don't even know how to say the Chinese actor's name. But we buy them because of YOU, because you told us it's commercial and we're going to make money. So why don't you trust your own self?” So the next movie I used Bobby A. Suarez.
And then continued... When you were dubbing Chinese films and selling them to the international market, at any time did you look at Filipino action films and think you could dub and sell them too?
Tony Laxa, the head of the film industry, is the brother of Tony Ferrer. He approached me and said, “Bobby, this market that you are selling these Chinese pictures in, why don't you buy our old movies, the X44 movies?” I thought, “I'm sorry, I cannot do anything.” “Why not?” How can I explain to them that the quality is not saleable? Tony Laxa considers me as a son and I consider him as a brother. Now Tony [Ferrer] is not up there anymore, he's down here. That's truth, because he's kaput. He's no longer accepted here in the
Did it revive Tony's career?
I released it here, nobody wanted to come. They said, “Tony Ferrer? He's already dead!He won't make a cent.” If you are the theatre owner you should get one date, and if the picture doesn't make money, what happened to your movie house? They're going to close it. So what I did was rent the biggest cinema at that time, Cinerama, the biggest and the best, and don't laugh – at that time I paid 5,000 pesos a day, but I have to have a theatre to show Tony Ferrer's movie. And by God, I was lucky the picture went VOOM! It opened, first day, nothing. Second day, full house. Third day, overflowing. And Tony Ferrer again came alive, and he made movie after movie, and then died again a natural death. Then he approached me again and said, “Bobby...” I said, “No. I helped you once, I told you don't destroy your name, make good quality movies. I spent a fortune to revive your career. And you yourself destroyed it.” I remember after Black Dragon, there is a movie made in
Was Black Dragon a hit outside of the
That is the problem with me. People buy my movies because I produce it. Suppose I open my movie like Black Dragon, you don't know anything about it. Who is Tony Ferrer? I said, “Look, for the whole of
I interviewed Boy Vinarao, your editor.
He was one of the best, at that time. He had several assistants, so he just supervised the editing. K didn't know anything about movie production and direction, just slowly I learn it. And don't laugh, I learnt a lot from Senor Isasi, but prior to that the Chinese pictures, if I feel they're talking too much I'll just ask somebody to trust it to me, and I edit the movie. The sound and everything, if you edit a finished movie, a 35mm print, if you cut it and you put it together it goes “pop” so I have to erase that. I'm going to try to edit it the way it should be done without destroying the movie. So before I became a director, I know already how to edit movies. I learn.
An intuitive process! And completely hand-on. So you are Bobby A. Suarez, intuitive film genius!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Ron Van Clief interview 2010
Q & A with The Black Dragon: Ron Van Clief by Katrina Belcher
[posted on the MMA Ratings website 18/01/10]
Master Ron Van Clief, the "Black Dragon" of karate and movie fame, is a gentle man who has worked with other incredible people, like Bruce Le, during his career that spans over 40 years.
This remarkable karateka has competed in over 900 tournaments during his time in the martial arts tournament circuit; studied boxing; and earned over 12 different black belts during his martial arts career, including black belts in karate (goju-ryu and goju-kai), jiu-jitsu, judo, kung fu, muay thai, tae kwon do, and many more. In fact, Ron Van Clief retired as a 5 time world karate/kungfu champion and 15 time all American champion.
In 1994, at the age of 51, Ron Van Clief returned to the ring to fight in UFC 4 - the oldest competitor to fight in the UFC...still. His opponent? None other than Royce Gracie! He lost, but for Master Van Clief, it was all about the experience.
Anyone who knows me will know how involved I am in promoting the proper level of training for MMA referees. Recently, Master Van Clief, who strongly supports training, educating and certification of MMA referees, went through my online MMA Referee Workshop and Training Class.
Per a recent discussion I had with him: "Katrina - this is exactly what the sport needs to standardize everything! I am recommending several of my black belts take the course. Thanks again for everything; and for your assistance and help. Without you the sport will surely become total chaos; thanks again for a course that will really help the sport that we love so much! Ron"
All things considered, with his knowledge and life-long experience in the industry, it wasn’t a hard decision to ask Master Van Clief to complete an interview with me. Who better to talk to, in order get an understanding of the business side of MMA?
Katrina Belcher: What do you think is the hardest thing for MMA fighters who want to go pro?
RVC: To get the proper coach/trainers for a complete mixed martial arts regimen. A pro-fighter is part of a team.
Katrina Belcher: What do you feel needs to change in MMA to make this sport better?
RVC: Better refereeing and an international scoring system. Better referee/judge certification.
Katrina Belcher: Do you recommend MMA fighters train just before a fight, or all the time?
RVC: Training should be all the time! Just pumped up three months before competing.
Katrina Belcher: Do you feel MMA will ever go mainstream?
RVC: I think MMA will be more popular than baseball, boxing and football, eventually.
Katrina Belcher: How is MMA in
RVC: Formation of the VIMMA in
Katrina Belcher: Did you get a chance to watch Aoki vs. Hirota at Dynamite!! 2009 and see that wicked arm break? What’s your take on the arm break, on Hirota not tapping, and on Aoki’s lack of sportsmanship?
RVC: The arm break was a legitimate technique; Hirota should have tapped out Aoki showed a disrespectful attitude but it is understandable due to the stress of competition. I don't agree with it - but I do understand it.
Katrina Belcher: What do you do when you’re not training – or training others?
RVC: My three and one half year old son, Kai, takes up most of my time besides my workout ethic.
Katrina Belcher: What does 2010 have in store for you next?
RVC: Lots of new stuff...Moving to
Katrina Belcher: Any shoutouts to anyone or other information you want your fans to know about?
RVC: Finishing a new book, INSTANT SELF DEFENSE. It will be printed in
Katrina Belcher: By the time I got this interview ready for posting, I’d received an email from Master Van Clief with the following exciting information!
“MMA has arrived in
So if you’re in
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Cruel Horizon (1989)
1989 - Cruel Horizon (Skyline Films)
[A Belgian production shot in the Philippines. Released in West Germany as “Insel Der Gequälten Frauen”]
Director/Producer Guy Lee Thys Story Leon Lemahieu Screenplay Guy Lee Thys, Leon Lemahieu Associate Producers Marc Stockbroerx, Jan Morre Cinematography Alessandro Usai Music Nicholas Lens Editor Ben Mangelschots Art Direcor Philippe Graaf Production Managers Gerard Vercruysse, Guy Lee Thys Production Assistant Rudolf Mess First Assistant Director/Press & PR Miriam Thys Second Assistant Director Ludo Troch Third Assistant Director Jan Cornelis Groen Art Director Philippe Graff Script Girl Veronique Lagrange Production Designer Pierre-Francois Limbosc? Camera Operator Alessandro Usai First Assistant Camera Paul Gruszow Gaffer Jacky Borremans Sound Recordists Dan de Bever, Frank Struys Additional Sound Alain Sironval Foley Artist Marie-Jeanne Wyckmans Re-Recording Mixer Gerard Rousseau Music Mixers Peter Bulkens, Walter Rothe Sound Editor Monique Rysselinck Assistant Sound Editor Dominique Lefever Magnetic Transfer Dirk Bombey Sound Mixer Ad Roest Assistant Editor Ewin Rijckaert Assistant Video Editor Marielle Hervy Negative Cutter Maria Holland Color Timer Peter Hunt Optical Effects Roger Vervoenen Special Still Photographer Christian D’Hoir Title Logo Jean-Pierre Bobbaers Legal Advisor Michel Gyory Accountant Henri Ubfal Vietnamese Advisor Le Chi Cuong Second Unit Production Manager Robert Vanderheyden Second Unit Gaffer Willy Stoers Second Unit Camera Assistant Frans Leys Second Unit Sound Recordist Kees de Groot Second Unit Set Construction Jan Morre & Company Second Unit Electricians Gevaert Brothers Second Unit Transportation Jan Tratsaert Second Unit Set Dresser Eric Desmedt Second Unit Hair Stylist Michel Andre Second Unit Make-Up Jean-Pierre Finotto & School
Philippines Crew Production Manager Pete Abulencia Production Assistants Orly Abulencia, Marni Camua Jr Production Secretary Lea Bernardez Schedule Master Maning Santa Maria Location Manager Antonio Ramos Casting Director Socrates Jose Assistant Director Joel Apuyan Bookkeeper Alfredo Devaras Field Cashier Eden Elmido Generale Meal Checker Gloria Elmido Health Counselor Francisca Elmido Decorator Jens Peter Gaw Property Master Awi Vasquez Set Dresser Leonardo Carpenters Ernesto Marcial, Rick Casantusan Make-Up Artist Malou Talplacido Make-Up Assistants Preci Bali, Florencia Penero Hair Stylist Leo Beringuel Wardrobe Master Anthony Gimeno Wardrobe Assistants Mila Rodriguez, Erna Meladino Stills Roger Robles Assistant Photographer Beth Gaffer Miguel Passion Best Boy Eddie Quintam Electricians Roy Baldano, Luis Gonzon, Domingo Larango, Roberto Santos, Eddie Santos Cable Man Rufo Balicas Generator Man Ed de Guzman Head Security Lito Tamayo Mr Thys’ Bodyguard Vehn Pedria Vietnamese Casting Chito Polminar Divers Conrad Paino & Company Boom Operator Ago Maricotes Camera Assistant Daniel Delina Camera Loader Eduardo Bustos Clapper Boy Arturo Capulong Key Grip Rene Balicas Grip Best Boy Joel Cruz Grip Dino Legaspi Transportation Captain Rick Tipay Martial Arts Instructor Telly Babasa Head Special Effects Jesse Manaloto Special Effects Assistants Ed Domingo, Bert Abadera, Rolly Brazil Caretakers Special Effects Boy Madriaga, Roberto Mercado Head Utility Fred Mergalo Office Utility Nilo D. Castro Office Security Abel Garcia Catering Lapid Catering
Cast Bruce Baron (Nick Vandam), Jessie Elmido (Mai), Marilyn Bautista (Kim), François Beukelaers (Mike Forrester), Jan de Bruyne (Horst Haack), Ingrid De Vos (Nick's Secretary), Joonee Gamboa (Sarit), Louis Kee (Sarapong), Spanky Manikan (Kim's Husband), Ding Navasero (Charoon), Len Santos (Mama Thong), Robert Tongco (Pirate Sawaeng), Angelique Tongko (Tiki), Jenny Varga (Toy), Cris Vertido (Police Captain), Bong Antonio (Dead Son), Telly Babasa (Pirate Toom), Francois Beukelaers (Mike Forrestier), Kevin Blanco (Camp Officer), Chabin Contreras (Old Woman), Vanessa Elmido (Baby Nam), Tracy Generale (Baby Prostitute), Luis Hilario (Messy Pimp), To Hoa (Chink), Ba Dac Huynh (Airport Cop), Inada San (Japanese Tourist), Larry Laurel (Man With Newspaper), Peter Loro Jr (Jun), Conrad Paino (Thai Fisherman), Philip Pigao (Very Short Pimp), Chito Polminar (Old Refugee), Raymond Silva (Prison Guard), Miriam Thys (Ground Stewardess), Ray Tongko (Gay Kid), Dan Van Bever (Saigon Frog), Kim Vloeberghs (Noy), Patries Wichers (Horst’s Hooker), Sithan & Co (Thai Boxers) Stunts Boy Amano, Telly Babasa, Bobo Brazil, Rolly Brazil, Romy Brazil, Ariel de Guzman, Alfredo Devaras, Bong Gomez, Alvino Miranda, Eddie Miranda, Christie Mujer, Romy Osorio, Miguel Passion, Vehn Pedria, Eddie Quintana, Joey Segreto, Vangie Tesoro
Bruce Baron on the making of Cruel Horizon (from the interview on the Nanarland website):
The film was eventually sponsored by the Belgian Ministry of Culture. I met the producer/director, Guy Lee Thys, at a reception in the Belgian Embassy in Manila in ‘84, when I was dragged along there by a Filipino chick I was going out with, who was paid to appear as a model at a fashion show that they had at the reception. Guy was in Manila, scouting locations for the film and trying to get laid. We hit it off and I started hanging out with him, introducing him to the local glitterati and generally misbehaving Manila style, pre-AIDS. About a year later ['85] he got enough sponsorship to shoot a few scenes, mostly from Stella Artois®, which he intended to string together as a ‘trailer' to use as a promo to get full sponsorship. He cast me in the lead and cast the other major roles with Filipino locals, including one chick named Jesse Elmido, [a newcomer] as female lead, who happened to be the best looking chick that he managed to screw during his previous sojourn [he eventually married her and lived to regret it, but that is another story]. Anyway we shot for about 10 days, using my famous Roxas Blvd. pad as the production office and interiors set.
Then he disappeared back to Europe to find the money, and didn't turn up again until fall of 1988, when we shot 45 days of principal photography, mostly along the Batangas coast. By this time he was living with Jesse and devastatingly drunk most of the time. She actually encouraged his drinking because it made him easier for her to ‘manage' him. More than once he had to go sleep it off in the middle of the day, and that meant somebody had to take over, or we lost the day. One love scene he didn't want to direct because Jesse was nude in bed with me and the script called for me to play with her tits. He got jealous and drunk and passed out. It was in the studio and we were set up and we had to do it, so I just called sound and action and we did it. That was how it started, I think. The precious little Belgian A.D. was too wrapped up in his own little job and unwilling to accept responsibility, so I did. Surely the film suffered for it in a few scenes, because I had no direction, and was not up to the task of acting and directing at the same time. It only happened a few times.
It wasn't a simple film. It was a documentary/drama set in
Friday, January 15, 2010
Indio 2: The Revolt (1990)
1990 –
[Italian production filmed in the
Director “Anthony M. Dawson”/Antonio Margheriti Story/Producer Filiberto Bandini Screenplay Gianfranco Bucceri, Filiberto Bandini Executive Producer Enrico Coletti Cinematography Roberto Benvenuti Music Pino Donaggio Conductor Natale Massara Editor Angela Cipriani Assistant Director Edoardo Margheriti [also uncredited Special Effects Supervisor, listed on IMDB] Costume Designer Adriana Berselli Casting Louis Di Giaimo Production Designer Elena Poccetto Ricci Production Assistants Giuseppina Ciacia, Giuseppe Cioccarelli Camera Operator Stefano Moser First Assistant Camera Massimo Gengarelli Script Supervisor Antonella Margheriti Location Accountant Luciano Tartaglia Sound Mixer Umberto Montesanti Key Make-Up Artist Franco Di Girolamo Key Grip Orlando Zuccari Key Gaffer Salvatore Ruberto Assistant Editor Luisa Cipriani Sound Editors Nick Alexander, Cesare D'Amico Sound Effects Luciano Anzellotti, Massimo Anzellotti Still Laboratory Roberto Russo Color Supervisor Carlo La Bella Music Mixer Sergio Marcotulli
Cast Marvelous Marvin Hagler (Sergeant Iron), Frank Cuervo (Ugadi), Dirk Galuba (Vincent van Eyck), Tetchie Agbayani (Mrs. Morrell), Maurizio Fardo (Father Leonard), Jacqueline Carol (Mama Lou), Charles Napier (IMC President), [uncredited] David Brass (Photojournalist), Kenneth Peerless (Pablo)
Mike Martinez’s review from the official Antonio Margheriti site:
Antonio Margheriti's last, and possibly best film, next to The Last Hunter is more than worthy of the wide distribution it received. Boxing legend Marvelous Marvin Hagler stars as an American G. I. who heads to South America to save the local
Although it does get off to a bit of a slow start,
Antonio Margheriti on the set of Indio 2: The Revolt (1990)
What I find odd is that not one decade earlier, probably the same tribesmen Ruggero Deodato and Umberto Lenzi used in Cannibal Holocaust and Cannibal Ferox, are here again fighting for freedom against the evil white suppressors (of course, led by a South African). Somehow, Hagler's being black is supposed to make him identify better with the natives and their cause. Ugh, the cheesiness doesn't stop there, as in one scene he gathers them around the fire to inspire them with the tale of Sparticus. The occasionally bad script is completely overcome by Margheriti's slam-bang approach to the action scenes. Plenty of gore, maggot ridden corpses, slow motion, and fist cracking to satisfy any fan of Italian action flicks. Probably the funniest scene (pulled right out of John Boorman's The Emerald Forest, which also co-stared Tetchi Agbayani) has Hagler pummeling an old, overweight pimpess with metal teeth named "Mama Lou" in a back-woods whorehouse. He socks her in the head so hard it actually causes her head to implode! Dynamite action film sure as hell kicks the shit out of the original
Ha,ha,ha, go rent this flick as soon as possible. Worth every penny!
Indio (1989)
1989 -
[An Italian production filmed in the
Director “Anthony M. Dawson”/Antonio Margheriti Story/Producer Filiberto Bandini Screenplay Gianfranco Bucceri, Filiberto Bandini Executive Producer Paolo Lucidi Cinematography Sergio D'Offizi Music Pino Donaggio Editor Christopher Holmes [Antonio Margeriti's official website lists Claudio Curty] Production Managers Gian Franco Coduti, Enrico Coletti Assistant Director Edoardo Margheriti Production Designer Giorgio Postiglione Casting Louis di Giaimo Costume Designer Adriana Berselli Second Unit Cinematography Antonio Maccoppi Camera Operator Sandro Tamborra First Assistant Camera Eric Biglietto Script Supervisor Antonella Margheriti Production Accountant Alfredo Cafiero Location Accountant Luciano Tartaglia Sound Mixer Carlo Palmieri Boom Operator Piero Fondi Key Make-Up Artist Massimo Giustini Key Hair Stylist Armenio Marroni Property Master Vittorio Ferrero Key Grip Orlando Zuccari Key Gaffer Enrico D’Offizi First Assistant Editor Ewa Holmes Assistant Editors Angela Rosa Taccari, Giuseppa Carmela La Rosa Dialogue Director Norman B. Schwartz ADR Editor Ronald Sinclair Re-Recording Mixers Wayne Heitman, Matthew Iadarola Re-Recordist Mark “Frito” Long Sound Editors Richard Shorr, Luciano E. Massimo Anzellotti Unit Publicist Maria Ruhle Stills Franco Vitale Still Laboratory Roberto Russo Color Supervisor Carlo La Bella Music Mixer Sergio Marcotulli
Unconfirmed Credits [From the IMDB, not listed in the film credits] Executive Producer Maurizio Amati Special Effects Supervisor Edoardo Margheriti Operations Manager: Zoetrope Studios/Commercial Pictures Drew McKeen Keyboards/Synthesizer Programmer Maurizio Guarini Synthesizers Assistant Cinzia Cavalieri
Cast Marvelous Marvin Hagler (Jake), Francesco Quinn (Daniel Morell), Brian Dennehy (Whytaker), [uncredited] Rene Abadeza (Tribesman), Tetchie Agbayani, Larry Atlas (Moose), David Brass (Head Guard), David Light (Softball Team Member), Bari K. Willerford (Softball Team Member)
Mike Martinez’s review from the official Antonio Margheriti site:
Probably the easiest of all Margheriti's movies to find in video stores,
Decent action film boasts a good musical score by Pino Donaggio (The Barbarians, The Black Cat) and a lot of good explosions and miniature effects. Many of the same cast members can be seen here from Margheriti's earlier Alien from the Deep, and the acting is good for the most part -aside from Hagler extremely amateurish performance (did he rehearse at all?). Some logic holes and errors, (such as the fact that the actors who played the "Amazonian Indians" were obviously Filipino) and a lot of nonsensical ecological overtones, but on the whole the film is unpretentious and worthwhile. Great for fans of cheesy Italian action films. Followed by a superior sequel
The Last Hunter (1980)
1980 – The Last Hunter (Flora Film/Gico Cinematographica)
[An Italian production shot in the Philippines, working title “Cacciatore 2”/”The Hunter 2”; released in Italian cinemas as “L'Ultimo Cacciatore”, in Britain as “Hunter Of The Apocalypse”, in France as “Les Heros de L'Apocalypse”, in Germany as “Jager Der Apokalypse”, in Pakistan as "War Kill" and in Argentina as “Apocalypse 2”]
Director “Anthony M. Dawson”/Antonio Margheriti Producer/Story Gianfranco Couyoumdjian Screenplay Dardano Sacchetti Director of Photography Riccardo Pallottini Editor Alberto Moriani Production Designer/Costume Design “Bartolomeo”/Mimmo Scavia Music Franco Micalizzi Assistant Director & Second Unit Director Edoardo Margheriti Special Effects [uncredited] Apollonio Abadesa Production Manager Pasquale Vannini Unit Manager Mauro Mariani Production Secretary Umberto Bellucci Administration Otello Tomassini Cameraman Mario Sbrenna Assistant Cameraman Luigi Conversi Continuity Marisa Calia Sound Alfonso Montesanti Boom Operator Guglielmo Smeraldi Makeup Massimo Giustini Assistant Makeup Artist Nicola Catalani Assistant Editor Massimo Cataldo Cutting Room Assistant Mario Recupito Stills Antonio Benetti Assistant Production Designer Antonella Margheriti Wardrobe Franca Celli Key Grip Sergio Profili Chief Electrician Fernando Massaccesi Sound Mixer Bruno Moreal
Cast David Warbeck (Captain Henry Morris), Tisa Farrow (Jane Foster), Tony King (Sergeant George Washington), Bobby Rhodes (Carlos), “Margi Eveline Newton”/Margit Evelyn Newton (Carol), John Steiner (Major Cash), Massimo Vanni (Phillips), “Alan Collins”/Luciano Pigozzi (Bartender), Dino Conti, Gianfranco Moroni, [uncredited] Jim Gaines (U.S. deserter), Miki Kim (Prostitute in bar), Romano Kristoff (Helicopter pilot), Edoardo Margheriti (Stinker Smith), Lawrence Morgant (Pot-smoking soldier), Gregory Snegoff (Drunken G.I.), Al Yamanouchi (Various Vietcong)
Scott Phillips’ review from the Film Vault website:
Another ass-whoopin' flick from Videodrome's favorite Italian director, Anthony M. Dawson (Antonio Margheriti)! Hunter is Margheriti's oddball melding of The Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now, and it opens with a drunken brawl in a cheap bar that quickly turns into a bloody, suicidal rampage of mayhem and destruction that sets the stage for the downbeat (yet squeal-inducing) thrills to follow. Low-budget action king David Warbeck plays Captain Henry Morris, who sets out on more-or-less the same mission Martin Sheen was on in Apocalypse Now. Morris' chopper is blown out of the sky and the tough-as-nails soldier is the only survivor of the crash. Swimming to safety, he meets up with George Washington (the machine gun-toting black soldier, not the father of our country).
Review from the Eurowar website:
Director Antonio Margheriti’s
Margheriti tells a straightforward tale, admittedly ripping off “Apocalypse Now”: Captain Morris (David Warbeck) heads into
Margheriti begins his tale with one of the best opening sequences ever put to film. Morris tries to relax in a
Margheriti establishes a mood, theme and setting in these first few minutes; renowned “genius” Spielberg takes nearly a half-hour of “Saving Private Ryan” to introduce his main characters and get to the point. Margheriti does it more effectively in four minutes with only two graphic deaths. Here, they’re personal, emotional and pointless; in “Pvt. Ryan”, hundreds of men are killed brutally, but we get the point after only a few minutes. Everything Spielberg does with his three hour piece, Margheriti does just a little bit better in about 90 minutes. The characters are established faster, the action grittier and the pace quicker. Margheriti lets his characters wander around, but never loses sight of his true theme; Spielberg’s characters fight and die in search of a theme and the audience leaves the feeling with some sort of emotional response, but can’t quite define it. Spielberg’s film was considered “groundbreaking” by critics in its portrayal of combat. Tactics, perhaps – but level of violence? No. Spielberg uses graphic violence without restraint, so much so that within five minutes we’ve become desensitized.
In Margheriti’s film, we see a scene here, a slow-motion shot there – it’s quick, it’s shocking, and it’s burned into your memory. By the time “Pvt. Ryan” has ended, the graphic images have blurred into one big, disgusting mess.
With the mood established and the audience glued to the screen, Margheriti shifts his focus to the Cambodian jungle. Morris is escorted to the drop-off point by helicopter in yet another excellently shot sequence: Franco Micalazzi’s score comes out full force for just a few moments as the action builds, and then dies. Margheriti lets some great handheld camera action and excellent, fast-paced editing do the work. Shortly after touchdown, Morris hooks up with an American patrol, including George Washington (Tony King), Carlos (Bobby Rhodes) and photojournalist Jane Foster (the luscious Tisa Farrow). This scene will be followed by a number of quick, brutal action sequences: the discovery a rotting corpse and an ambush by a band of Viet Cong in a burned-out village. There is one slight lull in which Morris reaches his re-supply base, run by the unhinged Major Cash (John Steiner) and occupied by a band of dirty, unshaven and edgy American GIs who are harassed by sniper and mortar fire day in and day out. The pure insanity is hammered home as this raggedy band tries to rape Farrow’s character; in response, we are treated to a great sequence in which Massimo Vanni’s character is forced to run into the jungle under enemy fire to retrieve cocoanuts for Cash (John Steiner) as punishment.
The
All of this builds to a pulsating surprise ending. Morris does find his radio station – the audience knows he will from the start; it’s no surprise in a film like this – but the voice of propaganda will come as a shock as all of the pieces laid out in the opening scenes and flashbacks come together. We’ve had some subtle hints and little suggestions as to who Morris is going to have to kill, but nobody will come to the conclusion until the character steps into frame. The result is a jaw-dropping scene with an outcome that goes completely against the norm. The final shot of the piece is one of confusion, awe and surprise – we never do get to find out what happens to an essential character. If the violence and pure insanity of most of the movie don’t shock you, the last few minutes surely will.
Some viewers will be turned off by Margheriti’s style. There are times when this plays like an exploitative horror film; it’s quite possibly the most graphic, profane and explicit war film I’ve seen to date. Slow-motion spurts of blood and rather graphic shots of dead bodies are definitely not for the squeamish; Margheriti coveys these sequences so casually that even the first time I watched this – having only seen polished (and overrated) gems such as “Platoon” and “Hamburger Hill”, I wanted to shut the television off and dismiss this piece as pure trash. This it definitely is not; the location photography excellently conveys a feel for lush, yet foreboding Cambodian jungles.
Admittedly, “The Last Hunter” is not a perfect film: basic plot aspects are lifted directly from “Apocalypse Now” – Morris’ character is a take on Martin Sheen, while Major Cash and his army seem to be loosely based on Marlon Brando’s guerrilla force. Instead of a trek upriver in a small boat, we follow a mixed group of soldiers through the sweltering jungles. (Only here, they’re too busy dodging booby traps to discuss heavy issues of morality). More blatantly, a sequence depicting Morris’ imprisonment in an underwater bamboo cage reeks of “The Deer Hunter”. Some of the special effects scenes come up a bit below par for a 1980s film: watch for a dummy which gets flamed during the village skirmish; superimposed rocket bursts around a helicopter; and there are a few cheesy miniatures. (On the other hand, the slow motion explosions are incredibly realistic. I yet to see another film featuring so many well-shot gasoline fireballs).
These are only minor flaws. “The Last Hunter” is an anti-war gem which can be enjoyed by fans of Italian exploitation (Margheriti said that he wanted to shoot the film seriously; the producers forced him to throw in exploitative content to draw in fans of his successful horror works). Any serious war film fans that can make it through the opening without dismissing this as graphic trash will not be disappointed. It’s not often that a director can make a great action picture that’s still considered an anti-war piece.
It’s important to note that most video versions are severely edited; the Region 2 Vipco disc offers a beautiful widescreen presentation and is missing only one, inconsequential 30 second scene. Watch for yourself and make your own decision – don’t take my word for it.
RATING: 5 Bullets
Review from the Eat My Brains website:
Captain Harry Morris is sent on a special mission to locate and shut off a subversive radio message in V.C. territory in 1973.
Rawshark: Taking it’s cue from Apocalypse Now, The Last Hunter opens in Saigon in a brothel where several
It certainly does and carries on that way too, because as soon as the post-intro BIG RED CREDITS roll, we're thrust straight into the mission proper as David Warbeck is dropped off in the heart of the jungle from a helicopter (after an eye-spurting ground-to-air shoot out naturally). Unfortunately as Warbeck swims to the riverbank, he comes across a snake and after a brief fight (" Fight Dave! Go on Dave, fight that damn snake!" – Jim), Warbeck manages to lose not only the fight, but also his gun and all his kit in the process. Stupid fool.
Luckily he then meets up with his contact, Midnight and Tisa Farrow, a war photographer and off they troop to get involved in lots of incidents (baby bomb), and traps (gore!) before they reach a US base which seems to have been converted into a Nite Club. Here, Sergeant Moustache ("He likes saying ‘fat farts’" - Zomblee) listens to tape recordings of gunfire and allows his soldiers to kick back, smoke dope, drink beers and dream of women with red fingernails. Oh, and they also have to do the crazy suicidal coconut run - Benny-Hill-style - if they get caught trying to rape war photographers.
Eventually we find out what Warbeck’s mission actually is, Midnight is killed (quite horribly) and Warbeck and Tisa Farrow identify and destroy ‘Easter Egg’ and escape the clutches of the VC (Warbeck to Farrow - “If you see anything, just yell!” Jim – “Yeah, yell ye-yaa-laaa!”) before the film heads happily towards it’s half-happy ending. All in all, this film is great low-budget action fun that had Jim and Zomblee cheering Warbeck along all the way – “Good one Dave”, “Nice flame-thrower Dave!”” - with many a well-handled action sequence, extreme bloodshed and some very strange yet funny set-pieces. Definitely check it out.
“I know what they’re up to. I know exactly what they’re up to. I can see the writing on their balls.”
Jim: You know, it appears to me that all you need to make a cheapo Vietnam War flick is a load of explosives, a few guns, at least one military helicopter and a bunch of return tickets to the
David Warbeck is such a man. He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t stress about losing all his gear in a fight with a minute killer snake because he’s so hard he doesn’t need it (a bit like Rambo), and one that only ever sports a pistol even when there are plenty of guns lying around next to all the dead bad guys he’s killed. He’s also the kind of guy who says things like “Cover me!” before running through a hail of Viet Cong bullets unscathed, performing a dodgy combat roll and shooting a couple of VC point blank range. Yes – with a pistol.
That happens a lot in The Last Hunter actually, tonnes of running around dodging bullet sprays and blowing things up. And I suppose the movie is better for it as it does keep your attention, although the plot does stray a tad when they get to the
Still, the ending picks up with a great last stand for Midnight, although as Rawshark says “This guy’s unlucky isn’t he? He’s had a flesh wound, a leg broken and all the skin bitten off his ass!” Then it’s just explosion, helicopter, shooting, death and repeat for ages, which is “nice editing, because it actually makes sense…” – Zomblee. Shame about that girl from Zombie Creeping Flesh having to ruin things for our man Warbeck, but I guess you can’t have everything.
“Where did you pick up you such a rotten, unchristianlike attitude?”
Zomblee: Yes, that's the highly awful Magrit Evelyn Newton from the highly awful Zombie Creeping Flesh, complete with crazy eyes and whatever that stuff is the make-up department slap over your face to make it look like you've been in the jungle for ages. She's the one responsible for sending out subversive, anti-war messages which order the
The Charlton Heston thing that Jim mentions above came from when Tisa Farrow (sister of the somewhat more successful Mia) first appears in the film and Rawshark said, "She's just...
Big Al isn't in this film though, and if he were he'd sure have trouble negotiating all those fallen trees that carpet the jungle floor ("I love it when the troops have to step over big logs!" - Jim). More on that later. Al Cliver really has no place here - this jungle belongs to WARbeck and by God I think he's loving it. Where else would he get the chance to run about (jumping over those big logs) in macho-mode, pistol in hand and wearing tight green vest-themed army surplus whilst acting a bit like a more heroic version of Martin Sheen in that movie with the fat bald guy in the cave?
The Last Hunter is a great little film. It's a horror film fan's perfect war movie. As well as administration of some truly unpleasant gore content, Maghereti's flair for handling massive-scale (if you happen to be a miniature helicopter) explosions is genuinely impressive, which comes in handy when shooting in the Philippines where, as Jim says, they don't mind you blowing everything up. Some of the soldier characters on offer here are rendered more colourful with the aid of those silly lines they sometimes have to say but as you are all no doubt aware this is part and the Italian b-movie script experience.
As if the characters' lines weren't ridiculous enough, yours truly had to sit and listen to these two dead heads saying stuff like, "You'd have to be really good in
"Listen, sweetheart. I've been here too long. I don't know what's good or bad anymore, don't know who my friends or enemies are. But I don't enjoy it."
Robert Monell’s review from the DVD Maniacs website:
The essence of Italian exploitation was to cash in on successful
The late David Warbeck is terrific as Captain Harry Morris, the operative who is dropped into the jungle to execute the mission. As with his roles in Fulci's THE BEYOND and THE BLACK CAT, he has just the right amount of toughness mixed in with a genuine likeability. We want him to survive, and that's what makes the film so absorbing and the ending so powerful.
The film is wall to wall action, expertly staged by the director and his crew in the steaming jungles of the Philippine locations. It begins with a bang as a friend commits suicide before Morris' eyes as explosions rock the encampment. He barely makes it to shore when he has to fight off a very aggressive poisonous snake, losing his supplies in the river. Joining up with Tony King's GI bro George Washington (King was Bukowski's cannibal buddy in Margheriti's
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The Fantastic Sword (1976)
1976 – The Fantastic Sword (Hua Shan Films)
[Hong Kong/Philippines co-production, possibly with South Korean involvement.
Director/Producer Hua Shan
Cast Ernie Garcia, Eddie Garcia, Gina Alajar, Vic Silayan, Bang Hi Joung
From Ebay: “Ultra-rare asian action fantasy gem with ancient kingdoms, mermaids, living skeletons, crystal cages, dragons, giant monsters, strange creatures, magical caves, fantastic swords!”
Wild Whirlwind (1974)
1974 – Wild Whirlwind (Bell Films Inc/ Dorn Bros Film Co?)
[Hong Kong/Philippines co-production,
Director Wang Shih Chin [listed on
Cast Meng Fei, Vilma Santos (Ivy), Philip Gamboa [an Italian database also lists Mary Balls, Alexander Chen, Peter Laurence, Hou Sheng, Tan Sheng Feng, Fu Wei Like]
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The Surabaya Conspiracy (1969)
1969 – The
[Also released in US cinemas as “Stoney”, in Italian cinemas as “Fino Allo Spasimo” and on Danish VHS as “Deadly Game”. IMDB lists the US TV title as “The Gold Seekers”, unconfirmed]
Director/Producer Wray Davis Screenplay Walter Anton White Based on the novel “Surabaya” by James M. Fox Executive Producers Hal Meyers, Eric Biedermann Cinematography Jules Brenner Music Charles Bernstein Editor James Decker Production Supervisor Vicente Nayve Art Director Francisco Balague Sound Levy Principe Special Sequences Cinematography William Hines Gaffer Al York
Cast “Mike”/Michael Preston (Steven Blessing), Barbara Bouchet (Irene Stone), Michael Rennie (Harvey Ward), Richard Jaeckel (Dirk), Leopoldo Salcedo (High Commissioner Suwono), Pancho Magalona (Captain Haryan), Vic Diaz (Ah Song), Paraluman (Margaret Suwono), Tony Dungan (Colonel Natursian), Vance Skarstedt (Chuck), Gerald Hardig (Jerry), Hernan Robles (Native Messenger), Andres Centenera (Van Randwyck), Bobbi Greenwood (Joan), Frank Pearson (Vern), Ernest Rohoten (Mel), Burt Raymond (Goldwell), Don Wright (Barnett), Clifford Romack (Doctor), Wolfhart Gaush (Mr Cowan), Jesse (Taxi Driver), Karl Heinrich Meyer (Irene’s Friend), Paquito Fajardo (Japanese Victim), Nick Miranda (Hotel Clerk), Jerry Reyes (Mandur), Narciso Inoncillo (Aide de Camp), Paquito Bebitez (Aide de Camp), Carlos Solano (Civilian Aide), Armando Lucero (Ah Song’s Man), Rod Francisco (Ah Song’s Man), Domingo Mendoza (Ah Song’s Man), Tina Adriano (Princess Hegoro?), Boy Ledesma (Prince Hegoro?), Atilano Corpus (General Susho), PMP Commandos, Lucky Nine Stuntmen
Ethan (1964)
1964 - Ethan (Nemours Productions)
Director/Producer Michael Du Pont Story/Screenplay Lea Kim Associate Producer Ferde Grofé Jr Cinematography “Emanuel”/Emmanuel I. Rojas Music Paul Glass Editor George Reys Associate Director? Ricardo Velazquez Camera Operator Vicente Sempio Assistant Editor? Fred Buensuceso Makeup Andrea Manahan Post-Production Supervisor Lee Osborne Gaffer Sylvestry Larrianga Orchestra Manager Martin J. Berman Flute Arthur Gleghorn Trombone Lloyd Ulyate Oboe Bert Gassman Piano Pearl Kaufman Clarinet Mitchell Lurie Violin Henri Temianka Bassoon Norman Herzburg Viola Milton Thomas French Horn James Decker Cello Raphael Kramer Trumpet Charles Brady String Bass Meyer Rubin Saxophone Buddy Collette
Cast Robert Sampson (Ethan), Eddie Infante, Joseph de Cordova, Rosa Rosal, Jennings Sturgeon (Carlos), Vicente Liwanag (Jose), Rod “Navaro”/Navarro (The Doctor), Bruno Punzalan (Alli), Henry Duval (First Thug), J.C. Sturgeon (Carding), Yvonne Nielson (The Singer), George Torres (The Moro)
Chris Koenig’s review on the Yuku forum:
About a year ago, I came across an extremely obscure film on VHS called "Ethan" made in 1964 by producer-director Michael du Pont and filmed on location in the Philippines, yet is an American production. It's a drama-exploitation film about a Catholic priest in a small Muslim town who is seduced by a woman and is almost killed by her father, resulting in the priest to abandon the Church and go off to find "himself". Honestly my plot description doesn't do the film any justice, but I do feel it is a very good film that contains a great music score and honest performances. What makes this film very interesting is some of the cast and crew: playing the woman is Rosa Rosal, who started out in early 40s Philippine cinema and still does small roles, but is heavily involved in the Philippine National Red Cross (check imdb.com for her achievements...very impressive), "Blood Island" regular Bruno Punzalan plays the woman's father, cinematographer Emmanuel Rojas worked with the legendary Geraldo de Leon. Perhaps the most interesting performer is Robert Sampson who plays the priest; Sampson is best remembered for playing the father in The Twilight Zone classic 'Little Girl Lost' and playing Dean Halsey in Stuart Gordon's "Re-Animator" (1985). Despite having a wide variety of TV and movie credits, "Ethan" is Sampson's one-and-only starring role and is quite good in the film.
The info on "Ethan" is very limited; the imdb.com even has two listings for it, one in 1964 and the other 1971. The end credits reveal a copyright date of 1964, so it's quite possible that it had a very scattered release. Its early VHS release came about in the early 90s when Genesis Home Video put it out. As with most of Genesis' releases, the picture transfer quality leaves a lot to be desired: "Ethan" was filmed in the 2.35:1 Techniscope-Technicolor format and thus the image is very badly panned-scanned. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the film so much that I decided to seek out info on it. I was able to get in touch with Ferde Grofe Jr., who was the associate producer on the film. He has been very helpful in giving me what info he has on the film. I'm also trying to get in touch with the producer-director Michael du Pont, as according to Ferde he is the one who owns the rights. So far, it's been a bit difficult to get in touch with Michael so that might take a while. Then, I was able to speak with the music composer Paul Glass two months ago and told me what he knew about the film. Now teaching in
As for trying to get somebody interested in looking into the film, let me restate that. I've been trying to get a DVD company like Severin Films to take note of this, as I feel it's up there alley and I do have some info on it. I do know where a 35mm and 16mm print resides at as well. All that needs to be figured out is if Michael still owns the rights and if any other film elements like a negative is stored. But so far, despite sending e-mails to Severin suggesting this title and willing to help them out, no responses making me wonder if they are taking me seriously or not...or if they are interested...who knows? I've also e-mailed Marc Morris at his Nucleus Films website - he updates Severin's website from time to time - asking if he could pass this along to the Severin crew and so far no response. I've been considering suggesting this title to either Mondo Macabro or Code Red, but still unsure if this film is up their alley or not (Mondo Macabro possibly, Code Red maybe). I've even e-mailed Michael Felsher at Red Shirt Pictures to see if he could lend a hand in finding out who owns the rights, etc...so far, no response. However, because I'm a newbie at this field, maybe they have some doubt on my "legitimacy" and I don't blame them. But I must state that I'm not doing this for money; I'm doing this because I'm a movie-fan and I feel "Ethan" is a good film and I want to see it get a better release than what it had! But until then, who knows where this might lead...
Saturday, December 19, 2009
When Eagles Strike (2003)
2003 - When Eagles Strike (Concorde-New Horizons Corp/Premiere Productions)
[Released in the Philippines as “Operation Balikatan”]
Director/Producer Cirio H. Santiago Screenplay Michael Kinney Executive Producer Roger Corman Associate Producer Sarah Esberg Cinematography Jun Daleways, Ric Remington Music Nonong Buencamino Editor Roy Stark Production Manager “J.M.”/Jose Mari Avellana Unit Director Bobby Santiago Production Manager Jun Cleofas Assistant Director Robert Rivera Assistants to the Producer Joe Zucchero, Al Gomez Art Director Manny Samaniego 2nd Unit Cameraman Pablo Bautista Assistant Camera Robert Dalawis 2nd Assistant Camera Proceso Lazaro 3rd Assistant Camera Constantino Medes Gaffer Hermogenes Romulo Production Cashier Ma. Fe A. Balderama Production Accountants Armando Lacsamana, Malotte San Juan Script Supervisor Nelia Villaflores Production Nurse Jowana Bautista Production Secretary Baby de Leon Production Assistant Abigail Patacsil Field Soundman Jojo Jacinto Special Effects Rolando Salem Fight Instructor Ronald Asinas Assistant Fight Instructors Manny Samson, Renato Morado, Larry Correa Head Makeup Teresa Villaflor Assistant Makeup Nita Camantigue Legman Jojo Basco Armorers Rolly Sto. Domingo, Tex Molinyawe Meal Checker Al Abendano Stills Nilo Odiaman Wardrobe Head Joey Tajanlangit Wardrobe Assistants Gloria Garcia, Juvy Jorolan, Ronnie Bilinario Set Dressers Erning Delina, Roland Dionisio Utility Ambo Lastimoso, Ogie Delina, Allan Abedano, Paul Forbes Film Loader Rommel Santos Clapper Rey Remias Head Electrician Tony Cruz Assistant Electrician Albert Cabiad Crew Rolando Ramoso, Jonathan Nicolas Dolly Crew Dencio Frilles, Jimmy Cruz Grip Jojo Abedano Cineforce Unit Manager Delfin Betis Caterer Lapid Catering Service Drivers Willer Bulac, Cel Fernandez, Rey Mahinay, Richard Gallega, Bello Hagtusan, Jaime Cleofas Post Production Manager Jun “Cleopas”/Cleofas Post-Production Coordinator Mario Rapinan Special Sound Effects Bert de Santos, Steve Dava Assistant Editors Ben Tala, Erwin Tala, Edmund Tugbo Sound Mixer Neel Bruan Title Design Rolly Santiago
LOS ANGELES CREW Director Gwyneth Gibby Cinematography Henry Crum 1st Assistant Director Brian Batkin Key Grip Sunny Lee Gaffer Phil Miller Best Boy Grips Brian Christie, Kelly Price First AC Thomas Spingola 2nd AC David Lincoln Production Sound Mixer Josh Steinberg Boom Operator Mycel Stokes Script Supervisor Matt Clements Cosume Designer E. Dee Biddlecome Makeup/Special Effects Karrieanne Heisner Production Assistants Matt Conrad, Mark Messick, Witney Seibold Unit Production Manager Sarah Esberg
Cast Christian Boeving (Andrew), Nate Adams (Darren), Davee Youngblood (Tyler), Stacy Keach (General Thurmond), Jesse Vint (CIA Chief Spencer), Eddie Garcia (General Espino), Rey Malonzo (Rodrigo), Monsour Del Rosario (Ahmed), Jess Lapid Jr (Salek), Archie Adamos (Mag), Jose Mari Avellana (Ibrahim), Carlo Maceda (Dima), Nigel Hogge (Senator Barnes), Joe Zucchero (Greg), Ernie Zarate (Ramiro), James [Gregory] Paolleli (Louis), [uncredited] Patricia Javier (Teresa), “Santi”/Sanit Larrauri (Gus), Mikka Avellana (Jennifer), Robert Rivera (Killer on Motrobike), Jenor Zapanta (Anna), Orlando “Alan”/Estrada (Isagani "POW"), Brian Katkin (Military Inteligence Commander), Mel Lewis (Lieutenant Herbert)
Scott Weinberg’s review from the E Film Critic website:
One might be tempted to classify this movie as "ripped from the headlines" when in fact "ripped from the trash heap" would be an infinitely more accurate assessment.
Hoping to use our current state of warfare as a hot-button issue, When Eagles Strike (also known as Operation Balikatan) is just about one of the most laughably inept war movies ever produced.
Stacy Keach (the only recognizable actor in evidence and the one who looks the most humiliated about it) leads a gang of gung-ho
Words like "Al Qaeda", "Taliban" and "Bin Laden" are strewn throughout the bargain-basement banality in an effort to make the proceedings feel topical and...well, interesting. These attempts are constantly thwarted by the atrociously nonsensical dialogue, the uproariously amateurish acting performances and a meandering plot narrative that can best be described as...retarded.
And shock of all shocks: the DVD comes courtesy of Roger Corman's "New Concorde" schlock-house. Taken as a movie worthy of the Mystery Science Theater treatment (get a few drunk, chatty friends and When Eagles Strike is a certifiable hoot) you might find something of entertainment value within.
If, however, you're looking for a solid war movie, just keep on walkin'.
Joseph Estrada filmography 1962 to 1963
JOSEPH ESTRADA Filmography 1962-1963
1962 – Mga Tigreng Taga-Bukid (Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)
[Release date 9th January 1962]
Director Armando Garces Music Francisco Buencamino Jr
Cast Fernando Poe Jr, Romeo Vasquez, Joseph Estrada, Lauro Delgado, Tony Ferrer, Van de Leon, Cecilia Lopez, Lourdes Medel, Perla Bautista, Rebecca, Mariquit Soliman, Edita Vital, Max Alvarado, Corazon Noble, Arnold Mendoza, Mila Montanez, Jess Lapid, Mary Walter, Bruno Punzalan, Justina David, Rafael Jiminez, Leonora Ruiz, Dencio Padilla, Priscilla Ramirez, Pedro Faustino, Veronica Palileo, Francisco Cruz, Tony Enri, Joaquin Fajardo, Mor Nepomuceno, Alex Flores, Esteban (Steve?) Alcarado, Suzing Tiamzon, Jaime Clavel
1962 - Markang Rehas (Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)
[Release date 10th March 1962]
Director Armando Garces Music F. Buencamino Jr
Cast Joseph Estrada, Perla Bautista, Mariquit Soliman, Max Alvarado, Jess Lapid, Mary Walter, Danilo Jurado, Arnold Mendoza, Rafael Jiminez, Tony Cruz, Menggay, Sammy Sarmento
1962 – Suicide Commandos (Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)
[Release date 8th June 1962]
Director/Story/Screenplay Armando Garces Producer Espiridion Laxa Cinematography Fortunato Buencamino Jr Music Francisco Buencamino Jr Orchestration Restie Umali Editor Teofilo de Leon Sound Engineer Luis S. Reyes Special Effects Totoy Torrente Colour Consultant J.D. Formales Laboratory A.D. Formales Printing S. Amado Titles Marvin B. Panganiban Assistant Director Simplicio Pajarillo Production Manager Jose Laxa Assistant Production Manager Xavier Cocho
Cast Fernando Poe Jr, Romeo Vasquez (Lieutenant Raul Toledo), Joseph Estrada (Sergeant Guerrero), Lauro Delgado (Private Mendez), Tony Ferrer (Corporal Johnny Salgado), Max Alvarado (Private Turko Maximo), Jess Lapid (Private Jose Borjo), Cecilia Lopez, Perla Bautista, Rebecca, Ezar Visenio, Bruno Punzalan, Rafael Jiminez, Sammy Sarmiento, Victor Bravo, Manolo Robles, Simplicio Pajarillo, Arsenio Almonte, Totoy Torrente (General Yamashita), Bert Laforteza (Captain Yamada)
1962 - Digmaan Ng Mga Maton (Ambassador Films)
[Release date 15th June 1962]
Director Felix Villar Screenplay Johnny Pangilinan Music Tony Maiquez
Cast Joseph Estrada, Jose Padilla Jr, Gloria Sevilla, Perla Bautista, Eddie Rodriguez, Ramon d’Salva, Pugak, Zeny Buena
1962 – Apat Na Kilabot (Christopher Productions)
[Release date 19th July 1962]
Director Efren Reyes Story/Screenplay Fred Navarro Music Tony Maiquez
Cast Efren Reyes, Mario Montenegro, Johnny Monteiro, Joseph Estrada, Miriam Jurado, Leonor Vergara, Quiel Segovia, Ruben Rustia, Lito Anzures, Oscar Roncal
1962 – Walang Pagkalupig (Jasmin Tagalog Pictures/Larry
[Release date 25th July 1962]
Director Pablo Santiago Screenplay Tommy David Music Tito Arevalo
Cast Fernando Poe Jr, Joseph Estrada, Rodolfo Cristobal, Bert Silva, Paquito Diaz, Oscar Roncal, Jerry Pons, Yolanda Guevarra, Helen Gamboa, Van de Leon
1962 – Cuatro Condenados (Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)
[release date 14th September 1962]
Director/Writer Efren Reyes Music Tony Marquez
Cast Efren Reyes, Romeo Vasquez, Joseph Estrada, Tony Ferrer, Cecilia Lopez, Norma Biancaflor, Ruben Rustia, Jess Lapid, Dencio Padilla, Jay Ilagan
1962 - Tondo Boy (Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)
[Release date 30th September 1962]
Cast Joseph Estrada NO OTHER DETAILS AVAILABLE
1962 - Kapit Sa Patalim (Ambassador Films)
[Release date 18th October 1962]
Director/Writer Felix Villar Music Tony Maiquez
Cast Joseph Estrada, Carlos Padilla Jr, Aura Aurea, Edita Clomera
1962 - Hari Ng Mga Maton (Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)
[Release date 18th November 1962]
Cast Joseph Estrada NO OTHER DETAILS AVAILABLE
1962 - Asiong Meets Alembong (Joseph Estrada Productions/Tagalog Ilang Ilang Productions)
[Release date 17th December 1962]
Director/Story Herminio “Butch” Bautista Music Clod Delfino
Cast Joseph Estrada, Lita Gutierrez, Melaca? Molina, Oscar Roncal, Vic Diaz, Vicente Liwanag, Roy Francisco, Manolo Robles, Mort Nepomuceno, Francisco Cruz, Joaquin Fajardo, Paquito Diaz, Jess Lapid, Bruno Punzalan, Vic Andaya, Joseph Polk
1963 - Pulong Diablo (Jasmin Tagalog Pictures/Larry
[Release date 2nd January 1963]
Director Pablo Santiago Screenplay Tommy C. David Music Tony Maiquez
Cast Joseph Estrada, Rodolfo Cristobal, Yolanda Guevarra, Bert Silva, Ben Perez, Paquito Diaz, Oscar Roncal, Tugak, Lilia Dizon, Van de Leon
1963 - The Big Show [5 Stories, 60 Stars] (Larry Santiago Productions/Cirio
[Release date 13th February 1963]
Directors Larry Santiago, Pablo Santiago, Efren Reyes
Cast Fernando Poe Jr, Joseph Estrada, Chiquito, Mario Montenegro, Carmen Rosales, Efren Reyes, Eddie Mesa, ReyCard Duet, Vilma Valera, Carol Varga, Leonor Vergara, Jose Padilla Jr, Carlos Padilla Jr and many others
1963 - Ginoong Itim (Larry Santiago Productions/Jasmin T)
[Release date 16th March 1963]
Director Pablo Santiago Music Tony Maiquez
Cast Joseph Estrada, Willie Sotelo, Leonor Vergara, Vilma Valera, Carlos Salazar, Tony Cruz Jr, Ponga, Carina Mojer
1963 – Talahib And Dario Moreno (People's Pictures)
[Release date 25th March 1963]
Director Cesar “Chat” Gallardo Screenplay Fred Navarro Music Tony Maiquez
Cast Joseph Estrada, Lito Anzures, Miriam Jurado, Carol Varga
1963 – Istambay (JE Productions/Larry Santiago Productions)
[Release date 28th April 1963]
Director Pablo Santiago Story Pepe Ejercito Screenplay “Butch”/Herminio Bautista Producer [uncredited] Larry Santiago Executive Producer Joseph Estrada Cinematography Luis Chiong Sound Engineer Flaviano Villareal Editor Segundino Ramos Assistant Director Terry Gonzales Production Manager Pepito Torres Cameraman Jose Batac Jr Sound Domingo de Dios Recordist Joe Padrega Makeup Cely Vega Special Effects Fil Lizarondo Laboratory Pacifico Torreda Printer Monico Cullado Assistant Editor Domingo Betes Stills Pedro Becud Area? Officer Armando Herrera Assistant Production Manager Henry Centenera Titles Joe Sison
Cast Joseph Estrada, Jose Padilla Jr, Paquito Diaz, Oscar Roncal, Vic Andaya, Vicente Liwanag, Joe Sison, Rafael Jimenez, Mary Walter, Arsenio Alonzo, Manolo Robles, Blackie Francisco, Bino Garcia, Maggie de la Riva [debut], Boy Alvarez, Bobby Santiago, Joseph Polk, Ben Taga, Bebong Osorio, Joe de Castro, Jane Palomar, Sonny Sto. Domingo, Rosa Rantos, Steve Alcarado, Leni Trinidad, Alex Flores, Joaquin Fajardo, Fil Lizarondo, Ben Morelos, Eva Luna, Olive Aguilar, Rudy Palma, Sandro Serrano, Ben Sanchez [poster also lists Tony Cruz Jr, not in opening credits]
1963 – Ito Ang Maynila (FPJ Productions/Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)
[Release date 30th April 1963]
Director Efren Reyes Producer Fernando Poe Jr
Cast Fernando Poe Jr, Joseph Estrada, Rebecca, Melinda Molina, Paquito Diaz, Max Alvarado, Dencio Padilla, Vicente Liwanag, Manolo Robles, Tina Loy, Jay Ilagan, Danilo Jurado, Jess Lapid, Avel Morado
1963 – Patapon (Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)
[Release date 24th May 1963]
Cast Joseph Estrada NO OTHER DETAILS AVAILABLE
1963 – Los Palikeros (FPJ Productions)
[Release date 23rd July 1963, sometimes listed as "Los Paliqueros"]
Directors Cirio H. Santiago, Armando A. Herrera Producer Fernando Poe Jr Cinematography Felipe Sakdalan Music Tony Maiquez
Cast Fernando Poe Jr, Joseph Estrada, Paquito Diaz, Vic Diaz, Arabella Harmon, Maggie de la Riva
1963 - Via Europa (Larry Santiago Productions)
[Release date 13th September 1963]
Director Pablo Santiago Screenplay Tommy C. David Music Tito Arevalo Cinematography Felipe Sacdalan
Cast Joseph Estrada, Chiquito, Anna Marie, Liza Gruber
1963 – Sugapa (Kislap-Tagalog Pictures)
[Release date 25th September 1963]
Director Efren Reyes Story Cil G. Evangelista Based on the Vista Komiks serial Screenplay “Butch”/Herminio Bautista Music Tony Maiquez
Cast Joseph Estrada, Charito Solis, Stella Suarez
1963 – Kung Hindi Ka Susuko…! (Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)
[Release date 25th September 1963]
Director/Story Efren Reyes
Cast Fernando Poe Jr, Joseph Estrada, Rebecca, Oscar Keesee, Victor Bravo, Manolo Robles, Johnny Long, Max Alvarado, Jess Lapid
1963 - Tres Kantos (JE Productions)
[Release date 28th September 1963]
Director Tony Cayado Screenplay Ben Feleo Music Ariston Avelino
Cast Joseph Estrada, Perla Bautista, Juanco Gutierrez, Mary Walter, Carlos Padilla Jr, Paquito Diaz, Jess Lapid
1963 - Barilan Sa Pugad Lawin (People's Pictures)
[Release date 31st October 1963]
Director Gerardo de Leon Screenplay Cesar J. Amigo Music Tito Arevalo
Cast Joseph Estrada, Liza Moreno, Lauro Delgado, Vic Diaz, Vicente Liwanag, Avel Morado, Jay Ilagan, Johnny Long
1963 – Ang Sangano At Colegiala (Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)
[Release date 1st December 1963, sometimes listed as “Ang Sanggano At Ang Kolehiyala”]
Director/Story Efren Reyes
Cast Amalia Fuentes, Joseph Estrada, Max Alvarado, Jess Lapid, Arnold Mendoza, Alberto Alonzo, Mila Montanez, Victor Bravo, Manolo Robles, Nort Nepomuceno, Pablo Virtuoso, Jose Garcia, Naty Bernardo, Greg Lansang
1963 - Kilabot Sa Daang-Bakal (Luzon Productions)
[Release date 14th December 1963]
Director Felix Villar Screenplay Johnny Pangilinan
Cast Joseph Estrada, Maggie de la Riva, Paquito Diaz, Elena Mercado, Nello Nayo, Rodolfo Cristobal, Silvio Ramiro, Lydia Resma, June Bergman
1963 – Basagulero (Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)
[Release date 22nd December 1963]
Cast Joseph Estrada NO OTHER DETAILS AVAILABLE
Monday, December 14, 2009
Nigel Hogge interview January 2008
NIGEL HOGGE Interview with Andrew Leavold, January 2008
Andrew: Welcome Nigel! Let's start with some background information.
Nigel: I have been in the
I guess your situation's unique as you didn't come to the
Mostly the Cirio Santiago-Roger Corman connection, Bobby Suarez of BAS Film Productions, and a few others. I worked for Eddie Romero, I worked with Joe Zucchero a lot – he was closely associated with Cirio and Bobby – and through Joe, he used to get me into the movies.
What was your first introduction to filmmaking?
The first film I ever made...(scratches ear)...it was a Ramon Revilla, Gloria Diaz production, local Tagalog movie called Balakyot. And I played a bad guy with Ken Metcalfe and Joe Zucchero, and Dick Adair, who now lives in
Let's talk about working with Bobby. What was he like on the set?
He was a firebrand, he had a short fuse, but he was a good guy, very friendly. We all liked him and I still like Bobby. I haven't seen him for a while now. [We all had lunch together several days later] But Bobby's career was interesting - he got mixed up with the kung fu, martial arts thing in
Tell me about acting in the One-Armed Executioner.
We filmed that out in Bulacan and
...with a swastika on the side!
Really? (laughs) And I nearly got my head taken off while they filmed that. The helicopter came right over the speedboat and it was like that (crouching), and BAS Films only had the helicopter for two hours, and we had to get it on Take One. Big Pete Cooper was in that one, sis foot six, and he was my henchman. He got killed, too, in the mud.
How did Bobby cast the film?
There was a group of guys – Don Gordon Bell, Jim Gaines – all the time I was operating a pub in Makati, so I was gainfully employed, but a lot of those guys would drink in my pub, so that's how I got to meet them and got involved. And don't forget Joe Zucchero and Ken Metcalfe, who were quite big in the movie industry at that time here, writing scripts and production management. I remember in those days there were about ten of us. It was just a lot of fun in those days. We weren't paid any money in particular, about $100 a day at the rate of exchange at that time, which of course wasn't THAT bad money in those days, and I worked 4-8 days on a movie. So there were a few bucks in the bank, you'd meet some petty girls on the set – it was always a good come-on. But I remember Henry (Strzalkowski) was one of the better actors, Joe Zucchero, Ken Metcalfe, they were good actors. I never considered myself an actor – I never was, had no training – but I was available, and I had a car. So I'd drive them to the set! And I never complained about the conditions.
It's never been duplicated in the
Because of the peso-dollar exchange rate, and because it was so easy for them to come here and make what looked like a REAL B movie – possibly C movie – and with explosions and extras and so on, it was very convenient for them. And because the exchange rate, I think it was 50 or 40 to 1 at the time. Now it's more expensive of course, I don't think they're doing that many international movies here. I don't even remember the last movie made here, I think it was 5 years ago. Of course the Vietnam War had a lot to do with it, because to film
Bobby Suarez and Cirio Santiago were the guys I was involved with. There were other producers involved, but I can't remember who they were, but it was primarily Bobby and Cirio. And primarily Cirio, because of Cirio's partnership with Roger Corman, who was making movies all over the world at that time, and I think he was doing three or four a year out of the
And stuntmen willing to risk their lives!
Correct. And one thing Cirio was good at was bombs. He had a guy who could make a huge explosion that in an American or British or European movie would probably cost $10,000 to stage – he could stage it for $500 in a morning. And I mean they were really massive. I got my hair singed on many occasions running away from such explosions. We all used to sit around the sets saying “We're crazy to risk our lives like this”, but these guys, they knew what they were doing. The Filipinos had a real flair for putting just the right amount of gasoline and kerosene and whatever else is used in these “bombs”. That's basically most of what I remember, sitting out in quarries getting bombed and shot at! They had a lot of weapons, old World War 2 weapons and trucks and stuff. It was interesting...
What's the difference between a Cirio set and a local movie set?
The food was better on a Cirio set. But not THAT much better. On a Bobby set? When Bobby made movies, guys were...I won't say scared of him...but because he was very volatile and he was a real taskmaster, people would really focus and concentrate, because he had a real forceful personality. But we all liked him and respected him. Cirio was very easy going, very relaxed. He had a crew that had done it countless times. They were both good guys, treated their people very well. Didn't PAY them anything, but looked after them.
But what about the level of professionalism on a local film set?
Cirio moved faster – six, seven, eight setups a day, and he wasn't that crazy about dialogue. He loved action. Tagalog movies – pretty unprofessional. It's not really for me to say, because I never tried to produce or direct a movie, I might have been as poor as they were. I think that with Tagalog movies, they were always a little nervous around “foreign” actors, of how to treat them and how far you could push them. Whereas Bobby and Cirio didn't give a shit. We were told to do something, we did it. Whereas the Tagalog movies were perhaps a little bit leery about asking a white actor to put his life on the lone for a scene.
What do Filipinos call Caucasians? Guapos?
In Japanese it's “gaijan”. Oh, you're thinking of Chinese, “gwaillo”, which is “foreign white devil”. But her we're called “pogi” which is “handsome”. (laughs) I was actually a fairly pretty child – hard to believe now, I'm 65 and I've been through the mill – but good memories. I can't remember any bad people involved, they were just decent people trying to make a buck. Trying to produce the best movie they could with very tight budgets – most of the budgets being $300-500,000, above or below the line, I don't know. And it brought real actors from
So Christopher Mitchum, for instance, John Phillip Law...
Phillip Law of course was a big name at one stage. When I met him in the early Eighties, he was an ex-big star. And he was a nice guy too. Chris Mitchum I worked with at one time [on Bobby's American Commandos] – I'd always admired his dad. I remember with Chris Mitchum, all he really wanted to do was play chess. So whenever the director yelled “cut!”, Chris would run over to his chess set with whoever he was playing a game with. And he told me a couple of times that he really didn't like being an actor, and he was only really doing it 'cos they were paying him to do it with the Mitchum name. Then, “Everybody on set!” He'd look at his chess set, do his scene, run back to his chess set. And he's probably thinking about his next move during the scene. He obviously wasn't fully committed. But he was a handsome guy like his dad.
Sam Jones in Driving Force, I did a scene with. I think I played a cop. I was only in one scene. And on that movie, I have no idea what was going on with the movie. I have a feeling, and I may be speaking out of turn here, that they were trying to get rid of money. I remember I had one scene in the movie, or maybe two, out in Kalamba. I was wearing a policeman's uniform, I arrested Sam Jones, gave him a ticket, warned him, and THAT took eight days to shoot. They could have done it in one day. And we all felt like there was something going on, like they were trying to spend tax dollars, because that was ridiculous. There was something going on on the set but I was uninvolved. And they paid me every day, $100 a day, and I'd sit around the set doing NOTHING.
The Australian producer of Driving Force, Tony Ginnane, also produced A Case Of Honor with Timothy Bottoms.
I had a big scene with him. I played the Russian Colonel or Major in the Intelligence, and we had a group of American Vietnam War prisoners in front of us, and I had to drive up in a jeep, get out, and they were all sitting out on the grass, an I had to lecture them - that they will be released "only if you work for the future of the USSR" or something. That was Eddie Romero's direction. Also a very slow but delightful man - wonderful, sweet, charming person. I always regretted that, if there was any movie I'd ever made where I might have got some work because of a part and the performance I'd given, maybe it was that one. Because I was OK in that. I would remember my lines for some reason. I would never remember my lines in any other movie. In that one I had quite a large speech to make for almost a minute, and I got it right! I must've been drunk (laughs). And I'm sorry A Case Of Honor never went anywhere. I have no idea what happened to it.
I guess it got lost in the shuffle...
Pity, because it was done with some care by Eddie Romero. I never knew much about the movie industry itself, I never really got involved. It was all a bit complicated for me. I was just hired on as an actor.
You were also involved in a couple of movies from Bobby's twilight years.
I was involved in a movie called Obsessed, which I thought the working title was Angel or Angela, because that was the name of the leading actress, a very pretty 18 year old American girl - I think she was American - living in the
Bobby did get an international sale on his previous film, Red Roses For A Call Girl.
I was in that! My God I've been in more movies than I thought... I played a bodyguard or a henchman, and I beat up the leading actress, threw her into a room, threw her onto a bed. I didn't rape her....But I had to guard a girl that was involved with the German mafia. Something about drug running. We shot that largely in
Recently Cirio called you in to do a war film, When Eagles Strike.
I did, I think it was three years ago, which was the last picture I did, playing Senator Barnes, I think because of my thinning locks. I got kidnapped by the Abu Saiya, the guys from
Inside Nigel's Panama Jack Cafe
I remember meeting Ken [Metcalfe] in the late Sixties when I visited
You did voice-overs on Ferde Grofé Jr's war documentaries?
Joe and I brought that film library here and Joe operated it for six or seven years, then we sold it and shipped it back to
There are still some of those guys who are still around - Henry Strzalkowski, Nick Nicholson...
I've lost touch with a lot of them. Ken died four or five years ago of brain cancer in the States.
And Robert Marius died a few years ago.
God, I haven't thought about Robert Marius in years!
Robert hung himself. Very sad.
I didn't know Robert had stayed in the
He was in American Commandos too.
There was a working group of us that Cirio or Bobby would just call, 'cause we were available, and we knew more or less what was expected of us. Whenever I acted in a Cirio movie, having done my scene I would turn to Cirio and go, "......?" And he'd go (hand on face) and he'd shake his head and walk away. Which is really good for my confidence. And he said, "The only reason I employ you, Nigel, is that you're cheap." Which I thought was nice...he was a great joker. But it was true! He said, "You're a friend of Joe's, THAT's why I hire you!"
I don't know too much about Dick Adair.
Delightful guy, wonderful artist, sketcher, has been living in
The impression I get is that the movie making caper was fun.
It WAS fun. It was our life, you know, and living in the
You still have a very Shakespearian voice!
Well I do a lot of commercials, voiceovers. That's my talent, 'cos they don't have to see my face. I have the kind of face they say is "weather-beaten" or "well used by life".
A perfect face for radio?
There you go! Thank you! That is exactly what I've got. But I'm good for playing bad guys in local movies, 'cos they think that's what bad guys look like.
A white goon?
Yep, I'm a white goon. And I can play it well enough that it's halfway believable. I have a Roman nose - roman all over my face!
Life now is obviously a lot different than in the Seventies and Eighties.
It's a lot more expensive to live here. Manila's more polluted, tougher I think to get by. The Filipinos have a very hard time, there's a lot of poor people. It's a more brutal city I think than it was then, simply because of economics. And not being a young man now, obviously, the party's over to a large extent. Or the rather carefree life we used to live. But then again, a lot of guys in late middle age look back and it always looks like days were better in the past. But they forget the bad times.
Tell me about "the party". What was life like off the film set?
Being in the club business at one stage, me and a partner of mine were running seven or eight restaurants, bars, nightclubs. We had a lot of ladies working for us, big hostess clubs. My whole life was night time - I worked nights until 3-5 on the morning. I would sleep most of the day, so I'm a very experienced night crawler. But those days are over, I get to bed by midnight now and get up at 8 in the morning. That's what I mean by the party being over - I can't drink, I can't smoke, I can't chase girls quite like I was once able to. It's still a party town, but I'm completely out of the social scene now. I don't go to other people's bars or restaurants or parties, I just couldn't be bothered. There are so many functions going on inside the expat community - I don't even know the expats. I think some of them remember me from the Seventies and Eighties, even into the Nineties...
Then again I spend time in
Club owner?
Club owner, I can play. I can play a saloon keeper, a Senator, a drug lord. I can play an uncle, an Ambassador, an elder brother, a father....a grandfather!
It was! Before Martial Law came in - I got here in '71, and Martial Law was declared at the end of '72 by Marcos - and even during the early days of Martial Law, it really was a really wild and woolly place. Most people carried guns. I almost got shot a few times, being in the bar business. When a guy didn't want to pay a bill he usually pulled a gun out instead. So I had to give away a lot of free food! 'Cos I'm a devout coward. I'd say, "It's on the house." It was a wild, wild city. But I don't think it was any more wild than a lot of other cities. I think every city has a Red Light District.
It's like those guys were living out a movie villain fantasy.
I think I did. I think I saw myself as a Hugh Hefner of the East for a while...that fantasy kept me going for a long time!
I think of
...the reality of any other place! Absolutely, I agree with that. I spent a lot of time here, way too many years beside a swimming pool. And I swam every day, I lived like a ling. Like a little Lord. And much more that I deserved! I have a business partner who says, "Nigel, for a little boy from some little English country town, you've been laid more times than you should have been." And I agree!
Joseph Estrada filmography 1964 to 1965
JOSEPH ESTRADA Filmography 1964-1965
1964 – Encuentro (JE Productions)
[Release date 12th January 1964]
Producer Joseph Estrada
Cast Joseph Estrada NO OTHER DETAILS AVAILABLE
1964 - Berdugo Ng Mga Maton (Lea Productions)
[Release date 19th January 1964]
Cast Joseph Estrada NO OTHER DETAILS AVAILABLE
1964 - Siyam Na Buhay Ni Martin Pusa (Larry Santiago Productions)
[Release date 29th February 1964]
Director/Producer Larry Santiago Music Pablo Vergara
Cast Joseph Estrada, Annabelle Huggins, Paquito Diaz, Vilma Valera, Toto, Nello Nayo, Vic Andaya, Carol Varga, Mary Walter, Dulce Lukban
1964 – Pambato (Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)
[Release date 21st March 1964]
Cast Joseph Estrada NO OTHER DETAILS AVAILABLE
1964 - Ako Ang Papatay…! (Lea Productions)
[Release date 9th April 1964]
Director Cesar “Chat” Gallardo Screenplay Romy Espiritu Music Tony Maiquez
Cast Joseph Estrada, Eddie Garcia, Juvy Cachola, Johnny Monteiro, Poleng Mendoza, Oscar Roncal, Tony Cruz Jr, Martin Marfil
1964 - Takot Mabuhay, Takot Mamatay (
[Release date 16th April 1964]
Director Consuelo P. Osorio Screenplay Johnny C. Pangilinan
Cast Joseph Estrada, Lyn D’Amour, Lopito, May Villarica, Paquito Diaz, Jose Padilla Jr, Vicente Liwanag, Oscar Keesee
1964 - Panginoon Ng Pantalan (People's Pictures)
[Release date 9th May 1964]
Director Cesar Gallardo Music Tito Arevalo
Cast Joseph Estrada, Perla Bautista, Paquito Diaz, Eva Montes, Eddie Fernandez, Jose Garcia-Aruray, Ruben de Jesus, Sammy Sarmento, Connie Angeles, Paquito Salcedo, Marvin Molina, Johnny Long, Tommy Romulo, Tiva Lava, Ruben Ramos
1964 - Geron Busabos - Ang Batang Quiapo/“Geron The Tramp – Man Of Quiapo” (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 7th July 1964]
Director Cesar Gallardo Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Executive Producer Emilio Ejercito Cinematography Arsenio Doña Editor Augusto Salvador Sound Demetrio de Santos Music Ariston Avelino Assistant Director Candido Manahan Production Manager Roland Verlarde Titles Joe Sison Sound Technician Salustiano Evarle Assistant Cameraman Virling Celestino Rerecordists Crispin Herrera, Arsenio Nicolas Lab Technicians Dering Marcos, Cesario Eraso? Assistant Film Editor Rogelio Salvador Makeup Artist Baby Maclang
Cast Joseph Estrada, Oscar Roncal, Vic Andaya, Bebong Osorio, Avel Morado, Angel Buenaventura, Angel Confiado, Larry Silva, Leni Trinidad, Boy Alvarez, Imelda Ilanan, SOS Daredevils, The Famous Quiapo Beggars, [uncredited] Fernando Poe Jr
Best Picture, Best Story, Best Cinematography, Best Actor, Best Child Actor for Boy Alvarez (
1964 - Vendetta Brothers (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 19th September 1964]
Director Cesar Gallardo Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ariston Avelino
Cast Joseph Estrada, Arnold Mendoza, Maggie de la Riva, Imelda Ilanan, Eddie Garcia, Oscar Keesee, Vic Andaya, Ruby Regala, Leni Trinidad
1964 - Mga Daliring Ginto (Lea Productions)
[Release date 5th December 1964]
Director Tony Cayado Story Ben Feleo Screenplay Ruben Rustia Music Tony Maiquez
Cast Amalia Fuentes, Joseph Estrada, Gloria Sevilla, Johnny Long, Jing Abalos, Val Castelo, Larry Silva, Apeng Daldal
1965 - Joe Nazareno: Ang Taxi Driver (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 9th January 1965]
Director Cesar Gallardo Story/Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ariston Avelino
Cast Joseph Estrada, Imelda Ilanan, Lopito, Oscar Keesee, Oscar Roncal, Renato Robles, Rafael Jimenez, Avel Morado, Larry Silva, Bebong Osorio, Angel Confiado, Ruben de Jesus, Nita Carmona, Marco Madero, Greg Guerrero, Ruby Regala, Leni Trinidad, Fred Galang, SOS Daredevils
1965 - Salonga Brothers (Larry Santiago Productions)
[Release date 12th January 1965]
Director Pablo Santiago Producer Larry Santiago Music Paquito Toledo
Cast Joseph Estrada, Joe de Castro, Anthony Villanueva, Annabelle Huggins, Ollie dela Pena, Paquito Diaz, Oscar Keesee, Jose Vergara, Dely Atay-Atayan, Miguel Lopez, Larry Silva
1965 – Maskulado (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 9th February 1965]
Producer Joseph Estrada
Cast Joseph Estrada NO OTHER DETAILS AVAILABLE
1965 - Hamon Sa Bandila (Lea Productions)
[Release date 10th March 1965]
Director Cesar “Chat” Gallardo Screenplay Auugusto Buenaventura Music Tony Maiquez
Cast Joseph Estrada, Amalia Fuentes, Willie Sotelo, Celia Rodriguez, Carlos Padilla Jr, Avel Morado, Malony Antonio
1965 - Hahamakin Ang Lahat (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 3rd April 1965]
Director Cesar “Chat” Gallardo Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ariston Avelino
Cast Joseph Estrada, Marlene Daudin, Oscar Roncal, Celia Rodriguez, Boy Alvarez, Ramon D’Salva, Dely Villanueva, Danny Jurado, Connie Angeles
1965 - Pepeng Pingas - Ang Batang San Nicolas (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 9th April 1965]
Director Cesar Gallardo Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ariston Avelino
Cast Joseph Estrada, Van de Leon, Perla Bautista, Ruby Regala, Oscar Roncal, Renato Robles, Dely Villanueva
1965 – Alex Palomar, The Deadly Pinoy (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 18th May 1965, sometimes listed as “Deadly Pinoy”]
Director Cesar “Chat” Gallardo Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ariston Avelino
Cast Joseph Estrada, Larry Silva, Sidney Hung, Dely Villanueva, Avel Morado, Ezar Visenio, Gabriel Paile
1965 - Valentin Galit (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 26th July 1965]
Director/Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ariston Avelino
Cast Joseph Estrada, Larry Silva, Imelda Ilanan, Leni Trinidad, Avel Morado, Boy Alvarez, Bebong Osorio
1965 – Titong Robin Hood (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 16th August 1965, sometimes listed as “Titong Robinhood”]
Director Herminio “Butch” Bautista Screenplay Bert R. Mendoza Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ariston Avelino
Cast Chiquito (Titong Robin Hood), Imelda Ilanan, Vicente Liwinag, Rudy Regala, Larry Silva, Avel Morado, Angel Confiado, Conrado Gumin?, Marco Madero, Greg Guerrero, Ben Bernal, Sancho Tesalona, Joe Cunanan, Bobby Guanzon, Tiva Lava, Ben Dato, SOS Daredevils, Bobby Gonzalez
1965 - Batang Angustia (People's Pictures)
[Release date 24th August 1965]
Director Cesar “Chat” Gallardo Screenplay Auugusto Buenaventura Music Ariston Avelino
Cast Joseph Estrada, Celia Rodriguez, Paquito Diaz, Yolanda Guevara, Rudy Cristobal, Avel Morado, Justina David, Tiva Lava
1965 - Labanang Lalake! (Tagalong Ilang-Ilang Productions)
[Release date 26th September 1965]
Director/Writer Armando Garces Music F. Buencamino Jr
Cast Joseph Estrada, Jess Lapid, Perla Bautista, Divina Valencia, Paquito Diaz, Max Alvarado, Ezar Visenio, Rocco Montalban, Nort Nepomuceno, Steve Alcarado, Joe Cunanan, Joaquin Fajardo, Lope Policarpio, Sancho Tesalona
1965 - Sa Kamay Ng Mga Kilabot (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 16th October 1965]
Director Cesar Gallardo Story/Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ariston Avelino
Cast Joseph Estrada, Eddie Garcia, Larry Silva, Ben Dato, Paquito Diaz, Imelda Ilanan, Avel Morado, Totoy Torrente, Sammy Sarmiento, Gabriel Paile, George Estregan [debut], Melissa Martel, Sancho Tesalona, SOS Daredevils, Rafael Jimenez, Conrado Gumen, Marco Medero, Greg Guerrero, Ben Bernal, Bobby Gianzon
1965 - Big Boss (GM Film Organization)
[Release date 19th October 1965]
Director Cesar Gallardo Script Johnny Pangilinan Cinematography Felipe S. Santiago Production Manager Enrique Corpuz Jr
Cast Joseph Estrada, Cynthia Ugaldi, Eva Montes, Paquito Diaz, Mary Walter, Avel Morado, Rafael Jimenez, Ben Dato, Joe Cunanan, Francisco Cruz, Sancho Tesalona, Conchita Cruz, Marco Madero, Greg Guerrera, Val Magno, Nellie Madrigal
1965 - Buhay Sa Buhay! (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 26th November 1965]
Director/Story Armando Garces Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ariston Avelino
Cast Joseph Estrada, Susan Roces, Paquito Diaz, Oscar Keesee, George Estregan, Avel Morado, Ezar Visenio
1965 - Sapang Palay (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 11th December 1965]
Director Cesar Gallardo Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada
Cast Joseph Estrada, Jun Aristorenas, Imelda Ilanan, Gloria Sevilla, Paquito Diaz, Renato Robles, George Estregan, Tiva Lava
Friday, December 11, 2009
Joseph Estrada filmography 1966 to 1967
JOSEPH ESTRADA Filmography 1966-1967
1966 – Bodyguard (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 6th January 1966]
Director/Writer Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ariston Avelino
Cast Joseph Estrada, Lauro Delgado, Maggie de la Riva, Patria Plata, Francisco Cruz, Dely Villanueva, Larry Silva, Ben Dato
1966 – Gintong Buddha (Virgo Film Productions/Emar Pictures)
[Release date 20th January 1966, complete title: "Paolo Stacatto At Ang Gintong Buddha"]
Director Nilo Saez Story/Screenplay Luis Enriquez Producer Joseph Estrada
Cast Eddie Rodriguez (Paolo Stacatto), Liza Moreno, Juliet Pardo, Jose Vergara, Nello Nayo, Eddie Torrente, Roberto Gonzales, Manolo Robles, Abelardo Dacer, Darmo Orbase, Dante Leynes, Bert Dumaran, Cris Cruz, Mike Lozano, Phil de Pano, Joe Sison, Gabby Paile?, Chona Delgado, Seikichi Iha, Roland Gonzales, RG Karate Boys, Commando Self-Defense Karate Boys
1966 – Alias Popeye (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 26th February 1966]
Director/Story Herminio “Butch” Bautista Screenplay Bert R. Mendoza Producer Joseph Estrada Music Mike Briones
Cast Dolphy, Panchito (Professor S.P. [Bukbok] Nat), Imelda Ilagan, Vicente Liwanag, George Estregan, Larry Silva (Bruto), Gabriel Paile, Romy Diaz, Ramon d’Salva (Dr Banashky), Etang Discher (Impong Gurang), Ben Bernal, Marco Madero, Sancho Tesalona, Bobby Ganzon, Vic Gaza, Rudy Samoy, SOS Daredevils, TNT Blasters
1966 - Totoy Bingi (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 3rd March 1966]
Director Cesar Gallardo Screenplay Johnny C. Pangilinan Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ariston Avelino
Cast Joseph Estrada, Mario Montenegro, Daisy Romualdez, Eva Montes, Renato Robles, George Estregan, Gabriel Paile
1966 - John Doe (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 1st April 1966]
Director Cesar “Chat” Gallardo Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura Music Restie Umali
Cast Joseph Estrada, Lauro Delgado, Imelda Ilanan, Leni Trinidad, Renato Robles, George Estregan, Charito Rio
1966 - Ako'y Magbabalik! (Lea Productions)
[Release date 3rd April 1966]
Director/Story Armando Garces Music F. Buencamino Jr Cinematography Conrado Baltazar
Cast Joseph Estrada, Marlene Dauden, Van de Leon, Tito Galla, Rosa Rosal, Jose Padilla Jr, Jose Garcia
1966 - Ang Babaing Ito Ay Akin (Kamagong/Emar Pictures)
[Release date 29th April 1966]
Director Armando Garces Writer Lucien Pan Producer Joseph Estrada Music F. Buencamino Jr
Cast Jun Aristorenas, George Estregan, Divina
1966 – Undercover (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 6th May 1966]
Director Cesar Gallardo Screenplay Johnny C. Pangilinan Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ariston Avelino
Cast Eddie Fernandez, Maggie de la Riva, Renato Robles, Ruby Regala, Larry Silva, Ben Dato, Romy Diaz, Jennings Sturgeon
1966 – Soliman Brothers (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 16th May 1966]
Director/Writer Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Music Restie Umali
Cast Joseph Estrada, Jess Lapid, Jun Aristorenas, Paquito Diaz, Renato Robles, Larry Silva, Avel Morado, Ben Dato, Max Alvarado, Imelda Ilanan, Gina Laforteza, Rebecca
1966 – Stowaway (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 6th June 1966]
Director/Writer Armando Garces Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ariston Avelino
Cast Joseph Estrada, Divina Valencia, Paquito Diaz, Larry Silva, Avel Morado, Ben Dato, Romy Diaz