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 Thailand about Vietnamese refugees being forced into white slavery in Thailand, loosely based on news clippings and other reports of horror stories from Thailand, shot SoF and 35mm, with a full imported Belgian crew. Eventually, we wrapped and he took it off to Belgium for post. Turned out we needed a few more scenes, which we didn't get to shoot until the winter of '89 in Belgium. When released, it had a few days of theatrical release in Belgium and went straight to video. Thus ended my illustrious film career.