Eric: Vi, what's your favorite among your Darna movies?
Vilma: Of course, it's "Lipad, Darna, Lipad" since it was my first. It was really well done. Do you have a copy of it?
Eric C:I don't have this movie either. But if I am able to find one, I'll give you a copy. How did you prepare for this movie? Did you have any special "fight training" before you started filming? I heard that Action Star Tony Ferrer guided you.
Vilma: No, there was no training on the set before filming. It wasn't Tony Ferrer who guided me but the stuntmen called SOS Daredevils.
Eric C: Did you have any difficulties with your own stunts?
Vilma:Not really. I was a bit of a tomboy in those days so I learned things quickly. Actually, there was a time when an accident occurred. I had to go and do the tumbling bitwhere the stuntman was supposed to catch me. I accidentally kicked him in the face and he got a bloody nose and had to be brought to the hospital. I, on the other hand, hit my head on a rock and got a splitting headache.
Eric C: I head that you developed a fever the first time you had a scene with snakes?
Vilma: That's true! I was terrified of the snakes the first day of shooting on a rooftop of a building in Santa Mesa. I think I kept getting fevers for a week. Then, they let me touch the snakes first before every shoot so that I could get over my fear.
Eric C: how's Celia as Valentina andGloria as Impakta?
Vilma: Celia, she's really good! And Tita Glo was so scary as Impakta, I love her so much.
Eric C:How about Liza?
Vilma: She's good too! I remember her costume that was made of sheepskin with a pair of wings. We filmed the "Babaing Lawin" episode in Antipolo.
Eric: Did you have aerial fight scenes with Liza?
Vilma: No we didn't. We fought on land..mostly in a cave. I remember my aerial fight scene with Gloria (Romero). We were standing on a stage with a dark bacground and there was a black cloth covering the half lower part of her body and there was a large electric fan in front of us.
Eric: Was there ever an origin scene where you received the magic stone with the coming of the shooting star?
Vilma: I already had the power of DARNA from the start of the movie. I only had an origin scene in "Darna Vs. the Planet Women" where the magic stone fell from the sky.
Eric C: Were you excited when the role of Darna was offered to you for the first time? Also, did you watch any of the Darna movies that came before you were offered the part?
Vilma: I saw Eva Montes' "Darna at ang babaing Tuod" at the movies and Rosa Del Rosario's Darna on TV. I also watched "Darna: Ang Pagbabalik (The Return)" on TV but don't care for it… it had bad production values. Of course, I was excited when I was offered the role of Darna. I even had to ask permission from the Nuns at my school because of Darna's 2 piece costume. Besides, there's nothing obscene about the costume because this is a Superheroine after all. But I asked advice from some fans and they were concerned that I might get criticized for being daring. This is why I wore body stockings in the promotional pics for the movie. It looked so terrible and made me look fat with body stockings. William Leary and Douglas Quijano convinced me to remove the body stockings before the Press Con. I remember changing into my Darna costume and I remember their words telling me- "Vi, the stockings look terrible so why don't you surprise all of them by not wearing them. Besides, you have the looks anyway."So there I was at the Press con without the body stockings."
Eric C: What do you think of Angel as Darna?
Vilma: She's doing great on the TV series as Darna. I do watch it and she looks great as Darna. Even the fight scenes are believable. That's because when you're Darna, you cannot be lethargic. You need to look like you can really knockdown Super-Villains.
Eric: Do you mind making a guest appearance in the Darna movie or on a TV series?
Vilma: I don't mind as long as the role is good. A long time ago, in Dolphy's Darna, I was offered the role of Darna turning over the stone to Dolphy's character. But I was pregnant (my baby namedLucky).
Eric: What other memorable experiences did you have as Darna?
Vilma: The flying scenes. That was really hard because you have to balance your body on 3 steel bars while a large electric fan in front of my face which gave me headaches after takes. I also remember the flying scene where Darna was flying towards Manila and the background music was the song - "My Beautiful Balloon". I remember the boy Angelito who played "Ding" in "Lipad, Darna, Lipad".
Eric: Were you able to take some Darna memorabilia?
Vilma: None. We returned everything to the studios.
Eric: What's the difference between the your Darna and the version today?
Vilma: Technology is much more advanced today. The harder scenes are easier to make now. Whenever I shot my scenes as Narda changing to Darna, the camera remains steady as as I get dressed in costume and return to the same spot before the transformation.
Eric C: Vilma, You have done every role already except playing "Impakta" or an "Asuwang". Would you consider playing a Darna villainess like what Gloria Romero did?
Vilma: Yikes! Do I already look like a Vampire? (Laughs out loud) Actually I starred in a Vampire movie already "Anak ng Aswang" (Vampire's Child) but I was not the Vampire. Gloria Romero played the Vampire. Actually I think that's an interesting role and I don't mind playing a Villainess as long as it's a good story.
Eric: (Jokingly) By the way Vilma, when are you surrendering the "magic stone" to me?
Vilma: (Laughs) Oh well, it's not time yet for me to give up the "magic stone" to you."
Eric: Vilma, could you do the "Darna yell" one last time?)
Vilma: We might wake up the people in this hotel. It's really late.
Eric: Please Vi. (Then Vilma gets playful with the "Darna yell")
Vilma: "Jworna!!! (makes funny expressions)Wasn't there another Actress who sounded like she was having a difficult time yelling "Darna"??
Eric C: I know the actress who did the yell that way...........AND THEN..... VILMA REALLY GOT INTO CHARACTER
Vilma:DARNA!!!!
Eric C:Hehehe I almost fainted with great joy. Imagine - I got to hear the most famous Darna of them alldo the yell... in person !!
All the Vilma Fans applauded as we all stayed up late into the early morning with the "DARNA OF ALL SEASONS" (who is still very pretty ..even without make-up)
Director Joel Lamangan Story Eddie Rodriguez, Bey Vito Screenplay Frank G. Rivera Producer William Leary Executive Producer Vic del Rosario Jr Supervising Producer Eric Cuatico Musical Director Willy Cruz Cinematography Ramon Marcelino Sound Supervision Rolly Ruta Editor Ike Jarlego Jr Assistant Director Bey Vito Associate Producer Edith Manuel Assistant to the Executive Producer Sandy Santamaria Production Designer Benjie de Guzman Costume Designer Ernest Santiago Associate Editor Marya Ignacio Production Manager Lydia de Leon
Cast Nanette Medved(Narda/Darna), Nida Blanca, Edu Manzano (Dominico Lipolico), Pilar Pilapil (Valentina), Tonton Gutierrez, Bing Loyzaga (Impakta), Dennis Padilla, Atong Redillas, Donna Cruz, Tony Lambino, Dencio Padilla, Errol Dionisio, Archi Adamos, Ray Ventura, Boy Roque, Jun Hidalgo, Jim Pebanco, Carmi Matic, Guila Alvarez, Roland Montes, Rachel Alejandro (Donna), Herbert Bautista, Manny Castaneda, Joko Diaz, Keempee de Leon, IC Mendoza, Jinky Oda, Oscar Peralta, Amy Perez, Cherrie Pie Picache, Daria Ramirez, Ricardo Reynoso, Sylvia Sanchez, Raymart Santiago, Jimmy Santos, Jeffrey Veloso, Mary Walter [IMDB also lists Vina Morales, “Anna Marie Falcon”/Francine Prieto (Young Narda), Lorli Villanueva (Darna's Mother)]
After 10 years of hibernation Darna is back ! This time vivacious Nanette Medved carried the Darna mantle.
Darna hit the second spot at the box office in the 1991 Metro Manila Film festival.
The Darna icon soldiered on as esteemed director like Joel Lamangan tried their hand at the comic book legend. The results were mixed though. Lamangan used Nanette Medved in Viva Films’ Darna (1991), but it was Valentina again who stole the thunder, thanks to Pilar Pilapil’s comic performance.
Darna was Nanette's first solo picture.In this new campy updated version of Darna our super heroine had a little costume change, her head dress was replaced by a tiara - which I don’t really like!But of course, that is just my personal opinion. Viva's version of Darna is not really my cup of tea. Don't get me wrong, I just thought they can do better.
18 years of beauty rest Darna's number one arch enemy Valentina also made her comeback.The man eater Valentina was humorously played by one of the finest actresses of Philippine cinema Pilar Pilapil.
Another comeback queen is Babaing Impakta essayed by Bing Loyzaga.The flying vampire was also played by the veteran actress Gloria Romero in Lipad, Darna, Lipad.
Dominico Lipolico, a new villain was introduced in this movie played by Edu Manzano.
The movie started somewhere in South America.A group of treasure hunters lead byDomico found a cave full of treasures of golds and precious gem stones.Not wanting to share the good fortune, the greedy Dominico killed his men.Soon after, a voice of the devil that sounds like Ben David echoed in the cave.He told Dominico that he found the most powerful possesion of the darkness, a powerful necklace that will give him super powers, eternal youth, fame and fortune. In exchange of this, Dominico must spread demonism in South East Asia, starting in the Philippines.
As the story continues, a young Narda and Dong yes, a new brother of Narda, was introduced in the movie. She now have two brothers Ding and Dong.Don't their names sound like a door bell?I don't get why would they have to introduce a new brother?The character of Dong is really not that important in the story and did not make such a difference in the movie.
In the meantime, Dominico teamed up with Valentina and Babaing Impakta to spread evil.Of course, Darna after getting caught by her villains and almost turned her into one of them did her best to stop Dominico and his allies.I really enjoyed Pilar Pilapil comedic performance of Valentina and her snake puppet side kick Vibora voiced over by Ruby Rodriguez.It was really hilariously funny, at least to me.This come back movie of Darna doesn't have much to offer, some scenes are re-created from Lipad, Darna, Lipad.I also noticed Nanette keeps on posing with her hands on her hips you know, that typical superhero pose. It seems like she is always ready to have her picture taken.The people behind this movie should have given Nanette some time to have more training for her fight scenes to make her portrayal of Darna more believable.And also, what was the deal with her deflecting bullets with her bracelets?It reminds me of my other favorite super heroine who flies an invisible jet.To top it all I am so annoyed by that over acting police man.
The special effects were not that good either to think that it was made in the 90's.In fairness to Joel Lamangan, he is one of the finest local directors in the Philippine cinema can offer.Maybe because Darna was Joel first major movie to handle and fantasy adventure is not his area.
Jun Raquiza's Zuma (Cine Suerte, Inc., 1985) is a filmic take on the macabre set against the spectra of myth. Raquiza presumably resorts to hybridization to underscore the fact that no one paradigm governs how subjectification come to tentative resolutions. The screenplay places Zuma (Max Laurel) in the center of a murderous rampage after being unearthed by an archeological expedition led by Phillip (Mark Gil) and Isabel (Dang Cecilio). Zuma takes a bride, Galela (Racquel Monteza), a madwoman who bore him Galema (Snooky Serna). Her valiant search for Zuma decisively compels her to appropriate strategies, which, while these may excise the demonic curse, place her on new grounds of containment. It is interesting to note how Galema shifts her practice from the clandestine acts of killing, which substantially threaten the conventions of social cohesion, to the assumption of the public role of woman. Such a shift informs much of the ambivalence sustaining the destiny of a social subject who must straddle multiple positions in private and public spheres, as monster, woman, heroine, villainess. The possibilities of creation within the constraints of gender and class relations nourish the terrain in which Zuma takes root, foregrounding the capacities of horror in discussing the ambivalent discourses involved in the construction of modern women and their specific situations.
Zuma attains a degree of difficulty and therefore solicits significant artistic interest. It is interesting because it is sensitive to dimensions. A story of a demigod entombed in an aztec pyramid that shocks a couple of archaeologists out of their wits is only one dimension. For around this plot is the real history that is repressed by a seemingly comfortable order. It is the tale of the son of an Aztec serpent God who rips out and eats the hearts of young women. It is this sediment of life that is embodied in this ancient architecture, which is represented not in realistic terms but but in terms that prompt the moviegoer to construe it as a nightmare, a hell into which the innocent is lured, an irrational and impossible place which could only be made contingent on fiction to render it necessarily real. It is this real that differs from the lives of Phillip and Isabel represented luminously by the poreless and seemingly vacant face of Mark Gil and the cluelessness of Dang Cecilio. This sort of reality is vexed until the protagonist is faced with the horror of making a decision to face the creature. That the daughter, the specter of history persist to haunt the apopleptic couple deepens Zuma's dimension. The film is able to maximize the creative powers of Philippine cinema and culture by infusing powerful metaphors and allegories into the concept of blood ties as site of struggle. Zuma vividly translates into film medium, these distillations, produce a mise-en-scene and a rhythm momentum that hack the imperatives of social contestations which, because intelligently horrific, is very cinematic.
I was drawn in by the sight of the title character in pictures. He's a tall bald guy with a snake on either shoulder (or is it a two headed snake wrapped around his shoulders?) Sometimes I should just not be so curious.
The plot has some people discovering a buried pyramid. A group of them go into explore. A woman in the group, off on her own sees something get out of a crypt and leave the pyramid. When the group investigates they find nothing, only bodies outside. Soon after this Zuma, the guy from the crypt and who is a tall bald green guy with really big snakes on his shoulders, comes across a camping couple. He sets poisonous snakes on the man and then rapes and makes a slave of the woman. Bodies begin to pile up as the woman and Zuma, sporting a trench coat and a very large straw hat begin to eat their way across the country side. Zuma is captured and the woman is thrown in to prison. The military not standing on ceremony locks the green man in a cage and then fires several hundred rounds from a machine gun at him. When that doesn't work, they blast him with cannon fire and end up burying him in an avalanche. Where most movies would fade out at that point Zuma is only getting started, its only been 35 minutes and there is still 90 more to go.
Truly one of the wildest movies I've ever seen, this is is a long movie that never seems to end. Zuma returns, there's a child, years pass and we get to see one of the worst wigs in movie history. Its a dense, often talky movie that wears out its welcome after a short time. As I watched this I kept hoping that there would be a commercial or two to break up he monotony. I'm completely unfamiliar with the comic its based upon, but I'm forced to wonder if it was really necessary to compress the entire run into 125 minutes.
Zuma has an interesting look. The snakes on his shoulders are clearly mechanical, however considering when and where tit was done its actually quite good.
Over all this is not something you really want to waste your time on. If you run across it take a pass. If you really must see Zuma in action then see if you can find the trailer on line or if you can talk your way into borrowing it from some sucker who owns a copy.
1994 - Darna Ang Pagbabalik/“Darna The Return” (Viva Family Entertainment)
[Release date 9th June 1994]
Directors/Writers Peque Gallaga, Lore Reyes Executive Producer Vic del Rosario Jr Associate Producer Teddy del Rosario Managing Producer Ricky del Rosario Musical Director Archie Castillo Supervising Producer Fred Samantela Art Direction Juliet Nanola Fetalve Editor Danny Gloria Visual Effects Monching Reyes Crew and Equipment Coordinator Oli Laperal Jr Production Manager Pong de Leon First Assistant Director Jerome Pobocan Second Assistant Director/Casting Director Jerry Lopez Sineneng Stunt Director Boy Salvador Prosthetics Supervisor Benny Batoctoy
Gallaga’s Darna: Ang Pagbabalik (1994) was technically polished and Anjanette Abayari looked sensational in the revealing Darna costume; yet as a Darna movie (and a Gallaga film), it wasn’t memorable.
Fearless Anjanette essayed the role of Darna almost perfectly, without using a stunt double.For the fourth time aging reptilian, Valentina returns with Valentine and Magnum, her kids. Their mission is to get Narda's magical stone so Valentina can have her youth back.Her son made Narda fall in love with him so they can easily get what they want.
A volcanic eruption in the country side forces a number of families to abandon their homes in Talisay and seek refuge in Manila.Young country girl Narda leads a secret double life as the crime figthing Darna and cantrasforms back and forth between this two personas byyelling out either "Narda" or "Darna".While trying to find her grandmother and little brother Ding, Narda is viciously struck upside the head and her magical stone that furnishes her power is stolen.The culprit is Valentine Adan, a tele evangelist who claims that only she can protect the city from an advancing lahar ( volcanic mud flow)and will save those who have pledge their undying devotion to her.Valentine’s dark intentions become more and more aparent and Narda discovers that the woman is actually the daughter of Valentina, Darna's arch enemy.Ding is able to recover the magical stone allowing his sister to transform back into Darna and in the ensuing chaos the aged Valentina is injured and reveals her true form.Like her mother Valentine is actually a gorgon concealing the snakes on her head beneath a bathing cap like hat (turban) before the inevitable face off with Valentine, Darna gains a new ally when she helps police lieutenant Max Ablan ( Edu Manzano) foil a bank robber and later, a kidnapping perpetrated mob boss Magnum (Bong Alvarez).The crime lord manages to escape in both instances, and is actually playing a key role in Valentines plans.She also has another clandestine operative, who ischarged with making sure that Darna is helpless to protect Manila from the rapidly approaching lahar.
The movie showed some improvements in special effects.I am trying to be fair about giving my comments but, Peque Gallaga and his co-director used numerous slow motions that I thought is not relevant in some scenes.The flying scenes are accomplished with atrocious blue screen rear projection and cel animation, while the bladder and morphing FX utilized for the monsters are equally quaint.Althought it occationally deliverstheserial-style thrills one expects from this genre, the screenplay is episodic and the proceeding are too slacky paced. They shouldalso have revised the storyline like how Narda lost her memory and acted silly in almost half of the movie.It was a waste of time and negatives.I almost fell asleep waiting for Darna to show up again.
Cherrie Gil was great as Valentine.The only problem is her snake wig looks so fake they were not moving at all.And what's up with Valentine's allies?Why do they keep leaving their necklaces at the scene of the crime? It was not explained in the movie.If Valentine only wants Narda's magical stone she could had easily killed her when she had the chance.In the early part of the movie one of Valentine's followers hit Narda on the head that caused her memory loss and stole the magical stone.And when Valentine's car accidentally hit Narda and they came face to face, why didn't she recognize her? These are just some of the loop holes of the movie that I thought would have been easily spotted.I know that our local film makers can make such agreat version of the next Darna, they just have to review the script carefully and give her more fight scenes and powerful enemies.And stop making Darna deflecting bullets because she is not vulnurable to any man made weapons. There also was a scene where Valentine hit Darna with a TV antenna and actually made her bleed.It does not make sense at all.Darna The Return, showed potential on making decent special effects. And one more thing - STOP changing Darna'scostume we almost didn't recognized her.
DARNA ANG PAGBABALIK aka DARNA THE RETURN is a wacky Filipino superhero film from the early 1990s. It's filled with cheap special effects, poorly choreographed fights, decent enough looking latex creatures, blunt hack-job editing and only serviceable cinematography and acting. It's also completely fascinating and totally entertaining. Darna is kind of a Filipino Wonder Woman rip with a dash of Captain Marvel (you know: "Shazam!") and this is the second and final(?) film in the series. I haven't seen the first, but here's what I can make out about the series from this film.
Darna is Narda, a young, pretty and rather *ahem* busty young girl who when she swallows a magic pearl (I'm not making that up I swear!) and yells "Darna!" becomes, well yes, Darna, a flying , eye-laser-beam shooting, bikini-wearing superheroine out to defend poor Filipinos from bizarre supernatural villains, corrupt industrialists and rampant natural disasters. It's the rampant natural disasters that are featured prominently in this feature. Narda/ Darna's village is destroyed by a flood which displaces her family to the slums of Manila. Even worse, during the disaster Darna loses her Magic Pearl! It's been stolen by Valentina (or something), Darna's medusa-headed archfoe who needs the pearl to keep her medusa-headed mother alive (or something). She also happens to be attempting to take over the Philipines by sending out subliminal messages through the television, which is slowly winning the populace over to her weird, new age-y cult thing. Narda's mother falls for it.
Eventually Narda gets her pearl back, falls in love with two men, one a cop with a secret and the other her cousin (!?!) and it all ends with some wonderfully inexpensive special effects, silly fights (the ultimate showdown reminded me of a BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER episode at about 1/3 the production cost)and some sentimental exposition. It's all pretty weird and well, y'know, foreign. But it keeps up a terrific pace, with a constant barrage of cheesy fantasy and fighting. The inept film-making, acting and (on the DVD I viewed anyway) really horrible subtitling only enhances the bizarre spectacle of the whole thing. Go forth and find it, now!
ON THE SET OF PEQUE GALLAGA'S VIRGIN FORESTby Uro Q. Dela Cruz (from his blog)
Finally found an envelope inserted in the pages of an old coffee table book at home. Inside the envelopes are negatives from 1985. They were pictures I took during the shoot of “VirginForest” in Atimonan, Quezon. Peque Gallaga directed the film, I wrote the screenplay and the great Mang Carding Balthazar was the cinematographer.
Here is an article I wrote when Peque received his Gawad CCP 2 years ago:
I first heard the name Gallaga after watching a scene where this mestizo character that I have not seen before in all my years watching Pilipino movies was gunned down in Mario O’Hara’s TatlongTaong Walang Diyos. I thought, he is probably from the same theatre community where actors like Burgoses, Rochas, came from. I did not see him again in other films after that. I learned that he was doing production design for Ishmael Bernal for whom I was developing several scripts. But we never met, until he came to the office where I was working to offer me a chance to be an alternate to one of the actors in Oro Plata Mata, his winning ECP entry, for which he was casting at the time. My brother Abbo had been cast a week ago and I wondered why he was asking me –furthermore, I had not appeared in any movie before and I had no intention to be an actor. He convinced me to have a costume fitting at his house. Production designer Don Escudero chose a soldier’s uniform for me and put a tag on it with my name. I started to have stage fright. The actor who was originally chosen to play the role was having difficulty deciding whether to accept the role until the last moment, exactly on the night before everybody involved in the movie was to fly to Bacolod.
As they flew to the jungles of Bacolod, I was left in Manila with nothing but an hecho derecho measurement, courtesy of Don Escudero.
I tried to forget about the whole incident.
And then, in December 1982, the movie was premiered at the FilmCenter.
From the moment the first bar of Oro Plata Mata’s theme music was heard at the opening sequence until it faded at the end of act one, almost everybody watching its gala premiere 21 years ago was convinced that they were a part of a historic event. That first act alone hinted that it was the end of Philippine cinema as we knew it. It was almost perfect in its blend of cinematic elements –the balance of cinematography, music and sound --brave dramatization of scenes, fresh delineation of characters, irreverent handling of serious issues, and unblinking presentation of choreographed violence never before seen in Pilipino movies. A few critics and film makers who were seated next to me were turned off by the violence and thought that they were the weakest points of the movie. They seemed to have forgotten that they were watching a movie about war. Younger viewers liked it very much and even hinted that maybe, a new age, a renaissance of local cinema was at hand.
Unfortunately, the film spearheaded no such movement. But it started building a body of work from one who will prove to be the most innovative, idiosyncratic, and intelligent Filipino filmmakers. After just one film, he earned the honor to use the tagline “A Peque Gallaga Film”.
I met him again because somehow, he got a copy of one of the scripts I was developing and he offered to option it as his next project. But I promised it earlier to another director. He seemed disappointed.
I saw him next a year later, while Abbo de la Cruz was shooting Misteryo sa Tuwa (another ECP winner) in MountBanahaw. I was helping out as crowd director and Peque was playing the part of a dead plane crash victim. During lulls in the shooting, we talked and began to know each other. He loved to play games and rode a bicycle around the narrow streets of Lucban. At first, it was hard to reconcile the idea that this person just made one of the greatest films in recent years, and he was playing practical jokes on the set.
Three months after Misteryo wrapped, I found myself working on the script of one third of the first Shake Rattle and Roll series. Meanwhile, Peque was pitching a project to Lily Monteverde, and there was still no word about it. At that time, all the major movie directors were doing sex oriented movies for special screenings at the FilmCenter. As expected, our proposed project was of the same mold.
Shake Rattle and Roll which was available in the meantime turned out to be relatively an easy shoot. We finished it in just a week. Being a newcomer and an “outsider” to Peque’s closely knit staff (all Oro Plata Mata veterans), I did not have the chance to learn how he really worked. I knew that I was only invited to be with them on location so that I can be consulted on the script when needed.
After the release of Shake Rattle and Roll, Peque called to announce that Regal Films was interested in our turn-of-the-century project.
It was during the making ofVirginForest, that I learned about the serious side of Peque Gallaga. When he talked about the script, he was all business. Early at that stage, he would talk about how the scoring should be, what filters to use on the lenses –he called the cinematographer to ask his opinion, took a note of that, scheduled the test shoot of Sarsi Emmanuel, arranges for the acting workshop of Pen Medina, new comer Abel Jurado and the stuntmen who would play the Macabebe soldiers. He asked me to prepare scenes to be worked out with the actors during the workshop. (At that time, making actors undergo acting workshops is unheard of. Peque believed that actors must approach a project prepared. In other productions, directors were expected to bully unprepared actors to bring out their best! ) Peque went over period photographs with Don Escudero to finalize production and costume design. These were compared with photographs from the location hunting. And amidst all these, he was preparing for a meeting with Mother Lily in the evening. It was common belief that Oro Plata Mata turned out to be a good movie because ECP gave Peque everything he needed. People looking in thought Oro Plata Mata was good only because it was expensive. With this next project, he would be dealing with Mother Lily, a real producer. VirginForest was to be Peque’s first “pelikulang Tagalog”. The producer’s requirement was basic: it had to star Sarsi Emmanuel and Miguel Rodriguez. And even if it was about the capture of Emilio Aguinaldo, its title must be “VirginForest”.
Mother Lily finally gave the go signal.
In the next few days, the staff and crew invaded Atimonan beach. Two villages had to be built, one at the edge of a forest, and another near a creek. Several camp sites to be identified within the forest itself. A launch would have to be rigged to look like the ones plying the Tayabas shoreline at the turn of the century.
Peque ran a tight ship. With his staff, he made sure that a judicious schedule is formulated. Everything else is bound to that. It was almost like religion. Every department made sure that no delay occurred in the delivery of every requirement. The training they learned from Oro was applied here once again.
Two days before actual shoot, we sat in a hut in Atimonan beach and he made me read each line of dialogue from the script. He wanted to make sure that he understood them the way I did. And in the next few days, I would see the Peque Gallaga ritual that set him apart from the other directors I have worked with before.
Under the huge trees or at the edge of a brook in QuezonMemorial Park, a protected forest, Peque would sit in his director!s chair and meticulously break down the scene to be shot that day. In his tiny hand writing, he would make a shot list, each entry was preceded with a symbol signifying camera angle and general orientation. Lines of dialogue were cut into fragments that fit into his planned edited version of the scene. And he was set to go.
The actors arrived in the set prepared. Scenes were rehearsed. And then, the fun began. He was most active right before the cameras rolled --making final checks on the costumes, looking out for colors that don’t seem to belong, creatively disarranging things that seemed too ordered, adding an item that looked interesting and intriguing, giving his actors suggestions, reminding them of a moment discovered during the workshop. It all went well that first day. And at the end of the day, I caught him humming an Ilonggo ditty. On other days, it would be a Tom Waits song.
Also, after that first day, I banished my initial image of Peque Gallaga the mad genius whom I initially imagined to be a painter frenetically throwing gobs of paint on a canvas until something that pleases him came out. Peque distrusted artistic accidents. But he welcomed surprises especially from actors who, inspired by the moment, managed to bring out something beyond what was asked of them as in the massacre scene at Aguinaldos’s camp --a marching band drummer reacted by throwing his drum, after an American soldier fired a gun at him.
During the whole shooting of VirginForest, he would always be humming a song on the way back to the base camp.
After watching the finished film for the first time, Peque told me that Mother Lily could not believe that that was the movie she produced.
Aside from Virgin Forest and 1/3 of Shake Rattle and Roll, I wrote 3 more movies for Peque Gallaga -- Scorpio Nights, Unfaithful Wife and Once Upon a Time.
He kept his dedicated staff and crew that whole time. And making movies with that community of what we fondly called “the cultural sakadas” was almost not work. I suspected that what kept it going was actually beyond creative passion, it was like a curse which you had to feed and live with.
After about three years of movie making, the tagline “A Peque Gallaga Film could easily be (as it has always been) mistaken to mean movies with torrid love scenes, violence, rough language and gruesome creatures. But only people who set out looking for them made these mistakes. For his real followers, the tagline meant an experience not easily found in other films.
Peque treated all his films with equal care and attention. He made sure that the audience was not cheated and insulted. A horror movie went through the same preparations as did his action dramas. The performances were kept authentic and honest. Care was equally given to technical requirements and art direction. The phrase “pwede na ‘yan” was banned in Peque’s movie set.
Television lured me away from the movies.
I met Peque after more than 10 years since writing Once Upon a Time. Over the years, a few of Peque’s films had been invited to be shown at international film festivals, from San Francisco, Tokyo, Shanghai, France and Canada. In 1995 during a special retrospective of Scorpio Nights in Toronto, Canada, the late David Overbey who was a festival programmer challenged Peque Gallaga to do a Scorpio Nights for the 90’s. I found myself writing Diliryo and working with Gallaga again.
Like a movie gunfighter, he carved a notch on the arm rest of the director’s chair after he finished a movie. Now, it is easy to look at it as a private reminder of personal achievement. But if making film is a curse bestowed on him at the start of his career, the notches can also be seen as a prisoner’s reminder of his time inside a jail he does not wish to get out of.
A lot of people (all cursed) who worked with Peque Gallaga either as Assistant Director, Production Designer, and Scriptwriter have become film directors themselves. They may have learned a thing or two from Peque, the way he admitted learning from Ishmael Bernal (“not how to direct, but how to be a director”), but that is inevitable because Peque is a good teacher. He does not keep what he knows to himself, and always acknowledges lessons he has learned from you and things he has discovered with you during the process of making a film. He always calls to ask your consent whenever he feels that something you have talked about a long time ago could be used in a project he is working on. Decency like this is rare in an industry famous for all sorts of aberration.
I only write scripts for three directors, each of them my personal choice. Peque Gallaga is on top of that list. Even if I had been directing my own movies, for Peque Gallaga, I will always be honored to be his scriptwriter.
It is unfortunate and sad that the Filipino film industry cannot sustain the continuing creative energy of filmmakers like Peque Gallaga who, I believe, still has a number of films waiting to be broken down into a list of camera set-ups and entered by hand into his clipboard. And I am sure there is still enough space for several notches on the armrest of his director’s chair.
Director Augusto Buenaventura Writers Augusto Buenaventura, Carlos Empaynado Producer Joseph Estrada Cinematography Fredy Conde Music Ernani Cuenco
Cast Joseph Estrada, Rosemarie Gil, Paquito Diaz
1970 – Sebastian(Emar Pictures)
[Release date 7th June 1970]
Director Augusto Buenaventura Screenplay Bert Mendoza Producer Joseph Estrada Cinematography Fredy Conde Music Mike Briones
Cast Joseph Estrada, Jeanne Young, Rocco Montalban
1970 - Areglado Boss(Emar Pictures)
[Release date 23rd August 1970]
Director Augusto Buenaventura Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Fredy Conde
Cast Joseph Estrada, Pilar Pilapil, Jerry Pons, Elizabeth Ramsay
1970 - Padre Pugante (FPJ Productions)
[Release date 29th November 1970]
Director Armando Herrera Producer Fernando Poe Jr Music Restie Umali
Cast Joseph Estrada, Paquito Diaz, Rebecca, Lito Anzures, Victor Bravo, Avel Morado, Ruel Vernal
1970 - Psycho Sex Killer(Emar Pictures)
[Release date 9th December 1970]
Director/Writer Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Cinematography Fredy Conde Music Ernani Cuenco
Cast Stella Suarez, George Estregan, Linda Martin, Liza Vergara, Cherry Gonzalez, Ruben Rustia, Angelo Ventura, Romy Diaz, Johnny Monteiro, Raquel
1971 – Udyok(Emar Pictures)
[Release date 25th January 1971]
Director/Story Armando A. Herrera Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco
Cast George Estregan, Eddie Garcia, Imelda Ilanan, Rosanna Ortiz, Romy Diaz, Avel Morado
1971 - Hukom Bitay (Transasia Productions)
[Release date 15th March 1971]
Director/Producer Arsenio “Boots” Bautista Screenplay Edgar M. Reyes, Arceo F. Masangkay Music Restie Umali Cinematography Avelino Peralta
Cast Joseph Estrada, Imelda Ilanan, Jerry Lerma, Geraldine, Renato Robles, Bobby Velarde, Jun Esguerra, Eva Darren, Joe Sison, Anita Linda, Patricia Mijares, Angel Ventura, Avel Morado, Jess Lee, Leo Ver, Daisy Darren, Cherry Gonzales, Rosa Rodriguez, Sarah Fernandez, Tony Montano, Jess d’Aguilar Gloria Wong, Jimmy Hipolito, SOS Daredevils
1971 - Valentin Walis(Emar Pictures)
[Release date 26th April 1971]
Director Armando A. Herrera Screenplay Bert Mendoza Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco
Cast Joseph Estrada, Mary Ann Murphy, Paquito Diaz, Angelo Ventura, Ding Salvador
1971 – Digmaan Ng Mga Angkan(FPJ Productions)
[Release date 5th June 1971]
Director Pablo Santiago Producer Fernando Poe Jr Music Restie Umali
Cast Fernando Poe Jr, Joseph Estrada, Pilar Pilapil, Rosanna Ortiz, Leopoldo Salcedo, Jose Padilla Jr
1971 - Durog (Emar Pictures)
[Release date 11th December 1971]
Director/Writer Armando A. Herrera Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Narciso Magcalas
Cast George Estregan, Romy Diaz, Alona Alegre, Angelo Ventura, June Keithly, Pinky Gomez, Monette Veloso, Marilou Matti
1971 - Apat Na Patak Ng Dugo Ni Adan/“Four Drops Of Adam’s Blood” (Roda Films)
[Release date 25th December 1971]
Director Pablo Santiago Story Armando De Guzman Screenplay Tommy C. David Producer R.T.L.Music Pablo Vergara Cinematography Jose Batac Jr Editors Segundo Ramos, Rene Tala Makeup Artist Eddie Valeriano Production Manager Tony Cruz Assistant Director Boy Pineda Layout Artist Nestor A. Balzano Soundman Domingo de Dios Sound Engineer Flaviano Villareal Props/Special Effects Danny Torrente, Totoy Torrente Assistant Camera Rudy Quijano Color Consultant Romy Fornoles Laboratory Mauro Nanale Laboratory Technician Pacifico Torreda Liaison Officer Manding Herrera Laboratory Consultant Joe Reyes
Cast Joseph Estrada, Zaldy Zshornack, Roberto Gonzalez, Vic Vargas, Leopoldo Salcedo, Rosemarie Gil, Van De Leon, Dencio Padilla, Jose Garcia, Rocco Montalban, Avel Morado, Ruben Ramos, Rudy Meyer, Jun Santos, Romy Nario, Fil Lizarondo, Manding Riño, Mandy Bustamante, George Fernandez, Roger Saulog, Ponching Estopa, Beth Espiritu, Jean Villar, Fe Villar, Melda Fernandez, Nestor Brillantes, Flor Hemady, SOS Daredevils, T.N.T. Stuntmen, The R.G. Boys
1972 – Sukdulan(Emar Pictures)
[Release date unknown, possibly January 1972]
Director Armando Garces Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Narcisco Magcalas
Cast George Estregan, Rosemarie Gil, Eddie Garcia, Cristina Reyes, Perla Bautista
1972 - Okey Ka, Erap (JE Productions)
[Release date 31st January 1972]
Director/Writer Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco
Cast Joseph Estrada, Boots Anson-Roa, Ruben Rustia, Veronica Palileo
1972 – Magiting At Pusakal(JE Productions)
[Release date 15th April 1972]
Director/Writer Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Fermin Pagsisihan
Cast Fernando Poe Jr, Joseph Estrada, Rosanna Ortiz, Jeanne Young, Ruben Rustia, Angel Ventura, Jesse Lee, Jun Mariano, Ruel Vernal, Avel Morado
1972 - Kill The Pushers(JE Productions)
[Release date 25th August 1972]
Director/Writer Augusto BuenaventuraProducer Joseph Estrada Cinematography Fermin Pagsisihan Music Ernani Cuenco Sound Angel Avellana
Cast Joseph Estrada, Pilar Pilapil, Rosemarie Gil, Vic Silayan, Ruben Rustia, Romeo Rivera, Ruel Vernal, Zenaida Amador, Resty Sandel, Subas Herrero, Jesse Lee, John Alexander, Carpi Asturias, Robert Talby, Ding Salvador, Jun Mariano
WINNER: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Sound (FilipinoAcademy of Movie Arts and Sciences)
1972 - Tatay Na Si Erap (JE Productions)
[Release date 21st October 1972]
Director Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco
Cast Joseph Estrada, Boots Anson-Roa, Ely Roque
WINNER: Best Actress for Boots Anson-Roa (FilipinoAcademy of Movie Arts and Sciences)
1972 - Blood Compact(Roda Films)
[Release date 22nd October 1972]
Director Pablo Santiago Screenplay Tony Serrano Music D’Amarillo Cinematography Alfonso Alvarez
Cast Joseph Estrada, George Estregan, Pugo, Jean Altavas, June Keithley, Fe Galvez, Pedro Faustino, Francisco Cruz, Mary Walter, Conchita Cruz, Mitas Gutierrez, Dondon Nacar, Bernard Calaguas, Van de Leon, Joe Garcia, Ding Salvador, Vic Varrion, Manding Rinio, Er “Canton” Salazar, Nestor Brillantes, Ely Angeles, Roger Saulog, Rudy N. Meyer
1973 – Panic! (JE Productions)
[Release date 1st February 1973]
Director/Writer Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Cinematography Fredy Conde Music Ernani Cuenco
Director/Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura Producer Joseph Estrada Cinematography Fredy Conde Music Ernani Cuenco
Cast Joseph Estrada, Nora Aunor, Cachupoy, Vic Silayan, Ruben Rustia, Romeo Rivera, Ely Roque, Jesse Lee, Tony Gosalvez, Jun Mariano, Subas Herrero
1973 – Ang Agila At Ang Araw(FPJ Productions)
[Release date 18th June 1973]
Director “Ronwaldo Reyes”/Fernando Poe Jr Writers Prudenco Malang?, Fred Navarro Producer Fernando Poe Jr Music Restie Umali Cinematography Sergio Lobo
Cast Fernando Poe Jr, Joseph Estrada, Boots Anson Roa, Marissa Delgado, Paquito Diaz, Romy Diaz, Max Alvarado, Lito Anzures, Dencio Padilla, Ruel Vernal, Nello Nayo, Vic Varrion, Resty Sandel, Paquito Salcedo
1973 – Dragnet (JE Productions)
[Release date 20th August 1973]
Director Armando Garces Screenplay R.H. Laurel Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Fredy Conde
Cast Joseph Estrada, Eva Reyes, Tsing Tong Tsai, Grace Chua, Vic Silayan, Romy Diaz, Ruben Rustia, Subas Herrero, Angelo Ventura, Jesse Lee, Philip Coo, Nestor Escano, Ernesto Chan Chiabee, Mary Q. Dy
1973 - Wonder Vi(JE Productions)
[Release date 30th September 1973]
Director Arsenio Bautista Screenplay Romeo N. Galang Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Fredy Conde
Director Cesar “Chat” Gallardo Screenplay Nestor U. Torre Jr
Cast Joseph Estrada, Boots Anson-Roa
1973 - Kung Fu Showdown (JE Productions)
[Release date 20th December 1973]
Director Armando Garces Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Fredy Conde
Cast Harry So, Eva Linda, Tan Chia Bee, Miriam Samson
1974 – Ransom!(JE Productions)
[Release date 22nd February 1974]
Director Cesar “Chat” Gallardo Story/Screenplay Nestor Torre Producer Joseph Estrada Cinematography Fredy Conde Music Ernani Cuenco
Cast Joseph Estrada, Helen Gamboa, Eddie Garcia, Dindo Fernando, Rosanna Ortiz, Vic Salayan, Anita Linda, Romeo Rivera, Aileen Samson, Angelo Ventura, Roberto Talabis, Jose Garcia, Ruel Vernal, Ding Salvador, Jon Jon Salvador, Romy Layco, Jimmy Morales, Bobby Landicho, Tony Medel, Robert Talby, Vic Varrion, Belo Borja, Marilou Esteban, Marco Madero, Manny Tibayan, Arturo Moran, Bobby Sevilla, Efren Eustaquio, Frank Puzon, Cesar de la Fuente
1974 - Tama Na, Erap(JE Productions)
[Release date 24th June 1974]
Director Cesar “Chat” Gallardo Writer Nestor U. Torre Jr Producer Joseph Estrada Cinematography Fredy Conde Music Ernani Cuenco
Cast Joseph Estrada, Boots Anson-Roa, Cristina Reyes, Baby O’Brien, Romeo Rivera, Jun Mariano
1974 – The Manila Connection(JE Productions)
[Release date 13th October 1974]
Director Cesar Gallardo Story/Screenplay Antonio S. Mortel Producer Joseph Estrada Cinematography Fredy Conde Music Ernani Cuenco
Cast Joseph Estrada, Rosemarie, George Estregan, Anna Gonzales, Paquito Diaz, Leopoldo Salcedo, Ken Metcalfe, Mark Lebuse, John Plater, Vic Silayan, Anita Linda, Carlos Padilla Jr, Ruben Rustia, Philip Coo, Marian Samson, Danny Crisologo, Jun Mariano, Robert Talby, Avel Morado, Marco Madero, Bert Salvador, Romy Laygo, Robert Miller, SOS Daredevils
1974 - King Khayam And I(Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)
[Release date 30th November 1974]
Director Cesar Gallardo Story/Screenplay Nestor U. Torre Jr Cinematography Fredy Conde Music Restie Umali
Cast Joseph Estrada, Vilma Santos, Rod Navarro, Marissa Delgado, Lucita Soriano, Rossana Marquez, Lorli Villanueva, Ike Lozada, Anita Linda, Ruben Rustia, Greg Lozano, Jose Villafranca, Rudy Manlapaz, Avel Morado, Romy Nario, Robert Talby, Arturo Moran, Robert Miller, Delia Victorino, Carmen Romasanta, Elizabeth Vaughn, SOS Daredevils, Dondon Nakar, Winnie Santos, Princess, Big 3 Sullivans, Metring David, Bayani Casimiro, Mary Walter, Ronald Rei, Boy Marco
[A Hong Kong production filmed in the Philippines; released in France as “Au Pays De La Magie Noire”]
Directors/Screenplay “Tommy Loo-Chun”/Chin-Ku Lu, To Man Po Producer Chang Tsung Lung Music Wong Chu YenEditor Yu Sheung Makeup Mok Wai Hong Production Manager Peter Chen Lau Production Supervisor Wong Chen Yen Assistant Director Cho Kin Martial Arts Perter [Peter?] Chan Lau Lighting Technician Lau Piu Chung Camera Operator Simmy Wong
Cast Jason Pai Piao, Pinky de Leon, Peter Chen Lau, Tan Chia Bee, Mong Hu, Woung Eune En, Nam Soon Joung, Hwang Kun Chi, Choi Mu Ung, Roger Cooquia, Vic Silayan, Philip Coo
When his uncle's plane crashes somewhere in the jungles of Borneo, nephew Lin Wen Ying (Jason Pai Piau; BRUTAL SORCERY - 1986) flies to Borneo by helicopter, grabs a few native guides and heads into the jungle to search for his uncle, who was carrying a fortune in jewels on the plane. They run into a tribe of lepers and the guides run away in fear, forcing Lin Wen Ying to kill a few of the attacking lepers with his shotgun. It turns out that their leprosy was caused by a magic curse put on them by high priest Abdullah and only death by an outsider will release the curse (One of the dying lepers reverts back to his normal human form, tells Lin Wen Ying the whole story and then begs for one final shotgun blast to finish him off, which Lin obliges). Abdullah is the high priest of the Snake Tribe, who periodically sacrifice nubile young virgins to the Snake God, while their priestess, Filona (Pinky DeLeon), watches unapprovingly. Abdullah has the hots for virgin tribal girl Sophia and when he sees that she is about to lose her cherry to tribe member Chow Ming, he performs a magic ritual where Sophia turns into a vampire and bites off Chow Ming's penis, killing him (Just as she bites it off, the camera switches to a tribe member peeping on the couple as he bites into a banana!). Lin Wen Ying witnesses Sophia committing suicide after waking up from her trance and seeing what she has done, so he runs over to her and all she says is "Abdullah!" before she dies (To which Lin replies, "Him again?"). When Lin asks members of the Snake Tribe if they have seen his uncle and the jewels, he gets an arrow in his shoulder for his troubles. He escapes and is found unconscious by Filona and some handmaidens (who we see frolicking buck-naked in a pond with some surprising full-frontal nudity), she nurses him back to health and they fall in love. Now here is where it gets weird. Filona tells Lin that the Snake Tribe witnessed his uncle's plane crash and Abdullah stole the jewels from his uncle's corpse. Filona, who doesn't approve of Abdullah's magic or his virgin sacrifices, shields Lin from Abdullah, but once Abdullah finds out Filona is in love with Lin, he fashions a voodoo doll from Lin's pillowcase (!) and puts a magic curse on him, which Filona counters using her magic powers. Lin leaves the jungle and promises to come back, but just to make sure he does, Filona puts a magic curse on his lips, telling him if he kisses any other girls while he is away, they will die a horrible death and he must return to the jungle within a year to marry her. This leads to a whole lot of trouble for Lin once he returns to civilization and it's best left to the viewers to witness for themselves. Needless to say, Lin forgets about his promise to Filona rather quickly (What do you want? He's a man!), which leads to death, destruction and plenty of snakes. Will Lin learn to keep it in his pants before more women meet their maker in horrible fashions?
This Hong Kong Production, co-directed and co-written by Tommy Loo-Chung (actually Lu Chin Ku; THE BLACK DRAGON [1974] and TIGER OVER WALL [1980]) and To Man Po (a.k.a. "Lee Tso Nam"; EXIT THE DRAGON, ENTER THE TIGER [1976] and THE TATTOO CONNECTION [1978]), is a crazy combination of fantasy and martial arts genres with plenty of fighting, gore and nudity. While not as outrageous as BLACK MAGIC (1975), you have to give points to MAGIC CURSE for making Lin such a horndog, even though he knows there's a curse on his lips. He picks up women at bars and parties, beds them immediately and then the women die horribly shortly thereafter (they hallucinate they are being attacked by hordes of snakes, making the die from fright, heart attack or falling down a staircase). Lin simply moves on to the next woman, telling himself that their deaths were merely coincidences! Particularly hilarious is that during these lovemaking sessions, brassy lounge or jazz music plays on the soundtrack, which makes it sound like some cheap porn film. The plot of the film is all over the place, opening up in a bowling alley, then switching to the jungles of Borneo (the bloodiest section of the film; with human sacrifices, stabbings, impalements, bloody magic rituals and, of course, the penis-biting), then back to civilization and, finally, back to the jungle again, where a cop returns with Lin to make sure his story about magic curses is true. The finale, where Filona battles Abdullah (who walks around carrying a staff with a human skull attached at the top), contains fireballs, snakes and a funny shot where Abdullah catches a huge (and obviously Styrofoam) boulder right in the chest. As usual, this is a worthwhile Hong Kong effort for those who know what to expect from these kind of films: Non-stop craziness with a sense of the absurd. Also starring Peter Chen Lau, Tan Chia Bee, Mong Hu, Woung Eune Em, Nam Soon Joung, Hwang Kun Chi and Choi Mu Ung.
Intercontinental were the quintessential late 70's exploitation film distributors. Their bread and butter lay in cheap Spaghetti Westerns, Kung-Fu movies and sex items like Tokyo Emanuelle, The Sexorcist and the much banned Seven Women For Satan. Released early 1977, The Magic Curse is the most out of control movie to bear the Intercontinental mark. In classic Wardour Street fashion it was sold mainly on the sex angle, the poster illustrating the film's shower and nude bathing sequences and the X certificate on display. What then was an audience to make of this mad mix of horror, jungle adventure and Kung-Fu film with mysticism and a sound-track shamelessly borrowed from Hammer movies thrown in for good measure!!! Jason Pai Piau stars as Man-Ying a ten pin bowling playing playboy, whose rich Uncle has crashed his plane in the Borneo Jungle, quick to come to his relatives aid Man-Ying heads out on the next plane trip to Borneo. A few steps into the green inferno and Man-Ying and his less than enthusiastic guides find themselves in a leper colony! Only these `lepers' look more like a bunch of hungover rockabilly singers and practice cannibalism! Confused? it appears that Abdullah the high priest of the jungle's snake tribe cult has a habit of using his black magic on anyone who gets in his way, which goes a long way to explaining why most of the jungle population are gut sucking blue-faced lepers. This Abdullah's a real card all right, cackling like a true lunatic behind his giant white beard and levitating skulls to impress his pals `high priest you're great'. After asking one too many questions Man-Ying is beaten, shot with an arrow and left for dead, only to be saved by a bunch of passing Amazon Women!
These Amazons look quite a sight, wearing plastic horns and minimal leopard skins, they turn out to be the other faction of Abdullah's snake tribe, the cult being sexually segregated. In fact the only time the two sides in this battle of the sexes seem to get along is when they are messily sacrificing nubile virgins to the Snake God. But whereas Abdullah and his thugs use their black magic to raise hell, the female Amazons lead by Fleoha (the wonderfully named Pinky De Leon) prefer calmer hobbies like frolicking naked in a pool. One look at his moustached mug and Fleoha soon falls head over heels for Man-Ying's rugged charms, however the sexually frustrated Abdullah tries to put a stop to the romance threatening to stick pins into an effigy of Man-Ying unless he gets out of town. As a parting gesture Fleona bites our adventurer on his lip, no she's not just being kinky she's placed the titular curse on him, whose rules dictate that if Man-Ying has sex with anyone else but her they will die `and very horribly too'. Suddenly we're abruptly back to civilisation and the film transforms into a Sex and Kung-Fu movie right in front of your eyes!!! Far from heeding her warnings of celibacy Man-Ying hits the chic disco's of Hong Kong like some demented bunny, no woman is safe. Then again what gal worth her weight in blue eye-shadow could resist Man-Ying's fashion sense which suggests that he stopped by Carnaby Street between plane rides from Hong Kong and Borneo. His understandably confused one night stands end up on the receiving end of The Magic Curse, that entails snakes terrorising them until they suffer coronaries. Its not all bad luck though, when Man- Ying gets into a fight with a tough street gang to their disbelief he turns green and his snake friends attack them! With all these girl's tickers giving out the police are soon on Man-Ying's case. What do they do, lock him up, arrest him or have him committed for his rantings about Borneons who worship reptiles? No they happily accompany him around the globe to follow up on his theories.
The Magic Curse is wildly out there defying any attempt to pigeon-hole it down to one genre- you can just imagine an Intercontinental frontman scratching his balding head over what to do this thing before giving up and sending it on its way to the fluff market. Directors of nominal Kung-Fu movies, Tommy Loo-Chun and To Man Po agreeably push the right buttons for a rollicking little exploitation number, with cheap sex tagged on as an 'afterthought' to ensure a foreign sale. Every trick in the hat is pulled out for our entertainment, be it disappearing acts, earthquakes and flaming rocks- little however will prepare you for Magic Curse's most outragous scene- an Amazon girl Sophia rejects Abdullah's lecherous advances in favour of a passing hunk. Soon Sophia and her boyfriend get down to water bound l'amour, but Sophia is not feeling herself due to Abdullah's ol' black magic that transforms her into a green faced ghoul with very large teeth... and bites her boyfriends privates off!!! Magic Curse's off-kilter narrative, dedication to shock value scenes and not forgetting those rubber snakes being thrown in the direction of slumming Hong Kong actresses- must have satisfied fleapit cinema audiences looking for something different back then, years later its still endlessly fun viewing. `Long live the Snake tribe' indeed.
Brian (of the excellent Cool Ass Cinema blog!) asked if I've seen Tony Liu Jun Guk & Lee Tso Nam's THE MAGIC CURSE and yes I have. Lars Jacobson drew my attention to it a couple of years back (he told me he's so exited about it he always force feeds people with it. And thank you for that, Lars!) and I could have sworn I posted the cover scans here last year when I found and won the über über rare UK tape but damned if I can find the scans now. Oh, and to make it even MORE rare the tape I won is the INSANELY RARE Betamax tape!!!!! Either I didn't post them or I did but forgot to label the post and somehow it doesn't come up with the search function.
Oh well, here they all are anyway (and no it's not like I MIND showing off this tape, [I would have a big grinning smiley here if I could!]). Completely mint condition! I think someone bought it and put it in a drawer right away and never took it out again before they sold it off. It's an awesome tape; dubbed in English and letterboxed. I kept a close watch on it all week, every single day, when the auction ran last summer. I'm aware Miltos of Cinehound wanted it too. I'm aware there's both a French VHS and a DVD release but they are both dubbed in French which obviously is no good, LOL (this is info I have from French sites that I've checked anyway but you know how it is with Internet sites, sometimes they're not gonna list the English option if the webpage is intended for another market, however, the DVD probably doesn't carry the English track. But who knows unless you check :/ ). If you or anybody wanna look for the french tape or dvd the title is Au Pays de la magie noire.
About the film; The main character's uncle is reported to have crashed his plane over the jungle so he takes off on a rescue mission and encounters heaps of wild stuff. This film has EVERYTHING. It's completely whacked-out crazy! There's zombies, wild women, gore, nudity, insanity, all of it. Haha. No, I'm not gonna write a proper review but it's very entertaining, just take my word for it. I guess it was a product of Hong Kong's having been become tired of straight kung fu films and so they began to chuck everything else into the films to keep people's attention. Well, they certainly kept mine with this one, that's for sure.
[A Hong Kong production filmed in the Philippines, rumoured to have been released as “Filipino Girl”]
Director Cheuk Ang-Tong Script Lee Dang, So Gin-Wing, Ng Wai-Wing, Gam Bing-Hing, Century Creative Group Producers Dennis Yu Wan-Kwong, Jeff Lau Chun-Wai Cinematography Jimmy Leung Chi-Ming Production Manager Johnston Wong Chan-Sin Sound Recordist Chow Shao-Lung Art Director Ramon S. Nicdao Editor Yu Kwok-Fung Makeup Mok Wai-Hong Assistant Directors Simon Yip Fai-Wong, Mai Ga-Fung Composer Anders Nelsson
Cast Chin Han, Sally, Anna Maria, Steve Barlow, Charlie Chin Chiang-Lin, Steve Polao, Mario Escudero, Elvie Escarro, Mark Joseph
Cheuk Pak-tong directs this gritty horror exploitation flick about Peter Yu (Chin Han), a vacuum salesman who, at the film's outset, catches up with his wife Nancy (Sally Yeh Chian-wen) who relaxing at her uncle's estate outside of Luzon in The Philippine. There Peter makes the mistake of helping local girl Marianna (Anna Malai) who is running from forced marriage with a brutish tribal leader. Later, when Peter returns back to Hong Kong, he discover Marianna has followed him home, begging for help. When Nancy returns not long afterwards, she finds her husband in the sack with the lass and heads back to Luzon. Desperate to salvage his marriage, Peter hurries back to the Philippines himself, but in so doing raises the ire of Marianna's would be husband, believing that Peter is looking to claim the lass -- who has hence returned home -- for himself. Later, when Nancy and Peter get lost in the jungle, the tribe attacks, along with some zombies.
One of Sally Yeh's very first roles and one she probably has long since forgotten. It can't be erased from any resume though and in some shape or form, Marianna is still in circulation.
Trying to combine a triangle drama with nods to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and any other cannibal flick from the 70s, the movie surely is an entertaining brew due to it being so utterly incompetent but you'll have to be a good mood switcher to get through it. With not only dreadful acting from Sally (there's not a whole lot to work with here though) but from the Filipino cast as well, entertaining, although I hesitate to call them redemptions, come through the use of some wicked, psychedelic sound design and the needed excess in jungle climax. It's bad enough to be fun and short enough to be bearable.
This is another one of those 1980s films that I think must have been financed by the HK Tourist Board. Their motto might be “Stay at Home. It’s a Scary World Out There!”. The basic theme of these films is that when a Hongie travels outside of China – in particular to the exotic lands of South East Asia – there is danger lurking – death waiting.
This fairly unknown Sally Yeh movie may have been her very first film and it co-stars Chin Han – best known to Western audiences for his pairings with Brigitte Lin – both on screen and off – during the 1970’s. The film takes a while before it gets cranked up, but the last thirty minutes turns into a savage, brutal and frightening fight for survival among the wilds of the Philippines.
Chin Han – Sally’s husband – goes off on a business trip to the Philippines leaving his lovely wife and two children behind him. While conducting business there he saves a desperate girl from a number of pursuers. The girl is Marianna and she is the cause of a deadly rivalry between two native tribes. The leader of one of the tribes wants to marry her, but Marianna and her tribe wants nothing to do with them.
Marianna escapes to HK where she finds Chin Han and persuades him to hire her as a maid so that she can hide out. Sally isn’t too keen on the idea especially when she comes home unexpectedly one day and finds her husband and Marianna playing house in the maid’s room. Chin Han had boasted earlier on to his male colleagues that he was “promiscuous but had never been caught yet”. His luck just ran out.
Sally leaves HK to visit her relatives in the Philippines and Chin Han follows to make amends. They decide to go off on a road trip where hopefully they can begin again. But this is the Philippines and road trips away from civilization are never a good idea. Their scenic tour goes askew immediately and soon turns into a horrific nightmare. First some kids drain most of the gas from their car and they soon find themselves out of gas and surrounded by a band of grasping zombie like lepers. Events though take a turn even for the worse as they fall into the hands of the tribe that is after Marianna.
At this point the film becomes extremely violent and gory as Chin Han, Sally, Marianna and some of her tribesmen fight their way out with machetes and spears and run for their lives in the jungles with a tribe after them with vengeance on their minds.
It’s always a pleasure locating an obscure film such as this and it turned out to be much better than I expected. Considering that this might be Sally’s first role, she does a terrific job as she goes from pampered housewife to jealous outrage to total panic and fear. I believe that is also Sally who sings a couple songs for the soundtrack.
The VCD has subs and the quality of the transfer goes from poor at times (in particular the dark interior or night scenes) to at other times looking quite good.
Director Cesar “Chat” Gallardo Story/Screenplay Antonio S. Mortel Music Jose Mari Chan Cinematography “Freddie”/Fredy Conde, Fortunato Bernardo
Cast Joseph Estrada, Gloria Diaz, Paquito Diaz, Nympha Bonifacio, Subas Herrero, Mary Walter, Ruben Rustia, Jun Mariano, Marian Samson, Pedro Faustino, Pancho Pelagio, Fred Param, Robert Talby, Arturo Moran, SOS Daredevils
1975 - Hit And Run (Roda Films)
[release date 8th March 1975]
Director Pablo Santiago Producer R.T.L.Music D’Amarillo Cinematography Jose Batac Jr Editor Augusto Salvador Sound Supervisor Manuel Daves
Cast Joseph Estrada, Elizabeth Oropesa, Jun Aristorenas, Zaldy Zshornack, Trixia Gomez, Paquito Diaz, Dencio Padilla, Van De Leon, Jose Romulo, Roderick Paulate, Ding Salvador, Jose Vergara, Resty Sandel, Avel Morado, Mandy Bustamante, Johnny Rio, Belo Borja, Lito Calzado, Angel Confiado, Rey Tomenes, Fil Lizarondo, Nestor Brillantes, SOS Daredevils, TNT Boys, Lynn Gomez, Cesar Ramirez, Jose Garcia, Jessie Lee, Malou de Leon
1975 – Dugo At Pag-Ibig Sa Kapirasong Lupa(Bravo Film Productions)
[release date 12th June 1975]
Episode Three: Director Armando Herrera Music Tito Arevalo Cinematography Sergio Lobo Producer Doming Bravo
Cast Fernando Poe Jr, Joseph Estrada, Vilma Santos, Gina Alajar, Nora Aunor, Mary Walter
1975 - Counter Kill (JE Productions)
[release date 30th July 1975]
Director Augusto Buenaventura Executive Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Fredy Conde
Cast Joseph Estrada, Tara Fonseca, Rudy Fernandez, Karin Kwan, Subas Herrero, Paquito Diaz, Rudy Genasky, Vic Silayan
1975 - Diligin Mo Ng Hamog Ang Uhaw Na Lupa/“Water With Dew This Parched Earth” (JE Productions)
Release date 22nd September 1975]
Director Augusto Buenaventura Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura, Diego Cagahastian Executive Producer Joseph Estrada Cinematography Fredy Conde, Fortunato Bernardo Music Ernani Cuenco Editor Edgardo “Boy” Vinarao
Cast Joseph Estrada, Gloria Diaz, Paquito Diaz, Vic Silayan, Tommy Abuel, Subas Herrero, Ernie Zarate, Karim Kiram, Paquito Salcedo, Francisco Cruz, Carpi Asturias, Minerva
1975 - Battle Of The Champions (Cubao Cinema)
[release date 11th October 1975]
Director Butch Bautista
Cast Fernando Poe Jr, Joseph Estrada
1975 - Huwag Mo Akong Paandaran (Metropolitan Films)
[release date 22nd November 1975]
Director Leonardo Velasco Uy Screenplay J. Tirazona Cinematography M. dela Pena
Cast Joseph Estrada, Tugak, Anthony Velasco, Charlie Davao, Golay
1976 - Hoy Mister, Ako Ang Misis Mo/“Hey Mister, I Am Your Wife” (JE Productions)
[release date 16th January 1976]
Director Cesar Gallardo Producer Joseph Estrada Music Fortunato Bernardo Music Ernani Cuenco
Cast Paquito Diaz, Carlos Padilla Jr, Anita Linda, Quiel Segivia
1976 - Alas Singko Ng Hapon, Gising Na Ang Mga Anghel(JE Productions)
[also listed as “Alas 5:00 Ng Hapon, Gising Na Mga Anghel”; release date 17th April 1976]
Executive Producer Joseph Estrada
1976 - Bago Lumamig Ang Sabaw (Lea Productions)
Release date 25th June 1976]
Director Luciano B. Carlos
Cast Joseph Estrada, Nida Blanca
1976 – Buhay At Pag-Ibig Ni Boy Zapanta/ “The Life And Loves Of Boy Zapanta” (Pentagon Films)
[release date 2nd July 1976]
Director Armando Ruiz David Cinematography Felizardo Bailen
Cast George Estregan, Philip Gamboa, Fe Galvez, Elizabeth Perez, Joseph Estrada, Paquito Diaz
1976 - Arrest The Nurse Killer (JE Productions)
[release date 25th December 1976]
Director Cesar “Chat” Gallardo Screenplay Nestor Torre Jr Executive Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Fortunado Bernardo
Cast Joseph Estrada, Pilar Pilapil, Marilyn Heras, Garret Blake, J.C. Marshall, Debbie Brinson, Melinda Molina, Joe C. Reyes, Janice Egan, Judie McGraw, Wendy Fields, Pascl? Sheppard, Linda Taucher, Vicki Ness, Anita Linda, Evelyn Loreto, Lito Carmelo
1977 - Sa Dulo Ng Cris(Ruben Canoy Productions)
[release date 16th March 1977]
Director Cesar Amigo Screenplay R. Canoy, J. Amigo Cinematography Fredy Conde Music Ernani Cuenco
Cast Joseph Estrada, Vic Vargas
1977 - Huwag Mong Dungisan Ang Pisngi Ng Langit (JE Productions)
[release date 28th October 1977]
Director/Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura Executive Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Fredy Conde
Cast Joseph Estrada, Alma Moreno
1977 - Bakya Mo Neneng (JE Productions)
[release date 26th December 1977]
Director Augusto Buenaventura Writers Augusto Buenaventura, Diego Cagahastian Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Fredy Conde Editor Edgardo “Boy” Vinarao Art Director V. Bonus
Cast Joseph Estrada, Nora Aunor, Tirso Cruz III, Gloria Sevilla, Angelo Castro Jr, Ramon D’Salva, Angelo Ventura, Romy Medalla, Ernie Zarate, Olivia Sanchez, Ernie Ortega, Boyet Orca, Francisco Cruz, Paquito Salcedo
1978 – Magkaaway(D’Wonder Films)
[release date 25th March 1978]
Director Augusto Buenaventura Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura, Diego Cagahastian Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Hermo U. Santos
Cast Joseph Estrada, Nino Muhlach, Susan Valdez, Lito Anzures, Romeo Rivera
Director Cesar “Chat” Gallardo Screenplay Diego Cagahastian Executive Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Fredy Conde
Cast Joseph Estrada, Trixia Gomez, Charlie Davao, Martha Sevilla, Maricel Soriano, Kuneo Sasaki, Shohie Watanabe, Kiyoaki Takahashi, Hideo Murakami, Koji Sakamoto, Mike Cohen, Chris Stuttard, Audie Daquiz
1978 – Tatak Ng Tundo(FPJ Productions)
[release date 9th December 1978]
Director “Ronwaldo Reyes”/Fernando Poe Jr Screenplay Pablo S. Gomez Producer Fernando Poe Jr Music Ernani J. Cuenco Cinematography Ben Lobo
Cast Fernando Poe Jr, Joseph Estrada, Anna Marin, April Cezar, Divina Valencia, Paquito Diaz, Van de Leon, Anita Linda, Dencio Padilla, Nello Nayo, Victor Bravo, Vic Varrion, Virginia Montes, Ven Medina, Nonoy de Guzman, Ed Ramos, Thunder Stuntmen, Max Alvarado, Dranreb, Bentot Jr
Director Augusto Buenaventura Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura, Diego Cagahastian Executive Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Fredy Conde
Cast Joseph Estrada, Pinky de Leon, Rosemarie Gil, Vic Silayan, Dave Brodett, Zeneida Amador, Bobby Ledesma, Ernie Zarate, Martha Sevilla
1979 - Warrant Of Arrest(JE Productions)
[release date 7th September 1979]
Director Augusto Buenaventura Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura, Diego Cagahastian Executive Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Fredy Conde
Cast Joseph Estrada, Boots Anson-Roa, Paquito Diaz, Ernie Zarate, Nitoy Escano, George Gerald, Aloha Ejercito, Ruel Vernal, Ruben Rustia, Nello Nayo
1979 - Mamang Sorbetero(JE Productions)
[release date 25th December 1979]
Director Augusto Buenaventura Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura, Diego Cagahastian Executive Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco Cinematography Fredy Conde
Cast Joseph Estrada, Celeste Legaspi, Rod Navarro, Dencio Padilla, Subas Herrero, Quiel Segovia, Vic Sotto, Veronica Palileo, Herbert Bautista, Ford Elorde, Sammy Padilla
1980 – Hoy, Tukso, Layuan Mo Ako(JE Productions)
[release date 25th April 1980]
Director Augusto Buenaventura Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura, Diego Cagahastian Executive Producer Joseph Estrada Cinematography Fredy Conde Music Ernani Cuenco
Cast Joseph Estrada, Bentot Jr, Eva Eugenio, Gina Alajar
1981 - Kumander Alibasbas (JE Productions)
Release date 29th May 1981]
Director Augusto Buenaventura Story Freddie Aguilar Screenplay Enrique Dimacali Executive Producer Joseph Estrada Music Ernani Cuenco Sound Danilo Salvador Editor Edgardo “Boy” Vinarao
Director/Writer Augusto Buenaventura Executive Producer Joseph Estrada Cinematography Fredy Conde Music Ernani Cuenco
Cast Joseph Estrada, Ronaldo Valdez, Coney Reyes-Mumar
1982 - Lalake Ako(JE Productions)
[release date 22nd October 1982]
Executive Producer Joseph Estrada Production Manager JoAnn Cabalda Banaga
Cast George Estregan
1983 – Macho-Nurin(JE Productions)
[release date 10th March 1983]
Director Augusto Buenaventura Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura, Joji Vitug Executive Producer Joseph Estrada Cinematography Fredy Conde Music Ernani Cuenco
Cast Joseph Estrada, Gloria Diaz, Angelo Castro Jr
1984 - Bangkang Papel Sa Dagat Ng Apoy (Cine Suerte Inc)
[release date 8th June 1984]
Director/Screenplay Edgardo Reyes Producer Ben Yalung Cinematography Fredy Conde
Cast Joseph Estrada, Paquito Diaz, Laarni Enriquez
1985 - Order To Kill (Amazaldy Films)
[release date 15th August 1985]
Director/Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura Cinematography Fredy Conde Music Ernani Cuenco Editor Edgardo “Boy” Vinarao Sound C. Lucas Art Director Gabby Francisco
Cast Joseph Estrada, Vivian Velez, Eddie Garcia, Bomber Moran, Fred Montilla, Suzanne Gonzales, Nona Herrera, Angelo Castro Jr, Sonny Erang, Fanny Serrano, Ernie Ortega, Mon Godiz, Robert Miller
1985 – Markang Rehas: Ikalawang Aklat (King Roy Film Productions)
[release date unknown]
CAN’T READ CREW
Cast Jinggoy Estrada, Lani Mercado, Marissa Del Mar, Marissa Delgado, Anita Linda, George Estregan, Ernie Ortega, Amay Bisaya, Victor Bravo, Mario Escudero, Nesty Santiago, Avel Morado, Robert Talby, Robert Miller, Alex Bolado, Martin Vitug [uncredited] Joseph Estrada, Fernando Poe Jr
1989 - Sa Kuko Ng Agila/ “In The Claws Of An Eagle” (Richfilm/JE Productions)
[release date 5th July 1989]
Director Augusto Buenaventura Writer Ricky Lee Executive Producer Joseph Estrada Cinematography Fredy Conde Music Jaime Fabregas Editor Edgardo “Boy” Vinarao Sound Rolly Ruta
Cast Joseph Estrada, Nikki Coseteng, Tommy Abuel, Laurice Guillen, Paquito Diaz, Subas Herrero, Ruben Rustia, Maria Isabel Lopez, Lara Melissa de Leon, Jinggoy Estrada, Ilonah Jean
MANILA, Philippines—Film industry leader and pioneering independent film producer Espiridion Laxa died of cardiac arrest on Tuesday evening. He was 79.
“I was shocked when I heard the news,” actress-turned-Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos told Inquirer Entertainment. “I really feel sad. I will pray for the repose of his soul and visit him one last time.”
“He was like a second father to me,” said Santos. “He supported my love team with Edgar Mortiz when I was a teenager. He trusted in me as an actress, but, more than that, he stood by me through my lowest moments … when I had financial problems.”
“He will be sorely missed. He served the industry for five decades,” said actor Leo Martinez. “He was a strong pillar in the movies.”
They worked together in the FilmAcademy of the Philippines where Martinez was director-general and Laxa was chairman of the board.
Pillar of industry
“The entire industry mourns his loss,” Martinez said.
At the time of his death, Laxa was a board member of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).
“A pillar of the film industry, he tirelessly championed the cause of film producers and movie workers, campaigning for their rights during his time on the FDCP board,” Rolando Atienza, head of FDCP, said in a statement.
Atienza said Laxa helped the FDCP in developing plans to assist the industry, and his experience and dedication to the local film industry were unparalleled.
“He was a wise old man. We will miss his wise counsel,” he said.
Another film producer and industry leader, Marichu Vera Perez-Maceda, described Laxa as a “dedicated man.
He was never late in his appointments. I have no idea how he did it. He never used a cell phone.”
“He was a gentleman of the first order,” said Boots Anson-Roa, head of the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation. “His integrity was beyond reproach. He fathered the original indie scene.”
Filmmaker Elwood Perez said that Laxa, a lawyer by profession, ended the supremacy of the studio system (composed of the so-called Big Four: LVN, Sampaguita, Lebran and Premiere) when he put up Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions in the 1960s.
Maverick
“He was a mild-mannered maverick who helped pave the way for other fledgling producers to become major industry players,” Perez said of Laxa.
Perez said Laxa nurtured the careers of stars Amalia Fuentes, Fernando Poe Jr. and Joseph Estrada who later became successful independent film producers themselves.
“I was at the crossroads of my career when Atty. Laxa offered me the chance to work in his new company. I am forever indebted to him. He was a kind and courteous man. A giant in the industry,” said Fuentes.
According to the film web site IMBd.com, Laxa produced action flicks that starred Poe (“Baril sa Baril”) and Estrada (“Markang Rehas”), considered the box-office giants of the 1960s.
In the 1970s, he also produced the biggest hits of Vilma Santos, including “Kampanerang Kuba,” “Darna and the Giants” and “Darna vs the Planet Women.”
His remains lie in state at the HeritagePark in TaguigCity. Industry leaders are organizing necrological rites on Sept. 18 after the 7 p.m. Mass. Interment will be on Sept. 19 after the 9 a.m. Mass.
Laxa was the older brother of actor Tony Ferrer who gained fame as Tony Falcon, the local version of James Bond, in the 1970s.
[released in Spain as “9 Muertes Del Ninja”, in Germany as “Die 9 Leben Der Ninja", and in France as “American Ninja”]
Director/Writer Emmett Alston Producer Ashok Amritraj Executive Producers Yoram Globus, Menahem Golan Associate Producer Shelley E. Reid Music Cecile Colayco Cinematography Roy H. Wagner Casting Maria Metcalfe Production Design Rodell Cruz Makeup Artists Zeny Marcelo, Yolanda Unabia First Assistant Director Jun Amazan Second Assistant Director“Tim”/Timoteo Bismark Construction Supervisor Francisco Balangue Head Prop Man Ben Deliña Painter Angelito Felipe Set Dressers Danny Melendez, Anselmo Mendoza Props Assistants Melchor Pacheco, Carmelo Sta. Maria Construction Assistant Nelson Valeza Assistant to Production Designer Catalina Villaluna Sound Mixer John Kovarek Boom Operator Leonardo Sta. Maria Head Special Effects Danilo Dominguez Special Effects Assistants Cesar Dominguez, Rolando Salem Assistant Stunt Co-ordinator Alan Amiel Generator Operators Melchor Abaya, Felipe Badilla, Domenguito Saguion Electricians Eduardo Badiola, Mariano Bautista, Jose Gleabo, Eduardo Sta. Maria Camera Operators Eddie Buenaflor, Gene Jackson Gaffer Johnny Cecogo Grip Nelson Cecogo Dolly Grip Victor Cecogo Assistant Camera Roger De La Roma, Jaime Manguni Stills Photographer Nilo Odiaman Wardrobe Assistants Cesar Cervantes, Roberto Lechuga, Nancy Mendoza, Salvador Santos, Teena Villaluna Apprentice Editor Bernard Bismark Assistant Editor “Tim”/Timoteo Bismark Transportation Captain Eulalio Esteban Motorman Benito Badiola Special Gymnast Brian Brocking Production Assistants Kess Burias, Jun Ella, Olive Lamasan, Gaia Lopez, George Rosales Mechanic Elizalde Cordero Field Nurse Lourdes Dino Bookkeeper Rafael Gaba Assistants to the Producer Susan Katz, Marie Miñoza Executive Secretary Marie Miñoza Choreographer Douglas Nierras Production Auditor Ernesto Punzalan Field Cashier Marilou Santos Liason Ricky Santos Legman Manuel Sta. Maria
Cast Shô Kosugi (Spike Shinobi), Brent Huff (Steve Gordon), Emilia Lesniak (Jennifer Barnes), Blackie Dammett (Alby the Cruel), Regina Richardson (Honey Hump), Vijay Amritraj (Rankin), Lisa Friedman (Tour Guide), Kane Kosugi (Kane), Shane Kosugi (Shane), Bruce Fanger (Dr. Wolf), Sonny Erang (Rahji), Aiko Cownden (Marisa Lee), Jennifer Crumrine (Amanda), Helen McNeely (Mrs. Garcia), Protacio Dee (Feng Fu), Judy Blye (Woo Pee/Woo Wee), Joji Nagai (Dr. Yamada), Ken Watanabe (Sensei), Victor Ordoñez (Major Quirino), Leah Navarro (Museum Assassin), Ric Segreto (PC Trooper), Ron Milhench (Perkins), Jacques Gervais (Congressman Morrison), Warren MacLean (Slanker), Allen Beatson (Edward Branham), Mike Alejandrino (Goon Guard), “Tim”/Timoteo Bismark (Observer), Kess Burias (Monique), Carissa Carlos (Lita), Cynthia Villa-Abrille (Rankin's Date), Henry Strzalkowski (Bus Driver), Imelda Dominguez (Female Ninja), David Brass (Tex), John Ladalski (Goverment agent), Louie Senn (CIA Agent) Bus Passengers Susan Meyer, Sam Lombardo, Nancy Keaton, James Crumrine, Emebet Aigaz, Des Ayallew Hump’s Drones Ann Milhench, Chantal Manz, Marina Miatke 'Hotlegs' Dancers Gina Valenciano, Mabeth Webb, Lani Fernando
MANY THANKS TO FRED FOR HIS PERMISSION TO REPRINT THIS INTERVIEW!
Fred Anderson: …How did you get involved in the classic Nine Deaths Of The Ninja?
Even before I came to the audition in the CenturyCity (section of Los Angeles) offices of the producer, I decided to make him a German Terrorist raised in North Yemen and I brought the Sydney Greenstreet-esque white topical suit, the tu-tone spectator shoes, and nazi stuff myself. It was the mid-80's when LA heavy metal bands had a proclivity toward anti-social behavior like nazi symbols so they were easy to find. My entire costume in the movie was my own creation.
In the script Alby had this strange fascination with Rahji and I carried it to extremes. During the audition I made up the scene where I couldn't get my cigarette lit and had a fit and tore up the producer's coffee table overturning water glasses and throwing magazines around the office and scaring the hell out of everybody. The director loved everything I did in the audition and told me to create my own madman.
FA: Alby the cruel is a pervert, a crazy bad guy. How did you work with this fantastic character?
BD: I didn't see him as a pervert, more stressed by the situation and the environment which was easy to relate to since as a film crew we were in almost the same predicament as the fictional characters. An inhospitable jungle, poisonous snakes and spiders, sudden monsoon rains, a guerrilla communist army lurking in the dark trying to kill us, petty fights and jealousies within the cast and crew. and like in the story occasional breaks from the horror of the war when we had our rest and recuperation in Manila with all the sex and tropical foods and garish night life.
The crew was international: an American director, Indian producer, ex-patriots from many countries living in the Philippines at the time in production and crew. And American, Japanese, Indian and Philippino and probably a few other nationalities in the cast.
FA: Some final words to our readers?
BD: I must say, of the 20 some movies and 30 some TV shows and about 50 plays, Nine Deaths Df The Ninja was one of my favorites because I could and did get to chew up the scenery because:
a). ...the part itself was so outlandish and...
b). because we shot the movie in the Philippines during the NPA's war against president Marcos and the country was on the verge of collapse and life itself was absurd. We had a battallion of soldiers protecting us in the jungle and every store in the country had an armed guard with a machine gun.
Another blatant violation of The Truth in Titling Act of 1976, Nine Deaths of the Ninja does not feature a ninja dying nine deaths. We are even a little skeptical that the main character, Spike Shinobi (Sho Kosugi), is really a ninja. What kind of ninja wears bright green camouflage and sucks on lollipops?
Made in the deepest, darkest part of the Eighties, Nine Deaths of the Ninja conforms to all the conventions of the foreign made, low-budget action thrillers that proliferated on the cinematic picnic like so many unwelcome ants. This formula, which probably exists in three-ring binder from on the shelves of many economically-minded action movie producers, was as well tread as that of the James Bond film, and even survives today in such Jeff Fahey vehicles as Operation Delta Force.
First of all, the film is required to have an ethnically diverse, testosterone-heavy team of good guys. They must have an allegedly cool code name: in this case they're the Dart Team. The team must always be summoned to do what they do best by a lot of jargon. Following the guidelines in the three-ring binder to the letter, an important-looking military guy calls out a "red option 4, NSD directive 138," which means: "put those three goofballs on a plane bound for the Philippines."
The three goofballs in question are Spike, Steve Gordon (Brent Huff), and Jennifer "Foxy" Barnes (Emilia Lesniak). So not only is the Dart Team ethnically diverse, but they have a girl, too! Action film junkies know better than to trust this, though: lip service is always paid to how competent and independent Jennifer is, but when the fighting starts, she's always the one running back to the truck for extra ammo.
All the members of the Dart Team have "cool" individual nicknames, and each has a clumsy affectation. Spike goes by Lollipop (a guy named Spike needs a nickname?), because he sucks on lollipops, thereby giving this movie extra appeal with those viewers who like Kojak as much as ninjas. (Kosugi apparently could not be convinced to shave his head.) Steve's nickname is Macho Man, because he is popular with the ladies. He demonstrates this by abandoning important missions to hit on prostitutes, and by dating his boss' secretary. Jennifer's nickname is Foxy and... well, she doesn't do much of anything. She's a woman, isn't that enough?
After some of the lamest credits yet filmed (Kosugi mugs the camera and brandishes a katana while girls dance around him), we are introduced to the plot. It is as follows: Bad guys kidnap a busload of people, and the Dart Team goes into the jungle to kill all the bad guys.
If the good guys are supposed to be diverse, they look like the cast of Forever Plaid compared to the bad guys. The bus is taken over by Col. Honey Hump, a fright-wigged black lesbian with wild voodoo eyes and a striking similarity to Shari Belafonte in The Midnight Hour, which was also made in 1985. Hmmm....
Honey Hump is on this particular mission at the behest of Albert (whose rather bland nom de guerre is "Albie the Cruel"), a disabled gay Nazi in a wheelchair, complete with helper monkey. Holy cats! We thought we'd seen the ultimate case of multiple stereotypes in Tammy and the T-Rex, but obviously we hadn't seen anything yet! Albert is seeking the release of his lover, Rajid, who is a Muslim pyromaniac. You could hire Honey, Albert, and Rajid and never worry about affirmative action requirements again! If that isn't diverse enough for you, Albie sends some midgets to kill the Dart Team at an art gallery, though Spike makes short work of them.
The bus passengers are all movie types themselves, including the perky tour guide, the mischievous young brothers (Kane and Shane Kosugi, sons of Sho), the elderly mother figure, and her young charge, who will die without the medication that has been stolen by the drug-crazed kidnappers. Upon watching this movie, valuable minutes of your life that might otherwise have been spent visiting with your family, learning how to play bocce, or cleaning out navel lint will be wasted on the predictable subplots involving these characters. The wacky Kosugi brothers (whose characters are mysteriously named Shane and Kane) defend their hapless fellow passengers with their own brand of kung fu and Dennis-the-Menace-like bedevilment. For example, when "Dr. Wolf," Honey's slavering torture fiend, tries to rape the tour guide, the brothers Kosugi soak his underpants in alcohol and ignite them. Hilarious! Personally, we would have been happier to see Shane and Kane peering out the bus window waiting expectantly for Gamera to arrive, but alas, such was not the case.
Although the film sidetracks several times into pointless chases through brothels, city streets, and coral reefs - nothing slows a movie down like a scuba scene - it does move forward to the final climactic fight between the terrorists, the Dart Team, and a group of mysterious ninjas from Spike's past. If you uttered a grunt of confusion at that last group of people, you're in good company. Other than a few flashbacks at the beginning of the film, there's little to explain why these ninjas would show up or why they are hell-bent on separating Spike's head from his neck. Even at the end, we weren't sure what the black-garbed ninjas had to do with anything, and we felt it best not to press the point.
One rather odious plot element is the existence of Madames Woo-Wee and Woo-Pee, sisters played by the same Caucasian actress (Judy Blye), both of whom run houses of ill repute. Or rather, Woo-Wee runs a traditional house of ill repute while Woo-Pee runs a boat of ill repute. If you can find another movie with a floating brothel, we'd really like to hear about it. The remarkable thing about these cathouses is the fact that Woo-Pee's girls seem just as happy to earn their pay as assassins as prositutes. The screenwriter must have figured that women involved in one form of crime would have no scruples about engaging in other forms, and so there is a long, involved scene during which Spike does underwater battle with a boatload of vicious call girls while Madame Woo-Pee fires an improbably large machine gun off the side of the ship.
Needless to say, Spike & Co. overcome all of these obstacles and more with wisecracking aplomb, although a serious injury which befalls Steve causes him to re-evaluate his life and declare his true love for Foxy. Foxy, for her part, has borne the indignity of Steve's philandering with the patience of a saint. We would have liked to see Foxy turn Steve down, but movie logic dictates that she welcome him with sardonic but open arms. Spike, however, is an ethnic minority in a film for American audiences, and as such he has no romantic interests. His last scene in the film shows him handing out lollipops to the kids while trying to suppress his rage at the fact that he will never get the girl at the end of the movie. As titles go, Nine Lonely Nights of the Ninja might be more appropriate.
A ninja and his anglo sidekick fight their way through a bunch of Islamic stereotypes before we find out that this is just a training exercise. Then, the ninja swings his sword around while chicks in black leotards dance around him, with bad music and a smoke machine. Now, the story begins. Some really weird guy who might be German kidnaps a tour bus in Southeast Asia to get one of his men released from prison. He does this with the help of a woman with the curious name of Colonel Honey Hump. Anyway, the U.S. embassy decides to send in the ninja and his mostly-useless sidekick, and they go to a museum and get attacked by midgets for no reason. Then, it gets a little weird.
I've already used the word "weird" three times in this review, not counting this sentence, and it's still not enough to communicate how completely bizarre this thing is. I'll try it a few more times. Weird. Weird. Weird. Weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, and weird. Nope, still not enough.
Okay, the opening scene (with a grenade launcher being used in a training exercise) is strange enough, but then comes the opening credits sequence. Dancing girls and a shirtless guy with a sword. By the time you get through the terrorist wedding party, the ninja with the Kojak-ian lollipop fetish, the lesbian innuendo, the gang of midget Filipino drug dealers, the flashback where the hero gets caught in a ridiculous series of booby traps, and the monkey in the diaper, you're barely halfway through the movie. Obviously, some of this was intended to be funny. The trick is in figuring out which parts are supposed to be funny and which parts just turned out that way on their own.
Yeah, 1985 was a strange year. If nothing other than the making of Nine Deaths of the Ninja had happened in 1985, that would still be a reasonable statement.
Some would call it an afront to my sense of good taste but there exists in my heart a long-standing love for chop sockey. There is something just deliciously wonderful about any movie genre in which bones breaking make the same sound as when I break a fistful of spaghetti in half.
I think it's the very audacious nature of this genre that makes me seek out titles like Ninja Claws of the CIA and Super Ninja Kao Fong and the Five Fingernails of Doom. Not that I am known as a person who judges a book by it's cover but COME ON! How can you leave movies with those titles sitting on the video store shelf?
Such was my attraction to Nine Deaths of the Ninja, which for some would be considered brilliant and by others not to be worth using to line the bottom of the bird cage. I happily belong to the former.
Nine Deaths of the Ninja begins more or less as one would expect with a shirtless wonder battling his foe. Then the movie leads into an opening title sequence that to put it mildly takes all definitions of musical talent and throws them out the window and into the traffic. Three interpretive dance students twist, kick and twirl around a guy with a sword who looks appropriatly humiliated while the fog machine goes into overdrive. Meanwhile the opening track is a very awkward version of "I Keep on Dancin'" sung by a performer to whom "pitch" and "tone" are dirty words.
That oddity out of the way, the movie can now begin. The three heroes are members of an anti-terrorist group, well not exactly members, they ARE the team. Anyway the latest assignment for the anti-terrorist unit is to take down a group of non anti-terrorists (!) who have taken hostages and demand that Rahji, a drug lord is let out of prison and while they are at it they also demand a cut back on the efforts to stop the Philippino drug trade. These bad guys aren't exactly tacticians at this sort of work because no one bother to offer up exactly HOW they are going to do this.
To their great relief, they won't have to think this thing through because almost from the moment that their little plan is hatched, they are made aware of the anti-terrorist unit. This probably has something to do with the three-man team showing up all over television in their little jumpsuits and all but shouting "Yee Haw! We Anti-Terrorist Unit!"
The most fun the movie has is with the bevy of bad guys thrown at the heroes as a deturrent. Those include The Mighty Midget Death Squad which are . . . exactly that, little midget assassins. Yes, three little killers in fedoras and sunglasses who try and make hash of our mighty heroes.
I saw this movie without subtitles but something tells me I didn't miss much. Somewhere along this very strange journey is some business involving a fairly large drug lord who can't stop laughing even when he takes his last breath. He's defended, for a time, by a team The Deadly Polo Assassination Team, yes a band of killer polo players. If that's not weird enough there is some business involving a babalicious madame named Honey Hump with a giant fro that I guess houses her arsenal of weaponry.
Finally after about an hour and half we get to the killer ninja squad, but there are only five, not nine. Of course, if you add in the Mighty Midget Death Squad, you could add four to that number except that there are six midgets and still the title wouldn't make any sense anyway and BOY am I reading too much into this.
There are, apparently, quite a few so-bad-they're-good ninja movies out there. Japanese martial artist/actor Shô Kosugi stars in a number of them. And I could pretty much end my review of 9 Deaths Of The Ninja right there.
Is there another subgenre of exploitation film this completely encrusted with cheese? Is there even such a thing as a genuinely good ninja flick made in the '80s? So far I've yet to see one (Shô or no Shô — Ninja Terminator, anyone?). Oh, well... This makes two movies in a row for me featuring a team of midget assassins. What are the freakin' odds of that?
9 Deaths Of The Ninja is perhaps best known for its infamous opening titles sequence, a real ninja movie milestone... Kosugi, stripped to the waist and brandishing a samurai sword, engages in an interpretive dance routine (!) with a trio of leotard-clad ladies to the strains of a truly hideous pop ballad. There are only two possible reactions to this — you'll either convulse with laughter or be utterly poleaxed by such an astonishing display of stupidity. (Or possibly both, as I did, in reverse order.) I can't begin to imagine why Kosugi would agree to do something like this, unless perhaps it was his idea to begin with. (Oh, Shô...Say it ain't so!)
He plays Captain "Spike" Shinobi, leader of D.A.R.T., the United Nations' crack anti-terrorist commando team. (Just what the acronym stands for is never mentioned; Dumb-Ass Ridiculous Twits, perhaps?) Besides its commander, D.A.R.T. consists of exactly two other people: Americans Steve Gordon (Brent Huff of Just Jaeckin's Gwendoline) and Jennifer Barnes (blonde Emilia Lesniak, who looks and sounds like she's high on something in a lot of her scenes). Shinobi may be easygoing and hip, but he's dedicated to the warrior code of the ninja — even though he washed out of ninja training for being too compassionate. (Thanks for filling us in, helpful flashback.) He demonstrates his spirituality by meditating beneath a waterfall and chopping up a watermelon, blindfolded, with a katana.
Shinobi and crew are summoned to the Philippines for a desperate mission. Security chief Rankin (Octopussy's Vijay Amritraj) briefs them on the situation. In a remote area of the country a busload of tourists has been seized by an army of drug-running terrorists. The leader of the terrorists is the insane, wheelchair-bound neo-Nazi "Alby the Cruel" (Blackie Dammet, in a gratingly awful performance). He demands the immediate release of his comrades from prison or the hostages will be killed. To rescue them the D.A.R.T. team will have to fight their way into Alby's jungle HQ, which is guarded by the vicious troops of Col. Honey Hump (Regina Richardson), a lesbian amazon mercenary with a towering afro. But first they'll have to discover its location. A top henchman of Alby's — the turbaned, snaggletoothed, always-laughing Rahji (Sonny Erang) — is let out of jail so that Shinobi and Gordon can trail him to the terrorists' lair. The giant Rahji, who can catch bullets in his hands (!), proves rather elusive, however, so other means must be sought. Eventually the team closes in on Alby's gang, with time naturally running out. Shinobi must use all his exotic weaponry to penetrate the enemy camp and save the hostages (which include Kosugi's young sons Shane and Kane as brave, resourceful kids).
Financed with American and Indian money and shot in the Philippines, the cheapjack 9 Deaths pulls off at least one spectacular feat — it actually makes Revenge Of The Ninja and Rage Of Honor look like slick Hollywood productions in comparison. Everything about this film is pathetic. It tries to mix together ingredients from ninja, James Bond and Rambo films and comes up with a pretty stinky goulash. Probably due to the influence of Amitraj (who also executive produced), the pic ends with a shot of an ornate barge being rowed into the sunset just like in Octopussy (to include a similar sounding power ballad that finishes on the exact same chord as Rita Coolidge's "All-Time High"). The combat scenes are lame and the acting — even putting the execrable Dammet aside — lamer. (When Shô Kosugi is the best thespian among the cast...) Of course this also contributes to the fun, as Kosugi tries unsuccessfully to look cool amid the silliness; he's less of a stone-face here then in his other films and seems to be having a good time. The dialog offers a few howlers ("Save your strength, scumbag. It'd take a tougher man than you to pull apart industrial epoxy.") and there's the perpetually mirthful Rahji, too — he's an amusing, even endearing character who never fails to liven things up. (Okay, so perhaps I'm stretching it a bit with the "endearing" part.) Unfortunately, 9 Deaths' incredibly annoying head villain takes the cheese-scented wind out of its sails with depressing regularity. You'll groan whenever this jackass pops up to do his shamefully bad Dr. Strangelove shtick. Even the character's rather bizarre death scene won't assuage your bitter resentment. It's too bad jolly Rahji couldn't have been the chief baddie.
And I never did figure out what the "9 Deaths" of the title refers to. Shô doesn't die, of course, not even once (he's the hero), so I suppose it's to do with the way he dispatches enemy combatants. Are there really nine different methods used? Let's see... Sword, dagger, bow, shuriken, blowgun, crossbow, explosives... (That's only seven!)
9 Deaths Of The Ninja comes to DVD via BCI's new "Maximum Action" double feature two-disc set, which pairs it with 1984's Killpoint (another cheesy Crown International release with martial arts elements, not reviewed). 9 Deaths, on Disc 1, looks pretty decent, if a tad soft; the 1.85:1 non-anamorphic widescreen transfer is relatively damage free. A basic stereo mix lends a little oomph to the cheesy sound effects (some of the guns sound like firecrackers), but not much more than that. There's some minor background hiss at times but nothing distracting.
Trailers for some not very interesting-looking Crown International titles make up the Disc 1 extras. The trailer for 9 Deaths, for some reason, is included with Killpoint on the second disc. (NOTE: My DVD Rating of '6' factors in the total value of this double feature package, even though only one of the films is actually reviewed here.)
Not one ninja wails on a guitar. 9 Deaths Of The Ninja.
I have to tell you. I wish more DVDs got the featurette treatment. I really couldn’t care less about the making of The Matrix or JurassicPark. I’m far more interested in what was going on in the director’s head during the production of 9 Deaths of the Ninja. I’d put money down that his thoughts involved a bear wearing a fez, driving a little car at the circus. 9 Deaths is a little more than 90 minutes of mind melting insanity. I’m still not sure if I drifted off to sleep early in the movie and my dreams were a rough approximation of a ninja movie starring Sho Kosugi.
I was 9 when this movie was released to theaters and I clearly remember seeing the ad for it in the Boston Globe one sunday morning and freaking out. You got a big ninja and a little ninja busting through him with ninja stars and a sword and a crossbow. How could this movie not be totally sweet? I’m pretty sure that even in the midst of Cap’n Crunch induced ninja freak out, my 9 year old self would have stood up and demanded to know what was going on.
The movie begins with the laziest assault of a terrorist camp that you’ll probably ever see. Even Bruno Mattei put more effort into his combat scenes. Sho Kosugi and his white guy partner take their time casually chucking throwing stars and grenades at a bunch of lethargic guys in head scarves. When the carnage is through, it turns out that this was some kind of demo of the US government’s latest task force, the Dark Team. Spike Shinobi, Steve and Jennifer are three of the elitest of the elite as far as anti-terror teams go. Okay. Stop. The credits sequence bears mention. As the opening credits roll, we’re treated to a swanky slow-jam while three girls dance around a shirtless Kosugi while he performs some kind of choreographed kata with his sword that integrates into their dance routine. Let it be known that this is the best choreography in the whole movie. Yes. The dance scene.
Shortly thereafter, a busload of folks in the Philippines are taken hostage by a drug producing terrorist group led by some nazi who looks like a cross between Christopher Lloyd and Bad-era Michael Jackson. The nazi, named Alby The Cruel, is aided by a skeletal lesbian with a huge frizzy afro, her three lesbian enforces and a bunch of cackling drug freaks. They want some borderline animal terrorist name Rahji released from prison for some reason. Naturally, Dark Team is enlisted to release the hostages and take out Alby and his group. Dark Team is stalked by Alby’s people every step of the way. During a confusing investigation of an art gallery, Kosugi is attacked by a couple of knife wielding idiots and half a dozen midgets in fedoras and dark glasses. Then some guy with a knife falls ten feet to his unfortunate death. The movie, already crazy, goes fucking haywire here. The government agrees to release Rahji, who for reasons unknown, kills his driver and takes off on foot. Kosugi gives chase and stops along the way to pay out fifty bucks for a prostitute and then continues chasing Rahji.
Somewhere along the way, Rahji gets in a helicopter with Kosugi captive. Kosugi fires the gun, point blank into the palm of Rahji’s hand and he catches the god damn bvllet! The stream of consciousness plot rolls along with a few crappy fight scenes until Dark Team storms the island that Alby is hidden out on and manages to free the hostages. A few ninjas show up. During all this madness, Kosugi’s real life sons get some screen time to perform hilarious antics like setting some terrorist’s underwear on fire and whooping on another with some nunchaku that they find laying around.
I’m laying it on you pretty thick. This trainwreck is crazier than shithouse rat. Logic took the day off, apparently. I find myself at a loss to properly convey any reasonable thoughts. On one hand, I felt like I was losing my mind while watching it. On the other hand, I loved it. One of my first ideas for this review was simply to post a photo of my baffled facial expression and leave it at that, but I gave Catman the dignity of several paragraphs, I guess I owe it to 9 Deaths of the Ninja as well.
There are a couple of scenes that demonstrate that Kosugi was no slouch when it came to fighting but they’re shot so poorly that you never get a good look. So with poor action scenes all you’re really left with are some downright hilarious characters. I couldn’t tell if Alby The Cruel was supposed to be funny or villainous. He sits in a wheelchair most of the movie petting a monkey on a chain while enunciating his dialog as if he suffered a stroke only moments before. His second in command, Honey Hump, however, is completely frightening. She makes passive agressive, amazonian rants about her woman warriors while letting her bony assets all hang out.
Meanwhile, Dark Team is staffed by Spike Shinobi, master ninja, Steve, a sleazy pretty boy who seems only interested in getting laid, even by the villains, and their bobbled headed communications coordinator Jennifer, who spends her own fair share of time in revealing clothing. Their handler is a Philippino gentleman who blandly delivers confusing orders while standing in front of a big framed photo of Ronald Reagan. When it’s all over, you’ll probably be as confused as I was. After the prisoners are freed, the movie cuts to some palatial estate, having completely forgotten about Alby and his army. They show up again, and Alby meets a most hilarious end that makes the previous 90 minutes completely worth it.
It’s movies like these that take me out of myself at times and make me wonder what the hell I’m doing with my life when I spend precious hours of my life span watching 9 Deaths of the Ninja. It’s a beautiful moment of clarity, a sudden realization of existentialism. These suddenly zen moments are immediately squashed when I dive back into the madness, though. Maybe I suffer some kind of self-loathing that keeps me coming back.
I really don’t know.
9 Deaths of the Ninja. What the hell? Seriously!
Andrew Borntreger’s review from the Bad Movies website:
The Characters:
Spike Shinobi - The ninja to call if your country is ever under attack by watermelons.
Steve Gordan - A manly man indeed. His impressive collection of toys causes envy in soldiers of fortune the world over.
Jennifer Barnes - Since she is the team's female member her job is communications and control. She is also the last chance garage for Steve's wiener wagon.
Dr. Wolf - One of the drug runners who has a rotten streak of luck. First kids set his underwear on fire when he's raping a hostage, then Spike steals his clothes. In the middle of a Filipino jungle, where everything wants to bite or sting you, is no place for a big man wearing little bikini briefs.
The Midget Attack Squad - Hehehehe!
Mohammed Rahji - Enormous bad guy with a strange habit of chuckling constantly. He is nigh invulnerable until finding out the hard way that grenades are not food.
Honey Hump - Female leader of the mercenaries blessed with a full afro. Trying to shoot her in the brain would be difficult, but I suggest aiming twelve inches below her hair.
Albert Brant - (Alby to his friends) Drug cartels always need a German mastermind to head the operation. Getting one who has a pet monkey is just icing on the cake. Killed by polo players. Yes, you heard me right, polo players.
I've long been at a loss to present a solid theory about why some atrocious movies are barrels of fun and others are pure pain. So, with great pleasure, I'm going to present this as my thesis. There are, quite honestly, a ton of scenes in this movie that make no sense, but had me dumbfounded. Over and over I was laughing and saying, "No way that just happened." Finally I gave up and just watched the film with a bemused demeanor, because it hadn't a care in the world for my reality. It's like watching a baseball game and suddenly seeing a football player (fully equipped with pads) run across center and tackle the fielder.
The first few minutes are nothing more than standard action drivel and can lull you into a state of complacency, then the opening credits roll. Watch in amazement as three women perform some insane jazz/modern dance around Sho Kosugi (who is swinging his sword and "fighting" their choreographed attack). Meanwhile, a very energetic singer is belting out "Keep On Dancing." That has to be the name of the song. Why? Every other stanza she sings is that specific phrase. That's why. Rewind and watch the opening credits sequence in disbelief all you want, but it's real.
Just so you understand, the three main good guys (Spike, Steve, and Jennifer) are members of an elite international anti terrorist team. There are no others, just these three. Alby and his drug runners have taken a number of hostages, intent on forcing authorities to release Rahji from prison and cut back on drug interdiction efforts in the Philippines. To say that the criminals are ludicrous is an understatement. They display a devotion to the cause expected of freedom fighters or religious fanatics.
Albert is played to his Fascist hilt; just imagine a young and energetic Dr. Strangelove. He sputters, spits, and is prone to uncontrolled outbursts that render his words nearly indecipherable under all the accent. One advantage he does have is a 4X4 wheelchair, which is pretty much a must have for disabled guerrilla leaders fighting a jungle conflict. Out of control characters really make this a fun experience. Undoubtedly the actors knew how absurd this all was, they just said "screw it" and went to town.
Unsurprisingly, the bad guys are soon aware of the international task force. This could be due to some double agents in the Filipino government. It could also be due to Spike and company running around in jumpsuits befitting of NASA astronauts. Your choice. Perhaps we're reading too much into this though; earlier Jennifer was wearing a negligee at the swimming pool when a swimsuit should have been the obvious choice. Clueing off the wardrobe might be a fatal mistake in retrospect.
Identifying your enemy is only a small part of battle. The most important facet is neutralizing them. You don't always have to destroy their fighting forces; attacking manufacturing and support facilities can be plenty effective (just ask Germany why we kept bombing ball bearing factories during WWII). In this case the drug runners have it easy, because their enemy is three people. Who cares about strategy? Just kill those three! And here is where the crack midget assault squad comes into play. Spike and Steve get jumped while investigating a lead at the museum. The ninja easily defeats the female assassin, but then she sics four midgets on him. HAHAHAHA! Poor Spike actually scratches his head and considers the little guys with a wonderful "What in the Hell?" look on his face before things get ugly. The little people are, quite unfortunately, prone to throwing punches in line with their shoulders. Coincidence places Spike's testicles at that height and those react poorly to physical blows, but he eventually wins the fight.
With time running out and Alby shooting hostages (hey, he's an excitable German - what do you expect) the government releases Rahji. Of course they try following him back to the hideout, though that goes poorly. The ninja is briefly taken prisoner and his helicopter used as a private taxi for the massive terrorist. When Spike turns the tables and brandishes a pistol you might think that it's curtains for Rahji. You are still several shadows away from the world where this movie is taking place. In fact, "9 Deaths of the Ninja" is probably what drove Dworkin insane (not spilling blood on the Pattern). Rahji puts his hand over the barrel and catches the round, then a fight right out of the Three Stooges Handbook ensues.
Beset by a deadly phantom and Steve's gatling gun, the Albert & Hump pharmaceutical company is trapped (sorta) in a cave. They make a last ditch effort to kill the capitalist pigs, but between Spike's sword having a hinged grip that swivels to act like a baton and two little hostages kicking butt with their nunchaku it goes badly. Mysteriously a number of evil ninja show up to be slaughtered, but there still are not nine of them. The title remains a mystery.
By now I should know better, but this has been bugging me the whole movie: where did all the beer come from? The drug runners and Steve seem to produce bottles of beer on command, especially during the jungle conflict. Besides being heavy, the fact that refrigeration was unavailable kept cropping up. That had to be warm beer. So, after sacking the center fielder, would the football player drink that warm beer or steal the little kid's Coke?
Things I Learned From This Movie:
Flak vests provide good protection against throwing stars.
Jumping from a second story balcony and landing on your feet will kill you.
Never investigate piles of clothes that you find in the hallway of a massage parlor.
Ninja know how to apply the Vulcan Nerve Pinch.
Deny your first instinct after being splashed in the face with industrial superglue.
Being an attractive female hostage has a number of drawbacks, namely the number of male terrorists.
For some odd reason NINE DEATHS OF THE NINJA is often called the worst Ninja film ever made. Just take a look at the Internet Movie Database, where it is rated 1,4 at the time of writing. While far from being a good movie this flick is certainly not as bad as some wannabe-critics want it to be. Compared with most of the Joseph Lai/Tomas Tang/Godfrey Ho output, for example, NINE DEATHS is Academy Award material. If you belong to the lucky ones who have seen Emmett Alston’s Ninja follow-up FORCE OF THE NINJA (1988) than you probably know what to expect. NINE DEATHS is hilariously stupid low-budget action schlock full of scenes that make you wonder what drugs the filmmakers haven taken during the shoot. Shot in the Philippines (where life is cheap… but not as cheap as in South America, as we all know), NINE DEATHS has got one of the all-time-greatest terrorist leaders since the invention of cinema. Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Albert, also known as Alby the Cruel (overacted to the point of absurdity by Blackie Dammett). Alby is a joke that has to be seen to be believed. He is dressed in white, wears women’s gloves, has got a horrible hairstyle and has himself carried through the jungle on a sedan chair. Besides, he’s from Germany (funny accent), obviously a Nazi and extremely choleric and quick-tempered. For example, he shoots a cigarette lighter when it doesn’t work! Yes, he’s that choleric. Alby is paralyzed and sits in a wheelchair, but that is no excuse for his outrageous behaviour. He has a pet monkey too, but that doesn’t save him from being ludicrous beyond belief. At one point he comments, with his inimitable, piercing voice: “How entertaining! I’ve never seen such a pitiful group of hostages before!” Frankly speaking, I’ve never seen such a pitiful group of terrorists before too. Alby finds a ghastly end under the hoofs of horses. Yeah, he is overrun by a group of polo players. You don’t believe me? Well, watch the damn movie!
Shô Kosugi is way better, but he’s far from being as classy as his character in REVENGE OF THE NINJA (1983). Shô is Spike, and he loves to suck on lollipops. When he visits a brothel he demands: “I want a clean girl!” The female boss replies in all seriousness: “Are you kidding? My girls are sterilized, sanitized, and lobotomized.” The female terrorist Honey Hump (Regina Richardson) is straight out of the handbook for clichés too. A trigger-happy lesbian with wild eyes and a cool afro hairstyle who thinks that “men are all pigs”. Her heavy earrings drag her earlobes downwards quite a bit, so maybe that explains her strange behaviour. Another thing worth mentioning is the jaw-dropping opening credit sequence. Obviously inspired by the James Bond movies we see Shô Kosugi waving around with his sword while three girls are dancing around him. All the while Ivy Violan sings her song “Take Me High”. This is weird, embarassing and funny, all at the same time. Another highpoint is the midget attack. In a museum Shô is attacked by four dwarfs and the look on his face when he first sees his dangerous attackers is priceless! But it was a mistake to underestimate them, as they go straight for his testicles with their tiny fists. Still, Weng Weng would have wiped the floor with ‘em, that’s for sure. Anyway, when Shô is not busy rescuing hostages and killing terrorists he likes to play with his sword and slice water melons, blindfolded. You see, once Shô wanted to be a Ninja (flashback alert!) and he was rather good. He shot arrows and threw shurikens in the faces of Ninja dummies, and he even decapitated a few of those handy dummies, blindfolded. But the master dismissed him when he spared a woman during his graduation (or whatever Ninja aspirants do to become full-bloodied Ninjas). That’s not the way Ninjas act, so Shô failed the exam. At least this back story is an excuse for a few evil Ninjas to make a surprise appearance in the demented showdown. Watch out for Kane and Shane Kosugi, Shô’s sons, who are among the hostages. Kane is allowed to fight a guard and the ankle-biter manages to defeat him with his nunchukas. The two kids also set a rapist’s pants on fire! And don’t miss the weapon that shoots glue. Amazing! The movie as a whole is not really impressive, but the sum of its (insane) parts makes it a must-see for bad movie lovers. Shô Kosugi was responsible for the fight choreography, but this is all but his best work. Still, fans of mindless B-movie action will get their money’s worth, even if there are quite a lot of dreary and unspectacular moments.
All in all I have to say that NINE DEATHS OF THE NINJA is fine entertainment, for all the wrong reasons though. I mean, any film that features a ludicrous, choleric, wheelchair-bound Nazi with a pet monkey, fighting midgets, a wild lesbian with an afro hairstyle, trigger-happy prostitutes and Shô Kosugi sucking on lollipops and slicing melons is well worth checking out. If you don’t make the mistake of expecting a good movie, NINE DEATHS should succeed in entertaining you for ninety-two minutes. This reviewer enjoyed it very much. A few words to Emmett Alston. He began directing in the early 1980s with films such as NEW YEAR’S EVIL (1980). In the mid-1980s he discovered his love for Ninjas, and so he made NINE DEATHS OF THE NINJA, FORCE OF THE NINJA, WAY OF THE NINJA (1989) and 3 LITTLE NINJAS AND THE LOST TREASURE (1990), his last film according to the Internet Movie Database. He is also responsible for the enjoyable schlocker DEMONWARP (1988). His greatest achievement might very well be the screenplay for Robert C. Hughes’ nasty backwoods shocker HUNTER’S BLOOD (1987), one of the best ‘rednecks vs. city guys’ flicks ever made.
Michael Den Boer’s review from the 10K Bullets website:
Terrorists kidnapped a group of tourists and a congressman who where vacationing in Manila. Apparently they are pissed off that the drug enforcement officers have been making their job harder. So they demand that all their jailed comrades are freed and that all drug enforcement officers withdraw from eastern Asia immediately or they will start killing the hostages. Never one to give into terrorists threats the U.S. government deploys a team of special agents to free the hostages and eliminate the scum from the face of the Earth.
9 Deaths of the Ninja suffers from not enough action and its lack of ninja’s that it promises. The film does have an impressive array of midgets who all participate in the best action sequence in the whole film. The films is directed is the most pedestrian way as the director acts like he has noting better to do then just point his camera. To the director’s credit the cheesy opening credits with actor Shô Kosugi posing and swinging his samurai sword in fog while lovely ladies dance around is the directors’ most inspired work I the whole film. The tongue and cheek humor in the film is flat and never comes close to hitting the mark.
The cast is filled with many known B film veterans like Brent Huff of Just Jackin’s Gwendoline fame plays you’re a typical lead. Actor Blackie Dammett plays a doctor strange love like Nazi character and he is probably known for his famous son Anthony Kiedis then his acting. Then there is ninja master extraordinary Shô Kosugi who also has several members of his family in the cast. Every action film needs a beautiful leading lady and this film is graced by an actress named Aiko Cownden who unfortunately didn’t make any other films after this one. This film has all the action movie clichés and it totally revels in its badness and if you still haven’t been sacred away from this epic adventure then you are a braver man then most.
As a child of the 80’s (and having the luck of a friend with the movie channels), I grew-up on a mixture of horror flicks, dopey T&A comedies, and (usually) godawful low-budget action movies. It was during these formative years I grew an attachment to Golan-Globus and their Cannon imprint. It was also thanks to Cannon that I was first exposed to Sho Kosugi when I happened upon Ninja III: The Domination on late night television. Yet, up until this week I had never seen what one could argue is his most well known film - 9 Deaths Of The Ninja.
Opening with a cheap action sequence (which thankfully just turns out to be a training exercise), we meet Spike Shinobi (Kosugi) and his American sidekick, the smirky, apparent “ladies man” Steve Gordon (Brent Huff) as they take out some Arab baddies as part of the fake scenario.
At about the same time in Manila, a tour bus filled with a senator, some kids (one who has a heart condition – haven’t seen that before!), and various other Americans are taken hostage by a group of terrorists who have staged a fake wedding in order to storm the bus with machine guns and multiple threats.
Looks like the hostage taking was the work of the wheelchair bound, monkey pet owning German they call “Alby the Cruel” (an over-the-top Blackie Dammett sporting one of the worst foreign accents I’ve heard – check out when he pronounces the word harmed as “harm-ed”) who threatens to kill off his captives unless they release one of his fellow terrorists from prison.
This being more of an outright ridiculous action movie than a hostage drama you just know they’re going to call in Spike, Steve, and the “brains” of the operation Jennifer (Emilia Lesniak) to try and track down Alby, his Amazon-like henchwomen, and the hostages in order to save the day – oh, and also take out the constantly laughing, kids balloon popping, and “quick to choke” now free prisoner.
9 Deaths Of The Ninja truly has to be seen to be believed. At first you almost begin to think that writer-director Emmett Alston was attempting for some kind of outrageously silly spoof of martial arts movies, but then you realize he was dead serious – however, I guess he wasn’t serious enough to put in a title sequence that has Kosugi dancing around with a samurai sword as various ballerinas gyrate to a bad 80’s pop song.
Suffice it to say if you like really crappy, and I mean REALLY crappy, martial arts movies from the 80’s, you’ll find this watchable. It’s your typical low-rent, Philippines shot flick that’s loaded with poorly staged action sequences (including Kosugi fighting a gang of midgets!), a dopey musical score with a TV movie vibe, and a script that’s all over the damn place. And, in case you’re worried, it also throws out the various “gadgets” you’ve come to expect from this type of thing (Kosugi has a crossbow that shoots tiny bombs and there’s an “epoxy gun” that shoots glue at people).
Completely inane and giving us very little of the “9 Deaths” or “Ninja” of the title, this is only for those looking for unintentional laughs, silly action scenes, and Alby’s priceless finish in the final reel. It’s a movie that’s managed to gather a cult following over the years and remains Alston’s claim to B-movie fame, even if it’s not very good.
This marked Ashok Amritraj’s first producing gig and he’d go on to be involved with tons of direct-to-video junk (like the Night Eyes series and various action flicks starring people like Billy Blanks and Jeff Wincott) before going on to produce such Hollywood fare as Bringing Down The House and Walking Tall.
[filmed in Manila, Zamboanga, Hong Kong and Bangkok]
Director/Screenplay/Producer Ferde Grofé Jr.
Cast George Montgomery (Will Lanyon), Victoria Shaw, Marshall Thompson, Andre Marquis
BFI Database synopsis: The infamous Club Crystal in Manila is home for wealthy playboy Will Lanyon. When Lanyon's partner Johnny Rulo is found dead, the police shut down the club. Lanyon decides to avenge his friend but has only clue, the name Orpheus. He soon finds himself embroiled in a communist-inspired crime and drug empire and embarks on a journey that will bring him back full circle to Club Crystal.
1977 - Too Hot To Handle(Derio-International 13 Productions/New World Pictures)
[also released as “She’s Too Hot To Handle”]
Director Don Schain Story Don Schain, J. Michael Sherman Screenplay J. Michael Sheridan, Don Buday Producer Ralph T. Desiderio Cinematography Fredy Conde Editor Barbara Pokras Music Hugo Montenegro Production Co-ordinator Vic Diaz Unit Manager/Assistant Director Jose M. Dagumboy 1st Assistant Cameraman Rev Sem Pio 2nd Assistant Cameraman Delfin Teope Special Effects “Rollie St”/Rolando Santo Domingo, Hilario Santos Stunt Co-ordinator Jun Matagay Gaffer Juanito Gali Script Supervisor Trisha Kinney Assistant Editor Andrea Scharf Hair Stylist/Make-up Artist Tony Artieda Asst. Hair Stylist/Make-up Artist Resty de Leon Miss Caffaro's Wardrobe Designed by Cheri Caffaro Miss Caffaro's Wardrobe Created by Lily of the Valley Assistant to Production Co-ordinator Ronnie Espiritu Music Editor John Mick Music Co-ordinator Marshall Leib Sound Effects Supervision Sam Shaw Song: "Lady Samantha" Music John Montenegro Lyrics Michael Justin Performed by Cheri Caffaro Additional Sequences Photographed by Manuel Bolotano
Cast Cheri Caffaro (Samantha Fox), Aharon Ipalé (Domingo De La Torres), Vic Diaz (Sanchez), Corinne Calvet (Madame Ruanda), John Van Dreelen (MacKenzie Portman), Jordan Rosengarten (Justin Stockwell), Butz Aquino (Carlos Rossimo), Subas Herrero (Octavio Calderone), Grace Lee (Miss Chow), Paquito Salcedo (Lu Chang), Vic Silayan (District Attorney), “June”/Joonee Gamboa (Mr Bulacon)
Teaser Storyline for Too Hot To Handle: The exotic urban bustle of Manila provides the backdrop for the appearance of Samantha Fox, a woman of means, mystery and ulterior motives. Samantha lounges poolside at the Manila Polo Club, absorbed in the progress of a rugged polo game. She is spotted by Mackenzie Portman, a dapper, middle-aged banker, who invites her to view his collection of "rare medieval instruments." That night, Samantha arrives at Portman's estate dressed in black leather (from high boots to long gloves). She enjoys the champagne and caviar tour of his medieval torture chamber, and appears to enjoy the bizarre bedroom rituals which Portman has devised. Bound by leather thongs to the four-poster bed, Portman is in ecstacy-until Samantha provides the final touch. She coolly suffocates him, removes the traces of her presence, and consumes the last caviar canape before leaving.
Domingo de Ia Torres, Chief of Detectives, begins the investigation into the notorious banker's death. De Ia Torres is handsome, elegant, "to the manor born." With his rough-edged sidekick, Sanchez, he attends the Portman funeral. For a moment, as he scans the crowd, his vision is arrested by the sight of a lovely blonde enjoying the burial rites. He watches her leave in the company of a Chinese man, and makes a note to find out more about her. Samantha travels to the Chinese quarter to negotiate her new contract with Chow, an underworld businesswoman. They arrange for three "hits"-to be accomplished by Samantha without interference or advice. Meanwhile, de Ia Torres, sparked by a picture of Samantha in the society pages, has tracked her to the Manila Polo Club. While Samantha suns herself on her yacht and conducts business by phone with her European stockbroker, Domingo discusses the lady and her yacht at the marina. He is impressed to learn that she is a born sailor who manages the ship herself, without benefit of a crew.
The scene shifts to the elegant residence of Justin Stockwell, patron of the arts and collector of sculpture. Samantha Fox, in the guise of Melinda Burroughs, writer for Nouveau Art Magazine, is gaining entrance to the estate. Stockwell, an arrogant patrician, is intrigued by this bespectacled, severely dressed young woman. In a test of knowledge, he finds her both witty and intelligent, and agrees to a feature-story and photos. Later that night, while Samantha views slides of the Stockwell manse, she becomes aware of unusual sounds. She edges to the yacht's deck, and karate chops a wet-suited private detective as he attempts to climb aboard. She then returns to continue her "research."
The next day, Samantha journeys to visit an ancient Chinese gentleman. Lu Chang. He is a very old friend, and they discuss the ways of the world in reserved Oriental fashion. He then presents her with a vial of clear liquid to aid her in her mission: the destruction of Justin Stockwell.
Detective de Ia Torres receives a teletype from Miami, Samantha's last resting place. He learns that she is independently wealthy, a world-traveller who was orphaned at 15. Back at the Stockwell estate, a new Filipina maid enters Justin's lair to assist him with his powder-and-salts bath ceremony. The maid bumps into him accidentally, and he shocks her with an outburst of gutter Tagalog, the language of the Manila slums. But Stockwell is not unaware of the charms of his new maid as he eases into the luxury of the bath and calls for champagne. With deft movements, the maid pours a vial of liquid into the swirling bath water and watches complacently as Stockwell realizes, with horror, that he is becoming completely paralyzed. The maid then reveals the mystery to Justin Stockwell, international smuggler. She removes the wig and make-up of a native girl to become Melinda Burroughs/Samantha Fox. Then, she stuffs towels in the jacuzzi drain, watches him drown, re-garbs herself as the Filipina maid, and leaves as quietly as she entered.
With another murder of a prominent crook on their hands, the police escalate the investigation. De Ia Torres interviews Stockwell's maid, who'd received a call from the agency to stay home, and the agency manager, who'd never placed the call. He gets a lab report, revealing traces of brown make-up on a bath towel and a mysterious substance in the bath water. He also receives word from Nouveau Art magazine that their Melinda Burroughs in no way resembles the blonde writer who interviewed Stockwell.
Soon afterwards, Samantha Fox and Domingo de Ia Torres meet at a society party. Domingo executes a ruse to get her away from a crowd of admirers: he plays cop, and she responds by playing criminal. It becomes apparent that each has met his (or her) match. The tension and attraction between them heightens when de Ia Torres beckons a sketch artist to draw the attractive Samantha with horn-rimmed glasses and a severe hair-do. Samantha meets his implicit challenge by telling him the whereabouts of the private detective whom Domingo had sent to reconnoiter the yacht. Their relationship develops: they hunt wild boar together, testing each other's shooting prowess and love of the hunt. On a shady Manila street, they are accosted by four thugs; Samantha watches while Domingo demolishes three of them, then jumps in to rescue him from the fourth.
Samantha then "leaves town," in order to visit the luxurious beauty spa of Madame Ruanda, ageing coquette and infamous white slave trader. Madam~e Ruanda is captivated by Samantha/Solvang's charms and invites her to an intimate meeting. When Mme. Ruanda is woozy from drink and anticipation, Samantha proceeds to execute her, using one of Ruanda's own beauty schemes. While Samantha engineers the Madame's electrocution, she forces her to watch a videotape of the usual electrolytic/mudbath rejuvenation ritual.
Meanwhile, de Ia Torres and his team of investigators have decided that an Asian syndicate is behind the slayings, and that one or both of two island drug lords are next on the "hit" list. He orders 24 hour surveillance of these two criminals. He also resumes his dates with Samantha, marveling at the excitement a bloody cockfight arouses in her, and wondering at her nonchalance upon seeing the two drug lords at a jai alai game. Samantha is attracted to Domingo; she is also attracted to the back room of the BulaconArtGallery, where they sell interesting pieces of weaponry.
At a Manila nightspot, de Ia Torres, Samantha and Rossimo, one of the druglords, have an interesting confrontation; Domingo watches, amazed and amused, as Samantha dances with a potential victim. Another confrontation follows that night, when Samantha and Domingo succumb to each others charms in the bedroom of her yacht. After violent but tender lovemaking, Domingo learns that her parents were killed by gangsters; he asks her to give up her career as a hit woman and become his wife. She is tempted to say yes, but declines. There contest for the lives of the narcotics barons resumes.
Samantha calls both Calderon and Rossimo, the two gangsters, and invites each to a secret meeting at a deserted site outside the city, promising to reveal to them the identity of the contract holder. While driving to the rendezvous, she takes the cop who is tailing her on a furious chase through the city and the suburbs. Sanchez de Ia Torres' valued assistant, is driven off the road to his death in a fiery explosion. Samantha arrives at the abandoned ruins where two gangs await her …
Ah, the annual Cheri Caffaro movie. Thus far, we've gone through half the lady's oeuvre, reveling in the seamy, bondage-obsessed world of the Ginger Trilogy (Ginger, The Abductors and Girls Are For Loving). This leaves three more films: A Place Called Today - and my limited exposure to that promises more pain than I am prepared to deal with at this time; the Philippine WIP picture Savage Sisters - of which I still have not tracked down a copy; and this week's picture, her last as an actress: Too Hot to Handle.
Okay, there is H.O.T.S., which she wrote. So we still have three more years in which to ride this train, she still has three more years to make another movie. Or I have to track down that episode of Extreme Ghostbusters in which she supposedly provided voice talent. (I say supposedly because sometimes, sadly, the info given the IMDb is faulty... I have been surprised to learn that Forever Evil star Red Mitchell appeared in The Subterraneans two years before he was born, and one of the serving ladies in the cafeteria line of that same movie was actually a white Canadian actress. And, by the way, did you enjoy me in White Men Can't Jump?)
Our story opens in scenic Manila, where Samantha Fox (Cheri Caffaro) is lounging about the tennis courts at an exclusive country club. She is immediately hit upon (via telephone) by a chap named MacKenzie Portman (John van Dreelen), who invites her to come over to his place to examine his collection of "medieval sporting devices". This, I admit, is at least an original pickup line. When she accepts, Portman also requests that she "wear black".
And wear black she does, a stunning full-length leather evening gown; this is probably as appropriate a place as any to mention that Ms. Caffaro designed her own clothes for this movie. By and large, her designs are striking and quite good, though occasionally a particularly dreadful example of mid-70s couture will singe our eyeballs. But enough of that, you are all probably quite curious about these "medieval sporting devices". Those of you who combined that phrase with the leather dominatrix outfit and came up with "torture devices" may now advance to Double Jeopardy, where the scores can really change.
Yep, Portman's boudoir is a red velvet vision of racks and chains, with a four-poster bed the centerpiece. Those of us who have been watching Caffaro movies for a while quite expect our heroine to purr sexily and ask for a demonstration. And thus does Portman wind up, nude and spread-eagled face down, while the half-naked blonde slaps his flesh coquetteishly with a whip. The preliminaries out of the way, Fox climbs astraddle the bound man, ties a plastic bag over his head, and retires to smoke a cigarette while he suffocates.
Samantha is, you see, an international hit woman (and jet setter. Cheri is always a "_________" and jet setter). The local cops, de la Torres (Aharon Ipalé) and Sanchez (Vic Diaz) are puzzled, of course - either a "kook" is responsible for Portman's death, or it is the work of "a professional". "And whoever it is," deduces Torres, "I'll bet a month's salary she's an absolute knockout."
Which is as good a cue as any for Samantha to show up at Portman's funeral wearing a low-cut mourning ensemble, where Torres recognizes her from a photo in that day's paper. It must have been a slow news day in Manila, if they're running stock photos of Caffaro with a vaguely-seen caption like "International Ne'er-Do-Well Parks Yacht in Local Harbor". Sensing a connection, Torres immediately loses her, so she can meet with Miss Chow (Grace Lee), who gives her the contract on three new targets, and What Luck! They're all in Manila!
Samantha begins her hardcore research on Victim Number One, Justin Stockwell (Jordan Rosengarten), by pretending to be a reporter for Manila Arts magazine, come to do a story on Stockwell's art collection. Later, on her yacht, Samantha is examining the slides she took at his estate, formulating her plan of action (hm, Filipino maid... sunken bathtub... Filipino maid...) when an interloper boards her yacht - and this guy is no ninja, as she could have been playing Spinal Tap cranked all the way to 11 and still have heard this guy.
So it's time for a slow-motion Caffaro fight scene, as she and the wet suited weasel have at it (everybody say "Ee-yah!" as flatly as possible!). Since it's the Philippines, each picks up a conveniently located stick and we have a bit of elementary escrima to liven up the proceedings, although it's still very bad form to glance obviously where you know the other guy is going to kick before you even aim your stick . Anyway, her opponent winds up tossed off the boat and I pause to scribble the note: Who the hell was that?
Fox then drops in on an ancient Asian gentleman, Lu Chang (Paquito Salcedo - now there's a Chinese name for you), who, in accordance to Bad Movie Law, speaks in nothing but obscure Oriental aphorisms in lieu of actual dialogue. From Lu she purchases a small vial of blue liquid which he refers to as "the song of the nightingale", if that gives you any inkling of how this scene goes. He also mentions that he has many sons, but never had a need for a daughter until he met Fox - a hint of backstory which is more infuriating than it is intriguing, couched as it is in fortune cookie syntax, and never alluded to again.
So Stockwell finishes up another day of being a rich white bastard by retiring to his bathroom to brutalize the new maid (the one in the slides is out sick) before commanding her to prepare his bath ("First the salts, then the oils!" - though he didn't instruct her to pour that small vial of blue liquid in there, hmmmm....). No sooner does Stockwell settle in his sunken Jacuzzi than the maid doffs her black wig and pulls off her fake nose to reveal that she is none other than... Samantha Fox! Gasp!
Okay, I do need to say this: it's sort of a Wild Wild West moment: there's never much of a doubt that it's Caffaro as the maid, but the makeup is decent enough - and above all, her body language is different enough - that I have to admit that the disguise would have worked. Especially in the case of a swine like Stockwell, who never regards his servants as people, let alone individuals.
Anyway, Fox tells the staring Stockwell that she put a "powerful paralytic" into the bath, which will be undetectable once her work is done; then she stuffs a towel into the tub's drain and watches the paralyzed man vanish beneath the water's surface. We'll also note that when she peeled off her nose, she used the same towel to rub off the excess makeup. Some professional...
The next day, the comedy team of Torres and Sanchez are at the Stockwell mansion, wondering if it is an accident or another hit by a professional - gosh, what bearing on that do you suppose the makeup on the towel will have? I'll spare you the suspense and tell you none, as the makeup is found to be common, over the counter stuff. So chalk up another lesson learned on the Bad Movie Slate: liquid latex and spirit gum is found next to the lipstick and eye shadow in the Philippines. No wonder so many movies were made there in the 60s and 70s.
Torres then runs across Fox at some society soiree where she is the center of attention of a small group of wealthy businessmen. Torres whisks her away under the guise of "questioning about a jewel heist", but later admits to her that was the only way he could think of to get her all to himself. Fox doesn't mind, and we quickly find ourselves in the limbo of what passes as sexy light banter in Caffaro movies, culminating in Torres' invitation to a walk by the country club's lake, and the single most odious line in the movie, Fox's "As long as you promise if you rape me, you'll work the case."
Apassing sketch artist is commissioned to draw a portrait of Fox, but the wily Torres announces that she is too full of her own beauty as it is, and commands the puzzled artist to put her hair in a bun and draw horn-rimmed eyeglasses on her... in short, until it is a portrait of Fox as that reporter for Manila Arts magazine. "One point for you," admits Fox, and tells Torres that the "private dick you sent to my boat" was left on a dinghy a day's swim from shore. (fresh note on my pad: Ah, so that's who that was.) Now that the Policeman and the Hit Lady have all their cards on the table, there is only one thing left to do: go to bed for some hot, dangerous lovin'.
Which means it is time for... nooooooooooooo! A MUSIC VIDEO! Yes, Samantha and Torres must tussle in the sheets to the tune of "Lady Samantha". Love scenes that double as music videos: a blight on the American cinemascape.
Then it's time for Victim #2, as Samantha watches videotapes of a "Madame Ruanda" (Corrine Calvet) as she performs some sort of bizarre beauty treatment on a woman on national - or at least Filipino - TV. This ends up with an ad for Ruanda's spa, so guess who winds up in a Yoga class at the spa? And who catches the eye of Madame Ruanda, herself a notorious lesbian?
Why, it must be Samantha. of course, who sneaks around the compound under cover of darkness, though I find myself wondering if an all-white ensemble, even with an attached hood, is really ideal for nighttime stealth. Samantha peers into one of the bungalows, and witnesses some sort of rape scene in progress. Then she returns to her own room in time for one of Ruanda's lackies to invite her to the Madame's chambers for a personal audience. (At this point on the notepad: What was that scene about?)
After drinking Ruanda under the table (and using the Bad Movie Heroine's Best Friend, that form of chloroform that takes effect in under three seconds), Fox ties Ruanda to a chair and pops the beauty tape into the nearby TV (I note that the tape in inserted into the top of the TV like bread into a toaster - I seem to vaguely remember TVs like that). In the video, Ruanda is explaining that her new process requires the woman being treated to be tied to her chair, because light electrical charges are used. Then, copying what Ruanda is doing on the screen, Samantha layers mud onto her face and finally plugs her in.
Sigh. So the filmmakers saw Theater of Blood.
Look! It's our pals Torres and Sanchez again! Turns out that Ruanda was the most notorious white slaver in the region! (Ah, so that's what that scene was about...). Obviously, Torres tells the district attorney, the rumors about a new Asian-American crime syndicate moving in is true, and these murders are eliminating the various local crime lords, leaving only the two competing drug czars, Rossimo and Calderone. Torres not only posts men to guard each dealer, but also warns each man in person that someone is gunning for them.
Far be it to tell them that it's Samantha, however, as he finally gets her on the phone and demands to know where she's been the last few days. But never mind that, since he has no hard evidence, the best thing to do is to take her to the cockfights. Yes, the cockfights. In slow motion. Intercut with a nude, gyrating Samantha. Must be art.
Then it's time for the festive night life of Manila, though Torres balks at the lateness of the hour. "Come on," she tells the cop, "Pop a few vitamins or whatever you do when you're 33!" At the next club, they run into Rossimo (the musically-named Butz Aquino), who asks her to dance (Caffaro must always dance in her movies. Just accept it). "Watch out," warns Torres, "she's a killer on the dance floor." The groaners usually assigned to James Bond are starting to sound like farging Oscar Wilde compared to some of this witty repartee.
In bed, later, it is time for dramatic origin stories. Samantha became a professional assassin because her father was killed by rank amateurs who also accidentally killed her mother, leaving her an orphan (the Lu Chang connection is never explained). She also reveals that she's been checking up on Torres, and the only reason he's a cop is to repay what his family felt was their good fortune after relocating to the Philippines. (Uh.... yeah. Okay.) Even better, Torres wants her to give up her life as an assassin because that is not behavior he wishes to witness.... in his wife. Yep, my marriage proposal was kinda oblique and ham-fisted, but I just handed my pinball crown to him.
It all ends pretty badly anyway, or at least with both parties naked and huffy. Torres swings back into his job, while Samantha calls up both Rossimo and Calderone, and using an astounding array of vocal disguises - oh, alright, a French accent and her own voice - tells each criminal that if he wants to know who's gunning for him, to come to a certain stadium that night. The two drug lords and their men ditch their police tails easily enough, but the persistent Sanchez is following Samantha, and in the process of losing him, she accidentally causes him to drive off a cliff (well, it's no less far-fetched than anything else in the movie). Extra points awarded for the car crash scene, which is fiery and quite impressive.
At the stadium that night, Rossimo, Calderone and their men stand in the field, looking suspiciously at each other, neither realizing that Samantha is in the stands with a sniper rifle (if I'm not mistaken, that's an AK-47 with a scope, a fine assault rifle, but not particularly known for it's long-range precision). They are probably unaware of her presence due to that stunning dark red outfit she's wearing. Oh, and forget what I said earlier about the rifle's precision - all she wanted to do was fire a shot at Calderon's feet, which is enough to cause a lethal shootout between the two edgy factions.
Torres confronts her the next day on her yacht, demanding to know how Sanchez died, an event about which Samantha seems genuinely sorry. She's preparing to leave, and Torres not only refuses to leave his job, but also swears to follow her (which sounds contradictory, but that's The Man for you). Samantha offers him a final toast; he refuses until she takes a drink. Then he keels over while she spits her drink back into her glass. Stop me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't something powerful enough to put Torres under that quickly still have hit her, even if she hadn't swallowed it? Aren't tinctures held under the tongue until they're absorbed?
My head hurts.
So Torres wakes up, three of his four limbs tied to various pieces of furniture. A note from Samantha is taped to the wall; she's leavin'... on a jet plane... (cue song which will be stuck in your head for several hours now) and has left a time bomb in the hold of the yacht. If Torres patiently and diligently unties the knots ("They're Chinese."), he will still have a few seconds left to get off the boat before it blows. The rest of the scene intercuts between Samantha passing through customs and boarding the plane, while Torres works at the knots, finally freeing himself and running for the door. The boat explodes, as Samantha sadly watches through the jet's window. The final fate of Torres is uncertain. The end.
You always want your idols to go out with a bang. Too Hot To Handle is an okay movie, it just never engages you in the ways that a good action flick or sleaze epic should. All the ingredients are there, from the complicated murder plots to the dangerous, self-destructive love affair between the two people firmly on opposite sides of the law. There should be more fireworks here, but none ever develop. I am forced to say that, though he still has a fruitful career as a producer, it is likely a good thing that Don Schain no longer directs.
Caffaro herself had matured into a competent performer by this point. She'd likely never turn up on any of the Academy's nominated rosters, but any awkwardness suffered earlier in her career is gone, and she even pulls off the tearful origin story well. Her opposite number, Aharon Ipalé, however, is another story. Moroccan-born, Ipalé has also had a long career, generally playing dark, handsome men with one accent or another. Here, though the hope was likely that he would pull off a sort of Alejandro Rey in The Flying Nun turn, he just seems like a man who is having trouble reading his lines in an unfamiliar language. And even the normally reliable Vic Diaz has trouble doing anything with his role.
In the earlier Caffaro movies, the "Ginger Trilogy", I made mention of the fact that the manner in which Ginger MacAllister used her sexuality was almost predacious; here, Schain and crew have taken the "almost" out of that sentence. The video box's tagline reads "Her mission--seduce and destroy! Her deadliest weapon--her body!" Two of her victims literally fall victim to her seductive wiles, and she flirts knowingly with two others. The result, in each case, is death; even arguably in the case of her paramour, the lover who, in return, also seeks to destroy her and possess her at the same time. These two really are made for each other.
If the earlier Trilogy took place, as I theorized, on Planet Ginger, a sort of parallel world where the fight for evil inevitably led to bondage and bondage inevitably led to sex.... this is the Dark Side of Planet Ginger, where bondage inevitably leads to the person in the submissive role begging for their life, to no avail. The naughty, comparatively innocent charge of those early movies were lost in the gritty wash of mid-70s entertainment. After the 60s had been horribly bludgeoned to death and the grindingly slow parade of outrage that was Watergate, we all wanted to hurt someone, and our movies showed it.
It is not only the abandonment of that innocent/naughty blend - which made the Ginger movies so popular - that led to the downfall of the Caffaro machine. It was more likely a sense of betrayal on the part of her fans as she attempted to grow beyond the Ginger persona into something harder, to match the heroes of the times - the Charles Bronsons, the Clint Eastwoods. You'd think that bondage or S&M fans would be accustomed to a certain amount of betrayal - can you think of any movie that dealt with either of these scenes that didn't end up badly for at least one of the participants? * But there are still a number of fan sites that examine the Ginger movies, and Monterey Video put them out in a box set a few years ago.... while Too Hot To Handle silently slipped into the limbo of Out Of Print movies - sadly, a fate it probably deserves.
I was at another Blockbuster clearance sale and saw this one lying there. Soon I would have another B-movie for my collection. The video box cover has a hot blonde dressed in a pink bikini posing with a machine gun. How could I resist such cinematic brilliance?
"Too Hot To Handle" stars the leggy blonde from the "Ginger" series. She still can't act but her tan line is a lot less noticeable in this one. She decided to go for the all body tan. The good news is that she gets naked quite frequently. The bad news is that the movie is rather lame. She plays a contract killer by the name of Samantha Fox. This naughty girl needs love too and wants you to touch her, touch her now. She wants to feel your body. She is looking to knock off some sleazeballs and zzzzzz... Her fighting skills are as good as her acting skills. This is to say that they are atrocious. But then again, she does get naked. Hmmmm...
I would say skip this one. If Ginger had got it on with Madame Ruanda, I would endorse it. No female fooling around, no other women get naked, just Ginger Fox doing a bad impression of a naked assassin.
1972 – Night Of The Cobra Woman (New World Pictures)
[also known as “Movini's Venom”]
Director/Screenplay Andrew Meyer Story Andrew Meyer, Kerry Magness Producers Kerry Magness, Harvey Marks Executive Producer [uncredited] Roger Corman Cinematography Nonong Rasca Music Restie Umali Editors Gervacio Santos, Barbara Pokras Production Designer Ben Otico Gowns Ben Farrales Unit Manager Paquito Mac Lang Assistant Director Hernan Robles Property Master Ben Delinea Sound Recordist Willie Arce Special Effects Feling Hilario Snake Handler Gelacio Erica Wardrobe SupervisorFelisa Salcedo Production Assistant Norma Japitana Production Coordinator Eliong Navarro Script Supervisor Maria Abelardo Assistant Cameraman “June”/Jun Rasca Gaffer George Rosales Sound Effects Tony Gozalvez
Cast Joy Bang (Joanna), Marlene Clark (Lena Aruza), Roger Garrett (Stan Duff), Vic Diaz (Japanese Soldier/Lope, the mutant), Rosemarie Gil (Francisca, Lope's mother), Slash Marks (Sergeant Merkle), Vic Silayan (Dr. Tezon), Bert Rivera (Ramon, a young man), Jimmy Milanios (Benito), Logan Clarke (Collins), Andrew Meyer (Weston)
From John Wooley, Hot Schlock Horror! Dreamtrip Press, Tulsa Ok, 1992, pp.73-74
A young biology student named Joanna (Joy Bang) stumbles onto the legend of the Fire-Ring Cobra while studying snake venom in the Philippines. The Fire-Ring Cobra is supposed to carry the gift of immortality in its venom, and when Joanna finds out that a woman up in the hills may own one of these cobras, she and her boyfriend Duff (Roger Garrett) go up to check it out. The woman (Marlene Clark) steals Duff away and initiates him into the cobra cult. But when the Fire-Ring Cobra is killed they discover that the only other way to stay immortal is to, uh, make love all the time. This may sound like a good deal on the face of it, but Duff soon finds out he just can't stay up with the woman, and when she's not satisfied she begins turning into a giant cobra. Talk about performance anxiety! Meanwhile, Joanna has gotten hold of some Fire-Ring Cobra venom, run some tests and figured out what's going on, so she heads out after the woman who snatched her man. At the end, it's cute young biologist vs. hagged-out snake woman in a fight to the finish.
When you think of New World Pictures and the Philippine Islands, you generally think of the highly successful women-in-prison films New World shot there and released here, including such sweaty epics as THE BIG BIRD CAGE (the one that started the whole '70s women's-prison picture boom in 1972), THE HOT BOX (1972), and THE BIG DOLL HOUSE (1973).
But there were other films as well, like this one, an interesting but sometimes confusing blend of horror and sexual adventurism. NIGHT OF THE COBRA WOMAN was not one of New World's most successful films, and in the book THE MOVIE WORLD OF ROGER CORMAN, edited by J. Philip di Franco (Chelsea House, 1979), exploitation-film great Corman - head of New World at the time - is quoted as saying that the film wasn't a big hit because it "violated the laws of logic several times."
“In a horror or science-fiction film you can start with as outlandish a promise as you want,” Corman explained, “providing you are then logical in the treatment of that premise .... The film, although it was as well produced, directed and acted as any of the other low-budget horror films, did not do as well, and I always thought it was because of that break in the logical chain.”
Miss Bang, who owns one of the all-time great actress names, seems to have peaked career-wise in 1972, when no fewer than four films were released that featured her in substantial roles: COBRA WOMAN, CISCO PIKE with Kris Kristofferson, DEALING with Barbara Hershey, and PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM with Woody Allen.
Miss Clark was a VOGUE model who had a pretty good '72 as well, appearing with Jim Brown in the black-exploitation film SLAUGHTER and in the wacky comedy-horror picture BEWARE THE BLOB that year. Although she's also a veteran of Russ Meyer skin flicks, she may be best-known to exploitation-film fans for her role in the 1973 vampire picture GANJA AND HESS, playing Ganja to Duane Jones' Dr. Hess.
Chance are good that "Slash Marks," who played a G.I. victim of the cobra woman, is really co-producer Harvey Marks.
FROM THE PRESSBOOK: REALLY A SERPENTINE SEDUCTRESS?
"For a while I envisioned myself really turning into a serpent. All those scales are too much!” says Marlene Clark, star of NIGHT OF THE COBRA WOMAN. "Snakes may be sensuous, but I'd rather be myself.” Marlene refers, of course, to the incredibly heavy make-up she wore during the 'transformation scenes' in the film. "It literally took three hours to apply and another two to take off. Some amusing things did happen, though, " she continues. “Vic Diaz, a fantastic Filipino actor played the part of Lope, Francisca's deformed son. He wore a false eye during the entire film and really did a bang-up job.But one morning he started to sneeze and sneezed it right off! This broke everybody and everything up for another hour and a half, while the make-up man put it back on, and all day Vic teased us by threatening to sneeze again."
Filipino character actor Diaz is a familiar figure to fans of horror and exploitation films, appearing in, it seems, almost every American drive-in-style picture made in the Philippine Islands since the mid-'60s. He specializes in playing deformed and/or goofy characters - perhaps the goofiest being his gaseous vampire wannabe character in 1979's VAMPIRE HOOKERS.
Michael Weldon review in Weldon (ed), The Psychotronic Encyclopedia Of Film, New York, Ballantine Books, 1983, p.512
From the ads: "She sucks the life from the bodies of men!" Marlene Clark (Putney Swope) stars as a woman who can turn herself into a cobra. She needs constant lovemaking (and snake venom) to stay eternally young, so she steak the boyfriend of a young biology student (Joy Bang). With Roger Garrett and Slash Marks. Advertised as being in "Slitherama".
Black Horror Hall of Famer Marlene Clark is one mysterious figure. There's strangely little information on her to be found on the Internet beyond the fact that she's an ex-model who was once married to Billy Dee Williams (and who presumably to this day can't get the taste of Colt 45 out of her mouth). One thing that seems clear from her body of work, though, is that she has a fondness for: A) the Philippines and B) snakes. Amidst some success as a blaxploitation actress in films like Slaughter and Ganja and Hess, as well as integrated work in The Beast Must Die, Switchblade Sisters, and even a recurring role on "Sanford and Son", she starred as the magical baddie in a pair of serpent-themed Philippine horror movies: Black Mamba and Night of the Cobra Woman.
Both are slow-paced English-language films focusing on rural mythology, and both insist that Clark is evil, evil, EVIL. I don't know what it was about her that screamed "Satan spawn" to Filipinos -- perhaps her dark skin was exotic enough to be frightening -- but her naturally pleasant looks and kindly, classy demeanor don't translate to such on screen in either film. Thus, for the sake of Night of the Cobra Woman's watchability, it's a good thing she gets nekkid. In the movie, her big honking mammaries seduce man after man in order to replenish her youth and keep her from turning into a snake. It's never explained why sex works better than, say, Oil of Olay, but then again, little is adequately explained in this film. Like, why would Duff (Roger Garrett) go into the woods alone searching for this rumored "snake lady" when it's his girlfriend, Joanna (Joy Bang), who's the anti-venom researcher? We come to find out that the emotional state of a snake influences the effect of its venom, meaning that angry snakes kill and happy snakes heal. I guess horny snakes make you wanna bone everything in sight, because that's what cobra woman Lena (Clark) does. Duff becomes one of her conquests but soon realizes that once you go black, you really can't go back. Post-coitus, he finds himself aging rapidly; Lena explains that she had to (ahem) "suck the years" out of him in order to keep herself young and human. Now, he must rely on her to give him the venom needed to keep him young. In return, he keeps her supply of hormonal men coming...so to speak. It's inevitable that Lena must have a transformation scene, though, and when it occurs, it spurs unintentional laughs -- unless you're a big fan of papier-mache. Throw in popular voodoo deity Damballa, hot eagle-on-snake action, and a hunchback for good measure, and you'll find Night of the Cobra Woman a bit more outlandish than Black Mamba and a bit more entertaining only in that it shows more (that is, any) skin -- although really, you'll be hard-pressed to make it through either in one sitting. Hissssss....
WOW--another disciple request...and wow...we definitely weren't expecting this caliber of trashy fun from a Philippines lensed snake movie. It has it all--a doe-eyed college student played by Joy Bang (not kidding), Sexy Snake Queen seduction, seedy rituals, Sexy Snake Queen double-double cross, horrible transformations, cock fighting and a masturbation scene that is truly odd. Despite all that we have just told you, this film moves along at a fantastic and super watch-able pace. A refreshingly well made, hard R film--the Dirk Benedict snake potboiler SSSSSSS did a terrible job ripping off this awesome, dynamite film... And don't forget the cardinal rule "De-fanging a snake is like castrating a MAN!!"--amen to that...
1979 - Pacific Inferno (Nathaniel Productions/Arbee Productions/Euro London Films Ltd)
[filmed in 1977 as “Do They Ever Cry In America?”]
Director/Writer Rolf Bayer Additional Dialogue Roland S. Jefferson, Eric P. Jones US Producers Cassius V. Weathersby, Spencer Jourdain Executive Producer Jim Brown Arbee Producer B. Sherry-Greenwood Associate Producer Rod Perry Cinematography Mars 'Noaong' Rasca Music Editor Doug Lackey Song "Flashback"Words & Lyrics M. Burton, P. Terry Singer Dee Dee Sharp Gamble Song "War" Music & Lyrics Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong Singer Edwin Starr Editor Ann Mills Editorial Consultant Richard C. Meyer Costume Designer Bill Witten Makeup Artist Carmelita Sioson Production Manager Kim Ramos Property MasterLito Aquino Set Designer Vicente Bonus Sound Donald Santos Supervising Sound Editor Richard Anderson Sound Editors Earl Watson, Richard Anderson, David Lee Fein Special Effects Jess Sto. Domingo Chief ElectricianJulian Baltonado Still PhotographerNap Jamir 2nd Unit Cameraman Jun Rasca Assistant to ProducerJun Barcelon Script Continuity Jill Freeman Military Advisor Dennis Juban Wardrobe Nene Jaramillo Assistant Editor John H. Bryant Underwater Camera OperatorKim Ramos Dive Master Jim Perkins Assistant Dive Master Ray Wagner
Cast Jim Brown (Clyde Preston), Richard Jaeckel (Robert 'Dealer' Fletcher), “Tim”/Timothy Brown (Zoe Dawson), Rik “Von Nutter”/Van Nutter (Lieutenant Dennis Butts), Dick Adair (George), Jimmy Shaw (Leroy), Wilma Reading (Tita), Dindo Fernando (Totoy), Sonny Batacan (Nardo), Pedro Faustino (Elder), Tad Horino (Yamada), Vic Silayan (Colonel Fukoshima), Butz Aquino (Captain Kobayashi), Vic Diaz (Kempei), [uncredited] Jim Gaines (young Clyde)
Hal Erickson's review from the All Movie Guide:
With 1985's Pacific Inferno action star Jim Brown made a triumphant return to movies. Or did he? If you read the copyright date carefully, you'll discover that this US-Philippine coproduction was actually shot in 1977. The plot has us believe that General Douglas MacArthur ordered that $16 million in silver be sent to the bottom of ManilaBay before the Philippines were overtaken by the Japanese in 1942. Navy divers Brown and Ric Van Nutter are among several POWs ordered to retrieve the money. Brown is all for escaping, but the duplicitous Van Nutter plans to abscond with the booty. Thus, Brown is alone in his efforts to round up local guerillas to help his fellow divers get away. Among the resistance fighters is buxom Wilma Reading, whose role consists of falling out of her blouse at the slightest provocation. Less attractive is "special guest star" Richard Jaeckel, who plays a soldier of fortune named Dealer.
Robert C. Waltham’s review from The Critics website:
When I received a copy of American Home Treasures’ recent DVD release “Gripping War Escape Movies”, I was pleasantly surprised to find three full length features on a single DVD. I should have known from the title--not many single features use the plural “movies”--that I was in for greater value than the standard DVD fare. Indeed, with a retail price of only $9.98, I would have been happy with pretty much any combination of movies (remember, some people are actually shelling out the same amount to see “Kangaroo Jack”!). While the three movies included in “Gripping War Escape Movies” may not be “classic” masterpieces, they are for the most part above average quality features, albeit a bit dated, with several recognizable names from recent cinematic history.
“Pacific Inferno”, starring Jim Brown and Richard Jaeckel, is not nearly as intense as “Escape from Sobibor”, making sequential viewing of the movies far more enjoyable. The story follows a team of U.S. Navy divers held captive in a Japanese POW camp in the Philippines. Their Japanese captors exploit the divers’ underwater skills to recover sunken coins from the bottom of the sea. Jim Brown soon finds himself aiding the local Filipino resistance at the expense of his own escape. “Pacific Inferno” ventures very little from this path, as it is a rather forgettable movie of mediocre quality. Most scenes take place in the sparsely designed POW camp, on a barge, or underwater. I wouldn’t normally recommend “Pacific Inferno” for stand alone viewing, but to harp on the entertainment value once again, I got my money’s worth from “Escape from Sobibor”, so everything else is gravy.
Plot: According to the opening crawl, "It is a fact of history that in 1942 General MacArthur ordered General Wainwright to dump $16,000,000 in silver pesos into ManilaBay to prevent their capture and use by the invading Japanese army." But the Japanese hav
Vilma: Not really. I was a bit of a tomboy in those days so I learned things quickly. Actually, there was a time when an accident occurred. I had to go and do the tumbling bit where the stuntman was supposed to catch me. I accidentally kicked him in the face and he got a bloody nose and had to be brought to the hospital. I, on the other hand, hit my head on a rock and got a splitting headache.
Vilma: I saw Eva Montes' "Darna at ang babaing Tuod" at the movies and Rosa Del Rosario's Darna on TV. I also watched "Darna: Ang Pagbabalik (The Return)" on TV but don't care for it… it had bad production values. Of course, I was excited when I was offered the role of Darna. I even had to ask permission from the Nuns at my school because of Darna's 2 piece costume. Besides, there's nothing obscene about the costume because this is a Superheroine after all. But I asked advice from some fans and they were concerned that I might get criticized for being daring. This is why I wore body stockings in the promotional pics for the movie. It looked so terrible and made me look fat with body stockings. William Leary and Douglas Quijano convinced me to remove the body stockings before the Press Con. I remember changing into my Darna costume and I remember their words telling me- "Vi, the stockings look terrible so why don't you surprise all of them by not wearing them. Besides, you have the looks anyway." So there I was at the Press con without the body stockings."
Vilma: The flying scenes. That was really hard because you have to balance your body on 3 steel bars while a large electric fan in front of my face which gave me headaches after takes. I also remember the flying scene where Darna was flying towards Manila and the background music was the song - "My Beautiful Balloon". I remember the boy Angelito who played "Ding" in "Lipad, Darna, Lipad".
Eric: Vilma, could you do the "Darna yell" one last time?)
