PHILIPPINE CINEMA

DURING SPANISH ERA

Origins and Early Development
On 1 January 1897, the first film shown was Espectaculo Scientifico
and followed by other four movies, namely, Un Homme Au Chapeau
(Man with a Hat), Une scène de danse japonnaise (Scene from a
Japanese Dance), Les Boxers (The Boxers), and La Place de L' Opéra
(The Place L' Opéra), were shown via 60 mm Gaumont Chrono-
photograph projector at the Salon de Pertierra at No.12 Escolta in
Manila. The venue was formerly known as the Phonograph Parlor on the
ground floor of the Casino Español at Pérez Street, off Escolta Street.
Other countries, such as France, England, and Germany had their
claims to the introduction of publicly projected motion picture in the
Philippines, although Petierra is credited by most historians and critics.
LUMIERE CINEMATOGRAPH
Carlo Naquera, a Spanish soldier
was able to import a Lumiere
Cinematograph from Paris.

- include 30 films

A cinematograph is a film device

which can be used as a camera or
projector
 August- November 1897
• Swiss entrepreneurs Liebman and Peritz presented the
first movies on the Lumiere Cinematograph in Manila
Documentaries about Europe’s recent events were
shown to public in Manila.
Due to lack of films, the interest of the Filipino goes
down. This made Ramos shutdown the movie hall by the
end of November.
 1898
• Antonio Ramos produced films made in the Philippines
• He became the first motion picture producer in the
Philippines
Panorama de Manila (Manila Landscape)
Fiesta de Quiapo (Quiapo Fiesta)
Puwente de Espana (Bridge of Spain)
Escenas Callejeras (Street Scenes)
There were other foreign film makers who left
documentary evidences of their visits to the Philippines.
Pwente de Espana Escenas Callejeras
 Philippine Movies
During the American
Occupation
Establishment of Movie Houses
• In the early 1900’s, the first three movie houses were
owned by a British, a Spaniard and a Filipino.
1900- British Walgraph- Cine Walgraph after him
1902- Spanish Samuel Rebarber- Gran Cinematografo
Parisino
1903- Filipino Jose Jimenez- Cinematografo Rizal

The assurance of abundant and continuous supply of films

at cheap introductory prices brought a landslide of movie
theaters in the following years.
Silent Movies to The First Movie
with Sound
• The first picture with sound reached Manila in
1910, using the Chronophone.
But the silent movies were never shown in silence
starting with first show in 1897.
There was always a gramophone, a piano, or a
quartet, or when Caviria was shown at the
Manila Grand Opera House- a 200 man choir.
Film Marketing in the Philippines
• In 1912, New York and Hollywood film companies started to
establish their own agencies in Manila to distribute films.

• By 1915, the best films of both Europe and U.S. were being enjoyed
by Filipino audiences in Manila and the Provinces

• Because of World War 1(1914- 1918) the production of European

studios declined, Manila theater managers turned to U.S. for new
film products.

• American produced films quickly dominated the Philippines film

market.
Jose Nepomuceno- “Father of Philippine
Movies”
-first Filipino to make a
film..Dalagang Bukid was premiered in 1919.
The trend of Philippine films entirely were dramas and
sarswelas based on Hollywood films. But by the
1930’s, a few film artists and producers dared to
comment on sociopolitical issues, using contemporary
or historical matter.
Julian Manansala- “Father of the Nationalistic
Film” Patria Amore (Beloved Country)
Since Filipinos were involved in film making, the film
industry thrived and flourished and had established
itself in the Filipino.
In 1937, the first Filipino movie to achieve international
plaudit was Zamboanga, a picture starred in by
Fernando Poe and Rosa del Rosario
The Silent Pictures Era (1897 to 1929)

Three other parts, the first of which was what Maslog calls
the Dominance of Documentary, in turn dominated this era.
Indeed, American filmmakers went to the Philippines to shoot
local scenes and events such as Eruption of the Taal
Volcano in 1911, fiestas at the Obando, or trade at Binondo.
Foreign documentaries were also commonly shown in small
parts of the city. Documentaries such as those that narrated
the life of Napoleon or the assassination of President
McKinley. These were usually accompanied by an orchestra.
Manila, Queen of the Pacific Manila – Castillan Memoirs
(1938)
The second part of the Silent Picture Era is the Rise of
Feature Films. La Vida de Rizal is the country’s first feature
film, directed and produced by the American Harry Brown,
and based on a popular stage play by Edward Meyer
Gross. It starred the original saruswela actors, including the
playwright’s wife Titay Molina-Gross, who managed the
dramatic troupe from which the stars of this film were from.
El Fusilamiento de Rizal was a competing feature film,
produced by another American Albert Yearsley.
In 1917, brothers Jose and Jesus Nepomuceno sensed this,
and thus founded the film company Malayan Movies, which
had the self-proclaimed goal of adapting the current movie
industry “to the conditions and tastes of the country.” This was
obviously in reaction to foreign movies which were
Americanizing Filipino tastes. With this, in 1919 Jose
Nepomuceno produced the first Filipino made film—Dalagang
Bukid, another sarsuwela adaptation. Nepomuceno would go
on and produce many films since such as La Venganza de
Don Silvestre (1920), Noli Me Tangere (1930), and Makata at
Paraluman (1933).
Dalagang Bukid (1919)
Talking Pictures Era (1929 to 1970)
In 1929, George P. Musser produced the first Filipino talking
picture, Ang Asuwang, just two years after the first “talkie” or
talking picture was shown in the U.S. And in the following
decade, the 1930s, Jose Nepomuceno made the first
complete Filipino talking picture, Punyal na Ginto. The film
was actually based on a Liwayway novel by Antonio Sempio,
and was produced with help from Harris and Tait (of Filipino
Films). They were able to help Nepomuceno bring in
American technicians and sound cameras to the Philippines.
Takip-Silim (1939) Tampuhan (1941)
Just like the previous era, the Talking Pictures Era has its own divisions,
the first of which Maslog called the Rise of Commercial Film Companies.
Indeed, as many saw the big business potential of film, it was slowly but
surely transformed from a small art form into a big industry with a short
span of time. In 1937, Sampaguita and Excelsoir Pictures were
established. In 1938, LVN Pictures, and in 1939 X’otic Films. By 1941, the
big companies had their own studio lots and production facilities. Just like
the previous era, the Talking Pictures Era has its own divisions, the first of
which Maslog called the Rise of Commercial Film Companies. Indeed, as
many saw the big business potential of film, it was slowly but surely
transformed from a small art form into a big industry with a short span of
time. In 1937, Sampaguita and Excelsoir Pictures were established. In
1938, LVN Pictures, and in 1939 X’otic Films. By 1941, the big companies
had their own studio lots and production facilities.
Another division of this era was the Commercialization of
Film, which immediately followed the previous division. This
saw the rise of the “star system.” Instead of hiring actors
based on merit, film companies usually chose their actors
based on their appeal (charming and glamorous) and looks
(most resembled American actors and were mestizahin). It
followed the Hollywood practice of building up stars. These
growing film companies tended to focus on marketable faces
and stories, mostly of love. Actors were usually coupled in
many films to produce fanfare and a loyal following, such as
in the case of Norma Blancaflor and Jaime Dela Rosa or
Rogelio dela Rosa and Rosa del Rosario.
Norma Blancaflor and Jaime Dela
Rogelio dela Rosa and Rosa del Rosario
Rosa
JAPANESE ERA
 1940’s
• In 1941, the Japanese put a halt to film activity and used
the film equipment for their propaganda needs.
• They also brought their own films to show to the Filipinos
but failed to appeal to audiences the same way the
Hollywood-made or the locally-made films did.
• Japanese propaganda offices hired several local film
makers to make propaganda pictures for them.One of
these film makers was GERARDO De LEON
 1940’s
Film making was used for propaganda works:

The Dawn of Freedom made by director ABE

YUTAKA and associate director GERARDO De LEON

Less propagandistic was TATLONG MARIA (THREE

MARIAS), directed in 1944, by Gerardo de Leon and
written for the screen by TSUTOMO SAWAMURA from
Jose Esperanza Cruz’s novel.
 Back to Theater
The war years may have been the darkest in film
history.

When movies were not being made or imported,

they turned to live theater.

Live theater began to flourish again as movie stars,

directors, and technicians returned to the stage. Many
found it as a way to keep them from being forgotten
and at the same time a way to earn a living.
 War Movies
In 1945, the film industry was already staggering to its feet.

A Philippine version of the war movie had emerged as a

genre in which were recreated narratives of horror and
heroism with soldiers and guerillas as protagonists.

Audiences still hungry for new movies and still fired up by

the patriotism and hatred for foreign enemies did not seem
to tire of recalling their experiences of war.
 War Movies
Movies such as:

1. Garrison 13 (1946)
2. Dugo ng Bayan (1946)
3. Walang Kamatayan (1946)
4. Guerilyera (1946)

told the people the stories they wanted to hear: the heroes and
villains of the war.

As Patrocinio BN. Daroy said in his essay Main Currents in

Filipino Cinema: “World War II left its scars on the Filipino’s
imagination and heightened the sense of reality…”