Page 20 - LM Confidential Issue December 2014

Entertainment
Real World opens SL Stars eyes+ other stories
ABS-CBN’s Film Restoration: More Than Just Preserving Classic Filipino Films
“Hindi Nahahati ang Langit” joins roster of more than 60 films digitally restored to HD
When film restoration in the country is being talked about, the first thing that will come into mind is the restoration of classic Filipino films the likes of “Himala” and “Oro Plata Mata.” But for ABS-CBN Film Archives, the country’s pioneer in locally restoring and remastering films, the preservation of Filipino films is not limited to old titles but also covers
recent ones.
“Even more recent
films have some defects that were not important enough to fix during its initial commercial run in theaters or were unnoticeable in a standard definition television broadcast. However, today’s more sophisticated technologies require crisper images and more picture clarity so we need to address these defects as we convert the old SD films in to High-Definition,”
said ABS-CBN head of Film Archives Leo Katigbak.
Since ABS-CBN Film Archives started restoring films in late 2011 in
partnership with Central Digital Lab, it has already restored a total of 63 films that were produced from 1976 to 2011.
Among the recent titles restored were Star Cinema’s hit movies “Miss You Like Crazy,” “One More Chance,” “Milan,” “Tanging Yaman,” “Anak,” “Feng Shui,” and “My Amnesia Girl.”
Some of these restored films are available to the public via theatrical releases, DVDs, free-to-air television via ABS-CBN, cable television via Cinema One, and global television via TFC. Some are also available on iTunes, which is another first made possible by ABS- CBN Film Archives.
ABS-CBN is the first Philippine-based Content Company that has regularly and consistently made Filipino films available on iTunes locally and internationally.
“Our performance in iTunes isn’t big business yet but its better than we thought. And it’s also filled with surprises. Who could imagine that a movie like Cinema One’s ‘Mater Dolorosa’ would be performing as well as Star Cinema’s ‘The Mistress.’ There are certainly new opportunities at play now and on a global field.”
When it comes to classic films, ABS-CBN Film Archives already restored five titles namely “Himala,” “Oro Plata Mata,” “Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon,” “Virgin People,” and its newest addition set to be screened in cinemas before the year ends, Mike De Leon’s 1985 masterpiece “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit” starring Christopher De Leon, Lorna Tolentino, Edu Manzano and Dina Bonnevie.
“Hindi Nahahati ang Langit” tells the story of Noel Delgado (De Leon) and Melody (Tolentino), step-siblings who grew up belligerent to each other. Melody appears to be trying hard to get attention while Noel remains indifferent. When their parents died, Noel becomes the legal guardian of Melody who is annoyed with Noel’s strict and old fashioned ways.
The two should have parted ways when each got married but still their lives intertwine when Melody gets into the construction business as Noel’s business partner, stirring jealousy and suspicion in their respective spouses.
The Panaligan family get their Canadian citizenship last November 15 at the Scar- borough Immigration office.
Bea Binene, Kim Rodriguez and Joanna Marie Tan play delinquent teenagers who were placed in a correction and detention home in“Strawberry Lane.” To give them a chance to experience an actual home for delinquents, GMA7 took them to the Children’sLegal Rights and Development Center, an NGO that helps erring young people.Bea, Kim and Joanna, along with co-stars Rita de Guzman, Jake Vargas and Kiko Estrada, got the chance to talk to actual detainees who willingly shared their stories with them.
“Malulungkot ang mga buhay nila at talagang maaapektuhan ka,” says Bea. “But what is nice is that they are all willing to change for the better to have a good future. Gusto nila talaga magbagumbuhay para magkaroon ng mas magandang kinabukasan. We’re happy dahil they say makatotohanan ang paglalarawan namin ng stories of kids who went a stray in ‘Strawberry Lane’.”
The executive director of the center, Rowena Legaspi, thanked them and GMA7 for having a drama series that helps their advocacy in helping iron out the lives of deprived children who have come into conflict with the law.
This week, the tomboyish Kim Rodriguez as Jack is chosen to be the model of Monica Elan, as chosen by Sunshine Dizon as Elaine, so she has to change and look more feminine and beautiful.This makes Rita de Guzman as Lavinia jealous of her and she tries to splashacid on Jack, but her plan backfires. As for Bea Binene as Clarissa, her gapwith Jake Vargas as Gabo widens now that Gabo has a new girl, Shelley Hipolito as April. Tanya Garcia as Myrna slowly regains her memory and sanity when she sees TJ Trinidad as Jonathan. This makes Sunshine suspect that her husband has an another woman.
Ai-Ai, Kim to deter Bad fate at Box-Office
How sad to know that most local films shown recently didn’t do as well as expected at the box office. This includes “The Trial,” “Dilim,” “Beauty in a Bottle,” “Moron5.2,” “Relaks, It’s Just Pag-ibig” and the entries in FDCP Horror Plus Filmfest, QCFilmfest and Cinema One Originals.
“Lahat naman, mahina,” say sour source. “Hindi lang naman local films. Kahit yung Hollywood films, mahina rin. Puro palugi. It seems people are not in the mood to watch movies. Baka busy ang mga tao
saving up for their Christmas shopping or baka hinihintay na
lang nila ang Metro Manila Filmfest sa Kapaskuhan.”
We thought “The Trial” would be an exception, but it seems viewers prefer John Lloyd Cruz in a rom-com than playing a “kulang kulang.” Let’s see if the next local film that will open,“Past Tense,” will suffer the same fate. We’d like to think
it has more chances since it combines the forces of Ai-Ai de las Alas with the Kim Chiu-Xian Lim loveteam who are all hitmakers.
But really, times have changed. Movie going has ceased to be the favorite
pasttime of the masa. It gets a lot of competition from TV (both cable and free TV), pirated DVDs, downloaded movies and social media (folks prefer to text or surf the internet than watch movies in theaters). Also, the fact that only one screening is allowed per ticket deters moviegoers who are used to the old way of just going inside the theater anytime they please and just wait until they get to the part where they came in. We’ve seen many moviegoers trying to get tickets only to be told by the ticket-seller: “Ay, nag-start na po.” And they would say: “Umuwi na lang tayo.”
Edu gets death threats
Edu Manzano is wondering why Ronnie Ricketts thinks he’s the reason why Ronnie was suspendedas OMB Chairman. “For the record, wala akong interest mabalik sa OMB and even if they offer it to me, ayoko,” he says. “Cases, both criminal and administrative, were
filed against him and five other OMB personnel and I have nothing to do with them. Harapin
at sagutin na lang niya ang mga paratang sakanya imbes na ibunton ang sisi sa ibang tao. My conscience is clear. Yung isang tauhan nila, si Glenn Perez, may official answer about the hauling out of seized DVDs. Siya raw ang may instruction to load the DVDs sa van. Yun ang sagutin niya. But I’m really concerned sa mga inosenteng tauhan ng OMB na nadadamay sa mga kaso niya. Ang tatagal na ng iba sa kanila sa OMB, what if they’d lose their jobs? Baka mawala pa pati ang benefits na nakatakda nilang
Oath-taking of Citizenship
20 L. M. Confidential
DECEMBER 2014
LMC