The beginning of Maynila emphasizes the brutality of the city as we see Madiaga apply for a construction job with meager pay, to help build a skyscraper for a Spanish millionaire. It is what keeps Ligaya ensnared in the clutches of institutionalized evil, and what constantly hinders and punishes Madiaga at every turn. If anything, the city of Manila is a villain. In his pensive moments, we see Madiaga flashbacking to idyllic scenes in his home province, where the water was clean and concrete was sparse, only to cut back to the unforgiving realm of urbanity. Because in what other city could the story of Julio Madiaga take place? Madiaga, a Cebu native and fisherman, ventures off from his sunbathed hometown to the smoke-choked city of Manila to find his lover Ligaya. Similarly, the city of Manila, in all its ungodly decay, is considered a character unto itself in Brocka's obra. The city was also influential in the lead character’s decisions. Manila’s neon universe as captured by Mike De Leon’s lens. ( The Guardian has even gone as far as to call it "the real star" of the film.) This is not a hyperbolic statement to make-the painstakingly designed set is not merely a passive setting on which the characters enact their dramas, but an active agent that illustrates the divide between the rich and the poor, the Parks and the Kims. In Parasite, the house of the rich family, the Parks, is so significant that it is considered its own character. If anything, this exercise points to the refractory relationship between art, real life, and influence, and allows us to look at the tropes or conventions that make cinema a powerful tool for awakening class consciousness. Both films come from very specific cultural contexts-as tempting as it may be for some misguided critics to bunch all Asian cinema into one monolithic thing Bong's artistry is easy to tell apart from Brocka's creative thumbprint.
Parasite has the pulse-quickening pace of a heist flick, while Maynila is tonally dry and despiriting. He has done movies with FPJ, Dolphy & two National Artists, but you don’t know his nameĭon't get us wrong, these films are their own distinct masterpieces.The drama behind Aguila: Walkouts, diva turns and confrontation on the set of FPJ’s best film.Why Danny Zialcita was one of PH cinema’s true bad boys, and how his actors loved him.By giving Best Picture honor to Korea’s ‘Parasite,’ the Oscars just became relevant again.You can now watch Oscar Best Picture ‘Parasite’ via streaming starting this Feb 15.What it will really take for Philippine movies to break through internationally.
(Right) The Maynila poster for its Cannes Film Festival screening. The now iconic Parasite poster, with the characters’ eyes covered.
0 kommentar(er)
