The Birth of Philippine Cinema

1890 early 1900s

Spanish era and American occupation introduced cinema to the Philippines.

Movies shown are mostly documentation of public and private lives.

1898 Escolta was one of first film documenting Philippines scenes.

The Pre War Years (1930s)

The credit of being the first Filipino to make a film goes to Jose Nepumuceno, whom historians dub as the
Father of Philippine Movies. Nepumucenos first film was based on a highly-acclaimed musical play of
that day, Dalagang Bukid (Country Maiden)

Stories originated mostly from theater and popular literature.

Filmmaking was considered as purely an entertainment art form designed to bring viewers to the
world of melodramas, musical and romantic fantasies.

Talkies or talking or sound pictures was being used in the Philippines.

1940s The War Years

Darkest year in Philippine cinema .

1945 Philippine Film Industry was staggering and the entire nation went through hell.

World war II left scars on Filipinos

Filmmakers started making films as expression of angst, patriotism and nationalism (1945)

Patriotic movies arrived (1946). Stories about heroes and villains of the war.

1950s The Post-War Years

Reconstruction led to a thriving new beginning for the Philippine Film Industry

First Golden Age of Philippine Cinema

Big Four Studios were at the height of filmmaking:

LVN Pictures

Sampaguita Pictures

Premiere Productions

Lebran International

1950s The Post-War Years

Films remained war induced realities.

Filipino films garnered local and international awards.

 Films were fantasy and adventure, drama, slapstick comedy, drama comedy musical and action.

Stories were mostly adaptations from Komiks.

Local Award Giving bodies were established. In 1952, the FAMAS (Filipino Academy of Movie
Arts and Sciences) Awards were handed out.

1960 The Decline and Struggle of the Philippine Film Industry

Contract stars started building their own movie studios.

The collapse of the Big Four Studios.

Bomba movies were introduced

Even foreign movies were action pictures sensationalizing sex and violence.

Movies were remake of other countries action hero movie.

Movies became an extension of rallies, demonstration and other forms of mass actions.

1970s

Martial Law was implemented by Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, which ultimately suppressed freedom
of expression

Pres. Marcos put up Board of Censors of Motion Pictures (BCMP) which stipulated submission of
final script prior to filmmaking

Another welcomed result that came from martial rule was the requirement of a script prior to
filming.

The 1970s and 80s was the era known as THE SECOND GOLDEN AGE OF PHILIPPINE
MOVIES, the age of censorship ironically pushed the making of quality and very emotional films
as the growing social unrest fueled freedom of expression through the arts.

Ironically, films became even more violent and sexual, in spite of government censorship

Proliferation of "bomba" and "wet look" movies, and as the new genre continued, the term "bold"
films was coined: "Uhaw" (1970), "Nympha" (1971), "Ang Pinakamagandang Haypo sa Balat ng
Lupa" (1974)

features daring works that portray revolt, labor unionism, social ostracism and class division

1980

The Philippines ranked in top 10 film producers in the world, averaging 300 films a year

In 1981, the Film Academy of the Philippines was enacted, an umbrella organization that
oversees the welfare of various guilds of the movie industry

In 1982, the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines (ECP) was created to promote growth &
development of the local film industry; it was tasked to hold the Manila
 International Film Festival, manage the Manila Film Center and administer a film rating and
classification system; it was headed by then-presidential daughter Imee Marcos

Philippine Films after Marcos

It can be justified that immediately after Marcos escaped to Hawaii, films portraying the Philippine
setting have had a serious bias against the former dictator. And even while he was in power, the
militancy of filmmakers opposing the Martial Law government especially after the assassination of
Ninoy Aquino in 1983, accounts for the defiant stance of a number of films made in the closing
years of the Marcos rule.

Films such as Lino Brockas Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim (My Country: Gripping the Knifes Edge,
1985) were defiant, not in the sense of it being openly stated by in the images of torture,
incarceration, struggle and oppression. Marilou Diaz-Abayas Karnal (1984) depicts this in a
different way in the films plot wherein patricide ends a tyrannical fathers domination. Mike de
Leons Sister Stella L. (1984), was a typical de Leon treatment of the theme of oppression and
tyranny.

1990s

Manunuri Nick Tiongson calls the 1990s the "Decade of the Dying Cinema," sandwiched between
the 2nd Golden Age of Philippine Movies and the advent of independent filmmaking or "indies"

It was not a good decade, because aside from Hollywood competition, the 90s experienced the
"Asian Financial Crisis"

Most Filipino films were mass-produced, with quality sacrificed for commercial success

Storylines were unimaginative & predictable, acting was either mediocre or over the top

The 90s saw the rise of "pito-pito" films, movies that were shot in 7-10 days, aimed at quickly
recouping minimal costs.

2000 to Present

Philippine cinema was considered "sick and dying" because of digital film piracy; audiences
would rather shell out P 30-40 for a pirated CD then spend hundreds on the movie, snacks and
jeepney fare plus exertion of time and effort in going to the mall.

TV became more popular than movies, which were now seen as an indulgence rather than cheap
entertainment. Even big movie stars relegated themselves into doing TV shows because
producers weren't making much movies now.

In 2003. the first digital film was produced ("Duda" by Chris Pablo), a gay-themed film with limited
budget but had tremendous gains; INDEPENDENT CINEMA or "indies" were born.

A rise in local film festivals, most note-worthy are CineMalaya (2004) and CinemaOne Originals
(2005), persuaded aspiring filmmakers to make quality films by financing it and giving them
incentives.
 In 2009, an independent production Spring Films led by Piolo Pascual released the breakthrough
hit "Kimmy Dora" (Joyce Bernal) which unexpectedly did well at the box-office, an indie film with a
more mainstream feel to it, a different kind of comedy which was witty yet slapstick without
insulting the audience's intelligence.

Contemporary Philippine Film

Presently, films are primarily made for profit, lacking any qualities to redeem itself. Studies show
that Hollywood films, with its high technology and subject matter, are being preferred over local
films. It is no wonder for films now are too profit-orientedwith corrupting morals
anddubious valuessticking with formulaic films

Genres that have been present for the past few decades are being recycled over and over again
with the same stories. The teen love teams of the fan movie are still present with incarnations of
love teams of yesteryears. Now instead of Guy and Pip are Liza and Enrique or LizKen. The
bomba films were taken out of picture.

2011 was one of the most successful years in Philippine Cinema history as 3 of its films (all from
Star Cinema) landed in the top 3 of the highest grossing Filipino Film of All-Time. The
Unkabogable Praybeyt Benjamin grossed 331.6 million in box office and currently the highest
grossing local films in the Philippines. No Other Woman grossed 278.39 million while 2011
MMFF entry Enteng Ng Ina Mo, has a gross income of 237.89 million (as of January 7, 2012)
and considered as the highest grossing MMFF entry of all time.

The Philippines was the last country to establish a national film archive, when one opened in October
2011.

Effects of Films on Viewers

1. Catharsis. Catharsis theory suggests that rather than be harmful violence in the film actually has
a positive effect on society. The central assumption of the Catharsis Theory is that people, in
course off daily life, build up frustrations. Vicarious participation in others' aggressions helps
release those tensions. In other words, every day we build up frustrations. Without a release
valve we risk the chance of becoming violent, or at least aggressive. You do poorly on a test.
Some jerk cuts in front of you on the freeway. You get home and your significant other, or a child,
starts demanding your attention. You snap back by yelling or hitting. That counts as violence as
much as shooting someone. It is only a matter of degree. The Catharsis theorist would say that
by watching violence in the media you release some of that tension and are less likely to be
aggressive or violent. But can you say the same thing about sex in the media?
2. Aggressive Cues. Then there is the opposite view, that violence DOES have an impact.
Probably most prevalent of these theories is the Aggressive Cues Theory that has as its central
assumption: Exposure to aggressive stimuli will increase physiological and emotional arousal,
which will increase the probability of violence. In other words, all that violence gets the adrenaline
juices in us flowing and makes us more edgy, increasing the chance that we'll be more
aggressive or more violent. Aggressive Cues theorists are quick to point out that watching
violence does not mean we'll always be more aggressive or violent, but it increases the chances.
And the way in which the violence is presented will have an impact on us, too. If we can relate to
the protagonist committing the violence, or if the violence is presented in a justifiable way, we can
be led to aggressive behavior.
3. Observational Learning. The Observational Learning theorist would take the Aggressive Cues
theory a step further. This theory says that people can learn by observing aggression in media
portrayals and, under some conditions, model its behavior. If there are 50 ways to leave your
lover, then there must be at least 49 ways to be violent or aggressive. And watching violent media
portrayals will teach you new ways to be violent. Ever watch a morbid crime movie, where you
spot where the criminal makes the fatal mistake? Ever catch yourself saying, "If I ever committed
a murder I would not make THAT mistake?" What? Are you suggesting there is a circumstance
where you would kill someone?
4. Reinforcement. One theory says that media violence decreases the probability of violence by the
viewer. Two others say that it will increase the probability of violence. And then there is the
Reinforcement Theory that debunks both. The central assumption of this theory is that media
portrayals reinforce established behaviors viewers bring with them to the media situation. Violent
portrayals will increase the likelihood of violent or aggressive behavior for those who accept
violence and aggression as normal. It will decrease the likelihood of aggression and violence for
those brought up to believe that violence is bad. Violence merely reinforces prior beliefs.
5. Cultivation. A final theory on the effects of violence in the media has evolved out of more recent
studies. It is the Cultivation Theory. Rather than predict that we will turn to or from violence, it
looks at how we'll react to the violence. The central assumption of the theory is that in the
symbolic world of media, particularly TV, shapes and maintains audience's conception of the real
world. In other words, the media, especially TV, creates fantasy world that is mean spirited and
dangerous. It also creates stereotypes of dominant/weak folk in society. For instance, imagine a
bank robber who is big and mean. Is your imaginary bank robber of certain race? Are all people
that look like this bank robber actually mean back robbers?