Sleepy Hollow (film)
Release date(s) November 19, 1999
Running time 105 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Sleepy Hollow is a 1999 period horror film directed by Tim Burton. Based on the Washington Irving story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the film stars Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Sir Michael Gambon, Miranda Richardson, Casper Van Dien, Jeffrey Jones, Ian McDiarmid, Michael Gough, Richard Griffiths and Christopher Walken. The story centers on police constable Ichabod Crane sent from New York City to investigate a series of murders in the village Sleepy Hollow by a mysterious Headless Horseman.
Plot
In 1799, New York City police constable Ichabod Crane is dispatched by his superiors to the Hudson Highlands hamlet of Sleepy Hollow, to investigate a series of brutal slayings in which the victims have been found beheaded. A frequent user of new, though so far unproven investigative techniques such as finger-printing and autopsies, Crane arrives in Sleepy Hollow armed with his bag of scientific tools only to be informed by the town's elders that the murderer is not of flesh and blood, rather a headless supernatural warrior from beyond the grave who rides at night on a massive black steed.
Crane does not believe them and begins his own investigation, until he comes face to "face" with the Headless Horseman. Boarding a room at the home of the town's richest family, the Van Tassels, Crane develops an attraction to their daughter, the mysterious Katrina, even as he's plagued by nightmares of his mother's horrific torture under his zealous preacher father when he was a child.
Delving further into the mystery with the aid of the orphaned Young Masbeth, whose father was a victim of the Horseman, Crane discovers within the Western Woods both the Horseman's entry point between this world and the beyond, the gnarled Tree of the Dead with the heads of his victims within, and his grave.
He finds the Horseman's skull is missing though the murders continue until Crane uncovers a murky plot revolving around revenge and land rights with the Horseman controlled by Katrina's stepmother, Lady Van Tassel, who sends the killer after her. Following a fight in the local windmill and a stagecoach chase through the woods, Crane eventually thwarts Lady Van Tassel by returning the skull to the Horseman, who regains his head and heads back to Hell along with her. His job in Sleepy Hollow completed, Crane returns to New York with Katrina and Young Masbeth in time for the new century.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Beowulf (2007 film)
Set in Denmark in the 5th century, the film opens with King Hrothgar (Anthony Hopkins) celebrating the construction of his new mead hall, Heorot. The noise echoes into Grendel's (Crispin Glover) cave, tormenting him. In a mad fury, Grendel breaks into the hall and kills many people. After being challenged by Hrothgar, Grendel runs back to his lair, where he is admonished by his mother for attacking the humans and inviting retribution. When she asks about Hrothgar Grendel tells her he did not harm him.
Meanwhile, Hrothgar closes Heorot and proclaims that he will give half of his kingdom's gold to any man who can defeat Grendel. Beowulf (Ray Winstone) and his men arrive by ship from Geatland and convince Hrothgar to reopen Heorot. Beowulf's credibility is challenged by Unferth (John Malkovich), the King's most trusted advisor. Beowulf proceeds to tell the tale of how he slew several sea serpents in a past adventure, convincing them that he is capable of killing Grendel. Hrothgar offers to give Beowulf his own golden drinking horn, should the hero be able to destroy Grendel.
That evening, Queen Wealtheow performs a song for Beowulf, which entices him. As Beowulf's men lock up the mead hall, Beowulf strips naked to "fairly" fight the naked Grendel. His men are to sing loudly, to attract the monster. A predictably enraged Grendel attacks the hall once again and kills several of Beowulf's men. Beowulf engages Grendel in hand to hand battle and defeats the monster, ripping off his left arm, forcing Grendel to retreat.
Later Hrothgar and Queen Wealtheow (Robin Wright Penn) argue. Hrothgar states that he needs an heir. Wealtheow refuses to comply because Hrothgar has told her that he had slept with Grendel's mother (thus conceiving Grendel).
After Grendel returns to the cave to die, and his mother flies to Heorot in a vengeful rage and initially appears to Beowulf in a dream, disguised as Wealtheow. When Beowulf wakes, he finds all his men dead except for Wiglaf who had elected to forego the festivities and tend to the ship. Beowulf confronts Hrothgar, whose evasive answers imply that he knows more of Grendel's past than he wishes to discuss, though he tells Beowulf how to find Grendel's mother.
Beowulf and Wiglaf find the cave. Beowulf enters it alone, eventually confronting Grendel's demon mother (Angelina Jolie). She appears to him as a beautiful nude woman, dripping with liquid gold. She promises fame and power if Beowulf gives her a son. She also demands the Horn of Hrothgar with the promise that as long as it is hers, Heorot will be safe: Beowulf's sword (Hrunting given to him by Unferth) melts in her hands and he gives in to her temptations.
Beowulf returns to Heorot with Grendel's severed head and tells a disbelieving Hrothgar that he killed Grendel's mother. Hrothgar, realising Beowulf has succumbed to the same temptation as him, states that his curse has been lifted (implying that it has passed to Beowulf) and then publicly proclaims Beowulf heir to his kingdom — and its queen. Hrothgar then throws himself from the battlements to his death; Wealtheow looks over the balcony in time to see Grendel's mother steal away Hrothgar's soul. Stunned, Beowulf is duly crowned king and marries Wealtheow.
Many years pass and King Beowulf, now a Christian, becomes old and disillusioned, a shadow of his former self, believing his glories to be behind him. One night, Unferth's servant finds the Horn of Hrothgar on a desolate moor, and Beowulf realizes its meaning: Grendel's mother has reneged on their bargain, and Heorot is again in danger. That evening Beowulf dreams of a golden man (his son by the demon) threatening both the old Queen Wealtheow and Beowulf's young mistress, Ursula. The next night, the man, in the form of a monstrous dragon, attacks a village outside Heorot. The dragon gives the horrendously burned and traumatised Unferth a message, which he passes on to Beowulf: 'The sins of the fathers!'
Beowulf, intending to break the cycle of Grendel's mother's demon curse, rides with Wiglaf to her cave to kill the dragon and end the madness. Beowulf also tries to confess his past sins to Wiglaf, but his old friend refuses to listen. Beowulf enters the cave alone and attempts to return the Dragon Horn to her. But the demoness tells him it's too late, and then unleashes the dragon.
The dragon attacks Heorot, overcoming a desperate attempt by Beowulf's army to kill it, and proceeds to the castle to murder Queen Wealtheow and Ursula. Beowulf kills it in a daring maneuver, dangling from a chain round its neck, he rips out the dragon's heart with his bare hand, but by doing so he had to cut off his own arm. The dying beast plummets from the sky, dragging Beowulf along, and fatally wounding him.
They fall to the shores far below. The dragon reverts to the golden man of Beowulf's dream, whom Beowulf now recognizes as his son. His dying body is swept away into the tide as Beowulf reaches out for him. Beowulf then dies in Wiglaf's arms. The latter, still refusing to believe his friend is anything but a hero, finally listens to Beowulf's confession.
Beowulf is given a Norse funeral. As Wiglaf, now the new King, watches Beowulf's ship burn out at sea, the demoness appears to him, rising out of the sea and gazing into his eyes. Wiglaf tentatively enters the water, and the pair stare uncertainly at each other.
Cast
The cast members of Beowulf were filmed on a motion capture stage. They were altered on screen using computer-generated imagery, but their animated counterparts bear much resemblance to themselves.
The title character, Beowulf, is portrayed by Ray Winstone.
The antagonists Grendel and Grendel's mother are portrayed by Crispin Glover and Angelina Jolie, respectively.
King Hrothgar is portrayed by Anthony Hopkins.
Unferth is portrayed by John Malkovich. The cast also includes:
Brendan Gleeson as Wiglaf, Beowulf's lieutenant
Robin Wright Penn as Queen Wealtheow
Alison Lohman as Ursula, Beowulf's mistress when he is an old king
Sebastian Roché as Wulfgar
Costas Mandylor as Hondshew
Greg Ellis as Garmund
Tyler Steelman as young Cain, Unferth's disabled slave
Dominic Keating as adult Cain
Rik Young as Eofor
Charlotte Salt as Estrith
Leslie Harter Zemeckis as Yrsa
Meanwhile, Hrothgar closes Heorot and proclaims that he will give half of his kingdom's gold to any man who can defeat Grendel. Beowulf (Ray Winstone) and his men arrive by ship from Geatland and convince Hrothgar to reopen Heorot. Beowulf's credibility is challenged by Unferth (John Malkovich), the King's most trusted advisor. Beowulf proceeds to tell the tale of how he slew several sea serpents in a past adventure, convincing them that he is capable of killing Grendel. Hrothgar offers to give Beowulf his own golden drinking horn, should the hero be able to destroy Grendel.
That evening, Queen Wealtheow performs a song for Beowulf, which entices him. As Beowulf's men lock up the mead hall, Beowulf strips naked to "fairly" fight the naked Grendel. His men are to sing loudly, to attract the monster. A predictably enraged Grendel attacks the hall once again and kills several of Beowulf's men. Beowulf engages Grendel in hand to hand battle and defeats the monster, ripping off his left arm, forcing Grendel to retreat.
Later Hrothgar and Queen Wealtheow (Robin Wright Penn) argue. Hrothgar states that he needs an heir. Wealtheow refuses to comply because Hrothgar has told her that he had slept with Grendel's mother (thus conceiving Grendel).
After Grendel returns to the cave to die, and his mother flies to Heorot in a vengeful rage and initially appears to Beowulf in a dream, disguised as Wealtheow. When Beowulf wakes, he finds all his men dead except for Wiglaf who had elected to forego the festivities and tend to the ship. Beowulf confronts Hrothgar, whose evasive answers imply that he knows more of Grendel's past than he wishes to discuss, though he tells Beowulf how to find Grendel's mother.
Beowulf and Wiglaf find the cave. Beowulf enters it alone, eventually confronting Grendel's demon mother (Angelina Jolie). She appears to him as a beautiful nude woman, dripping with liquid gold. She promises fame and power if Beowulf gives her a son. She also demands the Horn of Hrothgar with the promise that as long as it is hers, Heorot will be safe: Beowulf's sword (Hrunting given to him by Unferth) melts in her hands and he gives in to her temptations.
Beowulf returns to Heorot with Grendel's severed head and tells a disbelieving Hrothgar that he killed Grendel's mother. Hrothgar, realising Beowulf has succumbed to the same temptation as him, states that his curse has been lifted (implying that it has passed to Beowulf) and then publicly proclaims Beowulf heir to his kingdom — and its queen. Hrothgar then throws himself from the battlements to his death; Wealtheow looks over the balcony in time to see Grendel's mother steal away Hrothgar's soul. Stunned, Beowulf is duly crowned king and marries Wealtheow.
Many years pass and King Beowulf, now a Christian, becomes old and disillusioned, a shadow of his former self, believing his glories to be behind him. One night, Unferth's servant finds the Horn of Hrothgar on a desolate moor, and Beowulf realizes its meaning: Grendel's mother has reneged on their bargain, and Heorot is again in danger. That evening Beowulf dreams of a golden man (his son by the demon) threatening both the old Queen Wealtheow and Beowulf's young mistress, Ursula. The next night, the man, in the form of a monstrous dragon, attacks a village outside Heorot. The dragon gives the horrendously burned and traumatised Unferth a message, which he passes on to Beowulf: 'The sins of the fathers!'
Beowulf, intending to break the cycle of Grendel's mother's demon curse, rides with Wiglaf to her cave to kill the dragon and end the madness. Beowulf also tries to confess his past sins to Wiglaf, but his old friend refuses to listen. Beowulf enters the cave alone and attempts to return the Dragon Horn to her. But the demoness tells him it's too late, and then unleashes the dragon.
The dragon attacks Heorot, overcoming a desperate attempt by Beowulf's army to kill it, and proceeds to the castle to murder Queen Wealtheow and Ursula. Beowulf kills it in a daring maneuver, dangling from a chain round its neck, he rips out the dragon's heart with his bare hand, but by doing so he had to cut off his own arm. The dying beast plummets from the sky, dragging Beowulf along, and fatally wounding him.
They fall to the shores far below. The dragon reverts to the golden man of Beowulf's dream, whom Beowulf now recognizes as his son. His dying body is swept away into the tide as Beowulf reaches out for him. Beowulf then dies in Wiglaf's arms. The latter, still refusing to believe his friend is anything but a hero, finally listens to Beowulf's confession.
Beowulf is given a Norse funeral. As Wiglaf, now the new King, watches Beowulf's ship burn out at sea, the demoness appears to him, rising out of the sea and gazing into his eyes. Wiglaf tentatively enters the water, and the pair stare uncertainly at each other.
Cast
The cast members of Beowulf were filmed on a motion capture stage. They were altered on screen using computer-generated imagery, but their animated counterparts bear much resemblance to themselves.
The title character, Beowulf, is portrayed by Ray Winstone.
The antagonists Grendel and Grendel's mother are portrayed by Crispin Glover and Angelina Jolie, respectively.
King Hrothgar is portrayed by Anthony Hopkins.
Unferth is portrayed by John Malkovich. The cast also includes:
Brendan Gleeson as Wiglaf, Beowulf's lieutenant
Robin Wright Penn as Queen Wealtheow
Alison Lohman as Ursula, Beowulf's mistress when he is an old king
Sebastian Roché as Wulfgar
Costas Mandylor as Hondshew
Greg Ellis as Garmund
Tyler Steelman as young Cain, Unferth's disabled slave
Dominic Keating as adult Cain
Rik Young as Eofor
Charlotte Salt as Estrith
Leslie Harter Zemeckis as Yrsa
TAKEN
Taken
Directed by Pierre Morel
Produced by Luc Besson
Written by Luc Besson
Robert Mark Kamen
Starring Liam Neeson
Famke Janssen
Maggie Grace
Xander Berkeley
Holly Valance
Katie Cassidy
Taken is a 2008 French action thriller film starring Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, and Maggie Grace. It is based on a script by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen and was directed by Pierre Morel. Neeson plays a former Central Intelligence Agency operative who sets about tracking down his teenage daughter after she is kidnapped by slave traders while traveling in Europe.
Plot
Retired, decorated, highly-trained veteran CIA agent Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is picking out a karaoke machine for his seventeen year old daughter, Kim's (Maggie Grace), birthday. When Bryan gets to Kim's house he gives her the present, but is upstaged by Kim's wealthy step father Stuart, who gives her a horse.
After leaving the party, three of his friends arrive at his house for the steak party that was forgotten by Mills. As they leave, Bryan's friend and former CIA colleague Sam (Leland Orser) convinces Bryan to take up a job with him: working as bodyguards for the famous singer Sheerah (Holly Valance). When the concert ends Bryan escorts Sheerah out of the venue and manages to fend off an attacker. The next day, he has lunch with his daughter, only to find that Lenore (Famke Janssen) has accompanied her so they can persuade Bryan to sign a parental consent form allowing Kim to go to Paris with her 19-year-old friend, Amanda (Katie Cassidy). Bryan agrees on the condition that Kim calls him immediately once she lands and every night thereafter.
When they arrive, Kim and Amanda meet Peter (Nicolas Giraud) who persuades the two to share a taxi. When they arrive where the girls are staying, he tells the girls that his friend is having a party and offers to pick them up, obtaining their apartment number. As he leaves, he opens his cell phone and gives information about the girls to an unknown person.
While on the phone with Bryan, Kim witnesses Amanda being abducted. Bryan informs her that she will be taken as well, and gives her instructions. As Kim is being taken, she shouts out as much about her kidnapper as she can before she is knocked out. One of the kidnappers takes the phone and listens to a threat from Bryan before smashing the phone. Bryan made a recording of the call, and Sam analyzes it. Sam tells Bryan that the kidnappers are the Albanian Mafia, and they are part of a gang dealing largely in sex slaves. Bryan contacts Stuart to secure a private plane, and travels immediately to Paris.
In Paris, Bryan tracks down Peter, who is hit by a bus after trying to escape, and then meets up with his old friend, Jean-Claude (Olivier Rabourdin). Bryan needs to know where the Albanians could be. Jean-Claude claims that there are many Albanians in Paris. Bryan then learns of an Albanian-run brothel at a nearby construction site. At the brothel Bryan is unable to find Kim or Amanda but instead rescues another girl who was in possession of Kim's jacket. After rescuing the girl, Bryan takes her to a hotel and meets up with another friend, Gilles, who is working as a hotel manager. Next day, the girl tells him that she had been given the jacket at a particular house where Kim and the gang may be. He follows the girl’s advice and finds the house. Bryan kills almost the entire gang after recognizing the voice from the phone call. Bryan searches the rooms of the house and finds many drugged, imprisoned sex slaves, including Kim's friend Amanda, who died from an apparent overdose or from physical abuse.
Bryan then tortures the surviving gang leader for information. The gang leader reveals that Kim was sold to a man named Patrice Saint-Clair (Gérard Watkins) before Bryan leaves him in an active electric chair. Bryan then appears at Jean-Claude's apartment and confronts him about his apparent dealings with the Albanian smugglers, threatening him by shooting his wife but not killing her. Bryan, posing as Jean-Claude, then goes to a party hosted by Saint-Clair.
Bryan tracks down Kim just as she is being sold in a darkened room but is subdued before he can stage a rescue. After regaining consciousness and liberating himself from his captors, Bryan finds Saint-Clair and kills him, but not before finding out where Kim was taken. Bryan tracks down the yacht belonging to the Arab sheikh that bought Kim. Bryan boards the yacht and kills all the guards on board. He then kills the sheikh and frees his daughter. Bryan comforts Kim and takes her back to the United States. At the L.A. airport, Kim is reunited with Lenore and Stuart. A couple days later, Bryan takes his daughter Kim to Sheerah's house and she helps Kim improve her singing.
Cast
Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills
Maggie Grace as Kim Mills
Famke Janssen as Lenore
Xander Berkeley as Stuart
Katie Cassidy as Amanda
Leland Orser as Sam
Olivier Rabourdin as Jean-Claude
Holly Valance as Sheerah
Jon Gries as Casey
David Warshofsky as Bernie
Nathan Rippy as Victor
Camille Japy as Isabelle
Nicolas Giraud as Peter
Arben Bajraktaraj as Marko Hoxha
Gérard Watkins as Patrice Saint Clair
Ethan Millican as an unidentified assassin
Sigmuound Froyd as bartender
Directed by Pierre Morel
Produced by Luc Besson
Written by Luc Besson
Robert Mark Kamen
Starring Liam Neeson
Famke Janssen
Maggie Grace
Xander Berkeley
Holly Valance
Katie Cassidy
Taken is a 2008 French action thriller film starring Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, and Maggie Grace. It is based on a script by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen and was directed by Pierre Morel. Neeson plays a former Central Intelligence Agency operative who sets about tracking down his teenage daughter after she is kidnapped by slave traders while traveling in Europe.
Plot
Retired, decorated, highly-trained veteran CIA agent Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is picking out a karaoke machine for his seventeen year old daughter, Kim's (Maggie Grace), birthday. When Bryan gets to Kim's house he gives her the present, but is upstaged by Kim's wealthy step father Stuart, who gives her a horse.
After leaving the party, three of his friends arrive at his house for the steak party that was forgotten by Mills. As they leave, Bryan's friend and former CIA colleague Sam (Leland Orser) convinces Bryan to take up a job with him: working as bodyguards for the famous singer Sheerah (Holly Valance). When the concert ends Bryan escorts Sheerah out of the venue and manages to fend off an attacker. The next day, he has lunch with his daughter, only to find that Lenore (Famke Janssen) has accompanied her so they can persuade Bryan to sign a parental consent form allowing Kim to go to Paris with her 19-year-old friend, Amanda (Katie Cassidy). Bryan agrees on the condition that Kim calls him immediately once she lands and every night thereafter.
When they arrive, Kim and Amanda meet Peter (Nicolas Giraud) who persuades the two to share a taxi. When they arrive where the girls are staying, he tells the girls that his friend is having a party and offers to pick them up, obtaining their apartment number. As he leaves, he opens his cell phone and gives information about the girls to an unknown person.
While on the phone with Bryan, Kim witnesses Amanda being abducted. Bryan informs her that she will be taken as well, and gives her instructions. As Kim is being taken, she shouts out as much about her kidnapper as she can before she is knocked out. One of the kidnappers takes the phone and listens to a threat from Bryan before smashing the phone. Bryan made a recording of the call, and Sam analyzes it. Sam tells Bryan that the kidnappers are the Albanian Mafia, and they are part of a gang dealing largely in sex slaves. Bryan contacts Stuart to secure a private plane, and travels immediately to Paris.
In Paris, Bryan tracks down Peter, who is hit by a bus after trying to escape, and then meets up with his old friend, Jean-Claude (Olivier Rabourdin). Bryan needs to know where the Albanians could be. Jean-Claude claims that there are many Albanians in Paris. Bryan then learns of an Albanian-run brothel at a nearby construction site. At the brothel Bryan is unable to find Kim or Amanda but instead rescues another girl who was in possession of Kim's jacket. After rescuing the girl, Bryan takes her to a hotel and meets up with another friend, Gilles, who is working as a hotel manager. Next day, the girl tells him that she had been given the jacket at a particular house where Kim and the gang may be. He follows the girl’s advice and finds the house. Bryan kills almost the entire gang after recognizing the voice from the phone call. Bryan searches the rooms of the house and finds many drugged, imprisoned sex slaves, including Kim's friend Amanda, who died from an apparent overdose or from physical abuse.
Bryan then tortures the surviving gang leader for information. The gang leader reveals that Kim was sold to a man named Patrice Saint-Clair (Gérard Watkins) before Bryan leaves him in an active electric chair. Bryan then appears at Jean-Claude's apartment and confronts him about his apparent dealings with the Albanian smugglers, threatening him by shooting his wife but not killing her. Bryan, posing as Jean-Claude, then goes to a party hosted by Saint-Clair.
Bryan tracks down Kim just as she is being sold in a darkened room but is subdued before he can stage a rescue. After regaining consciousness and liberating himself from his captors, Bryan finds Saint-Clair and kills him, but not before finding out where Kim was taken. Bryan tracks down the yacht belonging to the Arab sheikh that bought Kim. Bryan boards the yacht and kills all the guards on board. He then kills the sheikh and frees his daughter. Bryan comforts Kim and takes her back to the United States. At the L.A. airport, Kim is reunited with Lenore and Stuart. A couple days later, Bryan takes his daughter Kim to Sheerah's house and she helps Kim improve her singing.
Cast
Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills
Maggie Grace as Kim Mills
Famke Janssen as Lenore
Xander Berkeley as Stuart
Katie Cassidy as Amanda
Leland Orser as Sam
Olivier Rabourdin as Jean-Claude
Holly Valance as Sheerah
Jon Gries as Casey
David Warshofsky as Bernie
Nathan Rippy as Victor
Camille Japy as Isabelle
Nicolas Giraud as Peter
Arben Bajraktaraj as Marko Hoxha
Gérard Watkins as Patrice Saint Clair
Ethan Millican as an unidentified assassin
Sigmuound Froyd as bartender
PLONING
Ploning is a 2008 Philippine romantic family drama film based on a popular Cuyonon song of the same title about a girl's hidden feelings in a man's point of view. It starred veteran actress Judy Ann Santos and was directed by Dante Nico Garcia, who won a directing award in Singapore through the film. The filming was done in the municipality of Cuyo in Palawan, which is, incidentally, the director's hometown. The film is the official entry of the Philippines for Best Foreign Language Film of the 81st Academy Awards.
The Story
The story of Ploning begins when a mysterious Taiwanese fisherman, Muo Sei, lands in the otherwise sleepytown of Cuyo, Palawan. When he arrives, he immediately looks for someone named "Ploning". In the town, Ploning is known as a hardworking and thoughtful woman who, despite her age and beauty, decided not to marry. It is later revealed that she had once loved a man named Tomas fourteen years ago. This man, however, left her for a better career in Manila and she was left heartbroken, waiting for him to return.
Despite this setback, life still goes on for Ploning. She continued her roles as a dutiful daughter to the town patriarch Susing, a committed supporter to the grieving Intang, an honorary sister to her extended family, Nieves and Toting, a wise ally to simpleton Alma, a supporter to the broken-hearted Siloy, and a co-mother to the half-paralyzed Juaning. She was so successful in caring for the town that noone seemed to notice the absence of rain.
One day, she decides to care for a boy name Digo, son of the bed-ridden Juaning and brother to the strict Veiling. Throughout their lifetime, their lives together would be perfect as Ploning seems to have forgotten about Tomas. This, however, is shattered when she suddenly decides to leave to look for Tomas in Manila. Digo, overcome by grief, seeks help in the town guest, the nurse Celeste, who, coincidentally, also had a lover named Tomas back in her hometown, Manila. Due to her deep devotion, Ploning rejects the notion that this Tomas and her Tomas is the same person and continues to plan to leave. On the day of the town fiesta, rain finally arrives, and with this celebration comes Ploning's disappearance while a secret finally emerges. That secret is that Mou Sei is the small child called Digo.
The Production
The filming of Ploning was entirely done on the municipality of Cuyo in Palawan. It was directed by Dante Nico Garcia, who incidentally, is a native of the town. According to him, the film is based on his childhood memories of the town. When he wrote the screenplay for the film with Benjamin Lingan, he decided to use his native tongue, Cuyonon.[3] He had stated that the inspiration for the character Judy Ann Santos played in the film is based on a Cuyonon folk song about a girl's hidden feelings, originally sung by a male but was first recorded by a female. This led him to think of a story of a woman singing the song while remembering her lover.Shooting of the film was done in various locales of the town. This includes the pier, the waiting place of Ploning; and Intigan beach. The basketball court, meanwhile, provided for a setting for the first meeting between Digo and Celeste, while Emilod was the location for the esposada (bridal shower), which took three nights to shoot. A cemetery was purposely built for the film and the locals decided to preserve it as a tourist attraction. The film was produced by Panoramamanila Pictures Co.,[5] which, despite its fledgeling status, tried its best to authenticate the production of the film. Cashew nut brittle, the town's delicacy, as well as the harvesting of salt in an asinan was showcased in the film. An Ati-atihan-like festival was also featured as the town fiesta, usually celebrated on August 27.
The Cast
The cast of Ploning is played by veteran actors as well as newcomers to show business. Veteran actress Judy Ann Santos got the title role. Compared to her other roles, which are very dramatic (particularly that of Mara in Mara Clara),her character in the film is seen as mellow and reserved. Numerous comediannes are also cast in the film, such as Gina Pareño (as Intang), Eugene Domingo (as Juaning), Ces Quesada (as Nieves), and Tessie Tomas (as Seling), whose dramatic performances seems weird in contrast to Santos'. The role of Celeste is supposed to have been given to Iza Calzado but Mylene Dizon took the role instead when scheduling conflicts between the film and Joaquin Bordado were not resolved.Other cast members include newcomers Lukas Agustin (as Siloy), Ogoy Agustin (as Veiling), Cedric Amit (as Digo), and Bodjong Fernandez (as Mou Sei) as well as established actors Ketchup Eusebio (as Badocdoc), Ronnie Lazaro (as Old Veiling), Jojit Lorenzo (as Basit), Tony Mabesa (as Susing), Spanky Manikan (as Tsuy), Crispin Piñeda (as Toting), Meryl Soriano (as Alma), Beth Tamayo (as Divina), and Joel Torre (as Mayor Siloy).
The Story
The story of Ploning begins when a mysterious Taiwanese fisherman, Muo Sei, lands in the otherwise sleepytown of Cuyo, Palawan. When he arrives, he immediately looks for someone named "Ploning". In the town, Ploning is known as a hardworking and thoughtful woman who, despite her age and beauty, decided not to marry. It is later revealed that she had once loved a man named Tomas fourteen years ago. This man, however, left her for a better career in Manila and she was left heartbroken, waiting for him to return.
Despite this setback, life still goes on for Ploning. She continued her roles as a dutiful daughter to the town patriarch Susing, a committed supporter to the grieving Intang, an honorary sister to her extended family, Nieves and Toting, a wise ally to simpleton Alma, a supporter to the broken-hearted Siloy, and a co-mother to the half-paralyzed Juaning. She was so successful in caring for the town that noone seemed to notice the absence of rain.
One day, she decides to care for a boy name Digo, son of the bed-ridden Juaning and brother to the strict Veiling. Throughout their lifetime, their lives together would be perfect as Ploning seems to have forgotten about Tomas. This, however, is shattered when she suddenly decides to leave to look for Tomas in Manila. Digo, overcome by grief, seeks help in the town guest, the nurse Celeste, who, coincidentally, also had a lover named Tomas back in her hometown, Manila. Due to her deep devotion, Ploning rejects the notion that this Tomas and her Tomas is the same person and continues to plan to leave. On the day of the town fiesta, rain finally arrives, and with this celebration comes Ploning's disappearance while a secret finally emerges. That secret is that Mou Sei is the small child called Digo.
The Production
The filming of Ploning was entirely done on the municipality of Cuyo in Palawan. It was directed by Dante Nico Garcia, who incidentally, is a native of the town. According to him, the film is based on his childhood memories of the town. When he wrote the screenplay for the film with Benjamin Lingan, he decided to use his native tongue, Cuyonon.[3] He had stated that the inspiration for the character Judy Ann Santos played in the film is based on a Cuyonon folk song about a girl's hidden feelings, originally sung by a male but was first recorded by a female. This led him to think of a story of a woman singing the song while remembering her lover.Shooting of the film was done in various locales of the town. This includes the pier, the waiting place of Ploning; and Intigan beach. The basketball court, meanwhile, provided for a setting for the first meeting between Digo and Celeste, while Emilod was the location for the esposada (bridal shower), which took three nights to shoot. A cemetery was purposely built for the film and the locals decided to preserve it as a tourist attraction. The film was produced by Panoramamanila Pictures Co.,[5] which, despite its fledgeling status, tried its best to authenticate the production of the film. Cashew nut brittle, the town's delicacy, as well as the harvesting of salt in an asinan was showcased in the film. An Ati-atihan-like festival was also featured as the town fiesta, usually celebrated on August 27.
The Cast
The cast of Ploning is played by veteran actors as well as newcomers to show business. Veteran actress Judy Ann Santos got the title role. Compared to her other roles, which are very dramatic (particularly that of Mara in Mara Clara),her character in the film is seen as mellow and reserved. Numerous comediannes are also cast in the film, such as Gina Pareño (as Intang), Eugene Domingo (as Juaning), Ces Quesada (as Nieves), and Tessie Tomas (as Seling), whose dramatic performances seems weird in contrast to Santos'. The role of Celeste is supposed to have been given to Iza Calzado but Mylene Dizon took the role instead when scheduling conflicts between the film and Joaquin Bordado were not resolved.Other cast members include newcomers Lukas Agustin (as Siloy), Ogoy Agustin (as Veiling), Cedric Amit (as Digo), and Bodjong Fernandez (as Mou Sei) as well as established actors Ketchup Eusebio (as Badocdoc), Ronnie Lazaro (as Old Veiling), Jojit Lorenzo (as Basit), Tony Mabesa (as Susing), Spanky Manikan (as Tsuy), Crispin Piñeda (as Toting), Meryl Soriano (as Alma), Beth Tamayo (as Divina), and Joel Torre (as Mayor Siloy).
Friday, October 2, 2009
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