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Sunday, November 26, 2017

THE SEVENTIES # 780: NORA AUNOR, CHRISTOPHER DE LEON, GLORIA SEVILLA, JOHNNY DELGADO AND RONALDO VALDEZ IN GERRY DE LEON'S "BANAUE" (1975)/ RE-POSTED


"Banaue" (1975)
NV Productions
Release Date April 18, 1975
Story and Screenplay Gerardo de Leon and Toto Belano
Cinematogarphy Fermin Pagsisihan and Fredy Conde
Music Tito Arevalo
Direction Gerardo De Leon
Cast Nora Aunor, Christopher de Leon, Gloria Sevilla, Johnny Delgado and Ronaldo Valdez/ Also Starring Andres Centenera, Ben Perez, Francisco Cruz, Belen Velasco, Linda Castro, Lope Policarpio, SOS daredevils/ Introducing Mercy Bartolome, Precy Marquez/ Featuring Eddie Villamayor and a Cast of Thousands




Banaue
was one of Nora Aunor’s most expensive and ambitious movies. Nora shelled out an estimated P 1.6 million (a huge sum that time), excluding her talent fee. She mortgaged her house at Brg. Kapitolyo Pasig for P630,000 and secured a bank loan of P600,000. She even got an advance for her two upcoming movies (Hello, Goodnight, Goodbye and Lollipops and Roses and Burong Talangka). National Artist for Film Director Gerry de Leon, his last complete film, was given the free hand.

For other details, visit Superstarstruck

"Banaue" was Christopher de Leon's second movie after "Tinimbang Ka't Nguni't Kulang" (1974)




After a long search, Banaue (Nora Aunor) and her tribe, the Ifugaos, make the lush mountains of the northern Philippines their new home. They begin to cultivate the land with their bare hands, carving the mountains into a stairway-like “rice field.


While tending to the land, the parents of the courageous Sadek (Christopher de Leon) are crushed to death by a boulder. The tribe believes these deaths are a fitting sacrifice to their god Kabunian, who blessed them with fertile land. In gratitude, the Ifugaos declare that the rice terraces will be named after Sadek’s first child.
After years of toiling, the wondrous rice “stairway” is finished. But trouble comes to the Ifugaos when mountain nomads wander into their territory. For protection, they engage in a blood compact with the newcomers, who later agree to leave. Pugnoy (Johnny Delgado), a young warrior from the other tribe, becomes captivated by Banaue’s charms. But Banaue has eyes only for Sadek. The Ifugaos’ peace is marred when the other tribe, the notorious Kalingas headed by Aruk (Ronaldo Valdez) wages war against them. During a battle, Banaue’s father (Ben Perez) is decapitated, his head taken by the enemy as trophy. Banaue sets out to recover her father’s head. She is captured and after weeks of captivity, Aruk falls for Banaue. Smitten by her charm, Aruk decides to release her, on the condition that she return. Banaue goes home with her father’s head but is unable to go back to Aruk. Aruk returns and again declare war on the Ifugaos. He challenges Sadek on a one-on-one duel for Banaue's affection and the right to claim the promised land. 





Banaue is now available in DVD and can be purchased in all leading video stores.

8 comments:

Rodolfo Samonte said...

Simon,
This movie looks awesome. If it's in DVD, I have to get hold of it. I was actually, a long time ago, a Noranian (vs Vilmanian), hahaha. Your favorite actor Johnny Delgado is here too. Nora was big news locally when she was caught bringing in drugs at the airport. She was jailed and was suppose to go to trial. The news has since dissipated, and I don't know what happened to her.

BTW, I just picked up a copy of Serbis, the unrated version. I haven't seen it yet, but didn't you feature it in this blog at one time?

TheCoolCanadian said...

Rod:

Yes, you must have to own a copy of this film. If you haven't seen Mike de Leon's KUNG MANGARAP KA'T MAGISING with Hilda Koronel, that one featured the enthralling Sagada.

SERBIS was done by Dante Mendoza, the same guy who made MASAHISTA. I had a chat with him after the showing of his film here at the Vancouver Film Fest. I thought people were disturbed by these films and I can see why. I mean, if a guy would have sex with another guy so that he could buy a pair of runners, what IS that? That's something unheared of in the first wold and it hit you when you see something like this. It rather affected me seeing these films.

However, his KINATAY is one hell of an ugly, disjointed film.
:(

Rodolfo Samonte said...

JM,
Oh, but I love Hilda Koronel. Gotta find that one too, then. I've been trying to collect Hilda Koronel movies, but they're not easy to find.

Video 48 said...

Rod, drug charges against Ms. Aunor were dismissed in 2007. Details of the news here--- http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20071002-92039/(UPDATE_2)_Nora_Aunor_is_off_the_hook

Anonymous said...

Rod,

Nora is coming home. Nag side trip muna sa Japan para magpa-retoke ng mukha.But she is coming.


Auggie

PS another DVD worth looking for is ITIM by Mike de Leon.

Rodolfo Samonte said...

Simon and Auggie,
Thanks.

Anonymous said...

where can I get a good DVD copy of Nora' movies?
the DVDs at local video stores are bad, merely VCD transfers to DVD.
thanks

Noel Vera said...

Hey, asking if I can use your pics on my blog. May have to resize them, but I'll provide links and due credit...

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