The youngest of the Filipino arts, film has
evolved to become the most popular of all the art forms. Introduced only in
1897, Philippine films have ranged from silent movies to talkies. Outpacing
its predecessors by gaining public acceptance, from one end of the country
to the other, its viewers come from all walks of life. In Philippines, there
are more than 1000 movie theaters. Early in the 1980s, it was estimated in
Manila alone, there were around 2.5 million moviegoers. As an art form, it
reflects the culture and the beliefs of the people it caters to and most
times, is the one who shapes their consciousness. Filipino film as discussed
in this paper includes movies made by Filipino people exhibited in this
country and possibly in other countries from the 1930s to the 1990s. The history of Philippine cinema
films may be silent pictures or talkies, black and white or color. They also
include Philippine films such as documentaries, animation, experimental or
alternative films and other types of films.
This
star cinema Philippine page has three
purposes or objectives. It intends;
- To provide a comprehensible background of
the art of film in the Philippines. It provides insights on how the
Philippine film has influenced Philippine culture and vice-versa. This is
done by documenting the important events and important films in the area of
film for the past ninety years.
- It intends to explain the different
trends and styles common in the Philippine film.
- It concludes with an analysis on how two
important events in history, namely World War II and Martial Law altered
the course of contemporary Philippine film.
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