Caparas-Viva tie up good for ailing industry

A mega-deal between Carlo J. Caparas and Viva big boss Vic del Rosario Jr. was sealed last Thursday night at Viva’s Ortigas office, witnessed by movie writers who agreed that the merger is the shot-in-the-arm that the movie industry badly needs now.

“It means jobs for many of those in the industry who have been jobless for years now because of the slump in local movie production,” said Ethel Ramos.

Yes, indeed. Industry workers have a reason to rejoice.

Del Rosario said that he had long been thinking of partnering with Carlo but never got around to sitting down with him, until Carlo’s wife Donna Villa (she and Carlo are known as The Golden Couple because of their successful team-up in their own Golden Lions Films) paved the way.

“Actually,” Donna told Funfare, “it’s not the first time that Carlo and I are working with Viva.”

The Golden Couple and Viva Films have had joint ventures that were box-office hits, one of them The Maggie dela Riva Story (Dawn Zulueta in the title role) which set an all-time box-office record.

The joint venture between the two giants covers Carlo’s 50 blockbuster komiks novels which Viva Films will remake for both the big screen and the small screen.

Called Caparas Studios, the partnership has lined up 11 Caparas classics for early production, namely Rosenda with Sarah Geronimo in the title role (the original stars Janice de Belen), Maestro with Dingdong Dantes (original: FPJ), Bakekang (still searching for the right actress; original is Nora Aunor), Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa with Robin Padilla (original: Rudy Fernandez), Angela Markado with Sam Pinto (original: Hilda Koronel, directed by Lino Brocka), God Save Me with Gabby Concepcion (original: Christopher de Leon), Tasya Fantasya with Anne Curtis (original: Kris Aquino), Panday Kids with the Bagets stars (of the TV5 revived show), Jacoba with Vice Ganda, Paano Hahatiin ang Puso with Aga Muhlach (original: Edu Manzano with Donna Villa), Dalawang Kagat sa Mansanas with Cristine Reyes, and Dugong Buhay with Bong Revilla and Jolo Revilla (original: Ramon Revilla Sr. and Bong Revilla).

Top: Carlo triumphant with two of his numerous awards. Above: with Donna and their children CJ and Peach (also shown during one of the family vacations abroad).

The rest of the titles are: Ang Babaing Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang, Tuklaw, Blanco-Negro, Contessa, Daang Hari, Ermitano, Gagambino, Halik Sa Babaing Hudas, Harimanok, Hingin Mo Ako Sa Langit, Hiwaga Ng Cadena de Amor, Ilaban Mo Bayan Ko, Jesusa (Ang Babaing Ipinako sa Krus), Joaquin Bordado, Kamandag, Kung Bakit Kailangan Kita?, Minsan Nating Hagkan Ang Nakaraan, Mong, Pieta, Precious Love, Quadra, Rosang Mandurukot, Saan Pupunta Ang Pusong Sugatan, Sambahin Ang Ngalan Mo, Sister Leona, Somewhere, To Love And To Cherish, Totoy Bato, Limang Daliri ng Diyos, Andres de Saya, Dalmacio Armas, Alas ng Tundo, Boy Tornado, Sa Dibdib Ng Sierra Madre, Ayaw Matulog Ng Gabi, Pagkagat Ng Hatinggabi and Damon Angelo.

A National Artist who has a street in Pasig City named after him, Carlo has 800 blockbuster komiks novels to his name that have earned him the title Komiks King. He has been variously called Box-Office King (for obvious reason), Teleserye King and The Crossover Artist because he’s the only living komiks novelist who has successfully crossed over from the komiks pages to the big screen and then to the small screen — and back. His works have been remade by all networks (GMA, ABS-CBN and TV5 which is currently serializing Bangis, which is about a little boy who has a crocodile for a friend, starring, among others, Oyo Sotto, Danita Paner, Rodjun Cruz, Miriam Quiambao, Yul Servo and CJ Caparas who is a Law student in Ateneo).

Besides Viva Films, the few other mainstream companies that have been propping up an industry beset by film piracy, onerous taxes and rising cost of production (including big stars’ astronomical asking prices) include Regal Films, Star Cinema and GMA Films, with the rest making movies only for the annual Metro Manila Filmfest. The industry used to produce as many as 300 (or even more) films a year, perhaps second only to India’s Bollywood, and the number has dwindled down to not even 50 these past few years. Most of the output come from indie producers.

That’s why the Caparas-Viva partnership is a welcome development, the revival “pill” that the industry has long been waiting for.

What’s up?

• Fr. Joey Faller is inviting everybody to “a dinner concert, symphony of music and a night of classical music” featuring Dr. Horacio Nuguid (Fr. Joey’s brother-in-law who is a concert pianist from the US) and Fame Flores (a finalist from Pilipinas Got Talent) on Aug. 26 (Saturday), starting at 7 p.m., at the Kamay ni Hesus Shrine in Lucban, Quezon. It’s a gathering of friends and benefactors of Kamay ni Hesus. Proceeds from the concert will finance the upgrading of the shrine’s sound system and security devices.

• Carmina Villarroel’s contract with GMA is expiring in December. The question is: Will she renew it or will she move to another network? Carmina’s manager Dolor Guevarra is not talking.

• Michael Young (below), the Manila-based saxophonist/actor/model, will perform in New Jersey (for the Philippine Fiesta and the Fiesta’s People’s Ball)) and New York (for the Building Futures Together fund-raiser) on Aug. 19 to 21 and Aug. 24, respectively. Michael was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to a Filipina mother and a German father. He pursued piano studies at age 5 with his grandmother before transferring to saxophone studies at age 9. He made his Carnegie Hall (New York) debut at age 16 before pursuing a BM in Saxophone at the University of Michigan. He then moved to Los Angeles where he took up his masters and doctorate degrees in saxophone at the University of Southern California while modeling and acting on the side.

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