Outsider Yam Laramas: The Cinema of Horror

MANILA, Philippines - Director Yam Laranas is neither outright mainstream nor independent, but maybe a little of both. Whatever label he falls under, two of his movies have hit the theaters one after the other in the past weeks –“The Echo,” a remake of his earlier “Sigaw,” and “Patient X.”

His filmmography though would reveal that he is not strictly a master of horror, but this inclination was already evident in 2001’s “Radyo.” He also experimented with erotica with “Balahibong Pusa.

Laranas did the documentary for the National Geographic channel on the Doña Paz tragedy in 1987, subtitled “Asia’s Titanic.”

The following is a transcript of a running interview with Laranas through the wonders of email, just as he was wrapping up post production work on Patient X in time for the long weekend celebrating the Feast of the Dead.

Do you have a philosophy of horror filmmaking where you intend to tap some primal fear, if any, in your audience?

I always believe that a horror film is effective when the audience brings home the fear with them. Fear and paranoia should not end in the theater.

It should linger long after you’ve left the cinema.

Hitchcock, de Palma, Romero are a few names that crop up when we think of a distinctive genre not only in horror but also suspense/thriller/mystery. What would you say is your own distinctive style and do you pay indirect tribute to some of the past masters in your films?

Highly respected Los Angeles Times film critic Kevin Thomas once said that I am a master at creating ominous atmosphere http://.echothemovie.com/latimes.html.

I am not sure if it’s my distinctive style, but I always believe that my strength is creating atmosphere. I am a big fan of Stanley Kubrick films and I think I like how he sets the mood and atmosphere more than the way Hitchcock does in his films.

The elevator scenes in Sigaw/Echo for example, reminded me of that creepy scene with the transvestite in “Dressed to Kill.”

I am not a De Palma fan. Haha! 

That elevator scene was inspired by an actual murder that happened in our condominium building. I was the very first person to ride the elevator where a stabbing victim got in to ask for help in the lobby before finally succumbing to blood loss. That elevator was bloodied all over. That was the inspiration of the scene – of the story.

Doubtless something has been lost in the transposition from Sigaw to Echo, as the Iza Calzado character for one has a reduced role. What did you take extra care of so that some basic elements in the original were preserved in the Hollywood version?

The most horrifying aspect in the original is the subject of domestic violence. To me, that is scarier than any ghost story.

I made sure that that stays intact. Other than that, the producers made sure that we retain the scary scenes from Sigaw. I added some new stuff and made the old ones a lot scarier.

How long does it take for you to scout for sets, and how much of atmosphere drives the story?

I worked with the same art department in 90 percent of my films – Sammy Arranzamendez is one production designer that knows exactly what I want. He found CFA (Communication Foundation for Asia, for Radyo) and the location for Sigaw. Most of the settings in my films are somehow characters that are part of the story. They have a lot of impact in the atmosphere or mood and tone of my films. Atmosphere, whether gloomy, eerie, or happy or sad is something that I want to come out strong.

Raymond Red mentions in a recent interview that you were once his understudy. What are the most important things in the craft of filmmaking that you learned from Raymond, and did you ever regret going mainstream?

Raymond is very minimalist. Whether in staging or in lighting. I learned a lot from him. He was an inspiration and he became one of my mentors in the early part of my career.

I don’t regret going mainstream at all. The funny thing is that the Pinoy mainstream world still considers me an outsider. Maybe because I have a very strong indie spirit.

Just googled your bio that says you’re from Davao. Do you have any projects in store that will have the old hometown as backdrop, not necessarily the scary kind?

I haven’t really thought about it but, I would do one in a heartbeat if the story is perfect to stage in Davao City.

Can you give us a bit of background on Patient X, despite it already having opened by the time this interview comes out. What do you expect to be the audience reaction – hairs standing on end, nearly hysterical fans making a beeline for the exit saying, ‘ang ganda, nakakatakot!’ ...?

Patient X is my take on the aswang myth. One time I had a thought that what if someone tells you that a real aswang has been captured. Or, say, Yeti is actually real!

As a filmmaker who wants an audience – a big audience – I don’t mind the beeline. Patient X is an adrenalin rush of scares and jolts. But they are very organic to the story. I am confident that this film is story driven with strong characters.

I want the audience to be scared. I want them to scream.

Well, for one thing, I read in the papers how lead star Richard Gutierrez rescued fellow lead Christine Reyes during the height of storm “Ondoy” from a rooftop in Provident Village. Unintentional, but made for good pr. Is there a method by which we can steer cinema, never mind other art forms, away from the cynical?

You can hype a film as much as you want, but you have to make sure you deliver what has been promised. A strong unique story is always appreciated by the general audience.

Is there any real life anecdote that inspired a scene or scenes from Patient X, similar to that one you mentioned on murder in the condo elevator?

Two things : The Abu Ghraib prison photos and National Geographic wildlife films.

There have been countless stories on aswangs killing their victims. Sometimes a lot of Pinoy movies confuse them with vampires – like bawang and crucifix can kill the aswang. I wanted to create a new visualization of the way – at least to me – the aswangs kill their victims. That’s when my research on wildlife photos and videos came in. Aswangs are predators. To me, they are the hyenas and we are their food.

The Abu Ghraib prison photos are rich in atmosphere. It’s a very dreadful event. It gave me the inspiration for the “incarceration” of Patient X.

And the ads, what are these ads you’ve been busy with aside from Patient X?

Advertising is my bread and butter. I do a lot of Nestle and Unilab, Jollibee, Smart, etc.

Most of the Sharon Cuneta ads that are out now are mine. I did the campaign of Ako Mismo, etc.

Can these feed off your work in film, and vice versa?

Definitely. Although I don’t spend in any of my films. At least not yet...

What’s the scariest story you’ve ever heard, and what’s the scariest thing you’ve seen onscreen?

A housewife gets a text message from her husband’s cell phone. The husband was a marine soldier and the message was from an Abu Sayyaf rebel. He was killed.

Or, for that matter, what’s the scariest story that’s never been told that deserves to be put onscreen?

Aside from the National Artist awards and the Horror From Malacañang?

Storm Ondoy - the perfect storm is very scary!

You’ve mentioned two integral things in your filmmaking, story and atmosphere. What would be the third aspect to put the project over the top?

Realism and plausibility.

How old are you and do you consider yourself part of the Pinoy new wave, whatever that term might mean?

I would love to be part of the new Pinoy new wave. If they let me – the indies or the mainstream. Haha!

Do you still see yourself making films 20 years from now (2029 and the space between)?

Kurosawa – he was making films until he was in his eighties. I want to die a filmmaker.

Is there one film you’ve made that you’d want to redo to a new, alternate version?

Nothing really. But I would love to do Lola Rosa (Comfort Woman) and Andres Bonifacio.