If Mother Lily Monteverde is grinning from ear to ear these days, it is because this early, somehow ay nakasisiguro na siyang she has a box-office movie in Seduction which also serves as the comeback of one of the most revered directors in his time Peque Gallaga.
How Mother Lily was able to convince Peque, whose last work was an indie movie, ay may kuwento. After all, when Direk Peque decided to quit showbiz, determined siya to lead na lang a quiet life in his home province, Bacolod City, with his family.
Ayon kay Direk Peque, kuntento na rin naman siya sa kanyang buhay sa probinsiya, bilang may hanapbuhay siyang nagbibigay sa kanya ng fixed income. Like in the past, when he has not yet joined the showbiz scene, nagtuturo siya ng directing at acting sa isang university doon.
Do you know na isa sa kanyang mga estudyante ay ang magaling at in demand for supporting roles na aktor na si Joel Torre?
In any case, ayon kay Direk Peque, bigla siyang nangailangan ng malaking halaga for his house.
“Kaya parang hulog ng langit sa akin ang offer ni Mother Lily to direct anew a movie for Regal Entertainment, Inc.,†sabi pa ng direktor.
It took just one meeting with Mother Lily and her daughter Roselle (Monteverde-Teo), who now heads Regal, and the two told him to start with the project na.
“Kaagad, binanggit nila sa akin, kung sinu-sino ang mga artistang type nilang mag-star sa pelikula. But as to what kind of movie ang gusto kong gawin, ipinamahala nila sa akin.
“By the way, bago ko nga pala makalimutan, Roselle mentioned bago kami naghiwa-hiwalay na she wanted Seduction as the title ng pelikula. I immediately agreed. As you know, wala akong talent for titles ng movie na sa titulo pa lamang ay alam mo nang may hatak sa tao.
“Halimbawa, ’yung first movie na idinirek ko, Oro, Plata, Mata, ay kay Joey Reyes. Isa siyang magaling na direktor na ngayon na nag-suggest ng title. Siya rin kasi ang naging writer at nag-script ng movie.
“Scorpio Nights ay ’di rin original title ko,†pag-amin pa ni Direk Peque.
Oro, Plata, Mata and Scorpio Nights ay dalawa sa idinirek ni Peque na itinuring na landmark in local showbiz in the ’80s kung konsepto ng sexy films ang pag-uusapan.
Side item about Scorpio Nights: Introducing sa pelikula ang noo’y bagitong aktor na si Daniel Fernando, now the vice governor ng Bulacan.
It was his co-director, Lore Reyes, whom Direk Peque assigned na mamili ng writers for Seduction.
Earmarked for a Jan. 30 playdate, Direk Peque beamed when at the presscon for Seduction, he was asked how his comeback movie is. And what moviegoers can expect from it.
“I am proud of Seduction,†sagot niya. “But prouder with the performance of my actors.
“Moviegoers will see a new Richard (Gutierrez), aggressive and more daring, a more mature and sexier Sarah (Lahbati), and a more alluring and seductive Solenn (Heussaff).