Ghana Posters of Filipino Films

DESTINATION GHANA: The Incredible Hand-Painted Local Video Posters for Filipino Film Exports

Here's just a small selection of the Filipino films which made it - some legally, most not - to video stores in Ghana from the 1980s to 2000s. As with the posters for local and Nigerian films, these adverts were hand-painted in lurid colours, usually on the back of rice sacks, and hung outside video stores and market stalls. Sadly the collapse of the DVD market has seen this once-ubiquitous artform all but disappear, except for the efforts of folk like the Deadly Prey Gallery in the US to commission new work and thus keep the art (and the artists!) alive. Of course if you find any more examples we'd love to see them!

American Commandos (Danish co-production, aka Hitman; Bobby A. Suarez, 1986 Action)

American Ninja (US production; Cannon Films/Michael Dudikoff, 1985 Martial Arts)

American Streetfighter (US co-production with Silver Star shot in the US; Gary Daniels, 1992 Martial Arts) 

Behind Enemy Lines (US production; 1997 War) 

Blood Surf (US co-production, 2000 Horror) 

Cleopatra Wong (Filipino export, aka They Call Her Cleopatra Wong; Bobby A. Suarez/Marrie Lee, 1978 Kung Fu) 

Cobra Mission (Swiss production; Erwin C. Dietrich, 1986 Action)

Doomsdayer (US co-production; Michael Sellers, 2000 Science Fiction) 

Double Target (Italian production; Bruno Mattei, 1987 Action) 

Eastern Condors (Hong Kong production; Sammo Hung, 1987 Action) 

Escape To Nowhere (Hong Kong co-production, aka Battle Geese; Davian International, 1990)

Firehawk (US co-production; Cirio H. Santiago, 1993 War) 

Heroes For Hire (Filipino export; Silver Star, 1984 Action) 

Hunters Of The Golden Cobra (Italian production; Antonio Margheriti, 1982 Action) 

Jungle Wolf (US production; Ron Marchini, 1986 Action) 

Killer Instinct (Australian co-production; Cirio H. Santiago, 1987 War)

Maharlika (US co-production, aka Guerrilla Strike Force; Luis Nepomuceno, 1970 War)

Manda vs Kung Fu (Hong Kong co-production, aka Devil Woman; Jimmy L. Pascual, 1974 Kung Fu Horror)  

Naked Weapon (Hong Kong co-production, 2002 Action) 

Ninja Kids: Phantom Force (Filipino export, aka Ninja Kids And The Samurai Sword; 1986 Martial Arts) 

No Dead Heroes (Filipino export, 1987 Action) 

Not Another Mistake (US co-production; Anthony Maharaj, 1988 War) 

Phantom Soldiers (Filipino export; 1987 War) 

P.O.W. The Escape (US production, aka Behind Enemy Lines; Cannon Films, 1986 War) 

Raiders Of The Sun (US co-production; Cirio H. Santiago, 1992 Post-Apocalypse) 

Rescue Team (Filipino export; Silver Star, 1983 Action) 

Robowar (Italian production; Bruno Mattei, 1988 Science Fiction Action) 

Searchers Of The Voodoo Mountain (Danish co-production, aka Warriors Of The Apocalypse; Bobby A Suarez, 1985 Post-Apocalypse) 

Stone Boy (Filipino export, aka Boy God; Nino Muhlach, 1982 Fantasy Horror Comedy)

Strike Commando (Italian production; Bruno Mattei, 1987 Action) 

Tigershark (US production; 1987 Action) 

American Force 2: The Untouchable Glory (Hong Kong production; IFD cut-and-paste, 1988 Action)

Vengeance Squad (Filipino export; 1987 Action) 

Wheels Of Fire (US co-production; Cirio H. Santiago, 1985 Post-Apocalypse) 

When Eagles Strike (US co-production; Cirio H. Santiago, 2003 Action) 

Zuma II: Hell Serpent (Filipino export; Max Laurel, 1987 Horror)