Filipino Films in Hawaii: Zamboanga Theater, Honolulu

Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 26th June 1970, p.58

In mid 1970 Consolidated leased out its Palama Theater and it was rechristened the Zamboanga, exclusively screening Filipino films to its Kalihi-Palama crowd. Fernando Poe Jr’s film – appropriately named Zamboanga – was its first gala screening, and its co-star, FPJ’s wife Susan Roces and her sister Rosemarie Sonora were present, planting their hands in wet cement on the pavement outside the theater.  

Of course Hawaii had seen Filipino film royalty before – but not when they were also the owners of the theater. 

Fernando Poe Jr renamed the Palama after his father’s breakthrough film, and for a brief period it was as if the glory days of Filipino cinema had reappeared, the DNA connecting Fernando Poe Jr to Senior harkening back to the halcyon pre-war years.  

Top of the list of films featured were naturally FPJ and Susan Roces starrers, as well as new Tony Ferrer actioners, comedies, musicals, many first-run features direct from the Philippines, in addition to live appearances by superstars – Guy and Pip, Vi and Bot, Dolphy and Panchito, the ReyCard Duet, Eddie Mesa - and Filipino stage shows and talent quests, a Filipino restaurant, and much more.  

More than just a cinema, the Zamboanga was truly a community center, and the community revolved around its biggest stars.  

Or is it a circus in some bizarre alternate universe, in which its ringleaders happen to be the most popular stars in the Philippines? 

Manager was Rabel Mangahas, possibly a relative of the Poe-Sonora clan. 

The Zamboanga experienced a number of setbacks – a change of management, and a much-publicized stabbing death in 1971 – before it died a sad death around the mid-Seventies, and never re-opened again as a cinema space [it became a church much later]. The Zamboanga’s passing effectively ended the Golden Age of Filipino Cinema in Hawaii.  

ZAMBOANGA SCREENINGS 1970

July 3 to 9 - Zamboanga (1966) [Grand Opening with Susan Roces and Rosemarie Sonora in person, July 3]  

July 10 to 16 – Masters Of Karate 

July 17 to 21 – Geron Busabos Batang Quiapo 

July 22 to 28 – Captain Barbell 

July 29 to August 4 – Baril Na Ginto 

August 5 to 11 – Deadly Brothers 

August 12 to 18 – Kulay Rosas Ang Pagibig 

August 19 to 25 – Sierra Madre 

August 26 to September 1 – Kardong Kidlat 

September 2 to 8 – Man With A Gun (dubbed) 

September 9 to 12 – Zamboanga (1966) + Deadly Brothers

September 13 to 20 – Our Man Duling 

September 21 to 28 – Sa Bawat Hakbang...Panganib! 

September 29 to October 6 – Mano Mano 

October 7 to 13 – Trapped! 

October 14 to 20 – Ang Daigdig Ko’y Ikaw + The Ronnie-Susan Wedding [Week One of the three-week Susan Roces Film Festival] 

October 21 to 27 – Cover Girls [Week Two of the three-week Susan Roces Film Festival] 

October 28 to November 3 – Magpakailan Man/In War And Peace (subtitled) [Final film in the three-week Susan Roces Film Festival] 

November 4 to 5 – Captain Barbell 

November 6 to 7 – Kulay Rosas Ang Pagibig  

November 8 to 9 – Man With A Gun (dubbed)  

November 9 to 10 – Geron Busabos Batang Quiapo  

November 11 to 17 – Ang Iniluluha Ko’y Dugo 

November 18 to 24 – D’Musical Teenage Idols

November 25 to 29 – Nardong Kutsero [plus Liza Lorena live on stage with band Sun Spots from November 27 to 29] 

November 30 – Iginuhit Ng Tadhana [plus Reycards on stage for a Philippines Typhoon Benefit] 

December 1 – Nardong Kutsero 

December 2 to 8 – Teenage Jamboree 

December 9 to 15 – Zoom Zoom 

 

December 16 to 22 – Escapades

December 23 to 24 – El Nino

December 25 to 27 – Magpakailan Man/In War And Peace (subtitled) [plus The Reycards live on stage] 

December 28 to 29 – El Nino 

December 30 to January 5 – Sweethearts [plus Edgar Mortiz, Vilma Santos and Snooky on stage, December 30 to 31] 

ZAMBOANGA SCREENINGS 1971

January 6 to 7 – Mano Mano + [Teenage] Jamboree 

January 8 to 14 - Patria Adorada [Joseph Estrada appearance cancelled at the last minute] 

January 15 to 21 – Because You Are Mine 

January 22 to 28 – Pagibig Masdan Ang Ginawa Mo + Our Man Duling 

January 29 to February 4 – The Singers And The Bouncer + Ang Daigdig Ko’y Ikaw

February 5 to 7 – El Nino [plus The Manila Machine live on stage] 

February 8 – Sierra Madre + Cover Girl 

February 9 to 14 – Octopus + Master Of Karate [plus Zamboanga Amateur Hour live on stage, February 12] 

February 15 to 21 – My Pledge Of Love + Trapped! [plus Zamboanga Amateur Hour live on stage, February 19] 

February 22 to 24 – The Lumberjacks + D’Musical Teenage Idols 

February 25 – D’Musical Teenage Idols [plus Eddie Mesa and Mercy Molina performing live on stage] 

February 26 to 28 – The Lumberjacks + D’Musical Teenage Idols 

March 1 to 4 – Monleon Brothers + Sweethearts 

March 5 to 6 – Kardong Kidlat [plus Eddie Mesa and Mercy Molina performing live on stage] 

March 7 – Monleon Brothers + Sweethearts 

March 8 to 14 – Basta Kantahan...Sila O Kami? + Baril Na Ginto [plus Zamboanga Amateur Hour live on stage, March 12] 

March 15 to 21 – Zatoduling + "unnamed Dolphy and Panchito film" [plus Zamboanga Amateur Hour live on stage, March 19] 

March 22 to 28 – Ang Nabubuhay Sa Baril + Kulay Rosas Ang Pagibig [plus Zamboanga Amateur Hour live on stage, March 26] 

March 29 to April 4 – Alyas Don Juan + My Pledge Of Love [plus Zamboanga Amateur Hour live on stage, April 2] 

April 5 to 11 - Guillermo Bravado + Mano Mano

April 12 to 18 - Mga Anghel Walang Langit + [Teenage] Escapades

April 19 to 25 - Drakulita + Because You Are Mine

April 26 to 29 - Mga Batang Estibador + Zatoduling

April 30 - Divina Gracia 

May 1 to 6 - Divina Gracia + Drakulita

May 7 to 9 - Mga Batang Estibador + Drakulita

May 10 to 16 - Anghel Sa Aking Balikat + Basta Kantahan

May 14 to 15  – Gonzales (bomba) 

May 17 to 23 – Gonzales (bomba) + The Lumberjacks

May 24 to 30 - Tatlong Bugoy + Alyas Don Juan (Dolphy) 

May 31 to June 6 - Alamat Ng Pitong Kilabot + Ang Daigdig Ko'y Ikaw

June 7 to 10 – Matinbang Ang Dugo Sa Tubig + Gonzales (bomba) 

June 11 to 20 - Adios Mi Amor + Mga Anghel Na Walang Langit 

June 21 to 24 - Matimbang Ang Dugo Sa Tubig + Angel Sa Aking Balikat

June 25 to 27 – Pacifica Falayfay [plus Dolphy, Panchito and an “all-star cast” live on stage] 

June 28 - Zamboanga + Patria Adorada 

July 29 to July 1 - Mga Batang Estibador + My Pledge Of Love

July 2 to 5 - Divina Gracia + Adios Mi Amor

July 6 to 8 - Trapped! + Master Of Karate

July 9 to 19 - Dandansoy + D'Musical Teenage Idols

July 21 to 26 - Padre Pugante + Baril Na Ginto

July 28 to 29 - Kulay Rosas Ang Pagibig + Deadly Brothers

July 30 to August 5 - Barbaro Cristobal + Ang Iniluluha Koy Dugo

August 6 to 12 - The 14 Fighting Men + Sweetheart

August 13 to 16 - Teenage Escapades + Barbaro

August 18 to 23 - [Teenage] Escapades + Katorce 

August 27 to 28 - Zatoduling + My Pledge Of Love

September 1 to 2 - Bang Shang Alang 

September 3 - The Mad Generation [plus The Manila Machine live on stage; film previously listed as Banda 24]

September 4 to 7 - Bang Shang Alang

September 8 to 14 - The Mad Generation [with Nora Aunor, Tirso Cruz III, Luis Gonzales, German Moreno, Inday Badiday and Romy Lapuz signing autographs in the lobby, September 11]

September 15 to 17 - Banda 24 + Padre Pugante

September 18 - Padre Pugante [plus Nora Aunor and Tirso Cruz III live on stage]

September 19 to 21 - Banda 24 + Padre Pugante

September 23 to 28 - Swanie + "A Specially Added Attraction"

September 29 to October 4 - Captain Philippines At Boy Pinoy + "A Specially Added Double Feature"

October 6 to 12 - Dedicated To You [plus Armando Suarez And The Bayside Band live on stage on October 8]

October 15 to 17 - Bawat Hakbang Panganit + Zatoduling

Tragedy struck the Zamboanga on October 17th 1971 when a man was fatally stabbed inside the theater:

Honolulu Star-Bulletin
19th October 1971, p.4

Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 17th June 1975, p.3

October 20 to 26 - One Day Millionaire + "A Special Added Attraction"

October 29 to November 4 - Fastbreak + "A Special Added Attraction" 

November 5 to 11 – Maruja (English version) [Susan Roces live on stage November 5 to 7]  

No screenings listed November 12 to 18

November 19 to 25 - Angelica + "News Reel of Plaza Miranda Bombing"

November 26 to December 2 – Young Lovers [plus Vilma Santos and Edgar Mortiz live on stage, November 26 to 28] 

December 3 to 8 - Langit At Lupa + "A Special Added Attraction"

December 10 to 15 - Sorrento + "A Special Added Attraction"

December 17 to 20 - Captain Philippines At Boy Pinoy + The Mad Generation

December 21 to 27 - Edgar Loves Vilma + Banda 24

December 28 to 31 - 3 Kilabot Sa Barilan

(...because nothing says "Happy New Year" more than Adolphong Hitler!)

ZAMBOANGA SCREENINGS 1972

January 2 to 10 – Sinners + Magpakailan Man  

January 14 to 18 – Adolpong Hitler + Mga Angel Na Walang Langit 

January 21 to 23 – Seven Deadly Roses 

January 24 – Seven Deadly Roses + 14 Fighting Men  

January 29 – Magpakailan Man (subtitled) (plus Gilopez Kabayao in concert) 

January 31 – Kidlat Meets Gringo + Ang Nabubuhay Sa Baril 

 February 1 to 7 – Si Siyanang At Ang 7 Tsikiting + Magpakailan Man (subtitled)  

November 17 to 19 – Poor Little Rich Girl [plus Amalia Fuentes and Anna Lissa live on stage] 

December 16 to 17 – Tell Nora I Love Her [“under new management”]

December 22 to 27 – Anghel Ng Pag-ibig [Vilma Valera and Eddie Mesa on stage December 22]

December 29 – Blue Seal Mataharis 

ZAMBOANGA SCREENINGS 1973

February 17* – Gabi Ng Lagim [* shows usually run Fridays to Thursdays] 

March 10 to 15 – Baril At Rosario 

March 17 to 22 – Top Ten 

March 23 to 29 – The Bandit (Tony Ferrer – English dubbed) 

March 30 to April 5 – Kidlat Sa Karate 

April 6 to 12 – Si Waray At Si Talyada 

April 13 to 19 – Aloha My Love 

April 20 to 26 – Kiko En Kikay 

April 27 to May 3 – Gabi Ng Lagim + Angelo 

May 4 to 10 – Mark Of Kaido + Tell Nora I Love Her 

May 11 to 17 – Adolpong Hitler + Habagat Sa Tag-Araw 

June 1 to 7 – Humag Mong Angkinin Ang Asawa Ko [Lost Tribe live on stage June 2]

June 8 – Humag Mong Angkinin Ang Asawa Ko (plus Filipiniana Dance Company and Eddie Mesa live on stage) 

June 9 to 14 – Humag Mong Angkinin Ang Asawa Ko + Darna (1951) 

June 22 to 28– Lagablab Sa Maribojoc + My Love At First Sight 

June 29 to ? – Buhay At Pagibig Ni Dr Jose Rizal + Jesabel 

July 7 to 13 – Anghel Ng Pag-ibig + Barilan Sa Baboy Kural 

No more listings exist after this date. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin in December 1974 reported Filipino films were still being screened at the Zamboanga: