Vilma Santos

CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION

As Narda/Darna in Darna And The Giants (dir. Emmanuel H. Borlaza, 1973)

As Narda/Darna in Darna vs The Planet Women (1975)

As Narda/Darna in Darna At Ding (dir. J. Erestheo Navoa and Cloyd Robinson, 1980)

Darna And The Planet Women (1975)

*1975 - Darna vs The Planet Women (Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)

[Release date 25th December 1975; working title “Darna vs Elektra”**]  

Director/Screenplay Armando Garces Based on the komik character by Mars Ravelo Executive Producer [uncredited] Attorney Espiridion Laxa Cinematography Amado de Guzman Music Carding Cruz Editor Efren Jarlego Sound Supervisor Luis Reyes Sound Effects Ramon Reyes, Sebastian Sayson Sound Mixer Narciso Teope Production-In-Charge Cayetano Lalic Production Manager Leo Valdez Art Director Ben Otico Assistant Director Deo Careza Special Photographic Effects Tommy Marcelino Makeup Artist Cecille Baun Vilma Santos' Makeup Dading Ravela Costumes Rudy Diego Propsman Mariano Otico Setting Ambrocio Diaz Assistant Cameraman Delfin Teope Field Soundman Ernesto Eusia? Schedule Master Oddie Reyes Assistant Editor Arman Jarlego Stills Ric Yonzon  

Cast Vilma Santos (Darna/Narda), Rosanna Ortiz (Elektra), Zandro Zamora (Ramon), Bentot Jr (Ding), Eva Linda (Orak), Lita Vasquez (Kara), Diana Villa (Planet Woman), Lieza Zobel (Planet Woman), Joe Sison (Dr Jereky Usman), Virginia Montes (Dr Anastasia Madrid), Veronica Palileo [as Veronica Palilio] (Lola), Paquito Salcedo (Dr Antonio Villafuerte), Pons de Guzman (Dr Zarko), Steve Alcarado (Teban), Leon Fajardo, Nestor Rueda, Max Rojo, Kristy Kintanar, Romy Luartes, Joseph Jardinato, Jimmy Diamante?, Luciano Parejo, The Tanay Boys 

Proposed Cast** Vilma Santos (Darna/Narda), Rosanna Ortiz (Elektra), Zandro Zamora (Ramon), Bentot Jr (Ding), Pamela Munoz (Noche), Lieza Rodriguez (Magia), Lita Vasquez (Kara), Eva Linda (Oran), Ely Roque (Lola), Paquito Salcedo (Dr Villafuerte), Joe de Guzman (Dr Zarko), Patria Plata (Dr Madrid), Joe Sison (Dr Usman)  

FANTASY/COSTUMED SUPERHERO/ACTION  

*credits checked and believed to be complete  

** According to the 1975 synopsis submitted to the Board of Censors  

Review by Andrew Leavold

The film dates from one of the last Golden Ages of Filipino cinema, the early Seventies, in which over 200 feature films a year were produced for an exclusively Philippines audience. One of the reasons of the local industry's phenomenal success is the audience's close identification with their superstars, and none more so than a duo of teenaged girls, Vilma Santos and Nora Aunor. In fact to this day Filipinos over a certain age will argue over whether they were a Vilmerian – a fanatical follower of the mestiza or lighter-skinned regal beauty Vilma – or Noranian, those who favoured the shorter, flat-nosed and darker-skinned Nora. Fan clubs and magazines, TV shows, press interest over their teen love affairs with fellow co-stars (the “love-teams” of Guy and Pip, Vi and Bot): an entire mini-industry sprang up devoted to their lives, loves and supposed rivalry. Both became two of the most respected actresses of their generation, and yet it was Vilma who eventually landed the role of the most successful komik character in Philippines history.  

Darna may be easily dismissed by many as a cheap Pinoy knockoff of Superman or Wonder Woman, but there's much more to her. Since her first appearance in the burgeoning komik industry in 1947, she captured the imagination of the komik-reading underclasses: Narda is an innocent country lass who has superpowers thrust upon her transforming her into the costumed Darna to protect the world, the Philippines, her village, her family, and most of all, her younger brother Ding. It's wish fulfilment for girls, pure cheesecake for boys, and after sixty years - her first film appearance was in 1950, the last TV series a few years ago - Darna is still a much-revered staple of Philippines pop culture. 

Darna vs The Planet Women from 1975 is the most fun and certainly most colourful of Vilma's stint, thought strangely enough it's as if the previous Darna adventures had never occurred, or had slipped into a Black Hole where most of the Philippines' lost cinema must also exist. Instead we are reintroduced to Narda, unremarkable country lass with a heart of gold and serious limp. Her two great loves, it seems, are chubby little brother Ding, and her awkward beau Ramon. An altercation with the local goons ends with a flying saucer suddenly appearing over a field, and Ramon is beamed aboard. It's a ship piloted by Elektra (Rosanna Ortiz), blue leader of a pack of painted space floozies clad in primary colour wigs, shower caps and AM radios strapped to them. Narda feels bad about losing her guy to a space sorority, but a kindly voice tells her to stop worrying and plonks a magic stone in her lap. On the cry of “Darna!”, Narda transforms from unglamorous barrio girl – unassuming, with very little makeup - into gaudy statue of pure womanhood. No wonder poor Ding's eyeballs are almost dropping to the ground like marbles. 

The Planet Women, it seems, are here to study human behaviour - whether they like it or not – and are intent on kidnapping the world's leading scientists. Not so, says Darna, who flies into their spaceship to play the jealous girlfriend bit. She gets back Ramon, but it won't be the last time the Planet Women gain control over the weak-willed boob. It's a real battle of minds: desperate kung-fu kicking Star Slappers against the self-righteous Darna in an escalating series of face-offs and showdowns for the ultimate prize – the fate of the Earth itself. 

It's a triumph of Seventies Tack, a distillation of pre-Star Wars sci-fi to its gaudiest elements, and a tinfoil tribute to Barbarella: ugly styleless furniture painted silver and doubling as cosmic chic. The Planet Women themselves are sex on a stick for the under-twelves; my favourites are a toss-up between The Blonde, bewigged and bejeweled, with a gorgeous set of love handles and looking like a Twenties' flapper straight out of Ken Russell's rejected costume sketches for The Boyfriend, and the Blue One, primarily because you can see under the bikini line where the blue makeup ends! 

At times cheerfully derivative, and at best a vivid interweaving of overseas archetypes and local folk tales, you'll have to admit you've never seen anything like it before, as we bring you for the first time translated and subtitled into English, Darna vs The Planet Women.

Carol Borden's Darna article on The Cultural Gutter blog

Vilma Santos (Darna/Narda)

Rosanna Ortiz (Elektra)

Zandro Zamora (Ramon)

Bentot Jr (Ding)

Eva Linda (Oran)

Lita Vasquez (Kara)

Diana Villa (Planet Woman, possibly Noche [above]) and Lieza Zobel (Planet Woman, possibly Magia [below])

Joe Sison (Dr Jereky Usman)

Virginia Montes (Dr Anastasia Madrid)

Veronica Palileo [as Veronica Palilio] (Lola)

Paquito Salcedo (Dr Antonio Villafuerte)

Pons de Guzman (Dr Zarko)

Steve Alcarado (Teban)

Leon Fajardo

Nestor Rueda

Max Rojo

Kristy Kintanar

Romy Luartes

Joseph Jardinato

Jimmy Diamante

Luciano Parejo

The Tanay Boys 

THEATRICAL

PHILIPPINES - released 25th December 1975

GUAM - 4th to 9th October 1978 at the Hafa Adai 3, Agana

USA - 24th to 30th November 1978 at the Grand Theatre, San Francisco

NIGERIA - rumour of a theatrical release in the mid-Seventies

- mkv file [with hardcoded English subtitles]

Darna And The Giants (1973)

1973 - Darna And The Giants (Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions)  

[Release date 22nd December 1973] 

Director/Screenplay Emmanuel H. Borlaza Based on the komik serial by Mars Ravelo Executive Producer [uncredited] Attorney Espiridion Laxa Cinematography Ben Lobo Music Tito Arevalo Theme Singer Neddie Decena Editor Gervacio Santos Sound Lazaro Guinto Sound Editor Jay Jacinto Sound Effects Danny Salvador Sound Engineers Greg Ella, Jun Ella In Charge Of Production Cayetano B. Lalic Production Manager Leo Valdes Production Manager Bonnie Esguerra Art Direction Ben Otico Art Director Ambrocio Diaz Assistant Director Tito C. Sanchez Special Effects Jessie Sto. Domingo Special Photographic Effects Tommy Marcelino Guest Director Leody M. Diaz Fight Director Romy V. Suzara Stunt Coordinator Danny Rojo Prosthetic Makeup Cecille Baun Set Decoration Alfonso Socito Property Masters Rolly Tubig, Oscar Ullegue Assistant Camera Johnny Araojo Second Unit Camera Fermin Pagsisihan Schedule Master Oddie Reyes Electrician Romulo Sarmiento Laboratory Technicians Exequiel, Betis Mauro Navia Printer Jaime Ranches Assistant Film Editor Ferdie Salvador Operator: Sigma Mariwasa Manny Andrada Titles/Layouts Delfin Antonio Still Photographer Luciano Punzalan 

Cast Vilma Santos (Darna/Narda), Divina Valencia (Giant), Helen Gamboa (X3X), Rosanna Marquez, Loretta Marquez, Desiree Destreza, Florence Aguilar (Digna), Romeo Miranda (Romy), Pepito Rodriguez (Doctor), Cesar Ramirez (Giant), Zandro Zamora (Giant), Max Alvarado (Giant), Ike Lozada (Giant), “Katy”/Kathy de la Cruz (Lola), Don Don Nakar (Ding), Renato Robles (Criminal Boss), Danny Rojo, Protacio Dee, Cris “Buddha” Cruz, Jing Caparas, Pol Ramos, Beth Bernal, Johnny Tania, Emil Arca, Kiti-Kiti, Romy Luartes, Ernie David, Jimmy Reyes, Lito Francisco, Glenn Bautista, Kent Gonzalez, SOS Daredevils, Thunder Boys The Planet Women Lorelei, Elizabeth Vaughn, Karina Zawalsky, Lorna Locsin, Anita Lincoln, Cristie Soriano The Planet Men Karlo Vero, Dave Esguerra, Robert Miller, Greg Lozano, Bong Barredo, Ricky Valencia [uncredited] Tony Ferrer (Tony Falcon, Agent X44), Gloria Romero (Miss Luna the Aswang Teacher), Lotis Key (Lost Villager), Roberto Talabis (Dying Mother's Son), Nick Romano (Mournful Son), German Moreno (Fake Darna), Rod Navarro (Godfather), Georgie Quizon (Frightened Villager), Ben David (Taong Bayan), Edgar Mortiz (Taong Bayan), Leopoldo Salcedo (Mayor Alkalde), Dencio Padilla (Newspaper Vendor), Matimtiman Cruz (Francisca)

FANTASY/SCIENCE FICTION/COSTUMED SUPERHERO/MUSICAL  

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Review on Mark David Welsh's blog

Carol Borden's Darna article on The Cultural Gutter blog

Vilma Santos (Darna/Narda)

Divina Valencia (Giant)

Helen Gamboa (X3X)

Rosanna Marquez

Loretta Marquez

Desiree Destreza

Florence Aguilar (Digna)

Romeo Miranda (Romy)

Pepito Rodriguez (Doctor)

Cesar Ramirez (Giant)

Zandro Zamora (Giant)

Max Alvarado (Giant)

Ike Lozada (Giant)

“Katy”/Kathy de la Cruz (Lola)

Don Don Nakar (Ding)

Renato Robles (Criminal Boss)

Danny Rojo

Protacio Dee

Cris “Buddha” Cruz

Jing Caparas

Pol Ramos

Beth Bernal

Johnny Tania

Emil Arca

Kiti-Kiti

Romy Luartes

Ernie David

Jimmy Reyes

Lito Francisco

Glenn Bautista

Kent Gonzalez

The Planet Women: Lorelei, Elizabeth Vaughn, Karina Zawalsky, Lorna Locsin, Anita Lincoln, Cristie Soriano

Robert Miller (Planet Man)

The other Planet Men: Karlo Vero, Dave Esguerra, Greg Lozano, Bong Barredo, Ricky Valencia 

Tony Ferrer (Tony Falcon, Agent X44)

Gloria Romero (Miss Luna the Aswang Teacher)

Lotis Key [right] (Lost Villager)

Roberto Talabis (Villager with Dying Mother)

Nick Romano (Mournful Son)

German Moreno (Fake Darna)

Rod Navarro (Godfather)

Georgie Quizon (Frightened Villager)

Ben David (Taong)

Edgar Mortiz (Taong Bayan)

Leopoldo Salcedo (Mayor Alkalde)  

Dencio Padilla (Newspaper Vendor)

Matimtiman Cruz (Francesca)

...and a series of unidentified actors (can anyone please help?)

THEATRICAL

Images courtesy of the Video 48 blog

PHILIPPINES - 22nd December 1973

 

HAWAII - 29th August 1975 at Farrington High School Auditorium in Honolulu; 3rd to 4th September 1975 at the American Theatre, Honolulu; 23rd September 1975 at the Haleiwa, Waialua; 14th October 1975 at the Mamo in Hilo 

USA - 12th to 18th December 1976 at the Grand Theatre, San Francisco; 28th February to 6th March 1977 at the Paradise Twin Cinema, National City CA; 9th to 15th December 1980 back at the Grand in San Francisco

- mp4 file [in Tagalog with no subtitles]