''Manila by Night'', also known as ''City After Dark'', is a controversial

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – ...

Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...

film directed by

Ishmael Bernal Ishmael Bernal (30 September 1938 – 2 June 1996) was a Filipino filmmaker, stage and television director, actor and screenwriter. Noted for his melodramas, particularly with feminist and moral issues, he directed many landmark Filipino films ...

and starring

Gina Alajar Regina Liguid Alatiit (born June 28, 1959), professionally known as Gina Alajar (), is a FAMAS and Gaward Urian Award winning Filipino film and television actress and television director. Career Since appearing as a child actress in the earl ...

and

Charito Solis Rosario Violeta Solís Hernández, better known as Charito Solís (October 6, 1935 – January 9, 1998), was a FAMAS and Gawad Urian Award-winning Filipina film actress, in addition to being the first Philippine woman who have bared her chest in ...

. Released at the height of the

Marcos regime Marcos may refer to: People with the given name ''Marcos'' *Marcos (given name) Sports ;Surnamed * Dayton Marcos, Negro league baseball team from Dayton, Ohio (early twentieth-century) * Dimitris Markos, Greek footballer * Nélson Marcos, Portugue ...

, the film uncovers the other face of Manila by depicting the ugly aspects of life in the city – unemployment, prostitution, drug addiction and lack of decent housing. Considered one of Bernal's masterpieces, it is an epic

multi-narrative Multiperspectivity (sometimes polyperspectivity) is a characteristic of narration or representation, where more than one perspective is represented to the audience. Most frequently the term is applied to fiction which employs multiple narrators, ...

of people who have shady pasts and are trying to exist in an unforgiving world.

Synopsis

The film's events take place in the course of several nights, involving various protagonists and the city itself.

Cast

Production

Lily Monteverde Lily Yu Monteverde, nicknamed Mother Lily (born August 19, 1938), is a Filipina film producer and businesswoman. She is the first and many Filipina Movie producers who produced the boom of blockbuster films in different genres in the 70s and 80 ...

Regal Films Regal Entertainment, Inc. (formerly and more commonly known as Regal Films) is a Philippine film production company based in Pasig. It was founded by Lily Monteverde on August 19, 1962. It has produced movies of all genres; and is the oldest s ...

approached

to direct a large-scale production to commemorate the second anniversary of the production outfit. Bernal had previously directed ''Salahawan'' for Monteverde's Regal Films. For the production, Bernal came up with a sequence list, based on different locales, but decided to have the scenes improvised by a cast assembled from Regal Film's stable, as well as industry friends.

Restoration

The film was restored in 4K resolution by the Philippine Film Archive, the film archives division of the

Film Development Council of the Philippines The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) is the national film agency under the Office of the President of the Philippines responsible for film policies and programs to ensure the economic, cultural and educational development of th ...

, and Central Digital Lab as part of the "Save Our Cinema Restoation Program". The restored version was premiered as part of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2020 exhibition.

Reception

Critical response

The movie's original title is ''Manila by Night'', but was later renamed to ''City After Dark''. Former first lady Imelda Marcos asked it to be changed and banned for export. Marcos believes that the movie "maligns her city". The said movie was Ishmael Bernal's masterpiece. The characters are unique and realistic. The whole movie celebrates the night life in the streets of Manila, with the characters revolving around hookers, bisexuals, dope addicts and criminals.

Accolades

References

External links

* * 1980 films 1980s fantasy drama films Films set in Manila Regal Entertainment films 1980s Tagalog-language films Philippine fantasy drama films 1980 drama films Films directed by Ishmael Bernal {{1980s-drama-film-stub