Piracy in Philippine Movies

No, we're not talking about Edu Manzano and his Don Quixote antics with the endless horde of VCD/DVD vendors. We're talking about the very people who are condoning piracy committing the very same crimes they're bitching about.

Case in point: Ang Titser Kong Pogi starring Ramon Revilla Jr. and Sunshine Cruz. Here's the summary: Joey Perez a policeman goes to Subic as a Kindergarten teacher to secretly investigate the case where he was framed up. He becomes attached to Cynthia, a co-teacher and Jimbo, his student--- both relatives of his suspects.

Argument: The movie is a blatant ripoff of Kindergarten Cop starring Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Here's the summary: John Kimble a policeman goes to Astoria as a Kindergarten teacher to secretly find a drug dealer. He becomes attached to Joyce, a co-teacher and Dominic -- both relatives of his target.

As if copying the idea and the format of the movie wasn't enough, even the scenes were copied. If you have both movies in store (dont ask me why on earth you would have them) check the part where the drug lord's kid climbs a communications tower to escape thugs trying to catch him at the climax of the movie. Even the camera angles are the same.

The film gets so bad, I don't even have to mention how bad Revilla's acting gets when he tries comedy to make "Ang Titser Kong Pogi" tumor-inducing bad.

And you might think, well, you know, back then, we didn't have a lot of Filipinos who didn't watch lower budgeted American movies about governors from the future so it's excusable to do a parody/piracy. And besides, Americans do it to with hollywood films. Lake House, Vanilla Sky, The Ring were based on Mexican and Asian films. Right?

Right.

But there, they actually "bought" the rights, as seen in credits. I checked "Ang Titser Kong Pogi" and found none of that shit. Can you say "common crook"? I can. With bold letters.

You'd think, well this happened in the past. We got better writers now. Well, no. It's still happening. Next case in point? Say That You Love Me starring Jennelyn Mercado and that douche she always hangs out with whose name I cant remember.

Argument: Say That You Love Me is a blatant ripoff of what could arguable be one of the most famous Korean films in the international market: My Sassy Girl. Clues? Check for the part where the guy says "10 things you have to know about the girl I'm trying to bone". Those werent the exact words on either film but I believe it's all just lost in translation. Next bit is the pink shirt that serves as a McGuffin, but gets copied anyway. Then there's the very character of the "sassy girl" who tries to impose her will over the guy. It's like My Sassy Girl with everybody involved either high, on Ritalin, or just clinically depressed. Bad movie. BAD MOVIE!

Next case in point? Moments of Love. Watch "The Radio" in Arirang. Same pattern of ripping off. Again, there's no mention of the original movie in the credits. Maybe you'll start thinking twice about what screenplay writers in GMA actually do with their time (both Moments of Love and Say That You Love Me were made by the same set of crooks). I'm imagining these are the kids who tend to copy their seatmate's name during examinations due to sheer retardation.

Does it stop there? Hell no. Ever wondered where the scoring of the favorite movies you watch come from? Chances are it's from some track used on other films abroad. There's this forgettabl movie called "Beautiful Life" starring Gloria Romero and Iya Villania that basically freeloads John Williams's Forrest Gump Suite without ever citing it in the credits. Nevermind that the suite is about as famous as the Star Wars theme for those in the know of the work of Williams.

I'm not saying all Filipino movies are ripoffs. Some of them are original, while a good chunk of them happens to be so bad, they can't possible have come from a sane screenwriter from another country.

It's just sad that we have to outsource something so intrinsic in the film industry: creativity.

And by sad, I mean retarded.

You reap what you sow, videots.