MODULE 8

DRAMA

Learning objectives:

At the end of this module, students should be able to:

1. Differentiate the types of Philippine drama, Chinese drama, and Japanese drama.
2. Define drama, cinema and movies.
3. Explain the development of drama from ancient drama to modern drama.
4. Differentiate Philippine drama to Japanese drama to Chinese drama.
5. Describe/Explain the history of the Philippine cinema.
6. Identify the elements of Philippine motion pictures.
7. Distinguish between oriental and western drama.
8. Identify the different styles of Drama; and
9. Explain the importance of Drama and Cinema

Introduction:

Drama, which is believed to have its origin in the art of dance, is found in some form in almost every
society, primitive and civilized, and has served a variety of functions in the community. As its best, it is a
reflection of many phases of life. We learn that the past, as shown on the board of the theater, is not
concerned with kings and great personages, bur with peasants and mechanics, saints and sinners, and rich
and poor as well; that it is not the exclusive province of fine writers but also inspired clowns and strolling
mummers.

Pre-competency Checklist: (Formative/Diagnostic Assessment)

Answer the following question for at least 3-5 sentences as you respond in every query

1. Why we need to know the development of drama?

2. Why is cinema or motion picture the most popular of art and entertainment in the Philippines?

Learning Resource:

1. Discussion of PowerPoint Presentation through Google classroom

2. Sanchez, Custodiosa, Loreto V. Jao and Paz Abad. INTRODUCTION TO THE HUMANITIES.
3. Ballo, Guido. THE CRITICAL EYE. A New Approach to Art Appreciation.
4. Calsado, Tony. ARCHITECTURE.
5. Horst, Louise. MODERN DANCE FORMS.
6. Dudley, L. and Austin, Faricy. THE HUMANITIES.
7. Ortis, Ma. Aurora R. Teresita Erestain, A. Guillermo, and M. Montano. ART: PERCEPTION AND
APPRECIATION.
8. https://www.slideshare.net/janril/art-appreciation-creativity-imagination-and-expression
9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJZVuu-L2wk
10. https://human.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Art/
A_World_Perspective_of_Art_Appreciation_(Gustlin_and_Gustlin)/
01%3A_A_World_Perspective_of_Art_Appreciation/1.01%3A_What_Is_Art_Appreciation#:~:text=Art
%20appreciation%20centers%20on%20the,and%20a%20sense%20of%20beauty.
11. https://www.educationworld.in/the-importance-of-art-appreciation/

Explore: (Tasks/Activities)

What Is Drama?
The abridged Oxford Dictionary defines drama as a composition in prose or in verse, adapted to be
acted and is represented with accompanying gesture, costume, and scenery, as in real life.
Drama does not however, need a stage, nor does it need costume, props and scenery.
What drama does need is an individual or a group of people who use themselves - their bodies
and their minds - through action and offers through speech to tell a story.
Drama in ancient Greek meant something that is acted out, or lived through. It is
essentially social and involves contact, communication and the negotiation of meaning. The
group nature of the work imposes certain pressure on the participant, but also brings
considerable rewards (O'Neill and Lambert, 1982).
In drama, the essential requirement for human beings is being developed such as the
ability to take the role of the other people. Humans recognize the emotional responses of other
people, because they feel what the other person feels. Heathcote, et al. (1984) quotes that
dramatic activity is the direct result of the ability to role-play to want to know how it feels to be in
someone else's shoes. This experience is most obvious in theater. Theatre is a direct
experience that is shared when people imagine and behave as if they were other than
themselves in some other place at another time (Neelands, 1990)
As audience in the theatre, we allow actors to stand in for us, but we still maintain our separation
or distance. When we identify with the characters the actors are playing, we enlarge the domain of our
being. The actors do not become the characters they are playing, but they bring themselves and their
own experience to their inter predators of the roles in the text. The actors, too, are experiencing both the
subjective and objective reality through the aesthetic distance of the drama.
Drama is a social encounter in a special place and in a special time. The actors and the spectators
move between real time and imaginary time, from existential reality of dramatic reality.

A World-Wide Show (A Dramatic Entertainment)

Miss Saigon, which was produced by Cameron Mackintosh of England show company received a
Queen's award for Export Achievement was staged in the Cultural Center of the Philippines in March
2001, The title Miss Saigon was conceived by Alain-Boublil, a lyricist and Claude-Michel Schonberg who
wrote the musical score As to casting, the producers unanimously felt the story authentically and as the
music was resolutely wester despite its echoes of the Orient, they needed Asian voices that could
sing Western music. This worldwide scratch took them to 10 countries including the Philippines
where they found the ma majority of their original London cast. It is here that is Lea Salonga of the
Philippines became the first star of the show.
Miss Saigon proved to be an overwhelming triumph when it opened at London's greatest musical
theater, Drury Lane. In 1991, a New York production of Miss Saigon opened at the Broadway Theatre to a
huge audience and even bigger headlines, Subsequently, similar successful productions have been
staged in Tokyo, Los Angeles Budapest, Chicago, Toronto, Seattle, Stuttgart, Sydney, Stockholm and
Copenhagen Then, in 1999, they thought of staging Miss Saigon in Concert in Manila. The contract was
finalized in 2000, and in March 2001, the dramatic entertainment was staged at the Cultural Center of the
Philippines (souvenir program, 2001).
Such type of production is recommended to be viewed by students taking up "Introduction to the
Humanities"
Development of Drama
Drama originated probably among the primitive tribes in the dance of religious festivals or
in mimetic actions for purposes of showing how a certain feat was accomplished on a given
occasion, like the hunting exploits of some members of the tribe.

1. Ancient Drama. Among the Egyptians of about 2000 B.C.E. drama existed in re religious
ceremonies for the worship of Osiris. There is some evidence of drama in the Book of Job and in
the song of Solomon, where occasionally there appear to be parts for two speakers. But the
drama, as it is known today, in distinct form of tragedy and comedy, originated in Greece in the
festivals of Dionysus in the fifth and sixth centuries B.C.E., where poetry a dithyrambic ode with
 song and dance, was presented by a leader and a chorus. In the dramatic contests under
Pisistratus, the dithyramb developed into drama. The earliest Greek dramatic production on record
is the tragedy won by Thespis of learia in about 534 B.C.E. when he unconsciously separated from
the chorus and made a solo and later to lowed by the choir. Following Thespis, Greek tragedy
reached its highest peak in the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides Aeschylus added a
second and Sophocles a third actor to the leader chorus drama and these actors in var is masks
and costumes took various parts. Aeschylus characters are here and super human, his style is
lofty and magnificent Sophocles characters are idealized but true to life, though life furnishes no
such models. His plots ae models of skill; his language, the perfection of Attic Greek.

2. Medieval Drama. There was gradual development of the three kinds of medieval play. First,
the mystery play was based on the Holy Scriptures In France, but not in England, it is to be
distinguished from the miracle play, which dealt with the life of a saint or a miracle of the
Virgin In England, both these forms were termed miracles. Second was the morality play,
where the chief characters represented abstract qualities such as vice, humanity, or death,
and the tone was generally philosophical the moralities contained humor. As plays were
moved into the churchyard, then into the streets and market places, and finally came under the
control of guilds, elements of humor and realism began to creep into the drama One of the first
comic characters was the devil From this development emerged the third kind of medieval drama,
which is the secular drama dealing with everyday characters such as lawyers, the merchant the
student, the young wife and the old foolish husband.
3. Renaissance Drama. With the rediscovery of classical literature during this pe nod, the
Greek and Roman dramatists were imitated first in Italy and later with the spread of
humanism, in France, Germany, and England. Other state performances, particularly the
sport spectacles, were meaningless, but the commedia dell'arte was original and lifelike It was
an unwritten impromptu drama, produced on platforms on the streets by strolling players,
Masks and costumes, conventionalized with time, told the audience what to expect of the
characters, all of whom were popular types, used again and again the most brilliant 16th
century drama was from the English, chiefly because, in the reign of Elizabeth I, drama was
the source of entertainment for all classes of people. All of the medieval and renaissance
types of drama were produced.
4. Drama of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. In England, the casual charm that characterized
Elizabethan drama died out under the Puritan regime and did not return until near the end of the
18th century. The theaters, closed during the Civil War and the Commonwealth period, reopened
under Charles I to produce the sophisticated, witty, and coarse comedies of William Wycherley,
George Farquhar, and others, and the bombastic, spectacular, and heroic tragedies of John
Dryden, and as the Stuart reign ended, English comedy became maudlin and sentimental, and
tragedy became stiff and dull in the middle of the 18th century, the theater was briefly revived by
the comedy of manners of Oliver Goldsmith and Richard Sheridan.
French drama emerged in the 17th century, from its medieval and religious influences, with
the classical tragedies of Pierre Corneille and Jean Racine and the superb comedies of Moliere.
German drama came to maturity much more slowly than did the Roman and English dramas.
Before the middle of the 18th century, the only playwright of note was Hans Sachs, who wrote
formal comedies and tragedies and popular carnival plays. Although English players introduced
Marlowe and Shakespeare to Germany at the end of the 16th century, theatrical performances
soon degenerated into improvised farce, featuring certain shock characters, without however,
the merits of the commedia dell'arte.

The popular 18th century drama in France was the farcical comedy; in E land, the comedy
of manners and the domestic drama. In the 19th century, rom- antic drama flourished throughout
Europe. Idealized historical or sentimental characters figured in complex plots of adventure and
triumphant love. Various types of romantic drama, melodrama, the historical play, and the fantasy
play flourished in Italy and in Russia.
 5. Modern Drama. Credit should be given to Ibsen, a Norwegian dramatist, for the development of
the modern drama. Ibsen's influence on modern drama was immense the production of his work
throughout Europe stimulated a great burst of dramatic activity everywhere. The last two decades
of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century witnessed a great variety of trends. There
was a brief revival of romantic fantasy in France, symbolism was carried to great extremes,
expressionism appeared in Germany after World War I; comedy was rejuvenated in England and
the United States, French impressionism made a small showing in the theater, poetic drama
reached new heights in England, Ireland, France, Spain, and the United States.

Oriental Drama
Understanding the Oriental drama, the Japanese, the Chinese, and the Filipino drama, in
particular, will help us appreciate Asian heritage, culture, and civilization more. This is a culture or
civilization not far from those established by Rome, Greece, or other countries.
Like Western drama, the drama of Asia originated as an elaboration of liturgical practices
Eastern drama, in general, is based on the concept of sangita (or sammita), the threefold art of
music, dance, and poetry, fused into single artistic entity. The emphasis is on performance rather
than on the intellectual significance of the subject matter Asian actors long ago rejected realistic
presentation in favor of abstraction and symbolism. In the 19th century, Western influences began to
be felt in the Asian theater, resulting not in the nature of an assimilation, but in a complete break with
native tradition. Thus, in modern times, the classical theater in Eastern countries subsist as a
national heritage side by side with the developing techniques of a new drama patterned after
European practice but strongly colored by local habit and taste.

Philippine Drama
Before the Spanish period, the early forms of the Philippine drama were the duplo and the
karagatan. The duplo was a poetical debate held by trained men and women in the ninth night, the last
night of the mourning period for the dead. The male participants, bellacos, are the heads of the game.
The karagatan was also a poetical debate like the duplo, but its participants were amateurs. Both the
duplo and the karagatan were held in the homes. The theme was all about a ring that fell into the sea
the first recorded drama was staged in Cebu way back in 1598. It was a comedia written by Vicente
Puche and was performed in honor of Msgr. Pedro de Agurto, Cebu's first bishop (Marcelo 1972).
Eleven years later, in 1609, another stage play por traying the life of Santa Barbara was staged in
Bicol.
Three kinds of plays became popular among the masses during the Spanish era They were the
Senakulo, the Moro-moro, and the Zarzuela. The Ati-atihan and the Morio Hes emerged as street dramas.

1. Cenakulo. It is a very heavy drama shown in relation

to the life sacrifices and death of Jesus Christ. It is
like a passion play presented and celebrated during
the month of March or April, depending upon the
exact date of the Holy Week There are two kinds of
presentations: the ablada (oral) and the kantada
(song) (Panganiban, 1954). There are several
versions of the Senakulo. The Tagalog, Iloko,
Kapampangan, Bikol, and Bisaya versions are some examples. The Cenakulo is divided into
several parts, one part for each night of the Holy Week. Each performance lasts from three to
four hours. In Malibay, Pasay for instance, the entire Senakulo cycle starts with the creation and
ends with the resurrection
The Senakulo or Passion Play as seen in Fig. 8.1 is performed before the veil. lagers
in an open space, usually the church patio, at one end of which a platform is usually erected.
The audience provide their own benches, and would come for nine nights to complete the
serial. They come, it appears, for a chance to applaud their favorite Biblical characters and to
boo the Roman centurion. They come to witness the crucifixion or the resurrection when
 Christ ascends from the open tomb to be greeted with much cheering, fireworks, and the
vigorous playing of a small-town band. The resurrection scene is reenacted complete with the
sound of thunder and lightning and the darkening of the scene.

In recent years, there has been a decrease in the Senakulo performances first in the
cities and then in the provinces. This liturgical drama gradually emerged on the professional
stages where the modern technology of lighting, sound, and other special effects add to the
spectacle of its staging. It has also been repeatedly filmed for special showing during the lenten
season in Manila and in the provinces.

2. Moro-moro. It is a cloak-and-dagger play depicting the

wars between the Christians and the Muslims, with the
Christians always on the winning side. The first Moro-
moro was written by Fr. Jeronimo Perez and was
staged in Manila in 1637, to commemorate Governor
General Consueras' victory over the Muslims of
Mindanao. Since then, it has become the favorite play
of the people, especially during the town fiestas.

3. Zarzuela. It is a melodrama with songs and dances that have a three-in-one-act play. It is intended
to make the mass feeling towards love, fear, grief, sorrow 3.
or any emotional reactions sublime. It sometimes shows
the political and social conditions of our country. The
musical part of the zarzuela has given much opportunity
for creativity and appreciation of the audience until the
revolt in Cavite in the year 1872. It is played by 20 to 25
professional zarzuela artists (actors, actresses, and
extras).

The zarzuela is a musical comedy, Rizal wrote a zarzuela entitled Junto Al Pasig (Beside the
Pasig). It was staged at the Ateneo de Manila on December 8, 1880 on the occasion of the
celebration of the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception, patron saint of the college at the
beginning of the American rule, the Moro-moro was replaced by the zarzuela. The memories of the
Philippine revolution were still fresh in the minds of the Filipinos, so the early zarzuelas were
nationalistic in theme and plot Among them were Pag-ibig sa Lupang Tinubuan (Love for Native
Land) by Pascual Poblete; Tanikalang Ginto (Gold Chain) by Juan Abad; Malaya (Free) by Tomas
Remigio; Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas (Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow) by Aurelio Tolentino, and
Walang Sugat (No Wound) by Severino Reyes. These zarzuelas were popular among the masses.
They were so nationalistic that the American authorities banned them. Poblete and Tolentino, two of
the most nationalistic zarzuela writers, were put in jail.

The introduction of the Hollywood "talkies" (talking pictures) in 1930 marked the eclipse
of the Filipino theater. Like the Moro-moro, the zarzuela van. ished as a popular theater art
because the people patronized the American movies, but not the Ati-atihan, Senakulo and
Moriones that are still shown up to the present. The period from 1905 to 1930 was the Golden
Age of the zarzuelas in the Philippines (Fernandez, 1978).
Worthy to mention is the organization of the Zarzuela Foundation of the Philippines by
Ms. Imelda R. Marcos and Mr. Teodoro F. Valencia to revive and develop this particular theater
form. The rationale of this "foundation" is "hope fully to create a mass base of support for the
zarzuelas all over the country."
The foundation successfully revived one of the pre-war zarzuela favorites, Walang
Sugat, 1902 by Severino Reyes in 1977. The revival of the old zarzuelas, however,
according to the organizers of the foundation, "is just a beginning, looking back into the
cultural past in preparation for the next stop which is to produce new works relevant to the
present."
4. Moriones The Morion festival is a Lenten ritual
that is as colorful as it is unique It is celebrated
every Holy Week in Marinduque, an island at the
southern end of Luzon, particularly in the towns of
Boac, Gasan, and Mogpog
Morion means mask or visor, (Fig. 82)
which is the top part of the medieval Roman
armor covering the face (Alcantara, C 1974). It is
this mask carved from dapdap wood that is the
focal point of the Moriones celebration.

The climax of the Morion festival is the pugutan ceremony held at noon of Easter
Sunday. This part of the celebration is held on the dried river bed outside Boac Here, the local
residents chose Longinus, who at the time of Pilate, drove his spear into the side of Jesus
Christ as he hung from the cross Legend says that Longinus was blind in his left eye, the sight
of which was restored when a drop of blood that spurted from his thrust fell on it. When Christ
resurrected, Lon genius was the first to proclaim his Divinity He went all over town proclaiming
the miraculous recovery of his sight and professing belief in the Man who called Himself Jesus
Christ
The Roman authorities could not allow such apostasy, so they sent men after him and
when he was captured, he was put to death by beheading Men participate in this ritual and go
about the streets of Marinduque as morions. They perform this as an act of penance or
thanksgiving for some favor granted in the past long before the week of celebration, the
participating men folk would be hard at work preparing their masks for the festival

5. Ati-atihan. The Ati-atihan is a pagan ritual which

has become an annual affair that the natives
look forward to with great expectation.
Undoubtedly, it is the most extravagant fiesta in the
Philippines celebrated in Kalibo, Aklan, every
third Sunday of January in honor of the Infant
Jesus. Its origin has been lost in antiequity One of
the charms of the custom, however, is that its
practice remains long However, all after the
practical reasons for its performance have been
forgotten. agree that the Ati-atihan derived its
name from Atis, the aboriginal Negritos of the
area in the Visayas (Austria, 1981).
"Hala Hala This resonant cry fills the air as the people of Kalibo gyrate through the
streets in a hypnotized mass of dancing and shaking. Feet stomping, hands clapping, bongos
beating, and ears ringing all sound out the rhythmic beat of the The Spaniards tried to do
away with this pagan ritual, but when they found out that the tradition of the festival was very
deeply rooted in the people, they tried to give the celebration some Christian signify.

Legend says that the festival was dedicated to the Santo Niño because of the victories
won by the Spaniards in Kalibo against the Muslim attacks, when they were forced to abandon
Mindanao. Fortified stone watchtowers were constructed in strategic places along the coasts.
These citadels under the protection of patron and that Kalibo is named after the Santo Niño. In
one particular raid, it was the fortress of the Santo Niño that turned the tide of the for all the
other coastal fortresses had either been silenced or taken. The Santo Niño was besieged, and
the defenders prepared themselves for a hand-to-hand combat by daubing their faces and
bodies with soot til they looked like the Atis in disguise. As such, they gallantly made their
stand and courageously fought to defend the fort. This ingeniously devised scheme changed
the course of the battle. The Muslims fled in their kumpits and the people of Kalibo ascribed
the victory to the Santo Niño and dedicated the celebration of the to the Infant Christ.
 With wild revelry, the people of Aklan celebrate the Ati- atihan dressed in outlandish
costumes and get-ups. This native Mardi Gras finds the participants dressed in improvised
attires of feathers, coconut shells, and palm fronds, as they imitate in their own way the garish
tribal costumes of the Atis. The merrymakers throw their inhibitions to the wind as they prance
about in gay abandon for three consecutive nights.
The Modern Philippine Drama

The modern Philippine drama/stage play was

rejuvenated upon the establishment of the Repertory
Philippines in June of 1967 which was founded by
Zeneida Amador and Baby Barredo. In its years of
existence, Repertory Philippines has become the country's
leading theater company, keeping abreast of new
materials and demanding outstanding performance from
its extraordinary talents

Modern Philippine Drama - "Portrait of the Artist as Filipino" Repertory Philippines

Japanese Drama
The traditional forms of Japanese drama are the Noh, the Joruri, and the Kabuki .

1. Noh plays. These are the oldest of the three traditional

forms of the Japanese drama. They developed during
the 1300s from the dances performed at religious
shrines. The Noh theater reached its present form in the
1600s and has remained practically unchanged Noh
plays are poetic treatments of history, love story, war story,
and leg ends, influenced by the religious beliefs of
Buddhism and Shintoism. Many of these plays are shorter
than the Western one-act plays, and they may seem un dramatic Like the ancient Greek tragedy, Noh
drama is performed by masked actors, and is usually accompanied by music, dance, and choral
speaking.

Noh plays may be further classified into those with one or two acts accord ing to the structure,
and into dramatic Noh and dream Noh according to the plot. The most common is the "dream" Noh in
two acts. According to critics, this is the most advanced form of Noh, rich in poetic and symbolic
beauty.

In a two-act "dream" Noh, the main character is the ghost of some dead person. The ghost,
who will become the protagonist in the second act, must present himself disguised as a common
villager in the first act. The protagonist, in both parts, is the same ghost-person, although appearing in
different guises in the two acts the first Filipino Noh entitled "Ang Paglalakbay ni Sisa: Noh sa Laguna"
was the brainchild of Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio. It was presented at the Bulwagang Gantimpala, Cultural
Center of the Philippines, August, 1981.
2. Joruri play. It is a puppet drama. It enjoyed great popularity
between 16501730 but is now restricted to the Bunraku
Theater, Osaka where scenes from famous plays are
performed in drama. This drama involves puppet
manipulation to higher level involving complicated skills. It
arose from the collaboration of Peters attached to the shrines
where they performed scenes from Buddha and Shinto
legends, with performers who chanted the verses to the
accompaniment shamisen. The puppets about three feet tall
 are each manipulated by many as three men Movements of tongue, finger, joints, and eyelids are
possible.

3. Kabuki drama. It is the most popular form of Japanese

drama. It originated at the end of the 16th century. Although
it incorporates some of the highly stylized dances and the
stationary unrealistic poses of the Noh theater, Kabuki
developed a much freer, more extravagant type of
entertainment.

In the Kabuki, settings and costumes are lavish,

acting is extremely broad and exaggerated, and heavy
make-up is used instead of masks. Although music is important, Kabuki is most famous for its
spectacular visual effects. These in dude scenic effects like storms and falling cherry blossoms,
ferocious duels and bloody suicides and the use of mechanical devices such as trapdoors. The
plots of Kabuki plays are generally based either on historical or legendary events or on scenes
from everyday domestic life. The historical plays and legendary events as mostly about the
loyalty of the warriors to their lords, and usually include duels and suicide scenes. The domestic
plays are based on the moral and emotional conflicts of ordinary people and are often about
impossible romances that end in double coincidences or suicides. Kabuki actors are among the
best

Chinese Drama
The history of traditional drama in China, like that of most
dramas, goes back to the earliest rituals connected with
sacrifices performed with song and dance by the "Wu," and a
very ancient pantomime said to originate from a symbolical
dance in honor of the victory of Wu Wang, founder of the Chou
Dynasty, over the then known empire of China. Dancing and
singing always accompanied celebrations at harvest and in
connection with war and peace.

There are three types of Chinese plays, namely, the Vun Pan Shi, the Sin Pan Shi and the Vun Min Shi,

1. Vun Pan Shi. The oldest form of Chinese play; it has patriotism and filial dev motion for its
subjects. Music and action unite to play upon the emotions of the audience.
2. Sin Pan Shi. It presents civil and military conditions. The difference between V
3. Pan Shi and the Sin Pan Shi is not the libretto, but in the manner of singing certain roles and in
the tradition of acting. The dictionary defines libretto as a musical work not intended for the
stage.
4. Vun Min Shi. This is also known as the "modern play." Colloquial dialects are allowed in the Vun
Min Shi instead of Mandarin, the dialect of Peking which is the accepted speech of the stage as
well as of the nation.
Throughout the modern period (from the May 4, 1919 Movement recognized as the beginning of
modern drama in China, until the Communist takeover in 1949), selected and modified traditional operas
and dramas remained a staple of the Chinese theater. There were also the numerous wars plays during
the "fighting years," but theater activity during this period was much more varied and modern. Two major
reasons prompted this activity: demands by the Chinese Communist Party for more drama and a
tremendously increased interest by workers and peasants in amateur dramatic companies which by 1954
numbered about 100 thousand.
As expected, plays on contemporary themes began to appear and playwrights became important
in the Chinese culture. Plays showing social unrest were built around the evils of the old family system,
 including feudal marriage practices and oppression by the wealthy.
Consistent with the demands of the Communist government, the drama should serve the
masses by reflecting Mao Tse Tung's ideas, and yet using the style of the traditional operas, are the
new revolutionary opera on contemporary themes.
The drama in Communist China is also used to publicly condemn deviations from Mao's
philosophy.

The Cinema
The cinema or motion picture is one of the most popular form of art and entertainment in the
Philippines. Every week, millions of people go to the movies. Many more watch movies on television.
In addition, TV networks use picture techniques to film many of the programs that appear on television
each week
Philippine motion picture is also a source of information as well as of entertainment. Motion
pictures can introduce us to new ideas and help us explore serious social issues. Students learn from
educational films in school. Industries use our movies to train employees and to advertise their
products. Our government uses films to inform and influence the Filipinos and people from other
countries.
More than just a medium of entertainment, the cinema or motion picture is an art form that is
appreciated. The film medium itself has been called "a wild combination of art, culture, commerce, and
technology." It pieces together certain elements from other art forms like literature and music to make a
complex whole. The film extensively makes use of sound and light. It has its intellectual, imaginative, and
technical aspects.

Brief History of the Philippine Cinema

In 1926, Hollywood silent pictures were shown in the Philippines.

In 1927, the Silos brothers made The Three Tramps, a short comedy, where Miami Salvador,
Manuel Silos, and Enrique Espinosa played the principal roles. was
In 1929, Carlos Vander Tolosa wrote and directed Collegian Love, which produced by Angel
Garchitorena under Araw Movies. The stars were Naty Fernandez and Gregorio Fernandez (Salumbides, V.
1952).
Convinced at last that the pioneers could make good pictures, shy and skeptcal Filipino
capitalists came out of hiding to venture in the new field of investment. Petronilo Tolentino provided
capital and bought from Jose Nepomuceno the negatives and prints of Mutya ng Pamilihan and two
other pictures. Asuncion Leyba did the same with the negatives and prints of Maria Luisa and Noli Me
Tangere from Jose Nepomuceno,
The keen competitor of Jose Nepomuceno in motion picture production was Rafael Fernandez
who formed Banahaw Pictures. For the camera and laboratory, Fernandez took Cesar Silos and for the
directorial work, he engaged the services of Carlos Vander Tolosa and Manuel Silos. By giving
attractive monthly salaries, he was able to encourage many of Nepomuceno best actors and actresses,
such as Eduardo de Castro, Mary Walter, and Gregorio Fernandez to transfer to his company. Some of the
pictures he produced were Ang Gayuma, starring Mary Walter, and Salvador Zaragoza, and directed by
Carlos Vander Tolosa; Mystery of the Convent, which starred Naty Fernandez and Eduardo de Castro,
and was directed by Manuel Silos. Banahaw Pictures was the last film company to make silent pictures.
At that the transition from silent to talking pictures took place. time,
George Musser produced for Manila Talkatone the first talking picture in Tagalog entitled and saving.
It was partly a talking movie and was rated fair. It was exhibited In 1933, Jose Nepomuceno started making
Tagalog talkies with American technical at the Lyric Theater in Manila in 1932
In 1933, Jose Nepomuceno started making Tagalog talkies with American technicians and
some cameras brought from Hollywood by Harris and Taft. Other talking pictures of Jose Nepomuceno
followed. His productions were better but there was room for improvement.
Since the Filipinos could hardly understand the English talkies, they gradually learned to appreciate
the Tagalog talking pictures. Because of this kind of reception there was a dozen producers who ventured
into the Tagalog movie industry.
World War II and Philippine Movies. The outbreak of the Second World War temporarily paralyzed
the Philippine movie industry. The Japanese imposed censorship on American and Tagalog pictures
before they could be exhibited, and established Eiga Heikusa, a central exchange for all pictures. They
introduced Japanese pictures with subtitles in English, but most of the pictures were propaganda for the
co-prosperity idea of the Japanese (Salumbides, 1982)
The actors and actresses, who became jobless, were forced to go on the stage. which was
encouraged by the lack of supply of new American and Tagalog films Carmen Rosales, Rogelio de la Rosa,
Norma Blancaflor, Ely Ramos, Elsa Oria, Leo poldo Salcedo, Ester Magalona, and many other screen
luminaries invaded the stage and were received by the public enthusiastically. Stage entertainment
continued after liberation until American pictures rented by the United States Army Film Exchange
appeared again on the screen of the Manila show houses.
Present Movie Development. From the period of Liberation up to the present the local movies
have been struggling hard but gradually improving. Despite this condition, there are some local producers
who are creating quality pictures. The slow pace of the development of the Philippine movies could be
attributed to some factors like:

1. The limited market for local movies

2. Lack of capital or funding
3. Inadequate facilities or equipment
In spite of these intervening factors, Philippine movies can compete with other Asian movies
with regard to quality of production.

Since the Philippine government is aware of the significant role of the cinema in the
improvement of humanity, it sponsored the First Manila International Film Festival in 1982. One of
its objectives is to improve the movie industry in the Philippines and to challenge the ingenuity of the
Filipino in moviemaking.

Elements of Philippine Motion Pictures

1. Music and Musical Director. Music has been indispensable in motion pictures since the very
beginning, During the era of silent movies, every cinema house employed musicians who played music
that suited the tempo and varying moods of the scenes as they were projected on the screen while
others used phonograph records for economy. In first class theaters, the musician was required to see
the picture and make musical arrangements that suited the tempo and moods of the different scenes.
To make silent movies lively, terrifying or humorous, appropriate background music was used.
The musical director, who was in charge of the music composed new songs and wrote their
orchestration, prepared background music, created musical scores, and supervised all recording and
re-recording.
2. Make-up, Coiffeur, and Costumes. Make- up consists of the sticky substances which are applied
on the face of the actors before facing the camera. The make-up of the leading lady should be
lighter than that of the leading man as well as the supporting players. The make-up artist should
know what to do and apply in every type of screen personality.
The hair of the actress should suit the part she plays in the picture.
Before, actors were required to furnish their own attire. However, if they did not have
particular attire or suit which the script required, the producer sup plied them at his own expense.
3. Acting and the Stars. Acting is the art of portraying or impersonating a character ter. A performer
should forget his own personality and live the life of the char acter he is portraying, the imitation
must be complete and perfect. The costumes, hair, make-up, body movement, mannerisms, and
way of speaking the expression of the eyes and other parts of the face, the gesture of the hand,
etc are the factors that help the performers in perfecting the role he is portraying.
4. Color in the Movies. The latest innovation in cinematography is color. Color in local movies was
 attempted in 1941 by LVN Pictures Inc in Ibong Adarna. After the war, LVN Pictures Inc was again the
first to introduce color is local movies Battalion XIII was the first colored picture shown to the public at
the Avenue Theater, Manila, in December 1949. This was then followed by several pictures in 100
percent color like Waling-Waling and Prinsipe Amante. Today, the LVN color film laboratory is
considered the best in the Far East Color films and their processing cost twice as much as the black
and white film so producers are careful in getting or selecting the story and cast suitable for color. At
present all the local pictures are already in color. The late Dona Narcisa Vda de De Leon and Dr.
Ciriaco Santiago should be commended for pioneering an important branch of movie technology

5. Set and Art Directors. Beautiful setting gives beauty to the picture and pleases the eye. Art
directors should know the natural setting and build artificial sets They should get the inspiration
from liberal producers and disappoint the stingy ones.

6. Sound, Cameras, and Technicians. Now that moving pictures have found their voices, sound plays
an important part Technicians exert efforts in making the dialogue clear and music of fine quality.
They avoid any background noise which is not part of the scene Complaints of moviegoers
regarding unwanted sounds are traceable to the defective projectors of the movie houses.
However, if pictures are old, music, and dialogues may be bad, missing, or broken.
Recording is the process where an orchestra playing the music or song is being recorded in
the soundtrack by the recording apparatus. This is done in a soundproof studio
Playback.is the method employed when an actress or actor borrows the voice of another.
For example, if an actor can't sing well, the voice of a professional singer is used.

The use of camera and the functions of the technician are indispensable in cinematography.
The cameraman is responsible for exact framing, sometimes for screens of more than one type. He
also decides the use of masking the choice of lens, the camera angle, and the control of camera
movements.

ELEMENTS LITERARY ELEMENTS

Direction

The director is the overall in charge of the dramatic performance. He instructs the actors and all the
people involved in the production from the camera men, props men, effect men, designer, etc.

ACTING

The members of the cast performed the roles assigned to them by the director. They read the script,
memorize their lines, follow the instructions given by the director, and give justice to their assigned roles.

EDITING

The editor sequences the scenes to be presented in such a way that they make up a coherent
whole. Like a newspaper editor who deletes unnecessary words from a news article, he takes out
unnecessary scene, particularly the obscene and offensive one.

SET DESIGN

The set designer does the layout of the set. He determines what to place as backdrop and what to
put on stage.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

It is the person who takes charge of the photography. He looks for a location the fits the story and,
with the aid of the camera men, shoot the scene forming part of the drama.

PRODUCTION DESIGN
 Similar to the set designer is tasked to do the overall design for a drama to be shown on the small
screen designer has a bigger responsibility because his work is not only limited to a studio, a room, or the
stage but it covers an area as wide as a small community or large province.

COSTUME DESIGN

The costume designer creates the clothes to be worn by the actor and the actresses. Asking to
fashionable clothes appealing to his target market, he sees to it that the costumes suits the characters to be
portrayed by the performers.

MAKE-UP

The make-up artist beautifies or uglifies the actors and stresses based on the role they portray.

PROPERTIES

The properties are the things which the actor and the actresses carry or bring with them as they
perform on stages or in front of the camera in order to establish characters.

LIGHT/LIGHTING EFFECTS

The lights man is in charge of determining the amount and the sources of light needed to make
scenes realistic and credible.

SOUND EFFECTS

The sound effects man is in charge of determining the amount and the source of the sounds needed
to make the scenes realistic and credible.

VISUAL EFFECTS

The visual effects man is in charge of producing those sights are not to make the scenes effective,
exciting, and appealing to the views.

THEME SONG

The theme song is the song composed to represent the theme or the subject matter of the drama.

MUSICAL SCORE

The theme song is not the only song played in a drama, whether it is a comedy, a tragedy, a
melodrama, or another genre, there are other song played to set the mood, to excite glued to their seats.

STORY

The story is one of the most important aspects of a play for without it, there wont be any production.
The brainchild of the writer of the original story or of the author of the novel, short story. Epic, poetry, or any
literary piece turned into play.

STAGE PLAY

It is a drama performed on stage. The dramatic performers perform live before an audience.

RADIO PLAY

It is a drama aired over the radio. The dramatic performers perform live in the studio but not before
an audience.

TELEVISION PLAY
 It is a drama shown on television. The dramatic performers tape the play days before it is presented
to the public.

MOVIE or FILM

It is a drama shown on the wide screen. The dramatic performers shoot the film months before it is
presented to the public.

HISTORY PREHISTORIC PERIOD

The earliest recorded theatrical event dates back to 2000 B.C. with the passion plays of ancient
Egypt. The story of all god Osiris was performed annually at festivals throughout the civilization, marking the
known beginning of a long relationship between theatre and religion.
GREEK PERIOD

The earliest days of western theatre remain obscure, but the oldest surviving plays come from
Ancient Greece. Most philologists agree that Greek theatre evolved from staged religious choral
performances, during celebrations to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and fertility. The tragic and satyr plays
were always performed at the festival. Performances lasted several hours and were held during daytime.

PREHISTORIC PERIOD

The earliest recorded theatrical event dates back to 2000 B.C. with the passion plays of ancient
Egypt. The story of all god Osiris was performed annually at festivals throughout the civilization, marking the
known beginning of a long relationship between theatre and religion.

ROMAN PERIOD

Ancient Roman theatre was heavily influenced by the Greek tradition. The Roman dramatist tended
to adopt and translate from the Greek as writers in other literary genres did. Compared to Greek theatre,
Roman theatre was less influenced by religion and was more aesthetic appeal.

MEDIEVAL PERIOD

In the Middle Ages, Theatre was reborn a liturgical drama, written in Latin and dealing with Bible
stories and performed by priest or church members. Then came vernacular dramas enacted in town squares
or other parts of the city. There were types of vernacular dramas: mystery or cycle plays, miracle plays, and
secular plays.

RENAISSANCE PERIOD

Theatrical activities, particularly comedies, flourished in Italy, England and Spain during the 16 th and
early 17th century. During the early part of this period was simple; however, at the latter part of this period,
more elaborate theatres were constructed to satisfy the needs of the actors and viewer.

MODERN PERIOD

During this period, drama was not only performed live on stage but also enjoyed through the
mediums of radio, television and cinema. Stage performers became television and film have wider audiences
compared to stage; moreover, they received a higher.

Post-competency Checklist (Formative Assessment)

1. Outline the development of the drama.

2. Distinguish between oriental and western drama.
3. What are the kinds of Philippine drama?
4. Compare moriones to ati-atihan.
5. Why is cinema or motion picture the most popular form of art and entertainment in the Philippine?
6. What are the elements of Philippine motion pictures?
7. Searches in the internet/youtube and watch the cenakulo or passion play of Calabanga and give
your reflection on it.

Assignment:
 1. What is the medium of music?
2. What is a musical instrument?
3. What is the range of an instrument?
4. What are the properties of a musical sound?
5. What is the most natural instrument?
6. What are the types of musical instrument?
7. What is the importance of a conductor?
8. Download and classified according to the description of the different kinds of music instruments.

Acknowledgements:

This modules for Art Appreciation (Humanities 1) is a part of a different kinds of textbooks and other
materials written by different authors to develop its own instructional materials anchored on the curriculum
and responsive to the aptitudes and the teaching and learning environment of the Philippine setting. The
writer compiles the information from different author and prepared the information in modular format.

I would like to express their great gratitude, deep appreciation and thank to the following:

Sanchez, Custodiosa, Loreto V. Jao, Paz Abad, Ballo, Guido, Calsado, Tony, Horst, Louise, Dudley,
L., Austin, Faricy, Ortis, Ma. Aurora, R. Teresita Erestain, A. Guillermo, and M. Montano for their books,
pamphlets & hand-outs that served as a reference in preparing this module.

The Google chromes, whose picture were used in this module and for the electronics copy of books,
pamphlets & hand-outs.

My students in Art Appreciation (Humanities 1) for sharing and prepared the materials in preparing
this module and whose interest has been a source of inspiration.

To you all, my heartfelt thanks.

EMGIL P. PANGINDIAN
INSTRUCTOR I