Good luck, Direk Joey

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Dream Factory

AFTER getting her business degree from Griffin University in Gold Coast, Australia, Joyce Jimenez is once again making her presence felt in local showbiz. She?s on the cover of FHM and looks sexier than ever. We also saw her doing a sizzling dance number on "Wowowee." Recently, she hosted "Pinoy Meets World" on GMA-7 and proved she can be a competent host. The country featured in that particularly episode was Turkey, which should be of special interest to Ruffa Gutierrez since she lived there for four years. It turned out there are also other Pinays who lived there. One Pinay that Joyce interviewed is also married to a Turkish guy and she said that about 99% of Turkish men really batter their wives. It?s more the rule there than the exception and she herself has been slapped, kicked and her hair even pulled by her brutish husband. But she won?t take things sitting down and also hit him back.

"Basta gumaganti ako," she said. "Kapag sinampal niya ako, sinasampal ko rin siya. Ikinagagalit din niya ?yung pagiging mabunganga ko."

But she has no intentions of breaking up with her husband as he can also be very loving. Turkish men, she said, are all very caring fathers.

Kudos to Joyce for being a fine host. Maybe she can ask her manager, the amiable Shirley Kuan, to look for a regular soap or a new movie for her in the future.

Joyce is also busy with her lingerie and scent store, Private Joyce, that has outlets in SM Manila, SM San Lazaro and Sta. Lucia. "But I love showbiz so hindi ko iiwanan ito," she adds.

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After Nikki Valdez, another supporting actress who has found her Mr. Right is Maybeline de la Cruz, who now appears as the best friend of Iza Calzado in GMA-7?s intriguing drama, "Impostora." She?s getting married on January 20, 2008 and her fiance is a councilor in Dagupan City named Michael Fernandez. They?ve been going steady for two years now. Just like Nikki and Cris, the age gap between them is quite wide as Maybeline is 24 while her groom is already 34 years old. The wedding will be held at the Manila Cathedral and the reception is taking place at the coconut palace, with Maybeline?s wedding gown to be designed by Noli Hans. Among the ninongs and ninangs are Rosa Rosal, GMA Artist Center?s Yda Henares, Dolphy, Gina de Venecia, Armida Siguion Reyna, Lolit Solis and Nova Villa, all of whom have worked with Maybeline at one time or another.

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After weddings, let?s talk about a separation. Sixties movie queen Amalia Fuentes (the foremost rival of Susan Roces during that decade) has split up with her husband of 28 years, Joey Stevens, 75 years old. This was Amalia?s second marriage as she was also married briefly to actor Romeo Vasquez, the father of her only child, Liezl Sumilang. Amalia, now 68, was very vocal in announcing that her ex-hubby cheated on her and has found a new girl named Angie Sierra who?s from Cebu, married and has kids. Joey is honest enough to admit that he two-timed Amalia.

TV talk shows are now making a beeline inviting Amalia to guest in their program. Let?s see who?d be successful in inviting her over to guest live on their show.

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Guess who our busiest comedienne today is. You?d think it?s Ai Ai de las Alas but no, it?s her sidekick in "Tanging Ina" and "Cute ng Ina Mo," Eugene Domingo. Regal Multi-media wants to start shooting their filmfest entry, "Bahay Kubo," as soon as possible but they can?t do so as Eugene plays Maricel Soriano?s best friend in the film. The problem is she?s doing two other films before this, one with Viva (with Rufa Mae Quinto) and one with Star Cinema. She?s also in the Sine Serye remake of "Kokey," about an E.T. (We don?t know why they?re remaking this when it was a big flop at the box office when shown in theaters several years ago.) "We?re willing to wait for her," says "Bahay Kubo" supervising producer Manny Valera. "Kasi the script was written with her specifically in mind to play the role."

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In Hollywood, they remake old TV shows like "Starsky & Hutch," "Dukes of Hazzard," "Miami Vice" and "Charlie?s Angels" into movies. Here in our country, the trend now is for TV companies to remake old films into TV soaps.

"Bakekang" was shown on prime time on GMA-7, also "Hindi Nahahati ang Langit" that became "Walang Kapalit" on ABS-CBN.

On GMA-7, they also have "Sine Novela" in the afternoon, while ABS-CBN has "Sine Serye" at 6 p.m. The first two films turned into TV series in "Sine Novela" were both big hits: "Pati Ba Pintig ng Puso?" that originally starred Sharon Cuneta and now, Yasmien Kurdi; and "Sinasamba Kita" that starred Vilma Santos and Lorna Tolentino when first made in 1982 and now, Sheryl Cruz and Valerie Concepcion.

On ABS-CBN, three films have been serialized so far: "Palimos ng Pagibig" (Vilma Santos and Dina Bonnevie became Rica Peralejo and Kristine Hermosa), "Hiram na Mukha" (Heart Evangelista took over from Nanette Medved) and "May Minamahal" (Aga Muhlach and Aiko Melendez became Oyo Sotto and Anne Curtis.)

The funny thing is that GMA-7?s adaptations in mid-afternoon are rating even higher, anywhere from 16 to 20%, than those of ABS-CBN that are on primetime. So what gives? Does that the mean the writers of GMA-7 are more effective in re-writing the scripts of the original movies and introducing new characters and plot elements to make them more interesting for today?s audiences?

We fervently wish, though, that this trend will not be permanent. One advantage of remaking old films is that there?s a pre-sold audience out there who?re curious how old movies are re-imagined for a new generation of younger viewers. You can?t call this a tribute or homage to old films, though, because the changes are so numerous that, often times, the material becomes quite unrecognizable from their sources. And still, we want our writers and directors to come up with more fresh and inventive storylines and stop making a rehash of old materials.

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One of our most prolific directors, Jose Javier Reyes, joins prominent ASEAN filmmakers who are included in the new reality series produced by Steven Spielberg no less, "On the Lot." The unscripted series follows a group of rookie directors as they compete by making a short film each week to win a US$ 1-million development deal at DreamWorks Pictures.

Joey?s talent in writing and directing critically-acclaimed films placed him in "On the Lot?s" roster of top-caliber talents in the Asia-Pacific region. In the ?80s, he won the Asian Pacific Festival for Best Screenplay for "Oro, Plata, Mata." In the ?90s he received numerous awards locally and internationally for his directorial works in "May Minamahal," "Batang PX," "Live Show," and most recently "Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo." Additionally, he?s also a talent consultant, creative manager, professor and essayist. He remains as one of the mentors young Filipino filmmakers admire and a most outspoken social and media critic. Joining Reyes in the show are Thailand?s Prachya Pinkaew, Singapore?s Royston Tan, Hong Kong?s Hocheung Pang, Indonesia?s Joko Anwar, and Malaysia?s Afdlin Shauki.

The selection of the six "On the Lot" ambassadors adds a local perspective to the series, as they discuss how they approach the challenges as up-and-coming directors and critique the show?s contestants through their personal blogs on the "On the Lot" website (www.startv.com/onthelot).

"On the Lot" airs exclusively on Star Movies every Wednesday at 10 p.m. To Joey, good luck, and hope you win and bring honor to our country.

Source: Malaya