| REGISTERIT'S FREE! |
 |
 |
 |
RECEIVE custom news |
|
|
TRACK your favorites |
|
|
BUILD your fan profile |
|
|
POST messages |
|
| LOGIN | SIGN UP TODAY |
|
| 5 Months of Shooting Wraps |
|
| POSTED Monday , November 25, 2002 09:06:31 AM |
 |
This is an article interviewing Cesar Montano, who plays the commander of the Filipino forces that aided the raiders.
Cesar returns from 'war'
By REMY M. UMEREZ
A leaner and head-shaven Cesar Montano sat down with us before proceeding to the presidential table at a function room of the new ABS-CBN building, where the rest of the cast of the TV networks Bida si Mister, Bida si Misis was nowhere in sight. We must say that were getting used to stars arriving two hours late for their own press conferences. Cesar was the first to arrive -- and, well, was also late. Perhaps jet lag was his excuse?
He is sporting the bald look not because it is the trend these days but simply because American director John Dahl asked him to maintain it for his role in The Great Raid, a multimillion-dollar production from Miramax Films.
The Great Raid, which would be shown first in Cannes in May 2003, is Cesars first international exposure. He joins the company of Hollywood actors Benjamin Bratt, Joseph Fiennes and James Franco.
Cesar could write a book on his experiences while filming The Great Raid in Gold Coast, Australia, where Cabanatuan City was rebuilt. It has been five months of rigorous shooting for the actor.
They had these acres of land in Gold Coast that were transformed into Cabanatuan, complete with nipa huts and rice fields. This was a replica of the site where 1,000 soldiers were killed during the World War II, and that, too, is reenacted in the movie. I play Capt. Juan Patoja, whose methods in rescuing the prisoners of war differ with the tactics used by the American captain played by Benjamin Bratt.
We didnt work overnight. We shot only for 12 hours; I would wake up at 4 am, ready to be brought to the location which was an hours drive from our hotel. At home, I do all my cooking and washing of clothes. I can cook steak any way you want it to be done. By 4 am, I would be through shooting. Everything was world-class, and I cant help but feel bad when it comes to making a movie here. They can create any time of the day. They can produce their own sun. I marveled at all the huge cranes they use in filming; it was all very high-tech, said Cesar, who supposedly has signed a three-picture deal with Miramax.
Shooting the period war movie was five months of being away from his family. It was only during the last month of filming that he was joined by his wife Sunshine and their daughter Angelina Isabel. His brother Rommel is also in the cast, although his role is minor. Rommel, according to Cesar, is now in China, where the Manila scenes are being filmed.
Cesar has no idea how he will be billed because more American actors have been added to the cast. The one thing he can assure his local fans of is that he will be sharing equal exposure with Bratt. Were always together because we argue all the time on how to attack the enemies, he said. (Uhmwithout meaning to diminish Montanos accomplishment, that is really no guarantee that he would be sharing equal screen time with Bratt. -- Ed.)
Before he left for the Gold Coast, Cesar already committed to doing another comedy series for ABS-CBN, where he first appeared in Kung Kaya Ni Mister, Kaya Ni Misis opposite Maricel Soriano. The new comedy, titled Bida si Mister, Bida si Misis , takes off where Kaya ni Mister left off.
In the comedy, which takes place seven years after, Buboy (Cesar) and Mary (Maricel) Magtangol return to the Philippines for good after working overseas. They have pooled their savings to start their own catering business so that Buboy wont have to go back to being a cop where his life is forever in danger. Fate, however, has other plans for the Magtangol couple.
The sitcom premiered on November 16 at 8:30 pm on ABS-CBN, with new characters introduced as played by Smokey Manaloto, Earl Ignacio, Shaina Magdayao, Alwyn Uytingco and Dyords Javier. Gloria Sevilla also figures in the scheme of things as Tiya Ina, the kindhearted spinster aunt of Buboy.
A top priority for the actor now is doing more movies for 2003. He would like to appear opposite Regine Velasquez. He wants to exercise his vocal chords by cutting a follow-up album to his recording debut under Star Records and, hopefully, do a project similar to his award-winning Josi Rizal.
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." |
|
 Edit  Reply w/quote |
|
|
| REPLIED Sunday , April 27, 2003 12:44:33 AM |
|
|
| REPLIED Sunday , April 27, 2003 12:48:36 AM |
|
|
| REPLIED Sunday , April 27, 2003 12:48:43 AM |
|
|
|
|
