Filmed in 1970s Manila, at the height of dictatorship in the Philippines, Manila in the Claws of Night is above all else a political statement—against tyranny, yes, but more significantly, against imperialism, capitalism, and class divide. It’s a weighty film, but director Lino Brocka, with help from cinematographer Mike de Leon, balances his potent ideas with stunning visuals. He captures Manila’s essence perfectly: neon signages point to its crippled reliance on capitalism, while the clash of old structures and weak new buildings point to colonialism’s reigning grip. Those familiar with the wrought history of the Philippines (or other third-world countries subjugated and then forgotten by Western powers, for that matter) will relate to Julio’s struggles. Those who aren’t, however, are in for an eye-opening experience.
"The vicious depredations of the urban jungle have rarely been bared with such fierce clarity as in this 1975 melodrama, directed by Lino Brocka."
— Richard Brody
Julio, a young fisherman from a provincial village, descends into social alienation as he arrives in Manila to search for his loved one.
Julio (Bembol Roco) moves into the city to find his missing girlfriend, but the crushing reality of urban poverty gets in his way.
That one scene set in a construction site still haunts me to this day, a decade after I first saw this film.
I know it’s cliche at this point, but the city really is a character in this case, and it’s one of the best cinematic examples of the trope.
Cannes
1 nomination
Berlin
1 nomination
