Novels, short stories, legends, and folklore have been part of people's lives since childhood. These literary works bring readers into a world that they imagine for themselves as they visualize scenes and get to know the characters.
On the other hand, filmmaking is an artistic genre in its own right (although not as old as novels or our own indigenous epics). Producers, directors, and screenwriters who adapt novels for the big screen face a big challenge—translating literature into sensual images with immediate mass impact.
Creative filmmakers have the artistic license to modify the plot and characterization, and to exclude details of the novel. Yet successful adaptation means that the movie retains the original message and general flow of the story, while giving moviegoers a completely new experience.
Indeed, who can argue that the movie adaptations of J.K. Rowlings's Harry Potter series, and of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy Lord of the Rings, weren't blockbusters of all time?
Locally, directors and screenwriters take pride in adapting novels; for instance, Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Stories from comic books, like Mars Ravelo's Darna and Dyesebel, have also appeared several times on the silver screen.
PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) lists down more novels turned movies, which left their mark on Pinoy audiences.
Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag (1975). This FAMAS award-winning film was based on the novel Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag, written by Palanca literary awardee Edgardo M. Reyes.
Renowned film director Lino Brocka dramatized the tragic love story of Julio (Bembol Roco), who came to Manila to find his long-lost love, Ligaya (Hilda Koronel). On a shoe-string production budget, cinematographer Mike de Leon, who directed his own great films in the ‘80s, depicted the poverty and filth of urban life as organic setting for the tragedy .
This film won the Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor at the 1976 FAMAS Awards. It has been consistently included in the world's 100 films of all time, the only Filipino film entered in the book 1001 Movies You Should See Before You Die.
Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa (1998). Originally written by novelist Lualhati Bautista, this movie gathered more than 10 major awards from different award-giving bodies: FAMAS, FAP Awards, Star Awards, and Gawad Urian.
Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa, as in the novel, depicted a woman's empowerment. If in the past, women were perceived as followers of male members of the society, in this moving picture, a new-aged woman was presented through the character of Lea (played by veteran actress Vilma Santos). The heroine Lea (Vilma Santos) starts out as an old-fashioned wife whose only goal is to take care of her children and serve the needs of her man. (Not that it's wrong per se.) But eventually she realizes her own worth as a person and becomes involved with social issues, like women's rights.
The movie gave several acting awards to Vilma Santos and Albert Martinez; and directorial awards to Direk Chito Roño. It also gave way for then young stars Carlo Aquino and Serena Dalrymple to show off their acting skills.
Laro sa Baga (2000). This film adaptation was another directorial work of Chito Roño. Based on the novel by Edgardo Reyes, the story is about a young couple who fell in love while exploring the politics of sexual awakening and social relations. The political dynamics led to deceit and violence. This sex-themed film won the Best Picture award during the Gawad Urian 2000.
The cast was top-billed by sexy actors Carlos Morales and Ara Mina. Supporting them were Angel Aquino, Cherrie Pie Picache and Monique Wilson, who took home the Best Supporting Actress award in Gawad Urian 2001.
Tatarin (2001). This movie adapted the short story of National Artist Nick Joaquin, "Summer Solstice." It was directed by Amable "Tikoy" Aguiluz from the script by screen writer Ricardo Lee.
