This site contains a multimodal analysis of the film “Maynila, sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag (1975)” directed by Lino Brocka. The pages of this site are allotted for the overview of the film, cultural text analysis, content analysis of the plot of the film, and a film review through a roundtable discussion by the creators of this website.

The creators aim to:

Contribute to the existing body of knowledge regarding the country’s experience of Martial Law particularly the socioeconomic conditions of the ordinary Filipino under the Marcos dictatorship
Make the viewers understand how the people behind the film, specifically the director and writers, depicted the country’s situation in the film during this dark time of Philippine history.
Acknowledge and appreciate Filipino cultural films.

By publishing this website on Google Sites, the creators hope to reach everyone on the internet, especially Filipinos who are misinformed and disinformed about the country’s experience during the Martial Law.

Trigger Warning: The content of this website includes bloody and gruesome photos and videos that might trigger the audience.

Image source: https://miro.medium.com/max/640/1*-u8wDkQK8w4JgNu0ybXJiA.webp

Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag

Maynila, sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag or Manila in the Claws of Light is a 1975 Filipino drama film directed by Lino Brocka based on the story In the Claws of Brightness by Edgardo M. Reyes. It is considered by many as one of the greatest films in Filipino cinema and was chosen as among the greatest films from around the world by The Criterion Collection in 2018.

The film follows the story of a young provincial fisherman named Julio Madiaga who goes to the big city of Manila to look for his long-lost beloved, Ligaya Paraiso. While searching for her, Julio is exposed to the ills and violence in the city. His search leads to a radical shift in his character—from a naive country boy to an angry young man thirsting for justice. Filmed during the middle part of the Martial Law period, it has become Brocka’s searing, indirect exposition of society in the claws of the Marcos dictatorship.

About the Film

Film as the cultural text to analyze

For Generation Z or the video-oriented generation, an attention-seeking and easy way of understanding the oppressive environment of the martial law period would be by watching the movies that were produced during that period. The creators have chosen the film “Maynila, sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag” for the obvious reason that it is a masterpiece directed by the brilliant Lino Brocka. It is viewed as “The Greatest Filipino Film of All Time” by numerous intellectuals and even garnered a lot of prestigious awards in the local and international scene. It is a film unlikely to be forgotten by anyone who sees it. It is important to look back at how filmmakers told their stories during the Marcos regime to give a glimpse of what life was like back then and learn lessons that may be applicable now.

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