Eddie Romero
By Ed Uy/Manila Times
| Award-winning director and national artist for Cinema and Broadcast Arts, Eddie Romero, died at the Saint Luke’s Medical Centre. He was 88. |
According to his son, director Joey Romero, his father had been in and out of the hospital for the past few weeks and was in coma when he died.
Doctors said Eddie had a blood clot in his brain that resulted in complications. He had also been suffering from prostate cancer.
Born Edgar Sinco Romero in Dumaguete City, the influential and legendary director, producer and screenwriter was known for his films that focused on Philippine culture, history and politics.
His career began with his 1947 directorial debut Ang Kamay Ng Diyos. In the 1950s, Romero directed the movies of the classic love team of Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran such as Always, Kay Ganda Mo, Sa Piling Mo, and Kasintahan sa Pangarap, among others.
He switched to making international films in the 60s that brought together a cast of Filipino and American actors.
These include Espionage: Far East, Lost Battalion, The Raiders of Leyte Gulf, The Passionate Strangers and Manila, Open City.
It was also during this decade that Romero found success in making B-movie horror thrillers with titles like Mad Doctor of Blood Island, The Brides of Blood and The Twilight People, a movie from which Quentin Tarantino drew inspiration for his own Grindhouse films.
In 1976, Romero helmed Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?, a movie set at the turn of the 20th century during the revolution against the Spaniards and American colonisers.
It is considered as one of the finest movies in Philippine cinema. He followed it up with notable dramas such as Banta ng Kahapon, Sinong Kapiling? Sinong Kasiping?, Kamakalawa and what many consider as his masterpiece – Aguila, which tells the story of a family set against the backdrop of the country’s history.
Romero won more than 20 awards in his career, including several Lifetime Achievement Awards and three Best Screenplay awards for Diego Silang, Durugin si Totoy Bato and Ang Padrino.
His 13-part series of Noli Me Tangere, meanwhile introduced José Rizal’s novel to a new generation of viewers.