Adarna: The Mythical Bird is a 1997 Filipino animated musical fantasy film directed by animator Geraldo A. Garcia (credited as Geirry A. Garccia). Based on the 19th century corrido commonly titled Ibong Adarna (lit. 'Adarna Bird'), it is the first full-length theatrical animated film produced in the Philippines.
| Adarna: The Mythical Bird | |
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MMFF release poster | |
| Directed by | Geirry A. Garccia |
| Story by | Geirry A. Garccia |
| Based on | Ibong Adarna |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
Production companies |
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Release date |
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| Country | Philippines |
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| Box office | ₱11.2 million |
The film was released on December 25, 1997, as part of the Metro Manila Film Festival, where it won a special achievement award for its pioneering achievement in Philippine animation. Although some critics were critical of the film's poor animation, it earned a box office worth ₱11.2 million, but did not make it to its production cost.[1]
In later years, the film fell into obscurity and is considered a lost film like many Philippine animated films, with film producer Tony Tuviera accidentally claiming his own animated film Urduja to be the country's first in 2008.[2][3]
Cast
edit- Jolina Magdangal as Princess Carmina
- Regine Velasquez provides Princess Carmina's singing voice
- Marvin Agustin as Ramir
- Martin Nievera provides Ramir's singing voice
- Izza Ignacio as Elmira
- Renzo Cruz as Gustavo
- Boots Anson-Roa as the narrator/Ibong Adarna
Production
editAnimator Geirry A. Garccia was living in the United States when he was convinced of the idea to create an animated film based on the Ibong Adarna corrido. He returned to the Philippines with medical physicist Simon C. P. Lam of New Jersey to establish Guiding Light Productions and begin producing the film.[4]
Post-production of Adarna: The Mythical Bird was done in the United States,[4] as was done with Garccia's previous film, the live-action/animated hybrid Isko: Adventures in Animasia (1995).[5] One key sponsor of Adarna that enabled the production to be financed was Mister Donut.[4] The animation took two years to finish, with producer Rose L. Flaminiano, head of FLT Films International, later bought the rights to the film's release when it was nearing completion, with a new nine-minute segment soon added to the film that had the additional cost of $50,000.[6]
Music
editIn mid-1997, months prior to the film's release, PolyCosmic Records (now UMG Philippines) released the soundtrack album Songs from Adarna: The Mythical Bird, which featured songs performed for the film by Regine Velasquez, Martin Nievera, and The Youth.[4]
Release
editAdarna was declared an entry to the 1997 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) on December 3, 1997, with a release date of December 25.[6] The sole award that the film received from the festival was a special citation for being the "first ever animated movie in Philippine cinema" (Filipino: Kauna-unahang animated Movie sa Philippine Cinema).[7][3] It earned a successful box office worth ₱11.2 million, but did not make it to its production cost.[1]
Reception
editIn assessing each of the MMFF entries, Isah V. Red of the Manila Standard gave the film his lowest rating ("a TV set", which means "very bad, go and watch TV, instead"), expressing disappointment in its screenplay and lack of "dynamism" when compared with the animated films produced by Disney. He stated that "[f]or a first effort in full-length animated feature, Garccia should be commended. But it shouldn't give him the false notion that he had done something as pretty as the Lion King or Little Mermaid."[8]
Legacy
editIn October 2006, United Animation Inc. and United Staffing Registry Inc. organized the 1st Filipino Animation Awards, where Geirry Garccia was awarded for his pioneering contributions to Philippine animation, which included Adarna: The Mythical Bird; others were awarded more specifically for their involvement in the film's production: Ramon Chuaying, Simon C.P. Lam, Levi Celerio and Lav Diaz.[9]
See also
edit- Nonoy Marcelo, the animator who directed the Philippine's first full-length animated film Tadhana in 1978
References
edit- ^ a b Cabrera Asis, Love (February 16, 2017). "The Perforation in Philippine Animation Industry: Original Content Full Length Animated Films" (PDF). De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde.
- ^ Asis, Love Cabrera (February 2017). "The Perforation in Philippine Animation Industry: Original Content Full Length Animated Films" (PDF). DLSU Arts Congress. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
The lost memory of Ibong Adarna brought a claim as the first animated film to Urduja...
- ^ a b abs-cbnNEWS.com (June 19, 2008). "Animator says 'Urduja' claim as first Pinoy animated movie is false". ABS-CBN News. ABS-CBN Corporation. Archived from the original on March 27, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Red, Isah V. (June 9, 1997). "Domestic problem". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 19. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
- ^ "Animation magic in 'Isko'". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. November 28, 1995. p. 32B. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
- ^ a b Red, Isah V. (December 5, 1997). "'Tongue-tied' in Tokyo". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 20. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
- ^ Red, Isah V. (December 29, 1997). "MMFF Awards: Maricel wins, but where was she?". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 20. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
- ^ Red, Isah V. (December 22, 1997). "Home is where the heart is". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 18. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
- ^ Samio, Veronica R. (October 8, 2006). "Discovery ni Kuya Germs, bibigyan ng scholarship ni Josh Groban sa Yale Univ!". Pilipino Star Ngayon (in Filipino). Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved July 31, 2023.