Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Sugo another new on primetime TV
By Nelson C. Bagaforo
BROADCAST industry leader GMA Network, Incorporated offers another "new" in Philippine television with the multi-million project "Sugo," which will start airing on July 4 on GMA-7's primetime telebabad block.
Watch box-office star Richard Gutierrez, its lead star playing a dual role, transformed into a martial art expert in several fight sequences, most of which took 15 takes to shoot, according to RJ Nueras, the project's head writer.
Nuevas said playing both the good and the bad gives Richard the greatest challenge of his career. In "Sugo," he said Richard is impressively different from his boy-next-door image and shows he has what it takes to be an action star in his genre.
"Sugo's" compelling story is Nueva's brainchild, a former komiks novelist who has been with GMA 7 for ten years now as scriptwriter of its successful soap
operas.
Nuevas, a komiks addict in his younger years, said "Sugo" was originally a horror vehicle, but it started taking different forms in December when it landed in the hands of GMA 7's creative geniuses.
It has now all the elements of a soap series--fantasy, action, comedy, adventure and drama--making it a very expensive production presented in line with GMA's unwavering commitment to provide superior quality and world-class entertainment.
As what Dominic Zapata, one of the series' director (the other is Lore Reyes), "Sugo" is "lifted to an international level," making every Filipino proud.
"Ibang klaseng action ang makikita rito. Ibang Richard Gutierrez. This is a very expensive endeavor. It shows Filipino ingenuity at its best" Zapata said during the grand press launch of Sugo at Music Museum in Greenhills Friday night attended by entertainment writers from Metro Manila and the cities of Davao, Cebu, Iloilo and Dagupan flown in the Big City by GMA Network.
Wilma Galvante, VP for Entertainment, described "Sugo" as "not so much of a fantaserye but a teleserye of an intense love story and adventure."
"We want to call this love-adventure," she said. GMA Network's top honchos and the entire cast of "Sugo" were present during the press launch.
Sugo's production designer and visual consultant Peque Gallaga transformed the stage of Music Museum into a setting that fits the theme of the forthcoming drama series.
Zapata, who also co-directs "Darna," assured "Sugo" would change the look of local TV. "It will be like a Hong Kong martial arts movie on TV, not like a typical Filipino show," he said.
Lilibeth Rasonable, GMA vice president for drama, said at least 20 percent of the project's production cost (which she refused to reveal) went to the hiring of martial experts from Hong Kong, including international action choreographer Wong Wai Fai of the fame Crouching Tiger, Rush Hour 2, Kung Fu Hustle, Bulletproof Monk, among others.
Wong is working for the project with assistant choreographer Cheung Chi Chuen and wire stuntmen Cheung Ping Chuen and Lau Tze Ming.
Another 20 percent of the project cost, Rasonable said, went to the purchase of hi-tech equipment.
Zapata said "Sugo" is no ordinary tale of good versus evil. He explained that the central characters--Miguel and Amante, played by Richard, are both after people called alay (offering), whose blood can awaken an anito or spirit-god.
One character is tasked to protect the alay, while the other has to keep the anito from coming back to life, so he has to kill the alay, who will appear one by one in the narrative.
To prepare for the physical demands of the show, Richard took up kung fu for a month. He has trained for cinematic martial arts and harness work under Wong.
Richard is paired with newcomer Isabel Oli in "Sugo." "It's fun working with Isabel," Richard said during the press launch.
To add Asian appeal to the series, GMA-7 casts Taiwanese actress Jo Chen, to star in the series. Chen appeared in the series "MY MVP Valentine," "Twin Sisters" and "Lavander," all of which were shown on GMA 7.
Joining Gutierrez, Oli and Chen in the powerhouse cast of "Sugo" are Lorna Tolentino, Amy Austria, Ariel Rivera, Gardo Versoza, Leo Martinez, Boots Anson-Roa, Luz Valdez, Paolo Contis, Chynna Ortaleza, Emilio Garcia, Ramon Christopher, Yayo Aguila and John Arcilla. Completing the line-up are Gabby Eigenmann, Richard Quan, Stella Ruiz, JC de Vera, Julianne Lee, Dion Ignacio, Mike Tan, LJ Reyes and Pontin, with the special guest apperances of Ronaldo Valdez, Jestoni Alarcon and Alicia Meyer.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (June 28, 2005 issue)
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