IMDb RATING
7.8/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
Júlio Madiaga, a 'provinciano', arrives in Manila to search for his beloved, Ligaya.Júlio Madiaga, a 'provinciano', arrives in Manila to search for his beloved, Ligaya.Júlio Madiaga, a 'provinciano', arrives in Manila to search for his beloved, Ligaya.
- Awards
- 8 wins & 2 nominations
Bembol Roco
- Julio Madiaga
- (as Rafael Roco Jr.)
Lily Gamboa Mendoza
- Perla
- (as Lily Gamboa-Mendoza)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJay Ilagan was supposed to play the role of Julio Madiaga. But due to his increasing weight problem, he had to quit. The role went to the newcomer Bembol Roco.
- Crazy creditsThe end credits are shown in black text over plain white background.
- ConnectionsFeatured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Fantastic Asian Movies You Have Not Seen (2018)
Featured review
More than just a social issues film
Lino Brocka's 1975 film The Nail of Brightness (aka Manila in the Claws of Neon) is first and foremost a showcase for the social ills of the Philippines, particularly in the urban center of Manila. The film's main character Julio is only recently arrived to the city having left behind his impoverished but relatively dignified and happy life as a fisherman in a small village to find his girlfriend Ligaya who had herself gone to the city at the promise of a job and some educational opportunities only to disappear completely a short time later. Julio's episodic experiences in the city give Brocka a chance to exhibit all sorts of social issues as Julio is robbed of his savings before the film even begins and is forced to seek employment at an unsafe construction site where he agrees to work for a low wage and fails to even receive the meager pay he bargained for; the construction company can get away with this because of a lazy, inefficient government that apparently does nothing for its working class people. As the film continues Julio's misery grows greater; more than one character is forced to turn to prostitution to make ends meet and several major characters are the victims of violent crime.
In spite of the didactic nature of the material, Brocka's film is a success because he builds sympathy for Julio through the use of subjective camera techniques. The narrative is peppered with brief, precisely edited flashback shots from Julio's point of view: the result is an unusually powerful evocation of memory. Brocka's subjective cinema transcends the established techniques of social realism and allows him create one of the greatest doomed characters in film history.
In spite of the didactic nature of the material, Brocka's film is a success because he builds sympathy for Julio through the use of subjective camera techniques. The narrative is peppered with brief, precisely edited flashback shots from Julio's point of view: the result is an unusually powerful evocation of memory. Brocka's subjective cinema transcends the established techniques of social realism and allows him create one of the greatest doomed characters in film history.
helpful•102
- timmy_501
- Apr 9, 2010
- How long is Manila in the Claws of Light?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- The Nail of Brightness
- Filming locations
- Binondo, Manila, Philippines(interior and exterior locations)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime2 hours 5 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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Top Gap
By what name was Manila in the Claws of Light (1975) officially released in India in English?
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