Celso Advento Castillo

Celso Adolfo Castillo (September 12, 1943 November 26, 2012) was a Filipino film director and screenwriter. He was known as the Messiah of Philippine Cinema for directing films that broke new ground in Philippine cinema, including Asedillo, Patayin Mo sa Sindak si Barbara, and Burlesk Queen, among others. Castillo was a prolific director who made 64 films throughout his life, casting actors like Fernando Poe Jr., Vilma Santos, and Maria Isabel Lopez.

Early life and education

Castillo was born in Siniloan, Laguna on September 12, 1943. He became a movie director, scriptwriter and actor. He was the son of lawyer-writer Dominador Ad Castillo, and Marta Adolfo.

Celso Castillo studied at Manuel L. Quezon University and obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature in 1964.

Career

Castillo started as a writer for a comic magazine. With the help of his father, he published his own magazine where he wrote all the stories from cover to cover, using different names as authors. A movie producer commissioned him to write a script on the character of "James Bandong", named after Britain's superspy. The film made money and it was followed by a sequel, Dr. Yes, 1965, a spoof on the British film, Dr. No. He wrote and directed his first movie, Misyong Mapanganib (Dangerous Mission), in 1966.

The most memorable of his earlier films is Asedillo, 1971, based on Teodoro Asedillo, a Filipino rebel of the 1930s who was hunted down as a bandit by the American colonial government. With this film, Fernando Poe, Jr. acquired the image that was to set him off as a legendary gunslinger, a defender of the poor and oppressed. Castillo also made Ang Alamat (The Legend), 1972, with Poe as a reluctant hero who battle a whole private army all by himself to defend his townfolk.

Succeeding Castillo films aspired towards thematic originality: small-town perversion in Ang Madugong Daigdig ni Salvacion (The Bloody World of Salvacion), 1975; incest in Tag-ulan sa Tag-araw (Rainy Days in Summer), 1975; political and period gangsterism in Daluyong at Habagat (Tall Waves, Wild Wind), 1976. Even his sex films had a to message to tell. One finds spiritual undertones in the story of an oversexed girl in Nympha(Nymph), 1971; a struggle of conscience in a stripteaser who laughed on the outside but cried on the inside in Burlesk Queen (Burlesque Queen), 1977; tribal conflict in Aliw-iw, 1979; a conflict of family values in Snake Sisters, 1983; and the politics of domination in Isla (Island), 1983.

Other notable Castillo films are Ang Mahiwagang Daigdig ni Pedro Penduko (The Wonderful World of Pedro Penduko), 1973; Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa (The Most Beautiful Animal on the Face of the Earth), 1975; Ang Alamat ni Julian Makabayan (The Legend of Julian Makabayan), 1979; Totoy Boogie, 1980; Uhaw na Dagat (Thirsty Sea), 1981; Pedro Tunasan, 1983; Virgin People, 1983; and Payaso (Clown), 1986. It was Castillo who started a trend in Philippine movies known as the wet look which later helped establish bomba film as a definite genre.

Castillo also became the "Master Of Horror And Suspense" when actress Susan Roces shifts to the Classic Pinoy Gothic genre her first horror film was Patayin Mo Sa Sindak Si Barbara (Kill Barabara In Terror) about the malevolent spirit of a suicidal sister comes to torment against her very own sister out of jealousy and resentment and even possessing her own daughter for her own sinister plans, 1974; Maligno (Satan's Seed) about a family targeted by a Satanic Cult and their accomplices of witches and warlocks attempting to steal a beautiful woman's innocence and finds herself impregnated by an evil spirit fearing that the child she would conceive became the child of the devil also encountering bizarre events and hallucinogenic incidents, 1977. Shifting to the 1990s and 2000s Lihim ni Madonna (Madonna's Secret) about a brainwashing ghost from the past drives a young woman to the brink of derangement and insanity, 1997; Sanib (Possessed) talks about a young bride finds herself being possessed by the specter of her long dead stepsister, 2003.

Castillo won the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) awards for Best Director and Best Story, and the Urian awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay for Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak (When the Crow Turns White, When the Heron Turns Black) in 1978. He shared the story credits with Ruben Nicdao, and the screenplay credits with Lando jacob, Ishko Lopez and Ruben Nicdao. He won the FAMAS best director trophy again in 1985 for Paradise Inn, a Lolita Rodriguez-Vivian Velez starrer. He also has a FAMAS best supporting actor award, for Sampung Ahas ni Eba (Ten Snakes of Eve), in 1984.

Castillo's last directing role was Medical Center in 2011, while his last acting career on TV was Reputasyon in 2011.

Personal life Family Castillo was married 3 times and his last wife was Ofelia Lopez-Castillo. He had ten children: Christopher (Jan. 19, 1964-Aug. 12, 2018), Catherine, John, Amerjapil, Crystal, Amir, Kid, Patrick, Monique and Roxanne Ad Castillo.

Death Celso Ad Castillo, died early morning of November 26, 2012, due to a heart attack, according to the director’s brother John. Castillo, who was working on his autobiography Celso Ad. Castillo: An Autobiography and His Craft, died at 1:45 a.m. at his home in Siniloan, Laguna. He was brought to Pakil General Hospital at around 3:00 AM where he was declared dead on arrival. He was buried beside his son Christoper at Siniloan Public Cemetery in Siniloan, Laguna

Filmography Film Year Title CreditsNotes Directed by Story by Screenplay by 1964 James Ban-dong Directed by Luis San Juan 1964 Dolpong Scarface: Agent 1-2-3 Directed by Luis San Juan 1965 Dr. Yes Directed by Luis San Juan 1965 Sampson at 7 Delaila Directed by Luis San Juan 1965 Misyong Mapanganib (Top Secret 7-11) 1965 Zebra 1965 Mansanas sa Paraiso 1965 Pitong Zapata Directed by Luis San Juan 1967 Barako 1967 The Pogi Dozen Directed by Luis San Juan 1968 Dirty-Face Max Directed by Tony Ad. Castillo Jr. 1968 Kapwa Walang Panginoon 1968 The Tall, the Dark, and the Handsome Directed by Luis San Juan 1968 We Only Live Wais Directed by Luis San Juan 1970 Inside Job Directed by Luis San Juan 1970 Romantiko 1970 Usapang Lalake 1970 Omar Cassidy and the Sandalyas Kid Directed by Luis San Juan 1970 Agent Silencer at ang Pitong Brassieres Directed by Luis San Juan 1971 Dimasupil Brothers Directed by Manuel Cinco 1971 Asedillo 1971 The Virgin 1971 Nympha 1972 Ang Gangster at ang Birhen 1972 Santo Domingo 1972 Ang Alamat 1973 Ang Mahiwagang Daigdig ni Pedro Penduko Based on the Pedro Penduko series by Francisco V. Coching 1973 Ato ti Bondying 1973 Kung Bakit Dugo ang Kulay ng Gabi 1973 Esteban 1974 Return of the Dragon 1974 Patayin Mo Sa Sindak Si Barbara 1974 Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa 1975 Isabel of the Islands 1975 Tag-ulan sa Tag-araw 1975 Ang Madugong Daigdig ni Salvacion 1976 Daluyong at Habagat 1976 Ihalik Mo Ako sa Diyos! 1977 Maligno 1977 Burlesk Queen 1978 Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak 1979 Bakit May Pag-Ibig Pa? 1979 Aliw-iw 1979 Ang Alamat ni Julian Makabayan 1980 Totoy Boogie 1981 Uhaw na Dagat 1982 Brown Emanuelle 1983 Pedro Tunasan 1983 Dragon's Quest 1984 Virgin People 1984 Sampung Ahas ni Eva 1985 Isla 1985 Paradise Inn 1985 Perfumed Garden 1986 Kailan Tama ang Mali 1986 Ang Daigdig ay Isang Butil na Luha 1986 Payaso 1986 The Diary of Vietname Rose 1987 Mga Lihim ng Kalapati 1988 Pikoy Goes to Malaysia 1992 Tag-araw, Tag-ulan 1993 Kapag Iginuhit ang Hatol ng Puso 1994 Comfort Women: A Cry for Justice 1996 Virgin People 2 1997 Isla 2 1997 Lihim ni Madonna 1997 Mananayaw 1997 Droga, Pagtatapat ng mga Babaeng Adik 2003 Nympha 2003 Virgin People III 2003 Sanib 2008 Snake Sisters 2010 666 2013 Bahay ng Lagim Released posthumously 2019 Barbara Reimagined Inspired by Patayin Mo Sa Sindak Si Barbara

Television Year Title CreditsNotes Directed by Story by Screenplay by 1995 Komikero TV Movie 1995 Aswang ng Santa Barbara TV Movie 2007- SineSerye Original story written (2 episodes) 2011 Medical Center TV Movie 2015- Kailan ba Tama ang Mali? Based on the 1986 film Acting roles Year Title Role 1987 Kamao 1988 Pikoy Goes to Malaysia Pikoy 1995 Victim No. 1: Delia Maga (Jesus, Pray for Us!) – A Massacre in Singapore 2010 Star Confessions: Blind Item: The Carmelito 'Shalala' Reyes Confession Shalala's father 2011 Babaeng Hampaslupa Master Ming Reputasyon Samuel Aragon

Awards Year Award Given Body Category Work Result 1972 FAMAS Best Director Nympha 1973 FAMAS Best Director Ang Alamat 1974 FAMAS Best Director Esteban 1975 FAMAS Best Director The Most Beautiful Animal in the World 1977 Metro Manila Film Festival Best Director Burlesk Queen 1978 FAMAS Best Director Sa Dulo ng Kris 1978 Gawad Urian Pinakamahusay na Direksyon Burlesk Queen 1979 Gawad Urian Pinakamahusay na Dulang Pampelikula Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak 1979 Gawad Urian Pinakamahusay na Direksyon Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak 1979 FAMAS Best Story Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak 1979 FAMAS Best Screenplay Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak 1979 FAMAS Best Director Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak 1981 Gawad Urian Natatanging Pelikula ng Dekada Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak 1985 FAMAS Best Supporting Actor Sampung Ahas ni Eva 1985 Metro Manila Film Festival Best Story Paradise Inn 1986 Gawad Urian Pinakamahusay na Direksyon Paradise Inn 1986 FAMAS Best Director Paradise Inn 1999 FAMAS Best Supporting Actor Hiwaga ng Panday 2003 Young Critics Circle Best Performance Itlog 2007 FAMAS Lifetime Achievement Award 2007 Film Academy of the Philippines Lifetime Achievement Award 2010 Cinema One Originals Special Honorary Award 2012 Cinemanila International Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award