Violator (film) explained

Violator
Director:Eduardo "Dodo" Dayao
Producer:
  • Tonee Acejo
  • Lawrence S. Ang
  • Eduardo "Dodo" Dayao
Starring:
Music:
  • Ace Cada
  • Marcushiro Nada
Cinematography:
  • Gym Lumbera
  • Albert Banzon
  • Timmy Harn (VHS)
Editing:Lawrence S. Ang
Studio:
  • Cinema One Originals
  • Quiapost
  • Is It Safe?
Distributors:-->
Runtime:101 minutes
Country:Philippines
Language:
  • Filipino
  • English

Violator (stylized as VIOLA†OR) is a 2014 Filipino psychological horror film written and directed by Eduardo "Dodo" Dayao. It stars Victor Neri, Anthony Falcon, RK Bagatsing, Timothy Mabalot, Andy Bais, and Joel Lamangan. It premiered at the Cinema One Originals film festival, where it won Best Editing, Best Picture, Best Sound, and Best Supporting Actor for Bais. At the Gawad Urian Awards, it won Best Sound and was nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Supporting Actor for Lamangan.

Premise

At the height of a super-typhoon that could well be the first wave of an impending Apocalypse, five men take refuge in a flooded-in police station and spend the rest of the night with a prisoner who may or may not be the Devil.

Cast

Production

Writer-director Dayao is a film critic, and Violator is his directorial debut. He says the step was natural to him, though he accepts others find it less so. When casting the film, Dayao consciously cast the actors against type. All of the actors were his first choices, and they all took the roles that he desired.[1]

Release

Violator premiered on November 10, 2014, at the Cinema One Originals film festival.[2]

Reception

Derek Elley of Film Business Asia rated the film 6 out of 10 stars and, while calling it an impressive debut, wrote that it "is stronger on technique than actual content".[2] Richard Kuipers of Variety wrote, "This stylishly assembled Filipino chiller creates plenty of intrigue but can't quite deliver a knockout punch."[3] Michael Atkinson of The Village Voice called it "an apocalyptic creep-out as heavy with atmosphere and portent as a doomsday sermon".[4] Todd Brown of Twitch Film called it "a gorgeously executed and tightly controlled exercise in religious dread".[5]

Awards! Year !! Organization !! Award !! Awardee !! Result !! Ref
2014 Best Sound Corinne De San Jose rowspan=5 [6]
Best Editing Lawrence Ang
Best Supporting Actor Andy Bais
Best Film Violator
2015 Best Sound Corinne De San Jose [7]
Best Supporting Actor Joel Lamangan rowspan=3 [8]
Best Cinematography Alber Banzon and Gym Lumbera
Best Editing Lawrence Ang

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Supreme radar: The horror of Dodo Dayao: Watch out for this film critic-turned-filmmaker.. Punongbayan. Stefan. The Philippine Star. November 15, 2014. April 5, 2016.
  2. Web site: Violator. Elley. Derek. Film Business Asia. December 26, 2014. April 5, 2016.
  3. Web site: Film Review: 'Violator'. Kuipers. Richard. Variety. November 29, 2015. April 5, 2016.
  4. News: This Year's Asian Film Festival Is Restrained, but Only by Its Standards. Atkinson. Michael. The Village Voice. July 2, 2015. April 5, 2016.
  5. Web site: Cinema One 2014 Review: Dodo Dayao's VIOLATOR Is A Masterful Exercise In Mounting Dread. Brown. Todd. Twitch Film. November 22, 2014. April 5, 2016.
  6. Web site: Angelica Panganiban wins Best Actress at Cinema One Originals 2014 film fest. . Philippine Entertainment Portal. November 16, 2014. April 5, 2016.
  7. News: Nora Aunor is Urian's lifetime achievement awardee. Red. Isah V.. The Standard. June 20, 2015. April 5, 2016.
  8. News: 2015 Gawad Urian nominees bared. . The Philippine Star. May 22, 2015. April 5, 2016.