On the set of The Great Raid

Then: Catch a flashback on the set of The Great Raid written Oct. 14, 2002

The place is a regular Philippine rural village, complete with nipa huts, a scenic riverbank, carabaos, horses and cows and coconut trees. The only difference is this Philippine village, made to look like the old Cabanatuan, is in the Gold Coast in Australia and it takes the awesome machinery of a Hollywood company like Miramax to set it up.

Daily, around 200 technical men, crew and production assistants are working shifts to make this set work.

Actors Cesar Montano and Paolo Montalban, both staying at Xanadu Hotel Resort, are picked up at 6 a.m. by driver Darren who keeps an ongoing commentary on the happenings on the set. Rommel Montano and I join the group to go to the set. At the next hotel, we pick up young American actor James Franco, who quietly sits in front. It is a 45-minute ride to the set.

Cesar and James have been assigned their own trailers with the names of their character on the door: James’ trailer has “Capt. Prince” and Cesar Has “pajota.” Next to Cesar is the John Dahl trailer with the director’s name on it.

It is a very hot day with a cold wind but the trailer is comfortable with air conditioning, TV, stereo component, bed and bath. But Cesar seldom gets the chance to enjoy the amenities. As soon as we arrive he is made up and driven to the set.

There are many satellite sets around the area. He is near the riverbank where actor Benjamin Bratt and director Dahl are already rehearsing the first scenes. Cesar waits for his first take.

Accident

Benjamin is known here for his role in Pinero, and James for his role as Spiderman’s best friend. We hear that James will be big next year. He just finished a film where he plays Robert de Niro’s addict-son. The film is scheduled for release this year.

Joseph Fiennes is unforgettable in Shakespeare in Love. But he’s not on the set today. He had an accident while surfing when his board hit his face and he had to be hospitalized and stitched. But he is healing fast and is scheduled on the set the next day.

Connie Nielsen is the leading lady. She is known for her role as Russel Crowe’s leading lady in Gladiator. She is beautiful and very tall. She is shooting in another satellite set, playing a New York socialite who goes on underground to look for her fiancé (Joseph) who is captured and imprisoned in Cabanatuan. Another important role is played by Filipina Natalie Mendoza, known for her role as Miss Saigon. Natalie is based in Sydney. She has asked Cesar to help with her Filipino. She plays Mina, a nurse helping the guerillas.

Some of the sets are across the river and to get there we are helped by Nikko MacKintosh, who leads us around the different sets. Nikko is Filipino but has lived in Sydney since he was 12. He has the looks of an actor and speaks with the Australian twang.

Why MacKintosh? I ask him. “My stepfather. I never met my father. His family name is Villanueva.”

A friend had pushed Nikko to apply in the production. “I was surprised when he came that I could start working!”

He wants to come home to Manila after the shooting.

Carabaos

Another Filipino on the set is Ebong Joson, who also plays Joson in the film. He is basically a stage actor and radio talent. He got the role by auditioning like Cesar. He did not realize at first that his role was a big one, one of Cesar’s guerillas.

Ebong is based in Manila and should be home by now.

Another interesting feature of this production is the buffalo department with Graham Hefferman and Mike McLean as head trainers. According to the production notes that day: “When we have more than six, or multiple buffalos in carts, we will also have a licensed shooter with a tranquilizer gun as added precaution. Do not feel inclined to pat the buffalos. They may look harmless but they are wild feral animals undergoing training and should be treated as such.”

The cast, like Joseph Fienes, James Franco, Benjamin Bratt, Cesar and Paolo, work for 12 hours. If you are picked up at 6 a.m., you are let go at 6 p.m. We ride with Paolo back to Xanadu. We all go home in a happy mood.

Later, Cesar takes wife Sunshine Cruz, Rommel and myself to Mano’s for dinner. There we meet Col. Dye the military consultant who choreographs all the war scenes. He also plotted the scenes for Band of Brothers.

Col. Dye, with his white hair and physique, can be a double for Harrison Ford. He mentions that he will doing another movie, Iwo Jima. With a wink, he told us Cesar has a role in it if he is interested.

The Now: March 27, 2010

The Great Raid did not do very well in the US box office. But it was premiered by the US Embassy in Manila with a big bang. Cesar had two more pictures with Miramax in his contract. But Miramax was bought by Disney and the latter is not into action pictures genre. Cesar has gone into politics. First, he ran as senator with the administration slate where he lost. As of this writing (March 27, 2010), he is running for governor of Bohol against a well-entrenched opponent.

Cesar’s son Angelo died on the day the campaign officially started. He rushed back to Manila for the funeral. He was able to go back to Bohol after Holy Week.

James Franco has moved on to bigger roles. Joseph Fiennes and Natalie Mendoza are now based in London where they are romantically involved.

Paolo Montalban is back in Hollywood where he is based. Ebong Joson is back in Manila and doing theater work and advertising.