Beneath the Cogon

Rico Maria Ilarde can be found in the programme with two films; alongside this one, the more recent Altar can also be seen. Ilarde has given a new twist to the Filipino horror film, which is generally locked up in very worn genre rules, making extra attention sorely needed. One of his specialities is mixing elements from different film genres (here, the action and horror film) in such a way that a new form emerges. In doing so, he leaves no tracks. He’s not interested in references to existing films for the sake of genres, but in telling an entertaining story as effectively as possible. In this case, the story is about a former soldier who calls himself Sam (very effectively acted by Yul Servo). As a result of a stupid raid, he is forced to hide in an enormous mansion surrounded by a sea of cogon grass – a persistent weed feared by farmers. Ilarde skilfully uses the three elements of the lonely soldier, the ghostly mansion and the endless fields with overgrown grass. Aptly enough in films like this, the mansion turns out to be less deserted and the soldier less alone. A mysterious woman swims in the neglected swimming pool and trails of blood come to an end in the jungle of grass. The past comes to life from within the house, while from outside, people hunt the spoils from his raid. (GjZ)

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