Temptation Island remake 2011 and its theater connections

Poster of original movie found on the Interwebs.

I just found out that casting has been announced for the 2011 remake of the classic 1980 movie "Temptation Island" written by Toto Belano and directed by Joey Gosiengfiao.  The movie is about four beauty pageant finalists and four men (plus one maid) who get stranded on an island.

Photo from facebook.com/OfficialTemptationIsland

The remake will feature Lovi Poe as Suzanne Reyes; Marian Rivera as Azenith Tobias; Solenn Heussaff as Bambi Belisario; and Heart Evangelista as Dina Espinola.  Who are these people?  I don't watch a lot of TV (because I don't have a TV at home, poor me) so I have no idea who they are.  Are they famous?

Poster of the stage version designed by Jason Moss

Stage version
My friend B.L. took me to see the stage version "Temptation Island ... Live!" produced by Madiraka Entertainment production company in 2003 at Tanghalang Huseng Batute, CCP.  In a send up of the campy nature of the movie, the stage version featured male actors in the lead roles: Peter Serrano as Suzanne Reyes; John "Sweet" Lapuz as Azenith Tobias; Raymon Narag as Bambi Belisario; and Tuxqs Rutaquio as Dina Espinola.

Cast of the stage version "Temptation Island ... Live!" From left: John "Sweet" Lapuz as Azenith Tobias; Jonnel Sales as The Maid; Peter Serrano as Suzanne Reyes;  Tuxqs Rutaquio as Dina Espinola and Raymon Narag as Bambi Belisario (photo shared by Tuxqs Rutaquio).

Here is a video excerpt of the stage version.  (Sorry, it's in Tuxqs Rutaquio's Facebook account and I don't know how to upload it here, but you can click the link to get to it.)  This is one of the iconic scenes from the movie, where the ladies are hallucinating about giant chickens and ice cream cones.

Video of the play uploaded to Youtube:

Original movie
I actually saw the stage version before I saw the movie (a copy of which was given to me by advertising producer par excellence M.G.).  I was only three years old when the movie was shown in theaters, so thank goodness for VCDs. The original cast was portrayed by Jennifer Cortez (Suzanne Reyes); Azenith Briones (Azenith Tobias); Bambi Arambulo (Bambi Belisario); and Dina Bonnevie (Dina Espinola).

Funny and scandalous
It is a hilarious movie and to this day, my friend L.H. and I exchange quotes from the movie on our Facebook walls. If you have any friends who were old enough to have seen or know about the movie, talk to them about it and you'll get loads of fun trivia.  For example, how the four lead actresses were actually beauty pageant contestants/winners in real life (Dina Bonnevie was Ms. Magnolia Ice Cream or something) or how Alfie Anido, the actor who played Alfredo, was supposedly murdered by the family of the girl he was seeing.

On the left: Jonas Sebastian as Joshua in the movie. On the right: Rolando Tinio, who is not in the movie.

The mistaken identity of the theater director who is in the movie
In the movie, many people mistake the actor playing the role of Joshua as theater director Rolando Tinio. The actor who portrayed the role is actually another theater director: Jonas Sebastian. I used to watch the plays he directed for the defunct Bankcard series of free plays in Makati City.

Photo of Martinez from www.inquirer.net

The playwright and theater director who will direct the movie

The remake is being produced by Regal Films.  Chris Martinez will do the rewrite and will direct. He directed the stage version as well.  Martinez is known for writing the script of the hit comedy movie "Kimi Dora" (where he pays homage to "Temptation Island" with lots of inside jokes, lines and character histories).

Martinez has written the stage adaptation of Carlo Vergara's "Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah, Ze Muzikal" and has won Palanca Awards for his other plays "Last Order sa Penguin" (1st prize, 2001), "Welcome to IntelStar" (3rd prize, 2005), and "Our Lady of Arlegui" (1st prize, 2007).

I've seen "Our Lady of Arlegui" directed by Dennis Marasigan with Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino and Abner Delina acting; a funny, touching scenario between a Muslim woman who sells pirated DVDs and a young film lover in search of an elusive title.

I haven't seen "Last Order" and "Welcome to IntelStar" but I've read the scripts and they are hilarious. I wish a theater group would restage these two plays so I can finally watch them.

Were you able to see the stage version of "Temptation Island" or any of Chris Martinez's plays? Share your comments.