Kumander Dante (1988)

Interesting facts

Kumander Dante is a 1988 Filipino biographical action film about the co-founder of the New People's Army, the militant arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines, Bernabe "Kumander Dante" Buscayno. Produced and directed by Ben "M7" Yalung from a screenplay by Ricky Lee, the film stars Phillip Salvador as the titular rebel, alongside Laarni Enriquez, Paquito Diaz, Charlie Davao, Robert Talabis, Bing Davao, Bomber Moran, King Gutierrez, E. R. Ejercito, and Ruben Rustia; Buscayno himself provides the narration. The film was produced by Cine Suerte and was released on September 1, 1988.

Production

It is actor Luis Gonzales' third portrayal of Ferdinand Marcos, after the films Iginuhit ng Tadhana in 1965 and Pinagbuklod ng Langit in 1969.

Bernabe Buscayno stated in an August 1988 interview on the television program Public Forum that "40% of the film is not true", sharing that director Ben Yalung had altered certain portions of Ricky Lee's screenplay involving action sequences such as by adding the fictional scene of Buscayno disguising himself as a woman in a Volkswagen, to which Buscayno said that he only used a kalesa when he needed to be brought to a hospital for treatment.

Phillip Salvador, who portrayed Buscayno in the film, also stated that they had to add scenes "for cinematic purposes" in order for the studio to make a profit at the box office and recoup the large budget it provided for the film.

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