Cirio H. Santiago

Born: 1936-01-18 in Manila, Philippines

Died: 2008-09-26

Known For: Directing

Biography

Producer/director Cirio H. Santiago is the son of Dr. Ciriaco Santiago, who founded Premiere Productions in Manila in 1946. He has two siblings. After starting out as a producer he started directing english-language movies in the early 70s. Santiago became one of the pioneers of the "Blaxploitation" genre by being one of the first to cast black actors and especially actresses as strong action heroes. Movies like TNT Jackson (1974) became instant cult classics. In the 80s, Santiago became known for his numerous low-budget Vietnam war movies such as Firehawk (1993) which gave him a reputation as the "master of the Vietnam war genre". A long running production partnership with Roger Corman assured proper distribution of his movies in the USA. Many of today's hottest filmmakers such as Jonathan Demme, Joe Dante or Carl Franklin got their first directing jobs with Santiago. In 1995 he was named president of the Philippines Film Development Funds by President Ramos. The organization strives to uplift the quality of Filipino filmmaking to new, higher standards and to encourage production of foreign movies on location in the Philippines. Premiere Productions, headed by Cirio H. Santiago, still remains one of the biggest studios in the Philippines and went public in 1997.

Filmography

2014

Water Wars ... (Director)

2010

Machete Maidens Unleashed! as Self

2006

The Hunt for Eagle One ... (Co-Producer)

2005

Bloodfist 2050 ... (Director)

2003

Captain Barbell ... (Executive Producer)
Operation Balikatan ... (Director)

1998

Ama Namin ... (Executive Producer)

1997

Vulcan ... (Director)
Wild Grass ... (Executive Producer)

1995

Terminal Virus ... (Producer)

1994

Angel of Destruction ... (Producer)
Stranglehold ... (Director)
One Man Army ... (Director)
Ultimatum ... (Director)
Caged Heat II: Stripped of Freedom ... (Producer)

1993

Kill Zone ... (Director)
Angelfist ... (Director)
Terror in Paradise ... (Producer)
Live by the Fist ... (Director)
Firehawk ... (Director)

1992

Blackbelt ... (Producer)
Raiders of the Sun ... (Director)
Beyond the Call of Duty ... (Director)

1991

Dune Warriors ... (Director)
Field of Fire ... (Director)

1990

Silk 2 ... (Director)
Bloodfist II ... (Line Producer)

1989

Bloodfist ... (Line Producer)
Last Stand at Lang Mei ... (Director)
Nam Angels ... (Director)
Eye of the Eagle 2: Inside the Enemy ... (Producer)
Blackbelt II: Fatal Force ... (Executive Producer)

1988

Equalizer 2000 ... (Director)
The Sisterhood ... (Director)
Killer Instinct ... (Director)
Fast Gun ... (Director)
The Expendables ... (Director)

1987

Eye of the Eagle ... (Director)
Demon of Paradise ... (Director)

1986

Silk ... (Director)
Future Hunters ... (Director)
The Devastator ... (Director)

1985

Naked Vengeance ... (Director)
Wheels of Fire ... (Director)

1984

Final Mission ... (Director)

1983

Stryker ... (Director)
Caged Fury ... (Director)

1981

Firecracker ... (Director)

1980

Gabi ng Lagim Ngayon ... (Director)

1979

Up from the Depths ... (Producer)

1978

Vampire Hookers ... (Director)
Doble Kara ... (Director)
Death Force ... (Director)
Hell Hole ... (Director)

1977

Tinimbang Ka, Bakit Husto? ... (Producer)

1976

Once a Moth ... (Executive Producer)
Ebony, Ivory & Jade ... (Director)
The Muthers ... (Director)
Hustler Squad ... (Producer)

1975

Cover Girl Models ... (Director)

1974

TNT Jackson ... (Director)
Happy Days Are Here Again ... (Director)
Fe, Esperanza, Caridad ... (Director)
Bamboo Gods and Iron Men ... (Producer)

1973

Savage! ... (Director)
Fly Me ... (Director)
Impossible Dream ... (Director)

1972

The Big Bird Cage ... (Producer)
The Hot Box ... (Producer)

1971

The Big Doll House ... (Producer)
Women in Cages ... (Producer)
Lollipops and Roses ... (Producer)

1970

The Arizona Kid ... (Producer)
A Time for Dying ... (Writer)

1966

Wanted: Johnny L ... (Director)
7 Gabi sa Hong Kong ... (Producer)

1964

The Blood Drinkers ... (Producer)
Darna At Ang Babaing Tuod ... (Director)

1963

Right Between The Eyes ... (Director)

1962

Masikip ang Daigdig ... (Director)

1961

Konsiyerto ng Kamatayan ... (Director)
Pitong Gabi sa Paris ... (Producer)
Footsteps without a Trace ... (Director)

1960

Pagsapit ng Hatinggabi ... (Director)

1959

Anak ng Bulkan ... (Idea)

1958

Cavalry Command ... (Producer)
Pepeng Kaliwete ... (Director)
Laban sa Lahat ... (Director)
Pusang Itim ... (Story)

1957

Tokyo 1960 ... (Producer)
Bicol Express ... (Director)

1954

Ifugao ... (Screenplay)