The Claws of Light - Production

Production

The film is based on a story written by Edgardo Reyes and serialized in Liwayway magazine from 1966 to 1967. For each episode or installment, Reyes provides enough incidents — bringing the end of the installment to enough of a conclusion — to satisfy readers, at the same time keeping enough elements unresolved to entice them back for more. After twenty or more installments full of subplots and side characters exiting or dying or having climactic fits, the reader notices several advantages and disadvantages.

The adaptation into film originally started out life as a writing exercise. In 1970, Clodualdo del Mundo, Jr., who had just graduated from the Ateneo de Manila two years prior, took a tutorial course. There, he wrote Pepot Artista (a screenplay he would later revisit in the 2000s). Del Mundo finished the screenplay for Pepot Artista by the middle of the semester, so he was requested to make another screenplay. Seeing the Edgardo Reyes novel as a perfect candidate, he proceeded with the task of adapting it, having no intention of the finished screenplay being filmed. The result was a spec script. Del Mundo eventually completed his course and relocated to the United States to continue his studies at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas.

Mike de Leon, grandson to Narcisa de Leon of LVN Pictures, had directed one short film and intended to expand his role in the film industry, namely as a producer. By chance, in 1974, De Leon stumbled upon the spec script (being recommended through a third party) and was enthusiastic that it would make a great feature to debut from his new production company, Cinema Artists. Having been friends with Del Mundo since their days at Ateneo, De Leon contacted the latter, who just happened to return from his four-year course in Kansas, that he had just read the script and thought about adapting it. Del Mundo gave De Leon his blessing and proceeded to polish the script further. Del Mundo would later recall, "It was the right time."

Lino Brocka, who had just received acclaim for his previous work Weighed But Found Wanting, was approached by De Leon to direct the adaptation. Brocka took this as an opportunity to create a scathing commentary about the urban poverty amidst the Marcos administration and never hesitated to include his trademark homosexual themes in the story. Brocka also requested Del Mundo to rework on a few scenes. “Brocka understood the popular audience well," Del Mundo says. "He suggested additions to the screenplay of Maynila to make it more commercial. It was fun working with him. Although he was quite emotional.”

The production title was eventually changed from Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag (lit. translation: In the Claws of Light) to Maynila... Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag (lit. translation: Manila... in the Claws of Light) to emphasize on the setting of the story.

An independent production, The Claws of Light was produced with a modest budget. It was shot on actual locations around the vicinity of Manila.