Dante Varona | WatchedThis
Dante Varona
Acting
Biography
Dante Varona was a former Filipino actor and movie director in the Philippines. He was considered one of the famous action stars from 1970s up to 1980s together with Fernando Poe, Jr., Joseph Estrada, Jun Aristorenas, Ramon Revilla, Ramon Zamora, Rey Malonzo, Anthony Alonzo, Lito Lapid, Rudy Fernandez and Ace Vergel among others. One of his famous stunts involved jumping from the San Juanico Bridge inHari Ng Stunt (King Of Stunts). Varona began his movie career in 1968 in Mangificent Siete Bandidas. Leading roles in his early career included Master Stuntman (1970) andLeon Dimasupil (1973). He did also a movie Gulapa (1977) with Ramon Revilla in a true-to-life-story of former Mayor Patrocinio Z. Gulapa of Maragondon, Cavite and the movie Carding Estrabel: Tirador Ng Malabon (1980), based on the life story of Ricardo Luciano. In 1981, action star Dante Varona made a daring and spectacular stunt act when he jumped at the San Juanico Bridge for a scene in “Hari ng Stunt.” It’s a make-or-break for this struggling actor whose movie career was in limbo for quite sometime and can’t seem to have a headstart. That breathtaking leap changed his fortune overnight. The movie was dubbed as “The most death defying action thriller of the year!” He became an instant sensation and propelled him to superstardom.[1] He directed some of his films' Raging Anger (1984), Bangkay Mo Akong Hahakbangin(1986) and Ratratan (1999). He was included in a Hollywood movie Dune Warriors, starring David Carradine, Rick Hill, Blake Boyd and Maria Isabel Lopez. He is the father of Metropop Songfest finalists and now a singer Tanya Varona.[
Filmography Movies
Acting
Kung Tawagin Siya'y Bathala
A 1980 Filipino action film from Carlo J. Caparas
Blood and Love on a Piece of Land
The greatest, longest, most expensive film produced in the film history of the Philippines. Five segments with an all-star cast, directed by five directors with a running time of 3 hours and 20 minutes.
Kosa
Two convicts become friends because of their common goal, which is to plot revenge on their enemies.
Cleopatra Wong
Singapore's top policewoman, Miss Cleopatra Wong, who heads the Seasian Interpol Criminal Investigation Department (C.I.D.), teams up with her Filipino counterpart to bust a counterfeit currency operation that threatens several Asian countries with bankruptcy. Their dangerous quest takes them from Singapore to Hong Kong and finally Manila where they locate the counterfeit ring's Asian headquarters, which is being run by local nuns, forced into slave labor.
Berdugo
Based on a comic strip, an escaped convict finds a mystical double-axe and executioner's costume, including a black hood, pants, and boots. He pretends to be a hunchback, the hump on his back is really the backpack containing his Berdugo outfit and double-axe with a handle that magically retracts and extends in which he fights goons, criminals, and even supernatural creatures like aswang.
Production
Bangkay Mo Akong Hahakbangan
Official entry to the first Metro Manila Film Festival in 1986 directed by Dante Varona and starred Dante Varona, Melissa Mendez, Paquito Diaz, Millicent Bautista, Aurora Sevilla, Fred Moro, Usman Hassim, Rocco Montalban and Joko Diaz.
Raging Anger
Even after Vietnam, things don't look any better for the highly decorated Sergeant Renato. He is now in jail for killing the brother of an influential rice trader in self-defense. But that's not all, the rice dealer has Renato's wife murdered and kidnaps his little son. Renato breaks out of jail to finally put a stop to the businessman. He receives unexpected help from his daughter, but at the same time Renato is even being pursued by the military for breaking out of prison. Finally he has one last chance, he has to join forces with the rebels to fight the boss.