Moro Witch Doctor

{{Infobox film

| name = Moro Witch Doctor

| image = Moro Witch Doctor poster.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Eddie Romero

| producer = {{ubl|Eddie Romero|Kane W. Lynn}}

| screenplay = Eddie Romero

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| music = Ariston Avelino

| cinematography = Felipe Sacdalan

| editing = Joven Calub

| studio = {{ubl|Associated Producers International|Hemisphere Pictures}}

| distributor = 20th Century Fox

| released = {{Film date|1964|11|}}

| runtime = {{ubl|90 minutes (Philippines)|61 minutes (Philippines)}}

| country = {{ubl|United States|Philippines}}

| language = {{ubl|English|Filipino}}

| budget = less than {{usd|65,000.00}}

| gross =

}}

Moro Witch Doctor ({{langx|fil|Amok}}) is a 1964 Filipino action-adventure film, written and directed by Eddie Romero, and co-produced by Romero, Kane W. Lynn and Irwin Pizor (doing business as "Hemisphere Pictures"). The film stars Jock Mahoney, Margia Dean, Pancho Magalona, Reed Hadley, Paraluman, Vic Diaz and Michael Parsons. The film was shot back to back with The Walls of Hell.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H9GknfDYd4sC&q=%22blood+and+steel%22+%22gene+corman%22&pg=PA41|page=65|title=The New Poverty Row: Independent Filmmakers as Distributors|first=Fred Olen|last= Ray|publisher=McFarland|date=1991|isbn=9780899506289}}

The film originally ran 90 minutes. It was sold to Robert L. Lippert who arranged for it to be released in November 1964, by 20th Century Fox in a 61-minute version.{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/83988/moro-witch-doctor |title=Moro Witch Doctor (1964) - Overview |publisher=Turner Classic Movies |date=1964-10-28 |access-date=2015-09-15}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/102885/Moro-Witch-Doctor/overview |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308201545/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/102885/Moro-Witch-Doctor/overview |url-status=dead |archive-date=2016-03-08 |title=Moro-Witch-Doctor - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes |department=Movies & TV Dept. |work=The New York Times |author=Sandra Brennan |date=2016 |accessdate=2015-09-15}}

Plot

CIA agent Jefferson Stark is ordered to the Philippines to investigate the double homicide of two American plantation owners, Cameron and Kruger. Authorities believe the two were killed as a result of local gun smuggling and drug dealing. Cameron's sister Paula helps Stark in his investigation, and learns her brother is still alive and has gone into hiding from the syndicate.

Stark discovers the plantation is all just a cover for the crime ring's smuggling operations. A fanatical cult leader named Datu Sumlang tries to buy the property, but when Paula refuses to sell, her brother's ex-friends start getting murdered. Stark uses Paula as a lure by telling her to meet him in Manila with a suitcase full of money. She gets attacked by the supposedly dead Kruger, and Stark comes to Paula's aid and kills him. With Kruger's death, the crime ring dissolves and her brother Cameron is exonerated.

Cast

Production

Margia Dean later recalled "It was a dangerous film to do. That was really roughing it. We had machine-gunned guards all along ... Jock Mahoney was not very pleasant to work with ... He was a pompous ass."{{Cite web|url=http://www.westernclippings.com/interview/margiadean_interview.shtml|title = Margia Dean Interview}}

See also

References

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