Scorpio Nights

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title: "Scorpio Nights" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1985-films", "1980s-erotic-thriller-films", "1985-philippine-films", "filipino-language-films", "films-about-adultery", "films-directed-by-peque-gallaga", "films-produced-by-lily-y.-monteverde", "films-scored-by-jaime-fabregas", "films-scored-by-nonong-buencamino", "films-set-in-metro-manila", "films-shot-in-metro-manila", "films-with-screenplays-by-rosauro-q.-dela-cruz", "philippine-erotic-thriller-films", "regal-entertainment-films"] description: "1985 erotic thriller film by Peque Gallaga" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpio_Nights" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 1985 erotic thriller film by Peque Gallaga ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox film"]

Field	Value
name	Scorpio Nights
image	Scorpio Nights poster.jpg
caption	Theatrical poster of the film in monochrome.
director	Peque Gallaga
producer	Lily Yu Monteverde
screenplay	Rosauro Q. Dela Cruz
story
starring	{{Plainlist
music
cinematography	Ely Cruz
editing	Jesus M. Navarro
studio	Regal Films
distributor	Regal Entertainment
released
runtime	126 minutes
country	Philippines
language
::

| name = Scorpio Nights | image = Scorpio Nights poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical poster of the film in monochrome. | director = Peque Gallaga | producer = Lily Yu Monteverde | screenplay = Rosauro Q. Dela Cruz | story = | starring = {{Plainlist|

• Daniel Fernando
• Orestes Ojeda
• Anna Marie Gutierrez | music = | cinematography = Ely Cruz | editing = Jesus M. Navarro | studio = Regal Films | distributor = Regal Entertainment | released = | runtime = 126 minutes | country = Philippines | language = Scorpio Nights is a 1985 Philippine erotic thriller film directed by Peque Gallaga from a screenplay by Rosauro "Uro" Q. Dela Cruz, based on a story concept written by T.E. Pagaspas and art director Romel Bernardino. It is about a love affair between a young man and a married woman who become entangled in their uncontrollable urge for sex.

It stars Orestes Ojeda, Anna Marie Gutierrez, and Daniel Fernando in his acting debut while Dwight Gaston, Pen Medina, Angelo Castro Jr., and some of the film's production staff including writer-director Rosauro "Uro" Q. Dela Cruz and art director Rommel Bernardino as the supporting cast and special participation.

Produced and released by Regal Films on June 18, 1985, the film was controversial but played a key role in defining Filipino erotic films of the decade.

Plot

The film is set in a shabby apartment where Danny resides above the room of a security guard and his wife. Every day, the husband goes home, eats his dinner, washes the dishes, goes straight to bed, and makes love to his wife. Danny plays Peeping Tom and every night observes through a hole in his floorboard. Unable to control his urges, he goes to the room of the wife where he does the same things that the husband does to her with no resistance. The two perform the act repeatedly until they fall in love with each other. The husband finds out that his wife is cheating on him, when one day he walks in on them while they are having sex, and shoots them both. He then shoots himself while having sex with his dead wife.

Cast

• Orestes Ojeda as Security Guard
• Anna Marie Gutierrez as Security Guard's wife
• Daniel Fernando as Danny
• Amanda Amores as Fely
• Eugene Enriquez as Genio
• Crispin Medina as Pen (Barkada #1)
• Rosauro "Uro" dela Cruz as Barkada #2
• Lorenzo "Lore" A. Reyes as Barkada #3
• Rafael "Apol" Salonga as Barkada #4
• Mike Austria as Mike
• Carlos "Caloy" Balasbas as Elton
• Carlito Abracia as Carlo
• Jed Abroleda as Ilonggo Student #1
• Dwight Gaston as Ilonggo Student #2
• Erin John Martir as Ilonggo Student #3
• Angelo Castro Jr. as Police Director
• Rommel Bernardino as Security Guard's Friend
• Chuck Ontal as Drug Addict
• Arbie Antonio as Taxi Driver
• Peque Gallaga as Fely's Father
• Madeleine Gallaga as Fely's Mother

Production

The film was one of several funded by the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines, a government-owned and controlled corporation then headed by Imee Marcos.

Casting

The role of Danny was originally offered by project coordinator Douglas Quijano and Regal Films founder Lily Monteverde to then-matinee idol Richard Gomez but turned down because he was unable to do nude scenes.

According to Daniel Fernando when he was interviewed by Boy Abunda in his show Tonight with Boy Abunda, he was a student at the University of the East in that time when he was discovered by a talent coordinator in the audition and he would later introduce to Peque Gallaga, the film's director. To prepare for his role, he participated in the acting workshop for one month including the workshop dealing with scenes that contain nudity where he was already comfortable at.

Reception

Legacy

The film is considered one of the most controversial and important Filipino films of its time. Despite being provocative, it has been commended for its social relevance. Set towards the beginning of the end of the Marcos regime, it portrayed the chaotic economy of those years, when street protests related to Ninoy Aquino's assassination were still ongoing.

Critical reception

In the retrospective review by film critic Noel Vera, the sensual scenes of Scorpio Nights were directly similar to Nagisa Oshima's controversial 1976 film In the Realm of the Senses but Gallaga only outshines Oshima in terms of psychological realism and suspense.

Sequel

A standalone sequel, Peque Gallaga's Scorpio Nights 2, was released on February 2, 1999. It starred Albert Martinez and Joyce Jimenez and was directed by Erik Matti under VIVA Films, with Gallaga serving as producer. The film earned ₱60 million at the Philippine box-office. Another sequel, Scorpio Nights 3 starring Christine Bermas, Mark Anthony Fernandez, and Gold Aceron was released on July 29, 2022. It was produced by Peque Gallaga and directed by Lawrence Fajardo under Vivamax.

Remake

The 2001 Korean film Summertime is based on this movie.

References

References

1. Zafra, Jessica. (November 2, 2007). "Scorpio nights". [[The Philippine Star.
2. (March 22, 1999). "Rated X: 'Scorpio Nights' and 'Sibak'". Manila Standard.
3. Franco, Bernie V.. (September 17, 2022). "Richard Gomez recalls refusing to do Scorpio Nights".
4. "Heated fights, steamy set: How Peque Gallaga's sex classic 'Scorpio Nights' was made". ABS-CBN.
5. ''CRITIC AFTER DARK: Oro, Plata, Mata (Gold, Silver, Death; Peque Gallaga, 1982)'', Noel Vera, March 13, 2013.
6. (June 23, 2010). "Scorpio nights". [[Summit Media.
7. (March 14, 1999). "Sex in Tagalog Movies". Manila Standard.
8. (July 2, 2022). "Christine Bermas says she is wild in 'Scorpio Nights 3' but conservative in real life".
9. Cruz, Oggs. (May 24, 2008). "Scorpio Nights (1985)". Lessons From the School of Inattention.

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