Thriller in Manilla?
July 20, 2007 5:32 AM Subscribe
Interesting. I wonder who came up with the idea? The prisoners definitely seem into (especially the couple, that was hilarious) but it must have institutional backing.
Imagine that talk with the warden:
"Sir, do you like Michael Jackson?"
"Umm.. what?"
"Well, what do you say to a re-enactment of a his 80's hit Thriller in which all the prisoners participate? This will involve drag, choreographed dancing and a whole lot of zombie impersonation. Oh, we're going to put it online afterwards."
"Guards, two weeks in this hole for this guy."
posted by purephase at 5:41 AM on July 20, 2007
Imagine that talk with the warden:
"Sir, do you like Michael Jackson?"
"Umm.. what?"
"Well, what do you say to a re-enactment of a his 80's hit Thriller in which all the prisoners participate? This will involve drag, choreographed dancing and a whole lot of zombie impersonation. Oh, we're going to put it online afterwards."
"Guards, two weeks in this hole for this guy."
posted by purephase at 5:41 AM on July 20, 2007
Wow, that is so weird. And great.
posted by billysumday at 5:41 AM on July 20, 2007
posted by billysumday at 5:41 AM on July 20, 2007
My dad always told me it was inadvisable to dress up as a woman and dance around when in a Phillipine jail.
posted by Jofus at 5:43 AM on July 20, 2007 [3 favorites]
posted by Jofus at 5:43 AM on July 20, 2007 [3 favorites]
This is why the internet was invented.
posted by PenDevil at 5:46 AM on July 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by PenDevil at 5:46 AM on July 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
Actually it put me in mind of the old adage "There's a fine line between Michael Jackson and a savage prison gang-rape."
posted by Jofus at 5:48 AM on July 20, 2007 [5 favorites]
posted by Jofus at 5:48 AM on July 20, 2007 [5 favorites]
The sight of all these supposedly anti-social losers all working together in unison is awe-inspiring.
I'm also reminded, as I periodically am when I see something like this, of a quote from Dave Barry: It would be easier to get the entire nation of Japan to wear matching uniforms than to get any two randomly selected Americans to agree on pizza toppings.
posted by DU at 5:51 AM on July 20, 2007
I'm also reminded, as I periodically am when I see something like this, of a quote from Dave Barry: It would be easier to get the entire nation of Japan to wear matching uniforms than to get any two randomly selected Americans to agree on pizza toppings.
posted by DU at 5:51 AM on July 20, 2007
Also, I'd be interested in seeing graphs of prison violence and related data from before, during and after the time period they were working on this project.
posted by DU at 5:53 AM on July 20, 2007
posted by DU at 5:53 AM on July 20, 2007
You remember your cues and your remember your moves. Any man who forgets his cue spends a night in the box. Any man who turns wrong spends a night in the box. You keep to your space and step lightly. Any man stepping on any other man's feet spends a night in the box.
posted by kingfisher, his musclebound cat at 5:53 AM on July 20, 2007 [5 favorites]
posted by kingfisher, his musclebound cat at 5:53 AM on July 20, 2007 [5 favorites]
The headline is genius. Bravo.
posted by humblepigeon at 6:01 AM on July 20, 2007
posted by humblepigeon at 6:01 AM on July 20, 2007
Does anybody know where I can get an orange "CPDRC INMATE" t-shirt?
Somebody should start making those. Seriously.
posted by humblepigeon at 6:03 AM on July 20, 2007
Somebody should start making those. Seriously.
posted by humblepigeon at 6:03 AM on July 20, 2007
Much more fun than "So You Think You Can Dance?"
posted by Jody Tresidder at 6:11 AM on July 20, 2007
posted by Jody Tresidder at 6:11 AM on July 20, 2007
More info at Vice Magazine on the Cebu Prison, where this occurred. I believe this film was made while the Vice Mag reporter was at the prison, researching for his piece.
posted by syzygy at 6:13 AM on July 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by syzygy at 6:13 AM on July 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
Warning - that above link to the Vice Magazine article may be NSFW. Didn't realize until after I'd posted it.
posted by syzygy at 6:15 AM on July 20, 2007
posted by syzygy at 6:15 AM on July 20, 2007
Thrust, Spin, Turn, Pivot, Pout, Jiggy, Jiggy, Robot, Dosee-do and close with a Matrix.
posted by ao4047 at 6:22 AM on July 20, 2007
posted by ao4047 at 6:22 AM on July 20, 2007
from the article
When not sitting around waiting, the prisoners do mass exercises in the yard. All 900 of them. Garcia had them do the “YMCA” for my amusement. It was incredibly depressing. He posted the video on YouTube under his real name.
Silly naive me, for thinking these inmates had a choice in doing this.
posted by jouke at 6:24 AM on July 20, 2007
When not sitting around waiting, the prisoners do mass exercises in the yard. All 900 of them. Garcia had them do the “YMCA” for my amusement. It was incredibly depressing. He posted the video on YouTube under his real name.
Silly naive me, for thinking these inmates had a choice in doing this.
posted by jouke at 6:24 AM on July 20, 2007
Regarding the title "Thriller in Manilla":
Manila.
Cebu.
That's all.
posted by brownpau at 7:10 AM on July 20, 2007
Manila.
Cebu.
That's all.
posted by brownpau at 7:10 AM on July 20, 2007
Yeah, I figured they were different but I was stretching for a title. Thus the question mark. Any better ideas?
posted by exogenous at 7:12 AM on July 20, 2007
posted by exogenous at 7:12 AM on July 20, 2007
He posted the video on YouTube under his real name.
Just so that's quite clear to everyone: the director of this prison posted a video of his inmates performing Thriller on Youtube.
He has posted other dance routine videos, including "Radio Gaga" and "Hail Holy Queen".
Words. fail. me.
posted by progosk at 7:14 AM on July 20, 2007 [3 favorites]
Just so that's quite clear to everyone: the director of this prison posted a video of his inmates performing Thriller on Youtube.
He has posted other dance routine videos, including "Radio Gaga" and "Hail Holy Queen".
Words. fail. me.
posted by progosk at 7:14 AM on July 20, 2007 [3 favorites]
In fact, it was a YouTube comment that suggested he do Thriller.
TakingBackFlow (2 months ago)
Do thriller!
byronfgarcia (2 months ago)
ok, will do!
posted by progosk at 7:44 AM on July 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
TakingBackFlow (2 months ago)
Do thriller!
byronfgarcia (2 months ago)
ok, will do!
posted by progosk at 7:44 AM on July 20, 2007 [1 favorite]
He wrote an op-ed outlining his brand of penology.
"Inmates at the CPDRC are required to go through a workout regimen. While the goal is to keep the body fit in order to keep the mind fit, such may not actually happen if it is not done in a manner deemed pleasurable. Music, being the language of the soul, is added to that regimen."
posted by progosk at 7:53 AM on July 20, 2007
"Inmates at the CPDRC are required to go through a workout regimen. While the goal is to keep the body fit in order to keep the mind fit, such may not actually happen if it is not done in a manner deemed pleasurable. Music, being the language of the soul, is added to that regimen."
posted by progosk at 7:53 AM on July 20, 2007
The following is an excerpt from a photo caption on page 3 of the Vice Magazine article:
This is Byron F. Garcia with his bitches. The CPDRC gang tattoo is his name—no joke. All of these women have the official “Byron F. Garcia” insignia, which consists of a sword as the scales of justice and a red rose with thorns. Leo, the mayor de mayoris and ex-cop, has the same tattoo on his chest. Garcia runs the jail like his personal S&M dungeon, and he doesn’t care if you know it. Why should he? His sister is governor and his dad is a senator. You can’t touch him.
posted by syzygy at 8:10 AM on July 20, 2007
This is Byron F. Garcia with his bitches. The CPDRC gang tattoo is his name—no joke. All of these women have the official “Byron F. Garcia” insignia, which consists of a sword as the scales of justice and a red rose with thorns. Leo, the mayor de mayoris and ex-cop, has the same tattoo on his chest. Garcia runs the jail like his personal S&M dungeon, and he doesn’t care if you know it. Why should he? His sister is governor and his dad is a senator. You can’t touch him.
posted by syzygy at 8:10 AM on July 20, 2007
The only way this could have been better would be if Michael Jackson were there. Not necessarily performing, but certainly in prison.
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:24 AM on July 20, 2007
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:24 AM on July 20, 2007
Strangely the CPDRC has been mentioned before on Metafilter relating to the Japanese show Pythagoras Switch where the inmates performed the algorithm march.YouTube
posted by TheCassiniDivision at 9:25 AM on July 20, 2007
posted by TheCassiniDivision at 9:25 AM on July 20, 2007
iIn fact, it was a YouTube comment that suggested he do Thriller.
He's taking requests?
posted by YoBananaBoy at 9:50 AM on July 20, 2007
He's taking requests?
posted by YoBananaBoy at 9:50 AM on July 20, 2007
"My dad always told me it was inadvisable to dress up as a woman and dance around when in a Phillipine jail."
That is one homely queen. Almost as bad as the dogwalking tranny in my neighborhood, and 30 years younger.
Which brings me to my request for the warden: I'd like all the prisoners to do everything Fred Astaire did, only backwards and in 6" heels.
posted by davy at 10:10 AM on July 20, 2007
That is one homely queen. Almost as bad as the dogwalking tranny in my neighborhood, and 30 years younger.
Which brings me to my request for the warden: I'd like all the prisoners to do everything Fred Astaire did, only backwards and in 6" heels.
posted by davy at 10:10 AM on July 20, 2007
Man, "Thriller" is a stupid-looking dance routine. It always was, and I said so 20 years ago.
That said, when I was 10 years old I wished I could have a lovely Afro just like Michael Jackson. I settled for being a hippie commie fag just like Jesus.
posted by davy at 10:18 AM on July 20, 2007
That said, when I was 10 years old I wished I could have a lovely Afro just like Michael Jackson. I settled for being a hippie commie fag just like Jesus.
posted by davy at 10:18 AM on July 20, 2007
that is nuts. aren't these guys supposed to be in jail?
posted by domdom at 11:34 AM on July 20, 2007
posted by domdom at 11:34 AM on July 20, 2007
"I knew shows like OZ were full of shit." - hornung
posted by tastybrains at 11:36 AM on July 20, 2007
posted by tastybrains at 11:36 AM on July 20, 2007
This post is totally what this post said this post was.
posted by regicide is good for you at 10:30 PM on July 20, 2007
posted by regicide is good for you at 10:30 PM on July 20, 2007
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