Often referred to as the "Golden Age" of Filipino cinema, the 1950s saw several major releases from Premiere Productions, which specialized in action films. Titles include "Sawa sa Lumang Simbroyo" ("Python at the Old Dome"), which won the first-ever FAMAS in 1952 (the Filipino Oscars), "Salabusab" (1954) and "Huwag Mo Akong Limutin" (1960). Though more historical in context, the Philippines also produced "Ghengis Khan" (1950), the first Asian movie to ever be shown at the Cannes and Venice film festivals.
The 1960s saw a more a commercial brand of filmmaking as well as a loosening of censorship codes. Popular Filipino action genres included Filipino westerns (sometimes referred to "Pinoy Cowboy" films) and James Bond knockoffs. Thematically, cinema reflected upon the corruption of modern society. Further, grittier realistic approaches to stories and characters became fashionable. Interestingly, action sequences dominated many films, reducing dialogue to a minimum.
The 70s are commonly associated with the oppression of the Marcos dictatorship in the Philippines. However, at the same time, the cinema did not simply become one-dimensional propaganda. As much as Ferdinand clamped down on freedom of expression, his wife Imelda bolstered state-supported filmmaking. Among other films, "Asedillo" (1971) stands out as a strong action-drama about a teacher who becomes a rebel leader. The picture made the career of Fernando Poe Jr. who symbolized a champion of the downtrodden in the Filipino cinematic imagination. After the fall of Marcos, cinema in the Philippines became more formulaic though still engaging on a camp level with kung-fu absurdity and bottom-of-the-barrel special effects.
In the early 21st century Filipino cinema reached near collapse as Hollywood films began to take over local cinemas. However, digital cameras have brought filmmaking within reach of many more people than in the past. Elements of comedy to fantasy also show up in action films such as in 2010's blockbuster "Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote" in which monsters from another dimension scare and kidnap children.