Cirio H. Santiago

Directing

Cirio H. Santiago

Born — Died

1936-01-18 — 2008-09-26

Place of birth

Manila, Philippines

Known for

Directing

Credits

41 titles

Producer/director Cirio H. Santiago is the son of Dr. Ciriaco Santiago, who founded Premiere Productions in Manila in 1946. He has two siblings. After starting out as a producer he started directing english-language movies in the early 70s. Santiago became one of the pioneers of the "Blaxploitation" genre by being one of the first to cast black actors and especially actresses as strong action heroes. Movies like TNT Jackson (1974) became instant cult classics. In the 80s, Santiago became known for his numerous low-budget Vietnam war movies such as Firehawk (1993) which gave him a reputation as the "master of the Vietnam war genre". A long running production partnership with Roger Corman assu…

Known for

The Big Doll House poster
5.6

Female prisoners in a Philippine jail are being subjected to sadistic torture. Five of the women, along with the help of two men, plot an escape.

The Big Doll House

1971

Blackbelt poster
5.1

Don "The Dragon" Wilson is back and forced to take on the greatest legends of the martial arts world. Wilson fights off all comers while defending rock superstar Shanna (Deirdre Imershein) against the insane attacks of a fanatical veteran John Sweet (Matthias Hues-I Come In Peace).

Blackbelt

1992

The Big Bird Cage poster
5.6

Women rebel against slave labor in a filthy jungle prison where they feed sugar cane to a mechanical maw.

The Big Bird Cage

1972

Eye of the Eagle poster
5.8

"The Lost Command," a bunch of notorious renegades, terrorize South Vietnam, forcing Sgt. Zack Skinner, HQ's best man to hunt down the Command to stop its killing spree.

Eye of the Eagle

1987

Angelfist poster
4.2

An assassination in the Philippines is caught on film by kickboxer Christy, which leads to her death at the hands of radicals intent on disrupting peace talks. Her sister Kat, a Los Angeles police officer, comes to Manila to try and bring justice to the people responsible. She enters the kickboxing tournament in order to get closer to the nefarious agents, and begins unravelling the twisted plan while narrowly evading the wrath of the Death Brigades.

Angelfist

1993

Last Stand at Lang Mei poster
10.0

Vietnam, 1968. Army Headquarters has written off Captain Fahey's men as Missing In Action after they were fighting deep over enemy lines. Cut off from their platoon, they must fight their way back, or die! A true story of bravery and courage set amidst the chaos of war, and witness the gripping conclusion to the bloodiest day in American war history

Last Stand at Lang Mei

1989

Film credits

Behind the camera

The Big Doll House poster
5.6

Female prisoners in a Philippine jail are being subjected to sadistic torture. Five of the women, along with the help of two men, plot an escape.

The Big Doll House

1971

Blackbelt poster
5.1

Don "The Dragon" Wilson is back and forced to take on the greatest legends of the martial arts world. Wilson fights off all comers while defending rock superstar Shanna (Deirdre Imershein) against the insane attacks of a fanatical veteran John Sweet (Matthias Hues-I Come In Peace).

Blackbelt

1992

The Big Bird Cage poster
5.6

Women rebel against slave labor in a filthy jungle prison where they feed sugar cane to a mechanical maw.

The Big Bird Cage

1972

Eye of the Eagle poster
5.8

"The Lost Command," a bunch of notorious renegades, terrorize South Vietnam, forcing Sgt. Zack Skinner, HQ's best man to hunt down the Command to stop its killing spree.

Eye of the Eagle

1987

Angelfist poster
4.2

An assassination in the Philippines is caught on film by kickboxer Christy, which leads to her death at the hands of radicals intent on disrupting peace talks. Her sister Kat, a Los Angeles police officer, comes to Manila to try and bring justice to the people responsible. She enters the kickboxing tournament in order to get closer to the nefarious agents, and begins unravelling the twisted plan while narrowly evading the wrath of the Death Brigades.

Angelfist

1993

Angelfist poster
4.2

An assassination in the Philippines is caught on film by kickboxer Christy, which leads to her death at the hands of radicals intent on disrupting peace talks. Her sister Kat, a Los Angeles police officer, comes to Manila to try and bring justice to the people responsible. She enters the kickboxing tournament in order to get closer to the nefarious agents, and begins unravelling the twisted plan while narrowly evading the wrath of the Death Brigades.

Angelfist

1993

Last Stand at Lang Mei poster
10.0

Vietnam, 1968. Army Headquarters has written off Captain Fahey's men as Missing In Action after they were fighting deep over enemy lines. Cut off from their platoon, they must fight their way back, or die! A true story of bravery and courage set amidst the chaos of war, and witness the gripping conclusion to the bloodiest day in American war history

Last Stand at Lang Mei

1989

Stranglehold poster
5.7

Deep inside the nation's top chemical weapons facility, a brilliant terrorist takes a Congresswoman hostage. The Navy can't stop him. The Air Force can't reach him. The Coast Guard can't kill him. Only one man can do the job: special agent Ryan Cooper. He's in a race against time to save the world, facing his greatest challenge yet!

Stranglehold

1994

TNT Jackson poster
4.8

A woman encounters thugs and drug dealers after traveling to Hong Kong to search for her missing brother.

TNT Jackson

1974

TNT Jackson poster
4.8

A woman encounters thugs and drug dealers after traveling to Hong Kong to search for her missing brother.

TNT Jackson

1974

Women in Cages poster
5.1

Carol Jeffries is a naive American woman staying in the Philippines. She is given ten years in prison after being set up by her drug-dealer boyfriend, Rudy. She endures the harsh conditions, sadistic head matron and attempts on her life, then convinces her cell-mates to try to escape with her through the jungle, in spite of the knowledge that ruthless trackers will be sent out after them.

Women in Cages

1971

Demon of Paradise poster
3.6

Hunters become the hunted when illegal dynamite disturbs the ageold slumber of a carnivorous lizardman. Resort owner Angela, joins forces with Sheriff Keefer to save tourists from the beast's path of death.

Demon of Paradise

1987

Demon of Paradise poster
3.6

Hunters become the hunted when illegal dynamite disturbs the ageold slumber of a carnivorous lizardman. Resort owner Angela, joins forces with Sheriff Keefer to save tourists from the beast's path of death.

Demon of Paradise

1987

Demon of Paradise poster
3.6

Hunters become the hunted when illegal dynamite disturbs the ageold slumber of a carnivorous lizardman. Resort owner Angela, joins forces with Sheriff Keefer to save tourists from the beast's path of death.

Demon of Paradise

1987

Wheels of Fire poster
4.2

The Future is now. There are no rules and no place to hide from the deadly Highway Warriors who ravage the roads in machines of destruction.

Wheels of Fire

1985

Wheels of Fire poster
4.2

The Future is now. There are no rules and no place to hide from the deadly Highway Warriors who ravage the roads in machines of destruction.

Wheels of Fire

1985

Angel of Destruction poster
5.1

Undercover cop Jo Alwood is out to avenge her sisters death at the hands of a serial killer.

Angel of Destruction

1994

Final Mission poster
4.5

When his family are murdered Vietnam War veteran, Vince Deacon, tracks down the man responsible for the murders and to get his revenge.

Final Mission

1984

Fly Me poster
4.9

Stewardesses battle kung fu killers.

Fly Me

1973

The Hot Box poster
4.7

After a young village boy dies on San Rosario island, the leader of the People's Army decides to kidnap a group of American nurses who have traveled there to work at the government medical center, demanding that they help set up a public health dispensary and teach the revolutionaries medical procedures and first aid.

The Hot Box

1972

Vampire Hookers poster
3.6

A sinister vampire sends out a horde of undead beauties to bring back victims for his dinner.

Vampire Hookers

1978

Lollipops and Roses poster
7.0

Obscure Philippine romance featuring appearances by Davy Jones and Don Johnson.

Lollipops and Roses

1971

Dune Warriors poster
4.0

After the end of the world, Earth is a thirsty planet ruled by vicious warlords. One woman is brave enough to fight back; she bands together five warriors to save her town and their precious water

Dune Warriors

1991

Dune Warriors poster
4.0

After the end of the world, Earth is a thirsty planet ruled by vicious warlords. One woman is brave enough to fight back; she bands together five warriors to save her town and their precious water

Dune Warriors

1991

Silk 2 poster
4.5

Silk, the smoothest, toughest, and sexiest cop in Honolulu is hot on the trail of ruthless art smugglers who are after a priceless Asian Scroll. Silk will stop at nothing to get her man, even if it means blowing up an entire building.

Silk 2

1990

Silk 2 poster
4.5

Silk, the smoothest, toughest, and sexiest cop in Honolulu is hot on the trail of ruthless art smugglers who are after a priceless Asian Scroll. Silk will stop at nothing to get her man, even if it means blowing up an entire building.

Silk 2

1990

Equalizer 2000 poster
4.1

In a bleak, postnuclear future world, warring factions struggle to claim the Equalizer 2000, the one weapon powerful enough to guarantee survival.

Equalizer 2000

1988

Equalizer 2000 poster
4.1

In a bleak, postnuclear future world, warring factions struggle to claim the Equalizer 2000, the one weapon powerful enough to guarantee survival.

Equalizer 2000

1988

Cover Girl Models poster
4.0

A fashion photography assignment teams three American models and inadvertently pitches them into the mystery and danger of international espionage, when an invaluable roll of microfilm secreted into one of the girls' fashion gowns, draws them into the violence and intrigue of a spy-vs-counterspy conspiracy.

Cover Girl Models

1975

Cover Girl Models poster
4.0

A fashion photography assignment teams three American models and inadvertently pitches them into the mystery and danger of international espionage, when an invaluable roll of microfilm secreted into one of the girls' fashion gowns, draws them into the violence and intrigue of a spy-vs-counterspy conspiracy.

Cover Girl Models

1975

Stryker poster
4.4

The world's water supply has dried up due to some sort of apocalypse. A beautiful woman holds the secret to where one of the last springs being guarded by a group of Amazons. A "Road Warrior" like crew captures her and tries to make her talk through brutal torture. The hero (Stryker) unites with some of the remaining "good guys" and the Amazons and frees the woman. They go on to a "Road Warrior" type of concluding battle with the bad guys.

Stryker

1983

Stryker poster
4.4

The world's water supply has dried up due to some sort of apocalypse. A beautiful woman holds the secret to where one of the last springs being guarded by a group of Amazons. A "Road Warrior" like crew captures her and tries to make her talk through brutal torture. The hero (Stryker) unites with some of the remaining "good guys" and the Amazons and frees the woman. They go on to a "Road Warrior" type of concluding battle with the bad guys.

Stryker

1983

Kill Zone poster
2.2

An American colonel will pay any price to defeat the Viet Cong. When his unauthorized fighting force in Cambodia is discovered, he becomes a one man army, fighting a war of his own for a cause he knows is just.

Kill Zone

1993

Kill Zone poster
2.2

An American colonel will pay any price to defeat the Viet Cong. When his unauthorized fighting force in Cambodia is discovered, he becomes a one man army, fighting a war of his own for a cause he knows is just.

Kill Zone

1993

Live by the Fist poster
5.1

A man is unjustly convicted of a brutal crime. In prison he must fight for survival, justice and freedom.

Live by the Fist

1993

Live by the Fist poster
5.1

A man is unjustly convicted of a brutal crime. In prison he must fight for survival, justice and freedom.

Live by the Fist

1993

Operation Balikatan poster
5.8

An elite group of American soldiers are in a race against time in this action thriller from director Cirio H. Santiago. Stacy Keach stars as the general in charge of the team tasked with infiltrating a terrorist organization and saving an American politician before the bad guys kill him. When Eagles Strike also stars Christian Boeving and Davee Youngblood.

Operation Balikatan

2003

Operation Balikatan poster
5.8

An elite group of American soldiers are in a race against time in this action thriller from director Cirio H. Santiago. Stacy Keach stars as the general in charge of the team tasked with infiltrating a terrorist organization and saving an American politician before the bad guys kill him. When Eagles Strike also stars Christian Boeving and Davee Youngblood.

Operation Balikatan

2003

Up from the Depths poster
3.7

The staff and vacationers at a first-class resort on the island of Maui are beginning to mysteriously disappear. A biologist believes that an underwater earthquake has caused a giant and very hungry dormant prehistoric fish to be released from its slumber. The fish voraciously helps itself to a tourist buffet. Now it is open season for the local fishermen to find and kill the creature.

Up from the Depths

1979

Raiders of the Sun poster
4.4

Bloodthirsty factions rule the barren earth. It's the 21st Century and a biological disaster has ruined the planet. Here, in a world where gunpowder is more valuable than gold, a few hundred survivors wage the final conflict for power and control. Yet among them rises a new warrior, destined to shape the aeons which will follow -- a man who stops at nothing to achieve his ends, and for whom courage is the only commodity

Raiders of the Sun

1992