FILM REVIEW: PAANO BA ANG MANGARAP

Posted on December 7, 2012 by @ffv Standard

The Plot: “Despite their different social backgrounds, Lisa (Vilma Santos) and Benny (Jay Ilagan) have found their match in each other. Unfortunately, Benny dies before they could marry, and Lisa is left with no choice but to seek the help of Benny’s parents. But their arrogance is as lofty as their fortune, and to them, Lisa is nothing but an opportunist. Their only concern is their late son’s unborn child that Lisa is carrying in her womb. The only person who treats Liza with kindness is Eric (Christopher de Leon), Benny’s brother, who has secretly fallen in love with her…” – Kabayan (READ MORE)

“Despite their different social backgrounds, Lissa and Benny have found their match in each other. Unfortunately, Benny dies before they could marry, and Lissa is left with no choice but to seek the help of Benny’s parents. But their arrogance is as lofty as their fortune, and to them, Lissa is nothing but an opportunist. Their only concern is their late son’s unborn child that Lissa is carrying in her womb. The only person who treats Lissa with kindness is Eric, Benny’s brother, who has secretly fallen in love with her, Eric even made a promise to Benny that he would find Lissa & take good care of her, a promise that Eric vowed he will never break.” – Wikipedia (READ MORE)

The Reviews: “Paano ba ang mangarap?” rates high for its slickness and production gloss, something that its producers, Viva Films, shouldn’t hope would last them more than two seasons.

Eddie Garcia is a good director. He stages his scenes well, with a minimum of fuss and a modicum of winning faith in narrative primacy. Viva’s movies are well-structured, well-paced, and at their best show how the cosmopolitan Filipino behaves under romantic stress. But if you get past that level and dig into substance, you encounter that self-same compost pit wherein all the biodegradable scraps of melodrama you can find southeast of your favorite mother’s kitchen have been thrown.

Such is the case, to a most lamentable extreme, with Paano Ba ang Mangarap? It’s well-acted, well-done, tastefully correct in elementary mode. But it is strictly local comics fare, this well-wrought turn of circumstantial twist and escalating conflicts which all spell high drama. Viva makes films that are at best our answer to Hollywoodian slick, the stuff of which The Other Side of Midnight and Imitation of Life are prime generational examples. The Barbra Cartlands and Harold Robbinses turned celluloid; Mills and Boon on the big screen.

Here you have two fine actors, Christopher de Leon and Vilma Santos, waxing once again with their special chemistry. Boyet is so good he can, by merely varying his inflection, go through a simple line like “Tama na..” three times and prove positively sensitive and believable each time. Subtlety of feeling is shared equally well by Vilma Santos. They are both aware of the value of underplaying their emotional scenes, so much so that in any confrontation with other thespians who play their role to the hilt, these two, Boyet and Vilma, come out on top through the simple process of undercutting.

Vic Silayan and Perla Bautista are equally good in Paano Ba ang Mangarap?, but it is Moody Diaz who wins us over by applying a different tack in her “mayordoma” role, something that is usually played for laughs and other such effects by less gifted, or less imaginative, performers. Armida Siguion-Reyna is hampered by her termagant mother-in-law role, the catch-all character of cruelty spawned by all the soap opera dramas of Philippine comics and radio serials. And she plays this thoroughly unbelievable character, typecast as she already is, much to the hilt. That fantasy scene where she makes out like a satanic figure, though well-shot by Romy Vitug, is quite embarrassing for a picture like this, except of course we know that it is based on a comics serial where such fictive excesses may appear.

Here is where this otherwise finely-crafted film suffers. Viva knew it had to be faithful to the comics serial, so in effect opted for the surefire commercial draw at the expense of a truly artistic, credible film. I’m not saying that a character like Mrs. Monteverde does not, or cannot, exist. Perhaps one in a million. Filipino mothers can be as overbearing, prejudiced, unfeeling, and downright cruel. But to have a situation where an improbable character like her meets up with other improbable characters like the one Vilma and Christopher play, is stacking up the cards too much on the side of atrocious melodrama.

Vilma is the martyr type who would subject herself to indignities just so her coming child can have a name and possibly better upbringing. Boyet is the unloved son who would ditch his sophisticated girlfriend (Amy Austria, who is still uncomfortable in such role, so she doesn’t fare too well here) for this martyr-type who’s been impregnated by his brother. Now, any of these characters may exist, if by a long chance. But to have them all together living under the same roof is stretching the bounds of possibility much too much.

Furthermore, it could have been a better ending had the Viva bosses decided to stop at that scene where Vilma finds herself left alone on Christmas in the rich surroundings she has always dreamt of. Now only the household help can give her token solace by way of a collective gift. It is a poignant scene, stylistically done to proper effect with the usual Viva-film theme wafting through in support of silent montage. It could have been a good open ending, with overtones of irony laying themselves squarely on Vilma’s character. But no, of course one can’t disappoint the followers of the original comics serial. So the story goes on through further typical maneuverings until we’re given at least a semblance of a happy ending. A missed chance, I say. – Alfred A. Yuson, Philippines Daily Inquirer July 17 1983 (READ MORE)

“A true blooded Vilmanian will not forget the time when a teaser (a very brief trailer) was shown to the theatres in the summer of 1991. It was Viva films’ “Paano Ba Ang Mangarap?” Another box office hit from Vilma Santos and Christopher DeLeon. The teaser (almost worth the whole movie ticket) was the scene where Lisa, played by Vilma discovered that her son (to Eric’s brother , Jay Ilagan) was gone courtesy of her evil rich mother-in-law (Armida Sigueon Reyna). Here’s the lines and the explosive acting of the Queen. The scene: After running around looking for the baby in all the rooms in second floor of of this huge mansion, Lisa confronted Eric who were stunned to find Lisa’s hysterics. Lisa: “Dinaya n’yo ako! Saan n’yo dinala ang anak ko?!!!” Eric: “Hindi ko alam!” Lisa: “Hindi mo alam…Sinungaling!” Eric: “Lisa, makinig ka muna” Lisa: “Kasabwat ka ng ina mo! Alam ko matagal nyo nang plano ito!” Eric: “Ano bang pinagsasabi mo?” Lisa: “Dinaya n’yo ako! Mga Traydor Kayo! Traydor kayong lahat!” Eric: “Lisa, huminahon ka baka mapaano ang bata!” Lisa: “Wala akong pakialam! Ibalik mo sa akin si Jun Jun! Ibalik mo sa akin ang anak ko! Ibalik mo sa akin si Jun Jun! Ibalik mo sa akin! AHHHH! (mahuhulog sa hagdanan)” Just this scene alone, Vilma should be rewarded that years best actress award! Bravo!” – RV (READ MORE)

“Dahil Father’s Day ngayon, nais nating bigyan ng magandang tribute ang nakilala nang ama ng maraming artista ng iba’t ibang henerasyon na si Eddie Garcia. Hindi lang mahusay na bida at kontrabida si Eddie kundi mahusay rin siya bilang isang film director. Taong 1961 nang idirek ni Eddie ang kanyang unang pelikula titled “Karugtong Ng Kahapon” kunsaan bida sina Mario Montenegro, Rita Gomez, Ric Rodrigo at Marlene Dauden. Higit na 36 movies pa ang dinirek ni Eddie na iba-iba ang tema…Paano Ba Ang Mangarap? (1983), Tungkol ito kay Lisa (Vilma Santos) na nabuntis ni Benny (Jay llagan) pero noong mamatay ito sa isang aksidente, ang kapatid nitong si Eric (Christopher de Leon) ang nagpakasal kay Lisa para mabigyan ng pangalan ang bata. Ginawa niya ito kahit na may girlfriend siya na si Maya (Amy Austria). Hindi pabor sa simula pa lang ang ina nila Benny at Eric na si Senyora Francia (Armida Siguion-Reyna) at gumawa ito ng paraan para mailayo kay Lisa ang anak nitong si Jun-Jun. Nanalo ito ng limang FAMAS Awards: Best Picture, Best Story, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography at Best Theme Song…” – Ruel Mendoza, Abante, 15 June 2019 (READ MORE)

Rate this:

Sino’ng Talaga Ang Superstar ’78, Si Vilma o si Nora? 1/2

Posted on December 6, 2012 by @ffv Standard

“…Whew, ang bigat! Talaga nga palang napakahirap ang masabit sa showbiz, lalo pa nga kapag hindi ka sanay sa mga intriga. More pa kung nasa gitna ka ng dalawang nag-uumpugang bato. Mapadikit ka lamang sa isang side, aakalain na ng kabilang bato na kampi ka na sa kaumpugan nila at vice versa. Ito ngayon ang nangyayari sa akin, mula nang mapasabit ang pangalan ko bilang manghuhula kina Vilma Santos at Nora Aunor, pakiramdam ko ba sa sarili ko’y parating nasa alanganin. Dapat nga ay may article akong susulatin na ang pamagat ay “Si Nora Aunor at Vilma Santos…Sa Paningin ng Isang Manghuhula” na lalabas din sana sa komiks magazine na ito, pero dalawang buwan na ang nakakalipas, hindi ko pa maisulat-sulat, kasi nga ayokong masabit sa gulo. Pero ang nangyari, ang kinatatakutan ko’y naganap din. Could be na pag labas ng artikulong ito, mayroon na kayong narinig sa radyo o nabasa sa mga komiks magazines na mga pagpuna sa mga ipinahayag ko sa programa ni Inday Badiday, ang “Would You Believe” noong ako’y mag-guest dito noong August 4, 1978. Although it looked na, I am pro-Vilma, based on my statements on the said program, I am not. In fact, we were never close. Dalawang beses ko lamang siyang nakaharap nang personal at sa dalawang meeting naming iyon, it was a pure psychic-client meeting.

Sa madaling salita, kung paano ko hinaharap bilang manghuhula ang aking mga kliyente ganoon ko din hinarap si Vi. (Si Vi mismo ay makapagpapatunay nito.) Kung madalas man ninyong mabasa sa mga komiks na nakakabit ang pangalan ko kay Vilma, it’s simply because I am close to Cleo Cruz, Vi’s confidante and PRO, and to Chito Memije, Cleo’s hubby. At dahil nga close ako sa dalawang ito, ‘pag may vibes ako sa maaaring mangyari kay Vi, tatawagan ko sila, o kaya naman si Cleo ang tatawag sa akin, kung gusto niyang sumulat tungkol sa mga hula ko kay Vi. Sa awa naman ng Diyos, kung hindi man lahat, at least, halos lahat ng mga inihula ko kay Vi ay nagkatutoo. Siguro, kung may PRO lamang si Guy na malapit sa akin, ginawa ko rin sa kanya ito. Ang kaso, wala eh. Kaya nga, noong unang telecast ng ‘Would You Believe,” nang maging guest din ako, nang mamataan ko sina Baby K. Jimenez at Mercy Lejarde na mga PRO ni Guy, lumapit ako agad at sinabi ko sa kanila ang tungkol sa nabavibes kong maaaring maging sakit ni Nora Aunor sa tiyan. ‘Di ba na-publish pa iyon, nagkatutoo ang sinabi ko, dahil nang magpatingin si Guy sa doktor niya, natuklasang siya ay may slight kidney trouble. ito pa nga rin ang dahilan upang sa pangalawang pagkakataon, pagkaraan ng kung ilang taon, ay maisipang muli ni Guy ang magpahula sa akin.

Ang hulaan session naming iyon ni Guy, siguro, may ilang beses munang na-cancelled bago natuloy. Ako na mismo ang gumawa ng paraan. Kinansela ko ang appointment ko for that day, para lang matuloy ang aming meeting. Sina Deo Fajardo at Mercy Lejarde ang sumundo sa akin ng mga bandang pasado alas-tres na yata ng hapon. Akala ko, sa Valencia residence ni Guy gagawin ang hulaan session, iyon pala’y sa labas ng Maynila. Deep down inside me, during our trip, going to the place where Nora Aunor was taping “Guy and Pip Special,” I felt bad. Naasar ako, kasi wala sa usapan namin na ganoong kalayo ang lugar na aming tagpuan. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, kung mayroon lang akong sariling sasakyan, bumalik na sana ako, hindi na baleng hindi na matuloy ang hulaan at hindi na ako kumita. Halos madilim na nang sapitin namin ang said place. Nang makaharap ko si Guy at batiin niya ako ng “hi, kuya Rene,” para akong nabuhusan ng malamig na tubig, lahat ng inis ko at sama ng loob nawala. Nag-taping pa muna si Nora ng ilang scenes sa tv special nila bago nagpahula. Hindi ko tatalakayin kung ano ang mga hulang iyon dahil tiyak nabasa na ninyo iyon bilang isang article na isinulat ni Mercy Lejarde, I think sapat ng sabihin kong, lahat ng isinulat ni Mercy sa article na iyon ay tutoong sinabi kong lahat.

Pagkatapos ng hulaan namin ni Guy sa Novaliches, together with Mercy, tumuloy kami sa Valencia residence ni Guy. Nilibot ko ang buong kabahayan, pinakiramdaman ko kung may malas sa bahay na iyon. The house itself is not malas, sa katunayan nga, ang atmosphere, hindi lang bahay, talagang home. Anyway, sa paglilibot naming iyon, na-confirm, ang sinabi ko kay Nora na may object sa bahay niya na nagbibigay sa kanya ng kaunting malas noong nasa Novaliches pa kami. “It is,” sabi ko, “isang maliit na swords na naka-display.” Sagot naman ni Guy, “Wala akong matandaan, kuya Rene.” Kaso nga, sa paglilibot namin sa Valencia residence, among her antique collections, nakita namin ang dalawang antique na letter opener na ang hitsura ay talagang maliliit na swords. Past twelve midnight na nang iwanan ko ang Valencia residence. si Guy pa mismo ang nag-asikaso na maghahatid sa aking pag-uwi. Inihatid pa nga niya kami hanggang hindi nakakalabas ng daan ang aming sasakyan. I remember tumawag pa si Douglas Quijano, si Guy pa ang nag-relay ng message, pero dahil gabi na, hindi ko na kinausap si Douglas. With all honesty, I was touched by Nora’s hospitality. More pa, nang nasa bahay na ako at matuklasan kong ang ibinayad pala ni Guy sa akin ay times five ng usual fee na aking tinatanggap ‘pag ako’y nagho-home service.

And would you believe, may tatlong linggo muna ang nagdaan bago ko nagamit ang perang iyon, at sapilitan pa. Siguro, kung hindi ako talagang gipit sa pera ng mga panahong iyon, hanggang ngayon nasa wallet ko pa ang perang ibinayad ni Guy sa akin. Hindi lang bilang souvenir kundi as my lucky money, naniniwala kasi ako na ang suwerte ni Nora Aunor ay likas, at siyempre, anything na galing sa kanya ‘pag bigay niya sa kin, maaaring magbigay rin ng suwerte sa buhay ko. Si Vilma Santos, may ginawa rin ba sa iyo na na-touched ka rin? Marahil maitatanong ninyo. Ang sagot ko, yes. Simple as it may seem, I was really touched when she called me personally just to give her thanks. It happened twice. Iyong una, noong maging guest din ako sa premiere telecast ng ‘Would You Believe” at mayroon isang scribe doon na nagsabi na si Nora Aunor lamang ang maituturing na superstar ng Philippine Movies, umiling ako na tanda nang ‘di ko pagsang-ayon. At ang ikalawa naman ay naganap the following morning after I guested again sa same program, the previous night, na kung saan ko nga ipinahayag na as of now, meaning year 1978, si Vilma Santos ang itinuturing kong superstar ng Philippine Movies. I could still recall, I told Vi during our telephone conversation, na wala siyang dapat na ipagpasalamat sa akin dahil iyon naman ang tutoo.

In short, ang ibig kong iparating kay Vi, I gave those statements not because I wanted to please her or to show to the public that I am a Vilmanian (although parang ganoon nga ang naging impression ng public) kundi dahil bilang isang manghuhula, iyon ang na-vibes kong mga pangyayari sa daigdig ng pelikula. Kung tutuusin nga, inulit ko lang ang statements kong iyon. Late 1967, sinabi ko kay Vi, kay Mama Santos at kay Cleo Cruz, na kung magiging buo at determinado ang isip ni Vilma sa kanyang career, sa mga taong 1977 at 1978, siya ang tatanghaling superstar. Siguro, ngayong naipahayag ko na sa inyo ang mga pangyayari bago naganap ang mga misinterpretation at samaan ng loob na resulta ng pag-guest ko sa “Would You Believe,” makikita ninyo na kahit na kanino sa dalawang ito, kay Vilma at Nora, ay hindi ako naging close. At dahil sa parehong nagpakita ng kabutihan sa akin, wala akong right na bigyan ng sama ng loob kahit na sino sa kanila. Sira na siguro ang ulo ko kapag sinaktan ko ang loob ng kahit na sino sa kanila, and I believe, hindi pa naman ako sira. So, ipinasiya kong kailangang neutral ako. Alam mo palang dapat neutral ka, eh bakit ang mga pahayag mo’y masyadong maka-Vilma. Tiyak iyan ang say ng ilan sa inyo na masama ang loob sa akin. Let me explain. Exactly nine o’clock ng gabi, nang dumating kami sa istudyong pagdadausan ng “Would You Believe.” I remember, I was the one who suggested kay Inday Badiday na tanungin ako tungkol kay Guy at Vi para maging interesting ang subject matter namin ng gabing iyon. Ang talagang plano ko noon, ay para ipakita sa public na sang-ayon sa mga na-vibes ko sa dalawang ito bilang isang manghuhula, bawa’t isa sa kanila ay mayroong kanya-kanyang accomplishments sa movie world, kaya hindi puwedeng paglabanin o kaya naman ay ikumpara si Vi kay Guy, si Guy kay Vi. Kaya nga, nang i-on na ang show at tanungin na ako ni Inday, ang sagot ko’y, “Pareho ko nang nahulaan sina Vi at Guy, at kung tatanungin ninyo ako kung sino ang mas superstar sa kanilang dalawa, para nang itinanong ninyo sa akin kung sino ang mas banal si jesus Christ ba o si Gautama Buddha? “At dahil sa naisip ko na hindi masisiyahan sa ganoong kasagutan ang viewing public, idinugtong ko na sa taong ito 1978, dahil ang suwerte ay nasa side ni Vi, si Vi ang superstar.

Nguni’t hindi nangangahulugang hindi na superstar si Guy, kaya lamang ang taong ito para sa kanya ay hindi gaanong masuwerte, I would say. This is a very emotional year for her, meaning madalas siyang makakaranas ng mga emotional turmoil na maaaring makaapekto sa mga decisions niya na may kinalaman sa kanyang career sa movies. During the show, may isang manghuhula rin na katulad ko na nag-comment, na ang hula naman niya ay hindi na magkakabalikan sina Guy at Boyet. Nang ako naman ang tanungin, ang sagot ko’y may posibilidad na magkabalikan pa, ang ibig kong sabihin hindi tiyak na magkakabalikan pero may pag-asa, ang dahilan ko’y…mas mahal ni Guy si Boyet kaysa kay Pip. Bakit ko nasabi ito, ano ang batayan ko? Well, nang hulaan ko si Guy sa Novaliches, isang quality na na-vibes ko kay Nora na hinangaan ko ay ang kanyang pagiging ina. In other words, handa si Guy na ipagpakasakit ang kanyang pansariling kaligayahan alang-alang sa kanyang anak. Dahilan dito, na-conclude ko na kung kailangan, para kay Ian, muli niyang pakikisamahan si Boyet na siyang ama ng kanyang anak. Siyempre, dahil ama ni Ian, mahal niya. After sometime, the same manghuhula, predicted naman na sa last part daw ng taong ito 1978 hanggang sa susunod na taon 1979, magkakalaban daw sa pagka-superstar sina Charito Solis, Nora Aunor at Alma Moreno, hindi niya binanggit si Vilma Santos.

Nang ibigay naman sa akin ang pagkakataon para magsalita, ang sabi ko’y hindi maaaring labanan nina Guy at Ness si Chato dahil isa na itong institusyon. (Si Inday ang nagsabing institusyon, nang makita niyang hindi ko maapuhap ang right word to describe Charito Solis.) Sabi ko pa, ang magkakalaban-laban sa last part ng taong 1978 ay sina Nora Aunor at Alma Moreno, at dahil nga hindi na-mentioned ang pangalan ni Vi, nawala na rin sa isip ko, hindi ko tuloy nabanggit. Ang dapat talagang sabihin ko’y sina Vilma, Nora at Alma ang maglalaban-laban sa pagka-superstar. Sa pagwawakas ng show, bigla na lamang akong tinanong ni Inday, na sa pandinig ko…ang tanong niya’y, “Rene, as of now, sino para sa iyo ang superstar?’ ang sagot ko, “VILMA SANTOS.” I think na-explain ko na ang dahilan kung bakit nasabi kong si Vi ang superstar, sa bandang kalagitnaan ng article na ito, kaya hindi ko na tatalakayin pang muli. Pero I want to stress the point na hindi porke sinabi kong si Vi ang superstar, hindi na superstar si Guy. Kung itatanong ninyo sa akin, ano si Guy para sa iyo, kung sa ngayon si Vi ang kinu-consider mong Superstar, ang sagot ko, sang-ayon sa mga vibes na na feel ko noong naghuhulaan kami ni Nora. Si Guy lamang ang masasabi kong, sa mga artistang nahulaan ko rin naman, siya lang ang may likas na magandang kapalaran, kaya nga, siya lang ang maituturing kong phenomenal superstar ng Philippine showbiz.

But, and this is with a big BUT…Guy’s strature sa movies (I am sorry to say this but i think I have to) as of now, is dwindling. Ang maipapayo ko kay Guy, kailangang pagbuhusan niya ng buong panahon at konsentrasyon ang pelikula niyang “Atsay” sapagka’t, bilang isang manghuhula ang pelikula niyang ito ang vibes kong maaaring magtaas na muli sa kanyang dating kalagayan. Sa palagay ko, sa pamamagitan ng article kong ito, naayos ko na ang mga kaguluhang nalikha ng pag-appear ko sa “Would You Believe” at sa pagpapahayag ko sa programang ito na si VILMA SANTOS ang Superstar ’78. Ngayon kung sakali naman na may mga tao pang gustong gumawa pa ng pakulo sa bagay na ito, bahala na lang sila. Inuulit ko, wala akong pinapanigan between Vilma and Guy. Hindi ko rin naman kinakaila ang pagka-phemonenal superstar ni Guy at lalong hindi ko mababawi ang sinabi ko bilang isang manghuhula, sa ‘WOULD YOU BELIEVE” noong gabi ng August 4, sapagka’t iyon ang tutoo sang-ayon sa vibes ko, na…it’s VILMA SANTOS, who reigns supreme sa box-office, therefore, siya ang Superstar 1978!…” – Rene Mariano, Weekly Mars Ravelo Komiks, September 7, 1978 (READ MORE)

Rate this:

FILM REVIEW: PAHIRAM NG ISANG UMAGA

Posted on December 5, 2012 by @ffv Standard

The Plot: Pahiram Ng Isang Umaga revolves around Juliet (Vilma Santos), who finds herself struggling against an ever-escalating series of problems. A determined single parent, she manages to raise a child while remaining successful in her career as an advertising executive. Everything in her life seems to go well until she is diagnosed with a terminal disease. For her son’s sake, and without revealing her condition, she is forced to resolve her most important life relations: rekindling first her connections with her parents, and then with the very man who fathered her son. In the twilight of her life, she meets and falls in love with a beleaguered artist, Ariel (Eric Quizon), who is constantly depressed and perpetually contemplating suicide. She slowly loses her health but unknowingly reawakens Ariel desire to live, and they both engage in a meaningful affair – one that makes each day they live through together more meaningful than the last. – Regal Films

The Reviews: Weepies are a common movie fare in the Philippines, along with extremely violent action thrillers and trite youth comedies. It is, therefore, a cause for cheer when a filmmaker tries to elevate the very common genre of the melodrama into a rich and intellectually rewarding film experience, such as director Ishmael Bernal has done with his Pahiram ng Isang Umaga. Director Ishmael Bernal has seen in the material an opportunity to put substance to what has often been denigrated as the unthinking man’s entertainment, and to a considerable degree, his attempt has been a success. Pahiram is both effective as a tearjerker and meaningful as a depiction of people in crisis. Using a traditional element of the genre, the theme of death, Bernal and writer Jose Javier Reyes probe into the life of a woman who has been told that the end is near. Juliet (Vilma Santos, one of the two reigning Philippine female superstars for the past two decades now) is told that she has eight or maybe seven months to live. As a progressive advertising creative director who has been promoted (rather late) as vice president of her company, she has the means to attend to the less mundane demands of life, examine what may have been an unexamined life, and make the most of the limited time left. In all these, Bernal explores the emotional and psychological condition of the person who lives on borrowed time. Naturally visible here are the many symbols not only of death but also of life to serve as some kind of counterpoint or irony. Sometimes, they blend with each other, and at other times, they contradict.

From the peasants’ ritualistic rice planting to the backyard harvesting of sun-dried patola cultivated as life-giving seedlings, the evidence of life renewing itself could hardly be ignored. Then there are the more obvious symbols of fire, daybreak and persistent rains (the latter of which are used to reinforce the gloomier mood at the second half of the movie, and also suggest the rains’ refreshing and replenishing results). But the most eloquent symbol here of life is the process of artistic creation, personified – again paradoxically – by the expressionist painter Ariel who befriends and then is smitten by Juliet. There are ironies here. The painter creates life through his art, but at the same time, psychologically tormented, he wants to end his own life. Such a restless, free soul, grappling with the complexities of life, he has a whole life ahead of him, his artistic world limited only by his imagination, and yet he wants to quit. In contrast, Juliet who is dying, wants to live. Here is a woman who saves a man’s life (the artist’s) but cannot save her own. The idea of art as life or art vs. life is examined at length. Asked by the boy why he has to put on canvas the seascape, the artist makes the clarification that he is not copying the scenery. Ostensibly, he is recreating it on a different plane, art being something else, with a life of its own. This is suggested by the portrait the artist is making of Juliet. The model may soon die, as she will, but the portrait will live on. Life may indeed be short, an idea which used to be stated directly in previous Bernal movies, but art endures. It is the one thing in this world which is eternal. The briefness of life is suggested with the graphic sight of wet sand dripping down from the hand.

Bernal and Reyes go farther by including a scene in which the artist explains the origins of art. By the fireside at the beach, and watching the flame cast a glow on them, he notes that prehistoric men “discovered” art when they made outlines of shadows on the caves. Those artworks, though crude and primitive, still exist. Implicitly, Juliet’s death, no matter how saddening, is not going to be the end. Philosophical musings like these are not standard soap opera fare, and may alienate a lot of ordinary moviegoers (even the more cerebral ones who cannot accept the conventions of the soap opera genre). Woven unobtrusively into the plot, however, they add texture and enrich the drama. Juliet in a way will continue to live – in that portrait, in her young son who will survive her and hopefully continue her legacy whatever it may be, and in her good deeds. In the last scene, the imagery and symbolisms of life and death abound. Juliet dies at the break of dawn, the start of a new day (and life), but not without first making her last sentimental paean to life. Supported by the artist, her eyesight having failed completely and with the waves caressing their feet, the weak and dying cancer victim remarks how beautiful life is.

True enough, this dying scene set on a beach, with the woman in white, dainty night gown, is one of the most exquisite, breathtaking moments in Philippine movies. But before giving us this grand, highly emotional death scene, the director has gradually introduced various motifs of death, from the artist’s pet black bird which at one point he cruelly squeezes in his hand, to the funeral rituals for Juliet’s father. This is a striking part of the movie, Juliet watching intently as morticians work on her father’s remains, as everyone weeps when the coffin is lowered to its final resting place, and during the ritualistic “pasiyam,” the nine-day novena for the dead. It’s as though Juliet can see herself in her father’s lifeless body while mourners mill around it. The attempts to raise the level of the melodrama and present insights on life and death provide the movie its greatest strength – and wide appeal. How strangely ironic that a movie dealing with death could have so much life- – Mario A. Hernando, “A Look at Death and the Affirmation of Life,” Malaya, 5 March 1989

“…In Pahiram Ng Isang Umaga, Ishmael Bernal’s very competent handling of the material, coupled with Santos’ intelligent portrayal of Juliet, a terminally ill cancer victim, saved the film from becoming a glorified soap opera…” – Jojo Devera, Sari-Saring Sineng Pinoy 03 Nov 2009

“…A series of unfortunate events seemed to hound Nora’s career up to this point. October 1, 1989 was to be the last airing date of the 22-year-old musical-variety show Superstar on RPN 9. A month later, it was revived on IBC 13 with a new title, The Legend … Superstar, but this was short-lived lasting only up to early 1990. Naging mas masuwerte si Vilma Santos sa hinu-host na Vilma! on GMA 7, which started in 1981 as VIP (Vilma in Person) ng lumang BBC 2 (naibalik sa Lopez owners ang ABS-CBN after the EDSA Revolution). Nagbida si Vilma sa isa sa mga pinakaimportanteng pelikula ng Dekada ‘80: Regal Films’ Pahiram Ng Isang Umaga (by Ishmael Bernal), na sinimulan in 1988 at ipinalabas in early 1989. In December 1989, Vilma headlined a period romance-drama (Viva Films’ Imortal, megged by Eddie Garcia) at nanalo sila ng kaparehang si Christopher de Leon ng acting plums sa MMFF. Sa awardings for that year, si Vilma ang nanalong Best Actress sa Star Awards (for Pahiram), her first form the Philippine Movie Press Club. ‘Kumpletung-kumpleto na ang career ko!” nasabi ni Vilma as she accepted her trophy. Later, it was Nora’s turn to get a Best Actress trophy for the first time from the Film Academy of the Philippines, for Elwood Perez’s three-year-in-the-making Bilangin Ang Bituin Sa Langit. ‘Kumpletung-kumpleto na ang career ko!” sabi rin niya in her acceptance speech. Na-elevate si Vilma sa FAMAS Hall of Fame, for having bagged five Best Actress statuettes: Dama de Noche, Pakawalan Mo Ako, Relasyon, Tagos ng Dugo, and Elwood Perez’s Ibulong Mo Sa Diyos. Nora won her fourth Best Actress plum sa FAMAS, also for Bilangin. Walang itulak-kabigin sa dalawa, kaya marapat lang na mag-tie sila for Best Actress, as in the 1990 Gawad Urian, na ‘pantay na parangal ”ang ipinagkaloob ng Manunuri kina Nora (for Bilangin Ang Bituin Sa Langit) at Vilma (for Pahiram Ng Isang Umaga)…” – William Reyes (READ MORE)

“…Vi goes to the kitchen to prepare breakfast at habang nagbabati siya ng itlog, doon pa lang ipinakitang una siyang nag-breakdown. And this is shown nang nakatalikod siya sa camera. No overly ornate kind of emoting na akting na akting ang dating. Pero damang-dama mo pa rin…she becomes the part (lalo na sa eksena nila ni Gabby Concepcion sa simbahan na binalikan nila kung paano sila nagkasira), and if you notice that she is good, well, salamat po…Sa second viewing ng movie namin lalong napansin ang subtle nuances ng performance ni Vi, up to her death scene which confirms our supposition that the movie is not really so much about death than a celebration of life..’yan ang opinion namin…” – Mario Bautista, People Journal 1989 (READ MORE)

“…The only thing I can say about this film is that of its performances – from Vilma Santos (as the woman who spends her last days on earth looking for love) and Eric Quizon (as the ill painter who falls in love with Santos). This film is best fitted for a made-for-TV slot, considering its premise (which may attract mothers). Passable…” – Oscar 99, IMDB web site, September 13, 1999, Manila,Philippines (READ MORE)

“…The last time Bernal and Santos collaborated was in 1989. Santos, still active with her musical variety television show, did three films, all were commercial success. “Imortal” directed by Eddie Garcia was a local festival entry that earned Santos another local festival best actress. “Rizal Alih, Zamboanga Massacre” was directed by Carlo J Caparas. And “Pahiram Ng Isang Umaga” directed by Bernal. The film earned Santos the local critics best actress and Bernal the best director. Vilma her very first Star best actress, considered the Golden Globe local equivalent at that time. Pahiram also received nominations for best actress for Vilma and best director for Ishmael both from FAP, now the local equivalent of OSCAR…Bernal gave Vilma Santos her first grandslam best actress awards and consecutive Gawad Urian best actress (1982 and 1983). Their first film together was Inspiration (1972) and last was Pahiram Ng Isang Umaga (1989).” – RV (READ MORE)

“…Eric’s role in “Pahiram Ng Isang Umaga” is the manic-depressive love of Vilma Santos. He was contrapuntal to Vilma’s existence who wanted to prolong her life while he wanted to end his. But the Method Acting-oriented scribes at teh Philippine Movie Pres Club saw in Eric the mere physicality in his attack of the role. No anxiety in the eyes; all overt body movements to the point of the Nora Aunor anxiety-laden eyes. Eric rationalizes; “That was exactly how I was supposed to attack my role according to Direk Ishmael Bernal – overacting at physical level lang talaga. Wala nang pa-anxiety-anxiety pa. All the other major characters in “Pahiram…” were already making lupasay na with heavy emotions. From Vilma to Zsa Zsa Padilla to Vicky Suba to Gabby Concepcion – silang lahat emotionally loaded na. If I do the same, boring di ba? Ayaw ni Direk Bernal na pa-heavy emotion approach for my role. But you know my homework for that role was to watch several English sad movies on tapes and was told to cry with the characers if I wanted to or feel like crying. I felt so stupid talaga, but that exercise paid off I tell you.” If you have watched “Pahiram…,” the scene where Eric has to strangle a Myna bird was such a memorable highlight. Eric recalls; “I had to do an improvisation for that scene. Sabi ni Direk Bernal, don’t plan anything with the bird. Basta you just confront the bird at bahala ka na sa sarili mo. So what I did was to make mura and kind of strangle pero acting lang out of my supposed madness. You know what happened? The day after, nagpakamatay ‘yung bird. Nagtampo siguro ‘yun. Kasi raw ang Myna bird ay very sensitive, di ba? Sayang ‘yung bird, ano?…” – George Vail Kabristante, Manila Standard, Feb 20, 1990 (READ MORE)

RELATED READING:

Rate this:

In Appreciation of Writers

Posted on December 4, 2012 by @ffv Standard

Here are some personality in some way have been defending Vilma in the past and

Cleo Cruz

“…Pero sa totoo lang, sa kanilang tatlo, si Cleo Cruz lang ang masasabi kong trusted at loyal kay Vi dahil si Cleo ay hindi nagsusulat ng mga negative write-ups kay Vi. Si Cleo ay asawa ng isa ring writer/reporter na si Chito Mimije (isa rin sa mga tagapagtanggol ni Vi). Nang pumanaw si Chito ay nangibang bansa na lang si Cleo at iniwan na ang Pilipinas…” – Alfonso Valencia (READ MORE)

“…I think mommy Cleo, as Ate Vi calls her, is in Los Angeles. I read an article that Mario Bautista wrote a few years ago that he attended a wedding in Los Angeles and Cleo Cruz was there. If I am not mistaken she still gets in touch with mommy Santos in Los Angeles. Cleo Cruz was married to the late brother of the movie scribe Chit Ramos. Cleo was the P.R.O. of Ate Vi in the 70’s and 80’s. I remember reading her column Vilma Variety in Bulaklak at Paru-Paro Magazine. The column for Ms. Aunor was written by Baby K. Jimenez. There was a time when Cleo Cruz and Baby K. Jimenez had a series of heated argument in their columns on who is the real queen of the Philippine movies. It stemmed from the fact that at that time Ate Vi was being called as the Takilya Queen by the press. Now we know who is the real and longest reigning queen Vilma!…” – Fr. J Gutierrez (READ MORE)

Babette Villaruel

“…Sosyal! Si Babette naman ay nagkaroon ng Sunday noontime show sa Channel 13, kasama si OMB Chairman Edu Manzano na pinamagatang Sunday Special Iba Ito. Sino ang makakalimot sa kanyang portion na may pamagat na “Say, Say, Say” sa nasabing programa na tuwing papatugtugin ito ay kinakalog niya ang ulo niya. Si Babette ay best friend ni German Moreno at noong nagkaroon sila ng hidwaan ay palaging sinasabi ni Babette na nagtitirik siya ng kandilang itim. Pero bago pumanaw si Babette ay nagkabati din sila ni Kuya Germs. Nasaan na kaya ang mga koleksiyones niya na “PH” ng mga artistang lalaki? Samantala, ang kontrobersiyal talent manager na si Alfie ay nagkaroon ng radio program sa DZBB na pinamagatang “What Is All About Alfie?” Nagkaroon din siya ng mga tv talk shows katulad ng Rumors, Facts & Humor kasama si Janice Jurado, Troika kasama sina Oskee Salazar at Billy Balbastro at yung isa ding tv talk show sa ABS CBN 2 kasama sina Edu Manzano at Cristy Fermin na katapat ng Startalk sa GMA 7…” – Alfonso Valencia (READ MORE)

“…I am thinking, what could be more “kabastusan” than showing a funeral cortege as a PIP ( Picture in Picture) in a noontime game show, full of gyrating dancers and contestants jumping and up and down, audience cheering and clapping? What was ABS-CBN’s motivation to do this? I can only think of one reason; TV rating – hitting two birds with one stone, so that viewers need not switch channels. In short, you’re “entertained” by both events by a single channel. I am reminded of a light hearted statement made by the late movie reporter Babette Villaruel when asked about the funeral of his deceased father “ Okay naman ho. Successful naman yung burol niya”. Clearly, he was adding a showbiz twist to the event, in levity of course….” – BW (READ MORE)

“…Catch a flashback of an evening of confidences written for a column on Jan. 5, 1989. It was an interesting mix to start with. Babette Villaruel, Mama Monchang, Bong de Leon and Mar Cornes hugging a corner of that magnificent garden at Forbes Park. We have come a long way, baby, since that time we all enjoyed the highlights of Aling Maring’s merienda at El Oro. But the elegant domain in this conclave of the rich is owned by banker Danny Dolor, a friend of Ronald Constantino, whose birthday was the reason for that evening of fun. It also turned out to be an evening of confidential declaration. June Torrejon, who has dropped Rufino from her name, was happy to note that her children will not have a half-brother or sister since Nena V. disclosed that during a religious confrontation, the real father came out in a confession while he was getting married to another one. If you find this had to follow, so do I. But the most incredible things happen in showbiz and this is one of those. “It was an answer from above,” June said. “He knows how to take care of his children.” The talk that night also centered on other separations, like that of Inday Badiday and Gene Palomo and as usual with such embellishment to make light of the situation…

…Vilma Santos, looking as stunningly beautiful as you see her on TV, sat at our table. Which turned the talk now to Edu Manzano and current love Maricel Soriano. Details were again embellished, some outrageously so just for fun. Maricel is a great cook, someone said looking at Vi, now the butt of all jokes. “Perhaps he left because you never cooked for him!” “But I don’t know how to cook!” Vilma laughed. But I learned some recipes from my mother-in-law.” Our table decided to form the Edu-Vilma movement with Edu’s mom Mrs. Manzano as president and June as vice president. Vilma is their favorite but Vilma herself just flashed her Mona Lisa smile. Danny Dolor’s home sits on top of a knoll this side of Forbes. It is one of those houses with an open façade, giving it a more welcoming atmosphere than the usual high walls. At our corner table, gossip was the main menu. June consulted her lawyer to sue a starlet saying nasty things in print about her when the starlet became close to Randy Rufino. Vilma was the only actress at our table of movie writers which included Bibsy Carballo, Romy Vitug, Ethel Ramos, Letty Celi, Nena V. , Ricky Lo, Nestor Cuartero and Babette. “Oh Vi, don’t write about this, ha!” Now: March 26, 2010: Vilma is happily married to Ralph Recto who is running for the Senate. She is the very popular governor of Batangas. Her son with Edu, Lucky Manzano, is now a popular actor and TV host. Edu, who has moved on to other loves after Maricel, has become a popular TV host. He is running for vice president of the Philippines under the administration party. Babette Villaruel, Nena V. , Mar Cornes and Mama Monchang are dead. June and Randy are now friends but still separated…” – The Philippine Star (READ MORE)

Alfie Lorenzo

Alfie Lorenzo – “…Alfie interviewed Nora who professed her still lingering passion for Manny de Leon. Again it was duly reported by Alfie. Again he was belied, this time by Nora Aunor. This twin denials did not deter Alfie from pursuing a more rabid reporting stance. Now with the Vilma-Bobot group, he would rake coals and embers and fan the escalating Nora-Vilma war. Gradually the Nora-Vilma fight settled into a more subdued form of rivalry. From proing for movie stars, Alfie Lorenzo teamed up with the members of what would eventually be the Laperal Mafia and the Ligaya Brotherhood (or Sisterhood, whichever the case maybe) and went into proing for movie companies – Sine Pilipino, Juan de la Cruz, Lyra Ventures – moving into Regal where he is more or less a fixture. Before latching on to these companies, Alfie and Douglas ventured into movie production coordinating for a freelance producer and came up with forgettable movie called, “Wild, Wild Pussycat.” “Lahat kaming malas nagsama-sama sa Sine Pilipino. Elwood directed “Blue Boy,” flop. Joey directed for Tower, flop, buti na lang kumuwela si Vilma.” remembers Alfie. At Sine Pilipino, Vilma Santos finally made the big leap to superstardom then held solely by the dark girl from Iriga. With a couple of hits which raked in the box-office, Sine Pilipino was able to establish the careers of Joey Gosiengfiao, Elwood Perez, and even when Sine Pilipino went under because of what has been reported as faulty management, Alfie managed to breast the waves of bankruptcy and the board of censors’ ire to stay in business as a movie writer-pro-columnist-manager. At Lyra Ventures, Alfie was part of the project-makers of “Uhaw” parts I and II, the scenes of which caused a turnover in the board of censors. Today, Alfie Lorenzo’s cheek and guts have taken him around the world in pursuit of his own star. Managing of being pro for stars like Vilma Santos, Charito Solis, Al Tantay, Cherie Gil, Mark Gil and Dante Rivero has made Alfie more or less an indispensable fixture in the movie scene…” – TV Times, 27 April – May 3 1980

“…Noong dekada ’80 ay naging manager si Alfie ng Liberty Boys na kinabibilangan nina Rey “PJ” Abellana, Edgar Mande at Lito Pimentel to name a few. Liberty Boys ang itinawag sa kanila dahil nakatira sila sa Liberty Avenue, Murphy, Cubao, Quezon City. Si PJ ay naging manugang ni Ms. Delia Razon at ang anak niya ay si Carla Abellana, ang Rosalinda. Si Edgar naman ay nakasama ni Vi sa pelikulang Relaks Ka Lang Sagot Kita samantalang si Lito ay nakasama ni Vi sa mga pelikulang Broken Marriage at Tagos Ng Dugo. Sa mga Liberty Boys, tanging si Lito lang nagkaroon ng acting award. Siya ang best supporting actor ng Urian noong 1988 para sa pelikulang Kapag Napagod Ang Puso. Noong huling bahagi ng dekada ’80 na nauso ang mga musical variety show katulad ng The Sharon Cuneta Show ni Sharon Cuneta, Maria Maria ni Maricel Soriano, Always Snooky ni Snooky Serna, Loveliness ni Alma Moreno, Superstar ni Nora Aunor, Tonight with Dick & Carmi nina Roderick Paulate at Carmi Martin at Vilma ni Vilma Santos ay naging PRO si Alfie ng Loveliness. Nang mga panahong ito ay galit na galit si Alfie sa executive producer ng Vilma Show na si Chit Guerrero. Pati si Vilma ay nadadamay sa mga galit niya kay Chit. Talagang personal na ang banat niya kay Vilma. Posible kayang ang dahilan ng galit niya eh dahil hindi man lang makaangat ang Loveliness sa Vilma Show sa dami ng commercials, production numbers, guests at higit sa lahat ay rating? Ang Vilma Show ay palaging numero uno, walang makaabante maging ang sinasabi nilang longest-running musical variety show na Superstar. Si Vilma ang highest paid tv star at ang Vilma Show ang tinaguriang Central Bank ng GMA 7…” – Alfonso Valencia (READ MORE)

“…Apparently, the two haven’t been on speaking terms ever since Vilma supposedly failed to meet up with him in New York while she was shooting the movie In My Life last summer. The controversial talent manager wrote at least two angry blog posts about Vilma having forgotten their friendship (plus loads of shocking allegations) which, he claimed, dates all the way back to the ‘70s. Despite the malicious remarks in the articles, Vilma kept her silence on the issue, stating that she and Alfie would surely mend their differences when the right time comes. “Hindi, si Alfie, aminin naman natin…nung bata ako kasama ko naman ‘yan, sa totoo lang. It’s just a matter of miscommunication…True to the title of her special A Woman of All Seasons, Vilma refused to take offense and kept her side open for reconciliation with the ever-feisty talent manager. “Naiintindihan ko si Alfie. Baka hinanap niya yung nagtravel kami nila Manay Ethel (Ramos) sa Amsterdam, Pinay American Style… Hindi lang siguro na-ano ni Alfie. But still, sa pinagsamahan namin, sinabi ko sa mga Vilmanians, ‘Huwag kayo sasagot. ‘Pag ako may narinig sa inyo…’ Kasi that’s out of respect for Alfie. ‘Kahit pinakagrabe na yung tinira ako talaga, walang sasagot.’ Kahit yung [fans ko na] taga-New York [hindi na nagsalita tungkol dun]. Nagtampo lang yun (Alfie),” she graciously stated…” – Rachelle Siazon (READ MORE)

Ricky Lo

“…Ricardo F. Lo, the very first movie writer who interviewed me when I was 12 pa lang yata and who even paid the fare for the taxi that he, my mom and I took to the Manila Times building on Florentino Torres St. in Sta. Cruz, Manila, where we did the cover pictorial for Variety, one of the paper’s Sunday magazines…” – Ricky Lo, The Philippine Star, October 31, 2010 (READ MORE)

“…Ricardo F. Lo, more popularly known as Ricky Lo, is an entertainment writer, showbiz commentator from the Philippines. He is of Chinese descent. He was born on April 21. He is a native of Las Navas, Northern Samar, where he finished grade school. He finished high school at the bilingual Tabaco Pei Ching School in Tabaco, Albay, and took up AB English at the University of the East. From 1969 to 1972, Ricky worked as editorial assistant of Variety magazine, the Sunday supplement of the old Manila Times where he started his Funfare column. After this, he joined the Philippine Daily Express first as staff writer of its Express Week magazine and then as deskman of The Evening Express and eventually its main broadsheet. He later went on to work as editorial assistant for its Sunday magazine, Weekend, until 1986. Lo did stint as entertainment editor- first at The Manila Times and then at The Manila Chronicle and currently at The Philippine Star where he also writes his revived FunFare column and his regular Sunday feature, Conversations with Ricky Lo. Ricky is the author of Star-Studded, the first compilation of his articles on movie stars, which he released in 1995. Another book, Conversations with Ricky Lo was released in 2001. The book bear Lo’s trademark sensitive, intelligent and penetrating style of handling interviews…” – Wikipedia (READ MORE)

Mario Bautista

“…I started my professional career in Channel 5, the carrier station of the Manila Times, in 1965. I was with the film programming department. We got to screen old movies, both local and foreign before it was aired on shows like “Million Dollar Movies”, “Sinagtala” and “Bahaghari”. I also helped in the production of some TV shows, like “Magmahal ay Langit”, then directed by Celso Ad. Castillo, and “Pamilya Kontra-Partido”, a sitcom. The station was closed down by martial law in September of 1972. During that time, I was already the head of the film programming department. In 1976, I was invited to write film reviews for “TV Guide”, edited by Rod Reyes. I was invited to be a member of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino that gave out the Urian Awards. Newspapers then invited me to write entertainment columns and reviews for them, including “People’s Tonite”, “People’s Journal”, “Times Journal”, and “The Philippines’ Daily Express”. Later, I also wrote columns for “Ang Masa”, “The Manila Chronicle”, and “The Manila Bulletin”. I likewise had regular columns for several magazines, including Jingle Extra Hot, Movie Flash, Intrigue, Expose, Fame, Hot Copy, Parade, People’s, and others. On TV, I was a co-host of Armida Siguion Reyna and Behn Cervantes in “Let’s Talk Movies” and did film reviews on air for “The Big, Big Show”. In 1985, I became a member of the Philippine Movie Press Club that gave out the Star Awards for Movies. In 1987, I was instrumental in putting up the Star Awards for Television. When the Manila Times resumed publication in 1999, I was invited by then publisher Katrina Legarda to be its entertainment editor. I now write regular columns for People’s Journal and Malaya, and for the Japanese based fortnightly, Pinoy Gazette…” – Showbiz Portal (READ MORE)

Rate this:

Vima Santos on Motherhood

Posted on December 3, 2012 by @ffv Standard

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

A fresh-looking Vima Santos greeted us at the presscom of her movie, “Anak.” Full of energy after a three week vacation in the States, she answered our question about her film with zest and pride.

Favorite song

What is your memory of “Anak?” It was a favorite song of mine. I always ran to the radio whenever they played the song. When the project was offered to me, I responded favorably to it right away.

Do you still feel challenged by the dramatic situations of the story? Of course. The challenge is always there Kahit na nasa Hall of Fame ‘ko. We have lots of comfrontation scenes in this movie and they are all difficult. I remember doing a scene in which I had two pages of dialogue. After doing the blocking. I asked for time to concentrate because the director would take a continuous shot. The point is to never be over-confident and always turn to the director for help.

How significant is “Anak” to you? This is the first time I am portraying a domestic helper and our one week of shooting in Hong Kong enabled me to talk to some of them and understand them better.

Lonely

Most of them are sacrificing mothers and they’re lonely because they are far away from their families.

Was it easy for you to relate to your character in the movie? I internalized my being a mother is real life and the fact that I am also working, hindi nga lamang abroad. It helped me a lot remembering what Mama did to me when I was young.

As a mother, what are your particular about? The health of my children. If you want me to get upset, just tell me that one of my sons is sick!”

What kind of a mother are your to your teenage son Luis? I am quite liberal dahil iba naman ang henerasyon ngayon as compared doon sa kinagisnan ko. Curfew hour for me then was midnight. But now, ganung oras pa lamang nagsisimula ang kanilang mga happenings.

No communication gap

I have no communicatin gap with my son. We talk about everything under the sun, including sex. Also, I allow my son to reason out with me since the saying mother knows best is not applicable in all circumstances.

Has Luis given you a headache? Sa awa ng Diyos ay wala pa namang grabeng sakit ng ulo idinudulot sa akin. Mabait siyang bata and he knows his responsibilities. But I recall punishing him over a failure to deliver good grades. I am particular about his studies. When he showed me his low grades, he promised he would do something about it. The third grading period came and there was no improvement, so I reminded himd of his promise. He was grounded for one week and was not allowed to use the telephone.

Was ther a time when you neglected your motherly duties? It was campaign season and you know how busy candidates are. Hindi ko nabantayan si Luis because I was busy campaigning, and he stayed in somebody else’s house at nagtampo. Vilma says her greatest joy is being a mother to Christian who is only four and Luis who is already a handsome teenager. Her greatest fear is to “lose” them one day, when they move out to have their own families. She says 85 percent of her life is devoted to being a loving mother! – Remy M. Umerez Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 12 2000 (READ MORE)

Rate this:

2002 Best Actress Awards

Posted on December 2, 2012 by @ffv Standard

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Novel to Film “…”Dekada ’70,” the eagerly awaited filmization of Lualhati Bautista’s seminal novel in the explosive ’80s, has eight nominations. Best director nominee Chito Rono successfully focuses the novel’s many-sided dimensions on a mother’s stirring from domestic conventions and sensibilities as her family copes with the changes wrought by a collapsing order. The movie, written by Bautista herself and nominated for best screenplay, manages to provides viewers, particularly the young, with the feel of the Marcos years, reacquainting them with a particularly sordid passage in history when innocence was ravaged and continuity was ruptured. The wonder is that the movie did not get the lion’s share of the technical design (Manny Morfe), and sound (Albert Michael Idioma and Alex Tomboc) – should at least suggest its achievement. Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon are strong contenders for best actor and best actress, while yound actor Piolo Pascual is nominated for best supporting actor. The 26th Gawad Urian of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, the society of respected film critics, will be held on May 17 at the AFP Theater…” – Lito B. Zulueta, Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 28, 2003 (READ MORE)

The Light “…Topping the Urian for surprise value was the join award for Best Picture to “Dekada ’70” and “Mga Munting Tinig,” This was unexpected because “Dekada” was a major production that took many months to make, while “Munting Tinig” was a small low-budget film that was shot in only a few weeks. Despite this, both films were cited as the best local movies for 2002. A possible interpretation of the twin awards could be “Dekada” is cited for tackling asn important period in the country;s political life with extensive resources of a major studio, while “Munting Tinig” is honored for its ability to dramatize a simple, heartwarming tale that provides much-needed inspiration, despite its limited budget. In other words, the two films’ contrasting approaches are both needed by local movies today, hence the decision for them to share the Urian’s Best Picture award…The Best Actress trophy that Vilma Santos won for her performance in “Dekada ’70” is another noteworthy decision because, when the film was first shown, even veteran observers rapped Vilma for her relatively “passive,” “colorless” and “undramatic” portrayal in the movie. This was because her character, the wife and mother in the movie’s central Bartolome family, spent most of the film’s running time meekly following her husband’s dictates, like most women in the ’70s. Some people took this as a weak thespic stance, and we had to point out in some articles taht his wasn’t true at all. In fact, given the convention of the movie’s time frame, this “passivity” was an astute artistic decision on Vilma’s part, and thoroughly merited by her character and the period in which she lived. In fact, what Vilma did in “Dekada” was more difficult because it was so controlled and subtle, it would have been far easier for her to melodramatically tear up the scenery and act up a storm. Gratifyingly, by the time the film awards season came around, enough people has seen the light, and Vilma went on to win a phalanx of Best Actress trophies, now including the Urian…” – Nestor U. Torre, Philippine Daily Inquirer – May 24, 2003 (READ MORE)

Star Awards “…Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos still gets the jitters when accepting acting awards. She bested five other equally worthy nominees to the best actress throne in last Saturday’s Star Awards for Movies at the UP Theatre. She won for her moving portrayal of a timid mother empowered by the death of her son in Chito Rono’s period drama, “Dekada ’70,” which was an official entry in the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) last December. Ironically, Ara Mina, who edged out Vilma from the best actress derby in the MMFF, was not among those cited by Star Awards. Vilma competed with Sharon Cuneta (“Magkapatid”), Maricel Soriano (“Mano Po”), Claudine Baretto (“Kailangan Kita”), and Alessandra de Rossi (“Mga Munting Tinig”)…” – Marinel R. Cruiz, Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 11, 2003 (READ MORE)

Actress-Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos, new actor Yul Servo, and the independent film, “Mga Munting Tinig,” proved that the local movie industry recognizes talent and good films, veteran or newcomer, when they bagged top honors at the 19th Star Awards for the Movies held last Saturday night at the UP Theater in Diliman, Quezon City. Santos was named “Movie Actress of the Year” for her role as a mother who experienced awakening during the ’70s turmoil in “Dekada ’70.” Santos, one of the country’s most awarded actresses, admitted she still feels the tension from the announcement of nominees to the winner. “Nakakakaba pa rin po hanggang ngayon (I still feel nervous even now),” she said in her acceptance speech. Meanwhile, newcomer Yul Servo was named “Movie Actor of the Year” for playing a young husband subjected to extreme culture shock when he finds life hard in a Manila suburb in the controversial movie, “Laman.” The rest of the major trophies went to Gil Portes, “Movie Director of the Year” for “Munting Tinig;” Piolo Pascual, “Movie Supporting Actor of the Year” for “Dekada ’70”; and Kris Aquino, “Movie Supporting Actress of the Year” for “Mano Po.” “Mga Munting Tinig” won most of the awards, copping with seven out of 16, including Child Performer of the Year (Brian Ronquillo), Musical Score (Joy Marfil), Production Design (Arthur Licdao) and Original Screenplay. According to its director and scriptwriter, Portes, the group completed “Munting Tinig” in only 15 days. He added, “This movie just won in the Sta. Barbara International Film Festival and is the first locally produced movie bought by Warner Bros. for worldwide distribution.” Other winners at the 19th Star Awards were “Agimat” for Best Special Effects; Jordan Herrera, New Movie Actor of the Year for “Gamitan;” Nancy Castiglione, New Movie Actress of the Year for “I Think I’m in Love;” Ogie Alcasid for “Kailangan Kita,” Best Movie Theme Song; and Lualhati Bautista for Best Adapted Sceenplay, “Dekada ’70.” Special awards given were the “Darling of the Press” for Onemig Bondoc, the “Male Star of the Night” for Bong Revilla, the “Female Star of the Night” for Maricel Soriano and the “Lifetime Achievement Award” for Sen. Ramon Revilla, Sr. Trivia host was Charlene Gonzales. Hosts of last night’s Star Awards were Cesar Montano, Bong Revilla, Philip Salvador, Kris Aquino, Maricel Soriano and Vilma Santos. Performers were Sharon Cuneta, Jolina Magdangal, Ogie Alcasid, Jaya, Angelika de la Cruz, Patricia Javier, Karylle, and Zsa Zsa Padilla. – Sol Jose Vanzi, March 10, 2003 (READ MORE)

Gawad Urian Awards “…Gawad Urian best supporting actor Piolo Pascual (“Dekada ’70”) arrived early at the awards ceremony Saturday night and reserve a seat for “Dekada ’70” costar Vilma Santos, who would later be declared best actress. Vilma and Piolo played mother and son in the moving Chito Rono movie based on the screenplay by Lualhati Bautista, who won for best screenplay. Piolo was very affectionate to “mom” Vilma, hugging and kissing her when she arrived. He was seen clasping her hands moments before his name was announced as best supporting actor at theTeatro Arturo Enrile in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City…The movie critics’ group paid tribute to writer Ricardo “Ricky” Lee by naming him the recipient of the Natatnging Gawad for lifetime achievement for his invaluable contributions to the film industry for more than three decades. The award was handed to him by three of the many actresses who breathed life to his creations – Vilma (“Relasyon”), Dina Bonnevie (“Gumapang Ka Sa Lusak”) and Gina Alajar (“Salome”). Lee has so far written about 120 screenplays and won some 50 awards. His most recent work, Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s “Bagong Buwan,” was honored by many local and international award-giving bodies…Edu Manzano was very effective as the show’s only host. He kept the audience awake and laughing with his witty remarks, delivered with his trademark deadpan expression. Even Piolo and Vilma were not spared from Edu’s jokes. he imitated Piolo after the young actor delivered a very emotional acceptance speech. When Vilma said she was sharing her award with her costars in “Dekada ’70,” particularly to her “eldest son” Piolo, the camera caught Edu having his own dramatic highlights.” “What?” he asked his ex-wife in mock surprise, “Anak natin si Piolo?…” – Marinel R. Cruz, Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 20, 2003 (READ MORE)

Rate this:

Joey Gonsiengfiao’s Trilogy

Posted on December 1, 2012 by @ffv Standard

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

“When I was small, we stayed on teh second floor of a moviehouse in Cagayan where my uncle owns a chain of moviehouses. During mealtime, I would eat at the balcony section so I could watch a movie at the same time. Noon, ang pelikula ay parang isang visionary world, parang it’s so far away and so high up there. I was fascinated no end by how a movie was made. I told myself, someday I too will make a movie.”

There are three important periods in Joey Gonsiengfiao’s life as a director: his UE period when he shuttled between classroom and stage, trying to finish AB while presenting one big play on campus every semester; his Tower Periiod when he socialized in the show-biz circles and made abortive movie debut; and his Sine Pilipino Period when he learned from his past mistakes, helped form a trend-setting box-office movie director.

UE Period – One remembers Joey as that diminutive, chinky-eyed fellow who would come panting to the Literary Criticism class at UE where he was a dropout and over-stayed for 10 years (1959-1969). Together with a big guy named Elwood Perez (now also a movie director), Joey would dominate the class discussions. The two were campus celebrities of sorts; Elwood wrote movie reviews for his column in Dawn, the college paper, while Joey directed stage plays (Becket, The Lark, My Fair Lady, Gigi, and The Glass Menagerie, which starred his signature actor Nestor Torre). Joey was forever rehearsing and his classes were such a hassle that he would drop all of his subjects every semester. He was a scholar.

“The nearest visionary world to movies for me was the stage,” Joey says. “As a kid, I wanted to act in plays. Kapag hindi ako kasali sa bilada, aba, kinakausap ko ang titser.” At UE, Joey attended workshops and seminars and studied under Rolando Tinio, his mentor. Foundationd Day celebrations were never complete without a Joey Gosiengfiao play. What he learned on campus came in handy when he was assigned by Cecile Guidote to the Balentataw drama series on the defunct Channel 5, the TV arm of PETA.

Tower Period – His Tower Period began in 1970 when he bumped into PR Man Douglas Quijano of Tower Productions. It was Joey’s introduction to the glamour-and-glitter whirl – “it was my “socializing” days,” Joey put it more aptly. “I had fun with my new-found friend movie scribes.” One morning, Joey woke up to realize that his contemporaries had all made their maiden movie ventures: Lino Brocka was being lauded for his Wanted: Perfect Mother, Ishmael Bernal for his critically and commercially successful Pagdating sa Dulo. Even his UE buddy Elwood managed to wrap up his own, Blue Boy, a dud. Joey approached Douglas and wailed, “Ay naku, Douglas, mamamatay na ako pag wala akong pelikula. Maloloko na ako. Mayroon an silang lahat, ako na alng ang wala.” Two weeks later, Temyong Marquez, Big Boss of Tower, surprised Joey with an assignment – “Nora Aunor pa mandin,” Joey recalls, “at pagka-ganda-ganda ng pamagat, Beautiful Love. It was my first film and I was excited. I wrote the script at nagulat pa ako dahil approved kaagad ni Director Marquez before he even read the script.”

The film didn’t come out beautifully. After shooting some scenes in Manila, the Tower entourage went for location filming in Iriga, Camarines Sur, hometown of Nora. The movie was barely one-third through when Nora Aunor dropped the bomb that nearly shattered Tower to pieces: “Tumakas ang Nora, hindi natuloy ang pelikula.” That was the time when Tower and Sampaguita were having a tug-of-war over La Aunor. The abortive screen debut didn’t bruise Joey’s ego a bit. His wits recovered, Joey tackled his next assignment: Funny Girl, starring international teenage hearthrob Sajid Khan and local glamour girl Tina Revilla. It was a financial flop. To nurse his disappointment, Joey sought solace in directing TV shows. “Those two films were a bakya compromise,” Joey says. “I have learned my lesson, that is never to compromise. Everybody was telling me noon, “Hoy, Joey, kailangan gumawa ka ng…hindi naman mediocre movie…but something with mass appeal. Kailangan kumita ang pelikula mo kung hindi wala ka nang pelikulang susunod.” Kaya nagisip-isip ako, sabi ko, why not? One movie critic called Funny Girl the total concept of a bakya production, which it was. Bakya nga, pero hindi rin naman nag-click. So I resolved to do what I believe will make good at the box-office.”

Sine Pilipino Period – Joey re-emerged in the movie scene in 1972, bristling with fresh ideas. This time he made a big gamble by helping his brother Victor and some friends put up Sine Pilipino, the company that would revolutionize trends in local movie-making. SP specializes in campy, stylish movies with imperative, three-word titles: Takbo, Vilma, Dali; Hatinggabi na, Vilma; Zoom, Zoom Superman!l; Si Popeye Atbp.; and Sunugin Ang Samar. Except for the last mentioned which was an action saga, the four SP flicks were spoofs characterized by madness. They revived the all-star casting system, lumping together in one movie several big stars. The flicks made money. Joey Gosiengfiao had his “sweet revenge.” “It was not wasy for us in the beginning,” Joey relates. “Just before the showing of our first film, Takbo, Vilma Dali!, Martial Law was declared. There were no newspapers then so we had to post bills all over the city, hanggang Pasay nagdidikit kami nina Douglas. We also distributed hand bills. Sa awa ng Diyos, kumita ang pelikula.” Of the films he has done, Joey considers Sunugin Ang Samar as the most difficult, not only because of its scope but also because action is not his forte. It took him three months to make the movie because the script (by Wilfrido Nolledo) called for different settings and they had to move from one place to another. Joey didn’t exactly follow Nolledo’s script but he saw to it that “the spirit was retained.” Of late, Joey has organized his own company called Juan de la Cruz Productions together with Elwood and Douglas. Their inital production, Asawa Mo, Asawa KO, was a moneymaker. SP specializes in home-movie types while JC makes more of the woman’s movie, “that’s because we are not good for action pictures.” Joey is now connected with SP only as a director.

“My main purpose as a director is to entertain the public,” say Joey. “It’s very rare that I put in any social message. JC movie deal with the individual rather than the social, more on the problems of the individual which may not be very relevant to society.”

As a producer, Joey knows the high cost of production so he tries to economize on negative by practising what he calls the “pre-editing method.” He makes sure that every shot is good, that no footage is wasted. Luckily for Joey, he never has any encounter with obdurate stars; all those he has worked with are easy to handle and cooperative. His favourite actress is, obviously, Celia Rodriguez whom he has directed twice before and who is cast in her secon-starring role in La Paloma, JC’s latest offering (also scripted by Nolledo). La Paloma is a bold experimental film for two reasong: (1) it’s done in black and white (which is a big risk in these time of color films), and (2), it boasts no box-office stars. “Celia is nice and difficult to work with,” says Joey, “nice because we communicate and difficult because, like all good natural actresses, she has her insecurities and tantrums which result in misbehavior and antipathy. Pero hindi naman siya antipatika, ha. Madalas kaming magsigawan sa set; sometimes, gusto niya mauna siyang mag-shooting pero hindi naman puede dahil kailangan mayroon mauuna. Ayan, we would shout at each other na, “Please naman Celia,” I would scream, “don’t give me any more problems, marami na nga akong problema, mabuti kung ikaw lang ang mayroon.” Pero after a while, kiss and make up na kami…” Joey Gosiengfiao has a last found true happiness. Expressweek, December 12 1974

Rate this:

On Edu, Ralph, and Luis

Posted on November 30, 2012 by @ffv Standard

On Edu, Ralph, and babies – “…It’s been over five year since Vilma Santos and Edu Manzano have gone their separate ways and a little over years that Vilma had lived-in with current flame Ralph Recto, but still, Vi and Doods have remained the closest of friends. “It’s better this way, no more constant bickering. May respeto pa rin naman kami sa isa’t-isa, so all is well between us.” says Ms. Santos. Edu was rumored to have had an affair and that triggered the break-up. “We really didn’t know why and how we parted ways. We could not pinpoint the problem. It just happened. We gradually drifted apart and before we knew it, we were so far away from each other that any holding on proved to be futile,” said Edu. “Hindi namin talaga alam kung ano ang nangyari, because had we known the root, we would not be apart from each other now.” Vilma no longer makes as many movies as she did before. A lot of showbiz insiders said that the timing of Edu’s marriage to Vi was all wrong. Vi was then making a lot more dough than her husband was and this fact contributed much to the strain in their relationship. Vilma’s romance with Ralph Recto started tongues wagging and a lot of speculations cropped up, especially so, since Edu, after the break-up had remained unattached for a long time. Talks circulated that Edu left Vilma because she was first to fall-out of the bonds of marriage. “Hindi totoo iyan,” Vilma was quoted in an interview “nauna si Eduardo at alam niya iyon.” But the past is past and Vilma can now look back with a smile on her lips. “Mas maganda ang relasyon namin ni Eduardo ngayon.

We are friends. I know I can count on him kung mayroong malaking problema. We understand each other, kaya nga may ganitong arrangement.” Vilma says she is happy now for Doods who has found his right girl. “Naiintindihan ko naman si Edu and I’m happy for him. If he thinks Maricel is right for him, I know Edu when he makes a decision, then, I am happy for them both. Wala naman akong hinangad kundi matagpuan na ni Doods ang babaeng para sa kanya. Ako naman, I’m very happy and contented with my personal life kaya I wish him all the best.” Asked if she is against Edu having a child with another woman, Vi replied: “Bakit naman? We now lead separate lives at sa mga ganung sitwasyon, hindi na pinagtatalunan pa. I’m not against Edu having a child with any woman, basta ba alam kong nagmamahalan sila and having a baby will make their happiness complete, bakit naman ako magagalit? Siguro naman, If I decide that I too would want to have a baby with the man I am living with, Doods will not make it difficult for me. Hindi siya hahadlang dahil he also has my happiness at heart. Like I said before, mayroon na kaming arrangement and we’re both contented with the ways things have turned out, so walang problema.” Talks are spreading like wildfire that Vilma is about to move out of her Magallanes digs and that she has bought a house for her current hearthrob. “Unfair naman iyon. I wanted to buy this house for my family, kay Lucky. Just because Ralph is not visible in the movie scene, eh pagiisipan na siya ng hindi maganda.

I intend to keep this phase of my life private and hindi naman siya showbiz personality so why can’t we spare him from the intrigues? Iba naman ang mundo niya.” Vilma has other plans aside from just staying as an actress all her life. “I plan to go into production and television, ibabalik ko rin ang VS Films. I have plans pero hindi pa naka-set. There are so many factors to consider at hindi bigla-bigla ang ganitong desisyon. Sabi nga ng marami, I’m not getting any younger daw and many people would like to see me retire from film making. Sabi ko nga, as long as there are people who still watch me on the screen, as long as there are fans supportive of my career, nandito pa rin ako. When that time comes na aalis ako sa showbiz, hindi naman totally na mawawala ako. Siguro, behind the cameras na lang ako. Directing maybe. Producing, why not? But that wuold still be a long time. I’m enjoying my profession and no one can stop me from enjoying what I want most.” Not even having a baby? “I know I’m not getting any younger and I’d like to have another baby after Lucky. Sino ang makapagsasabi, maybe this year, bakit nama hindi?…” – Lulubelle Lam, Manila Standard, Mar 29, 1989 (READ MORE)

Luis knows his limitations – “…Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos-Recto denies reports that she is having problems with her 17-year-old son Luis, the boy TV fans remember as Lucky, who is the offspring of Vilma and her first husband, actor Edu Manzano, now Vice Mayor of Makati City. Luis, who is a high school student at the San Agustin College in Makati, lives with Edu in the Vice Mayor’s Ecology Village residence during weekdays while Vilma stays in Lipa City attending to her constituents. On weekends, both Vilma and Lucky move to her Green Meadows residence where the actress- politician relaxes and plays Mom before going back to Lipa on Monday. Luis was reported to be so in love with his Filipino-American girl friend Nicole that he is allegedly neglecting his studies. Vilma, who is married to Batangas Congressman Ralph Recto, reacted sharply to these reports. “Luis knows his limitations,” Vilma is quoted by Malaya’s Ethel Ramos. “While Edu and I do not stop him from falling in love, for that is but natural among boys his age, we keep reminding him that he is too young to get involved seriously. Edu an I want him to finish his studies first before he becomes involved seriously with any girl…” – Sol Jose Vanzi, Oct. 21, 1998 (READ MORE)

Family is First Priority – “…A prominent resident of Lipa has told Manila Standard columnist Isah Red that his city’s mayor, actress Vilma Santos, spends only three days of each week in Lipa, and the rest of the week in her Metro Manila residence. “For the past weeks, she’s been working only for three days a week: Monday to Wednesday,” Isah quotes his source. The writer adds that “the multi-awarded actress might have been overwhelmed by the scope of her duties as a local government official, plus the numerous problems in the city that need to be addressed.” Vilma had told everyone from the very beginning that she’s going to divide her time between her family and her duties and obligations to Lipa City as mayor. Her supporters claim that even when she’s not in Lipa, she is in constant touch with her Lipa-based staff, monitoring activities from wherever she happens to be. But Isah’s source says that is not enough. “She has to make herself visible to her constituents. Nothing is decided upon (at the City Mayor’s office) after Wednesday. People who want to do business in the city have to wait until the following Monday to get things done, especially those whose documents need the approval or signature of the mayor,” he complained. Vilma claims that “It’s already a sacrifice for me to be away from my kids for three days.” The actress tries to make up by staying in the mayor’s office beyond the regular office hours. “Now I also need to be with my children and my husband for the weekend,” Mayor Vilma Santos- Recto said. Her husband, Batangas Congressman Ralph Recto, holds office in Metro Manila because he reports for work at the Batasang Pambansa complex which houses the House of Representatives…” – Sol Jose Vanzi, Nov. 21, 1998 (READ MORE)

Luis Manzano is a better actor than dad Edu Manzano – “…Yung movie na ginawa naman namin ni Eduardo (Edu) eh romance. Bagong kasal lang kami noon, hindi ko pa siya nakita at naka-eksena talaga na really heavy. That time nung [kasama] kami nina Dina (Bonnevie) sa Palimos ng Pag-ibig, mas nataon si Eduardo sa action eh so hindi ko talaga na-pick up ‘yung dramang-drama na acting [sa kanya]. But dito kasi, first time with my son meron siyang moment dito na isang eksena na nadala ako bilang nanay. But kung sino ang mas magaling, magaling naman si Eduardo, pero mas magaling si Lucky (Luis)…” – Bernie Franco (READ MORE)

“…Ralph. “He is the most secure man I have known. I want to grow old with him.” Luis. “Who he is today, he worked hard for. I am proud of him.” Ryan Christian. “He is very passionate. One time he told me he wanted to get into politics and showbiz. And I told him, ‘It’s hard anak’ and he shot back ‘Bakit ikaw mommy?…” – Boy Abunda, The Philippine Star, July 31, 2009 (READ MORE)

Rate this:

FILM REVIEW: TAGOS NG DUGO

Posted on November 29, 2012 by @ffv Standard

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The Plot – A young Pina was traumatized when her family was murdered while she had her first menstruation. She grown up into a serial killer transforming herself to different personalities as she seduced one man at a time grossly killing them while in the act of sexual pleasure. Eventually Pina was caught by the authorities. Considered by some critics as a feminist movie, Tagos ng Dugo has the feeling of claustrophobic but stylized European slasher movie that showcased the wide acting range of Philippines’ cinematic diva, Vilma Santos. The film lacks the usual long dialogue of her previous films but in this film, she was given a chance to show her body movements and “eye” acting that climaxed with tour de force ending, a mad lion being caught by armed hunters. – RV (READ MORE)

The Reviews: First of all, serial murder is almost alien to Philippine crime journalism, a fact that’s due certainly to our police force’s lack of records on such cases. Now, this police-records gap may of course in turn reflect a lack of local police coordination towards (or, worse, capability for) determining crime patterns as possibly serial. Unless those determinations have to do with the usual cop-out that goes like this: “it’s another NPA hit” blah blah blah, or “it’s another murder similar to the one that happened last week, and this is reflective of pornography’s…My above statements are meant to illustrate a national wont to demean our own police organization’s capability (or, worse, intelligence) that may neither be fair nor productive, but it would be a habit that certainly is not undeserved given the record — official and memorial — of the police’s prioritizing its own people’s interests and “rackets.” Given this background, therefore, Tagos Ng Dugo can be said to be a demonstration of serial crimes’ possible placement in local shores, and that would certainly be a valid view. Except, of course, that in effect Tagos is also — and probably should be read primarily as — a demonstration of possibilities other than the merely forensic. I say “should be,” since the police is portrayed fairly in the film, albeit not exactly generously. So what could be all the fuss about Tagos’ value? “Production values” is the often-heard reason, needing elucidation.

A breakthrough for Philippine psychological movies? Probably. Let me explore a few other angles on this seeming cross between Francois Truffaut’s The Bride Wore Black and Luis Buñuel’s Belle du Jour – I don’t know if screenwriter Jake Tordesillas or De los Reyes himself should be congratulated for the cohesion of multi-resultants in this work. Part of this multi-readings would be the movie as a feminist take on womankind’s monthly pains as a form of excuse for female monthly insanities, insanities our machos regard as regular terrorism on the whole of mankind (men or society as a whole). It is with that reading that the ending apologies, by Vilma Santos in the lead role, might be understood as a plea for understanding of how all of woman’s monthly Eve-behavior should not be seen as a Biblical sin but as an equal (to, say, men’s beastly) naturalness….Another feminist reading, more radical perhaps, would treat the film as a view of how Philippine society (the men in it, primarily) approaches provincial innocence, educational weakness, and “females’ weaker sanity” as stimuli for abuse….There is, however, the possibly more general reading of the film as an apologia for insanity qua itself, how it should be treated as a disease instead of as a monster to be eliminated.

And finally, there’s the possibility that the film is actually a depiction of how crazy the world outside the insane mind really is, albeit this view would probably be the least successful direction for the film….As a bonus, maybe we can also bring the movie to more latent, more philosophical territory, say, how it depicts the sanity of innocence. But, given the validity and possible weight of all those approaches, what finally makes this movie a jewel in Philippine cinema history is how it brings forth — every time you watch it — its case achievements in directorial and film editing dramaturgy (including the recurring stage-like choreography, Hitchcockish camera positionings, and acting pacing within). For the serious student of third-world filmmaking, here is a requisite Philippine movie from where to cull precious fragments. In these fragments, he/she is sure to find sparkles that are in themselves gems. – Vicente-Ignacio S. de Veyra III (READ MORE)

“…Sa anggulong ito halos umikot ang kabuuan ng pelikula. Masasabing naging matapang ang mga bumuo ng pelikulang Tagos Ng Dugo dahil sa tahasan nitong tinalakay ang sekswalidad ng mga pangunahing tauhan. Mapapansing pinagtuunan ng pansin ang kabuuan ng karakter ni Pina na buong husay ginampanan ni Vilma Santos. Ang aktres ay halos nasa lahat ng eksena sa pelikula. Maituturing na hysterical ang pag-arte ni Bb. Santos ngunit sa pelikulang ito ay malaki ang naitulong nito upang maipahatid niya ang nararapat na emosyon sa epektibong paraan. Malaki ang naitulong ni Direktor Maryo J. de los Reyes sa pagsasalarawan ng kuwento ni Pina. Nailahad niya ng maayos ang mga problemang sikolohikal hindi lamang ni Pina kundi ng buong lipunan. Makikitang binigyang diin ang posibleng solusyon sa mga suliraning ipinamalas sa pelikula. Maaring may ilang pagkukulang ang pelikula sa naging takbo ng istorya ngunit naisalba ito ng mahusay na pagdidirehe ni de los Reyes. Sa anggulong ito naging malaking bahagi sa tagumpay ng Tagos Ng Dugo ang direktor dahil sa tuwiran niyang naipahayag ang patotoo sa mga isyung tinalakay sa buong pelikula. Dito rin natamo ni Vilma ang kanyang ikaapat na FAMAS Best Actress Award bago siya tuluyang naluklok sa Hall Of Fame nang sumunod na taon…” – Jojo De Vera, Sari-saring Sineng Pinoy (READ MORE)

“…Pina is Vilma and Vilma is Pina. This is their story. This is their movie. This is acting at its best. Thank God, Mayor Vilma Santos has come to the rescue of the Pina’s in this world. Unlike the super heroine and fictitious Darna who kicks butt as she battles with the forces of darkness and defend the people, here is Vilma, the philanthropist and the Mother Theresa of her generation, in the flesh, reaching out to the poorest of the poor of her Lipa constituents. Through her loving heart and helping hands, she has actually helped thousands of society’s outcasts, the poor and the needy. This is the Vilma Santos today: successful, revered, in demand, a winner in all fronts. A National Treasure! Who would have thought that the second fiddle to another actress will become the greatest film practitioner of all time and a capable Mayor? A great actress and an excellent Mayor. Nobody does it better…” – Mar Garces, V Magazine 2006 (READ MORE)

The Director – Maryo J. De los Reyes is a film and television director from the Philippines. He began his career in the 1970s(Wikipedia). Reyes’ most significant works are the critically acclaimed Magnifico (2004), Tagos Ng Dugo (1987) and the commercial hits, Bagets (1983), Annie Batungbakal (1979) (Wikepedia). In 1987 Maryo De Los Reyes directed Vilma Santos that critics considered one of the shocking film that year, Tagos Ng Dugo. The film was hailed as a feminist film and earned Vilma Santos her fourth FAMAS Best Actress. Ironically, the conservative church award giving body will agree and also gave their 1987 CMMA Best Actress to Vilma Santos. Reyes will again direct Vilma in 1992. (Tagos ng Dugo 1987 and Sinungaling Mong Puso 1992)

The Most Colorful Film Character of the Year – “…The decision of the film critics to inhibit themselves from conferring their annual Urian Awards is unprecedented in the group’s 12-year history…But the case of film year 1987 is truly abysmal. It is, in fact, beyond salvation. True, there were number of worthwhile efforts, in such specific categories as editing, cinematography or sound but again, this is taking film as if it were a highly segmented form, instead of a holistic and integrated medium of communication. The area of screenplay was, to my mind, the most borely abused; I cannot recall any single film where this can be considered outstanding. Blame it on the producers who were more concerned with much momentary fancies as inane fantasies, sexploitation flicks and anachronistic melodramas. Blame it, too, on the governement which doesn’t seem to care and which doesn’t realize the power of the cinema in the value reformation of a natin long shackled in a despotic rule…Then there was the dismal and embarraing Brocka opus, Magin Akin Ka Lamang, which is a far cry from what the director used to do with komiks genre, having elevated it to a level of respectability in Tahan Na Empoy, Tahan and Ang Tatay Kong Nanay, which is good enough melodrama. Even more sordid is his Pasan Ko ang Daigidg, which takes an egregiously compromising view of poverty with its Cinderella-like storyline. Even Ishmael Bernal was not spared of the spirit of idiocy which pervaded the past year and which threatens to hound us this year. Bernal, who often can be relied upon to transcend the limitations of the most trivial of storyline, simply failed to overcome the komiks convolutions of Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa. Also, quite unlucky was Peque Gallaga who was in bad shape in Kid, Huwag Kang Susuko, though he managed to score a few precious points in the action film genre. And what do we make out of Maryo de los Reyes’ Tagos ng Dugo, with its grossly improbable tale of multiple schizophrenia and made all the worse by the director’s penchant for pseudo-character changes? Personally, i would rate Vilma Santos here as having been last year’s most colorul character instead of a consumate performer….” – Justino Dormiendo, Manila Standard, Feb 23, 1988 (READ MORE)

“…She has lost some pounds (due to the gruelling shooting of her recent film, Tagos ng Dugo, but she is still the same radiant beauty…Santos is likewise bugged by the observation (presumably by some Nora Aunor supporters) that her performance in Tagos ng Dugo, wherein she portrayed a psychopath, was “Norang-Nora.” She could not divine how the comment was made in the first place. Was it becauise, in the film, she was handled by Maryo de los Reyes who is known to be a close friend and one of the favorite directors of Nora Aunor? Or, was it because her role in Tagos called for a lot of the so called Nora-style acting -expressive eye movements, prolonged byt quiet crying binges? Is she, in the eyes of some Aunor loyalist, as good as actress now as their idol? “Wala akong ginagaya,” defended the actress. “That was Pina, the role, I was acting out. I did not think of Guy or anybody else when I was doing the film. “But you know, that (comment) is good,” she said as an after thought. “Kinukumpara pa rin kami hanggang ngayon. That means kami pa rin – the rivalry is still strong.” On the other hand, one is hard put to imagine Aunor attempting Santos’ “patented” acting style (the ease and confidence in delivering kilometric line, among others). If and when she does in any of her future films, I told the actress, we would also say “Vilmang-Vilma” siya! She burst out laughing…” – Mario V. DumaualManila Standard, Feb 19, 1987 (READ MORE)

“…I had actually intended to evaluate the industry’s artistic accomplishments from January to June this year, but the consideration of causes simply overwhelmed the original subject. Anyway, in providing a listing of the more acceptable items, it would serve our purposes well to keep in mind that these titles were originally greeted with expressions of disappointment and frustration, with only passing acknowledgement of their respective merits – to which I now most carefully give mention…Tagos ng Dugo (Maryo J. de los Reyes, dir.): kinkiness rounded out with psychological backgrounding and propelled forward with a sense of conviction and sympathy for the plight of the subject…” – Joel David, National Midweek, 26 August 26, 1987 (READ MORE)

RELATED READING:

Rate this:

Leron Leron Sinta Films

Posted on November 28, 2012 by @ffv Standard

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Leron leron sinta (1972) – Directed by Emmanuel H. Borlaza, written by Nestor Torre, produced by Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions, featured Vilma Santos, Edgar Mortiz, Jay Ilagan, Florence Aguilar, Lillian Laing, Karlo Vero, Beth Manlongat, Ruben Tizon, Angelito, The Family Birth Control, Julius Obregon, Romeo Miranda, Rene Baraza, Lito Ladores, Eric Domingo, Caloy Distrito, Raffy Engle, Geoffrey Beltran, Catalino Almario Jr., Tacio Tangkad, Bayani Casimiro, Lito Calzado, Daisy Romualdez, and Manny Paner. (READ MORE)

Leron leron sinta (1964) – Directed by Rosa Mia, written by Gina Leonardo and Chari C. Araullo, adapted for screen by Medy Tarnate and Leticia Roxas, produced by Sampaguita Pictures, featured Susan Roces, Eddie Gutierrez, Liberty Ilagan, Introducing Ramil Rodriguez, Meldy Corrales, Bella Flores, Gina Pareno, Vic Pacia, directed by Rosa Mia. (READ MORE)

Star For All Seasons

Vilma Santos-Recto is a popular multi-awarded actress and politician in the Republic of the Philippines. * She is known as "Queen of Philippine Movies," "Queenstar," "Grand Slam Queen," "Box Office Queen," and "Star for All Seasons." * This website is mostly about her iconic film career.

Author Archives: @ffv

FILM REVIEW: PAANO BA ANG MANGARAP

Rate this:

Sino’ng Talaga Ang Superstar ’78, Si Vilma o si Nora? 1/2

Rate this:

FILM REVIEW: PAHIRAM NG ISANG UMAGA

Rate this:

In Appreciation of Writers

Rate this:

Vima Santos on Motherhood

Rate this:

2002 Best Actress Awards

Rate this:

Joey Gonsiengfiao’s Trilogy

Rate this:

On Edu, Ralph, and Luis

Rate this:

FILM REVIEW: TAGOS NG DUGO

Rate this:

Leron Leron Sinta Films

Rate this: