Tag Archives: Bert R. Mendoza

Film Review: Pulot-gata, Pwede Kaya? (1977)

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The Plot: – Pulot-gata, Pwede Kaya? (1977) – An intrigued filled love affair between Baby Abueva a poor lass of Baguio and Teddy Burgos a millionaire from Zamboanga. An affair married with the appearance of Lota. – Kabayan Central (READ MORE)

The Reviews: – Serialized in Wakasan Komiks Magazine published by Nestor Leonidez, and under the direction of one of the most workaholic director of the 70s, Leonardo L. Garcia, “Pulot-Gata, Pwede Kaya?” started with rich man Bobby, who is trying to live a new persona as a poor bell boy to lure a hotel receptionist Baby Abueva (Vilma Santos). Abueva won Baguio City’s 1977 Summer Girl.  She then started some modeling gig while being pursued by the bell boy, Teddy/Bobby (Romeo Vasquez).  Teddy’s assistant played by comedian, Tange, took Bobby’s identity and became the boss.  They tried to cover up their secrets until Bobby’s long time ex-fiance, played by the young Suzanne Gonzales, found out what the two are up to.  Suzanne then, concocted a plan to destroy Bobby’s new affair by asking Bobby’s opportunist attorney played by Rodolfo “Boy” Garcia to produce a fake marriage contract.  She then confronted Baby with this document.  As a result, Baby broke-up with Teddy/Bobby, who earlier proposed to marry her.  Bobby discovered the fake marriage contract and fired his attorney.  He then explained this to Baby and they reconciled.  The End.  Pulot-Gata was one of the several hit films of Romeo Vasquez and Vilma Santos.  And one of the forgettable ones.  It exploits their real and reel life relationships.  Despite the film’s poor material, you can see their screen chemistry in several light comedic scenes.  Ruel Vernal’s fight scene with Vasques can be shortened or edited out.  Ditto with Susane Gonzales scenes in the hotel room, attempting to seduce back her ex-fiance.  In addition to some comedic scenes that can be edited, Vilma’s dramatic scene near end, can also be shortened.  A more watchable film of Vi and Romeo were “Dalawang Pugad Isang Ibon” and “Nag-aapoy na Damdamin.”  After watching “Pulot-Gata, Puede Kaya?” (literally means, “Sweet-Coconut, Can it be?” which can be assumed about the May-December affair of Santos and Vasquez), one can clearly say, “YES” to the real relationship of Vi and Romeo but NO to this films. – RV

Filmography: Tok, Tok, Palatok (1974)

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Basic Information: Directed: F. H. Constantino; Screenplay: Bert R. Mendoza; Cast: Vilma Santos, Panchito, Bentot, Pugak, Dencio Padilla, Tange, Max Alvarado, Jojit Paredes, Ike Lozada, Ponga, Rodolfo boy Garcia, Alicia Alonzo, Mary Walter, Ange; Original Music: D’ Amarillo; Cinematography: Fermin Pagsisihan

Plot Description: Vilma Santos played a twin sister…of a snake.

Film Achievement: No Available Data

Film Review: “…That was not the first time I met her. Actually, I know her way way back when she was only 8 or 9 years old, pumupunta sila sa amin. Kasi regular customer ng Mother ko ang Mama niya sa ready made clothes, yun kasi ang business ng Mother ko noon sa Rustans. I was about 10 or 11 years old then, and while her mom is making the selection of cloth, iniiwan naman niya si Vilma sa living room namin. Minamasdan ko siya, ang ganda-ganda ng mukha niya…Maasikaso sa set, malambing, mabait lalo na sa maliliit na crew. Doon kami nagkaroon ng bonding when we were doing that film. Mabuting tao talaga si Vilma, she has a good heart and always willing to help others. We became very close, di ko makakalimutan na minsan ay nag-drive ako ng 3 hours just to see her…Let’s split it up into two. Personality and how she relates to others. Personality wise, mabuting tao siya, she is so trusting to the extend that it becomes disadvantage on her part , she trusted people so much. About relation to others, she is so approciable, a perfect politician, she’s always ready to help, not skimming, she has social conscience and will do things to achieve her goal…” – Franco Gabriel (READ MORE)

“…And so, to prove them wrong, Vilma’s manager smartly plotted follow-up recordings. Not only did Vilma record her follow-up album, she recorded a string of mini-LPs. Mini-LPs are shorter version of the big vinyl record with two songs on each side. She ventured into Tagalog songs, recording six songs that include instants hits like Isipin Mong Basta’t Mahal Kita, a theme song to a film she did opposite Filipino chess grand master, Eugene Torre; Palong-Palo, where she received a golden record award in 1974 and an up-tempo opm, Tok-Tok Palatok, another theme song from one of her comedy film with the same title opposite Jojit Paredes…” – RV (READ MORE)

“…Very few probably are aware that Ronnie was once a matinee idol in the music profession. He was the other half of the famous singing duo called The Two of Us. His partner was Jojit Paredes, the cousin of Jim Paredes, who was also a kilabot ng mga colegiala as part of the Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society, now better known as the APO. Ronnie and Jojit were schoolmates in La Salle grade school, while Jim and his then large group were from rival Ateneo…After The Two of Us, Jojit eventually disappeared from the scene (he is now in L.A. married to an American and works as an assistant administrator in a hospital), while Ronnie’s popularity lingered, especially when he and Vilma Santos began dating. Ronnie also joined Penthouse 7 as executive producer/dancer and also part of the group was Ida Ramos, who many years later would become his wife. (Ida Henares now heads GMA Artist Center.) In between, he also hosted his own variety shows on TV, primarily in the Broadcast City stations…” – Butch Francisco (READ MORE)

RELATED READING: Interview with Jojit Paredes

Filmography: Teribol Dobol (1975)

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Basic Information: Directed: Luciano B. Carlos; Story, screenplay: Bert R. Mendoza; Cast: Chiquito, Vilma Santos, Walter Navarro, Caridad Sanchez, Lorlie Villanueva, Roderick Paulate, Tony Carrion, Robert Miller, Jesse O’Neil, James O’Neil, Raquel Montesa, Nympha Bonifacio, Joe Garcia, SOS Daredevils; Executive producer: Emilia Blass; Original Emie Munji; Cinematography: Ricardo Periodica

Plot Description: Teribol Dobol is a classic comedy movie. Maritess (Vilma Santos) asked for help from Frankie (Chiquito) a private investigator to investigate her father, who’s foolishly in love with a young lady. This lady & her family only wanted the wealth and fortune of her father. They will plan to poison Don Cosme (father of Maritess) and accuse Maritess for the caused of his death. Will they succeed to bring Maritess to jail? – Kabayan Central (READ MORE)

Film Achievement: No Available Data

Film Review: “If one is not enough, two can’t be too much!…..” Teribol Dobol (June 27, 1975) ng Lea Productions na pinangunahan nina Vi, Chiquito, Walter Navarro, Caridad Sanchez, Lorli Villanueva, Roderick Paulate, Tony Carrion, Robert Miller, Racquel Montesa at Nympha Bonifacio sa panulat at iskrip ni Bert R. Mendoza at sa direksiyon ni Luciano B. Carlos. – Alfonso Valencia (READ MORE)

“Lights…camera…action…yan ang sigaw ng mga film director kapag nagsushooting ng pelikula. Masasabing ang film director ang tumatayong “captain of the ship” dahil sila ang responsable sa camera angles, lens effects, lighting at set design. Sila din ang nagsisilbing story teller. Malaki din ang role ng film director sa post-production ng pelikula. Ngayong buwan ng Agosto…..sa ating ALAM NYO BA? Part 74 ay bigyang daan naman natin ang mga naging director ng Star for All Seasons na si Ms. Vilma Santos sa kanyang mga naging pelikula. Sa mahigit sa apat na dekadang pamamalagi sa larangan ng pelikula…..humigit kumulang sa dalawang daang pelikula din ang nagawa ni Vi sa mahigit na pitumpong direktor na nagdirek sa kanya…Nakagawa din si Vi ng pelikula na si Luciano B. Carlos ang direktor at ito ay sa mga pelikulang Pag-ibig Masdan Ang Ginawa Mo (1969), Teribol Dobol (1975) at Let’s Do The Salsa (1976)…” – Alfonso Valencia (READ MORE)

Filmography: Love is for the Two of Us (1970)

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Basic Information: Directed: F.H. Constantino; Screenplay: Bert R. Mendoza; Cast: Helen Gamboa, Ricky Belmonte, Vilma Santos, Edgar Mortiz, Rodolfo ‘Boy’ Garcia, Lucita Soriano, Manny Ojeda, Chuchi, Boy Mondragon, Peachy, The Flintstones; Original Music: D’Amarillo; Film poster: Video48

Plot Description: No Available Data

Film Achievement: No Available Data

Film Reviews; “…By late 1969, movie producers had been tapping a Vilma Santos-Edgar Mortiz love team. Edgar was a Tawag ng Tanghalan winner. They started to be together in the movies, My Darling Eddie (1969) and The Jukebox King (1969)…In 1970, the love team of Vilma Santos and Edgar “Bobot” Mortiz was officially launched in the movie Young Love, together with the another popular love team during that time, Nora Aunor and Tirso Cruz III. The Vi and Bot love team went on to do 14 more movies in 1970—The Young Idols, Songs and Lovers, Sweethearts, Sixteen, Love Letters, Love is for the Two of Us, Mga Batang Bangketa, My Pledge of Love, Renee Rose, Baby Vi, Because You Are Mine, Edgar Loves Vilma, From the Bottom of My Heart, and I Love You Honey. All did well at the box-office…” – Rommel R. Llanes (READ MORE)

“…Noong Dekada ’70, ang mga young stars ay kailangang marunong kumanta dahil yun ang uso kaya naman nagtayo ng sariling recording company ang nasirang manager ni Vi na si William Leary dahil ayaw niyang pahuhuli sa uso ang kanyang alaga. Ilan sa mga naging recording artists ng WILEARS RECORDS bukod kay Vi ay sina Edgar Mortiz, Ed Finlan, Sahlee Quizon, Hilda Koronel at Esperanza Fabon. According to Vi, kapag nagrerecord siya ng kanta ay nakatalikod siya sa dingding ng recording company at si Bobot ang umaalalay sa kanya. Ang SIXTEEN, na sinulat ni Danny Subido ang unang recording na ginawa ni Vi at ito ay flipsided by It’s So Wonderful To Be In Love. Ang SIXTEEN ay agad naging gold record at dahil dito ay gumawa ng pelikula ang Tagalog Ilang Ilang Productions, ang home studio ni Vi at ito ay ginawa nilang pamagat katambal si Edgar Mortiz. Hindi nyo naitatanong, muntik nang manalo si Vi bilang most promising singer sa AWIT AWARDS noong early ’70s…” – Alfonso Valencia (READ MORE)

“…The loveteam of Edgar Mortiz and Vilma Santos endured a stiff competition from teeny bopper love team of Nora Aunor and Tirso Cruz III and came up with equal success with string of hit films during the musical era of the 70s. Together they did forgettable but commercial hits and also some hints of the years to come to Vilma Santos’ long career. The most notable one: Dama De Noche. Total Number of films with Vilma Santos – 25 (Young Love, Teenage Jamboree, Songs and Lovers, Renee Rose, My Pledge of Love, Mga Batang Bangketa, Love Is for the Two of Us, I Love You Honey, From the Bottom of My Heart, Baby Vi, Love Letters, The Wonderful World of Music, The Sensations, The Young Idols, Sweethearts, Sixteen, Leron-Leron Sinta, Edgar Love Vilma, Don’t Ever Say Goodbye, Dama de Noche, Anak ng Aswang, Because You Are Mine, Kampanerang Kuba, Kasalanan Kaya, Karugtong ang Kahapon…” – RV (READ MORE)