Fantasy And Reality In DIWATA

Posted by Jojo Devera , Labels: , , ,

Diwata
The action of Diwata (Double M Films International) begins with Ronald (Dick Israel),  a man struck with grief over his fiancée's accidental death. Some years later, Ronald still blames himself for the accident and is morbidly obsessed with his dead girlfriend, Edna. Concerned, Ronald's live-in lover Fipa (Lola) convinces him to tag along a group of friends for a night on the town where he comes face to face with Ma-Ay, a mysterious tribal maiden. Since both Edna and Ma-Ay are played by Olga Miranda, the maiden is the incarnation of the dead girlfriend. Apparently mollified by Ronald's compassionate nature, Ma-Ay is unable to harm the miner. When Ronald returns to Fipa, he finds her jealousy overbearing and decides to camp near the Amu-Bake tribe to be closer to Ma-Ay. The remainder of the plot chronicles Fipa's efforts to save Ronald from certain destruction in the hands of Ma-Ay. To be able to appreciate the dramatic insight and the narrative skill that Tata Esteban invested in Diwata, it is essential that the viewer should be willing to enter the world of fantasy on which the point of the film rests. There are other things dramatized and implied by the screenplay and by the director's touches that make Diwata deserving of more than casual interest. The theme of Diwata has mythic dimensions that popular Filipino films seldom cultivate. The lovers are aspects of human personality often represented in tales as people with very different goals. Ronald and Fipa are under the same curse but one is destroyed and the other survives.

Intentional or not, Diwata unfolds a classic theme in world literature, that human fate is but the working out of an individual's character as this has been compounded of history and cultural conditioning. Tata Esteban has put together a team of actors responsive to his insights and to the nuances of the screenplay. Olga Miranda comes across vividly as the tentative and tense Edna and the inscrutable and seductive Ma-Ay. Dick Israel as the compassionate mining engineer steers clear of any stereotype, the slightly pained serenity of his mien suggesting submerged grief and anguish, a role physically and emotionally right for his looks and temper. As the young photographer, Lola is the right physical type but unfortunately she tends to expose her limitations as an actress when she heavily underscores dialogue assumed to be intensely dramatic. And in what perhaps is her briefest appearance as a character actress, Odette Khan sears into one's memory as the image of the entire Amu-Bake tribe with her expressionless face and glassy stare in the fertility rites sequence. Significantly, the movie's last scene shows Edna, or yet another reincarnation of her and the camera zooms in on her face to show her looking in the corner of her eye in Ronald's direction, before a sly smile begins to play around her lips. Ronald has come to this place but now the viewer knows that no Eden is free of the snake personified by Edna. Hence, Edna is not submitting her body passively to Ronald's gaze, she is willfully transforming this same body into a weapon poised to strike at him.

Direction: Tata Esteban
Screenplay: Rei Nicandro
Cinematographer: Val Dauz
Music: Tata Esteban And Blitz Padua
Editor: Pat Ramos
Production Design: Elmer Manapul
Produced By: Double-M Films International
Release Date: July 8, 1987

19 Response to "Fantasy And Reality In DIWATA"

  1. Ronald Selorio says:
    9:12 AM

    Great review. It seems to bean interesting movie. I didn't know that Dick Israel top bills in movies before. I thought he did mostly supporting roles.

  2. Jojo Devera says:
    12:08 PM

    Thanks so much Ron!

    Diwata is an interesting film although Lola's performance leaves much to be desired. Olga Miranda was serviceable in her role but it was Dick Israel and Odette Khan who made this movie worthwhile. It's very seldom to see character actors play lead parts although Dick was one of the leading men in Ishmael Bernal's Aliw. Odette on the other hand was superb in a very short role as the Amu-Bake tribe leader...

  3. Dennis says:
    11:14 AM

    Hi Jojo!

    I have yet to see this one, too. Hopefully, cable has this.

    I gather this Diwata film tends to be more sexy than other film of this genre.

    Dick Israel is a great actor. He can do justice to any role he's given. From the meanest of the bad guys to a sympathetic sidekick.

    Interesting review as always!

  4. Jojo Devera says:
    2:03 PM

    Most diwata films tend to be sexy simply because it's their way of attracting men either to lure or destroy. They also have to be very beautiful so they'll be able to cast their spell.

    Dick Israel has played a variety of roles. He was also the assistant director in this film. Dick also appeared in a slew of pene films in the mid 80's ...

    Although one of his best roles was when he played one Jay Ilagan's best friends in Soltero..

  5. Dennis says:
    2:32 AM

    Perfect explanation Jojo!

    Naging Assistant director din pala si Dick Israel. May ginawa pa ba siya na behind-the-camera sa ibang movies? I've read nga about his pene-past though I haven't seen it.

    Thanks for the insights!

  6. Jojo Devera says:
    6:39 AM

    Thanks Dennis!

    Dick Israel was assistant director to Tata Esteban's other films such as Double Cross and Materyales Fuertes. And even with his character actor or contravida persona, he can still play endearing roles such as the one he portrayed in Soltero and My Big Love.

  7. Dennis says:
    10:11 AM

    I did remember nga his role in Soltero, glad that cable has that.

    I have to say this, that one of the pinoy characters that terrified me during my childhood was his possessed role as Rudy Fernandez's close friend in Sa Init Ng Apoy! Particulary, the scene when he peek behind the sofa and his gaze was unsettling.

  8. Jojo Devera says:
    6:47 PM

    Thankfully, Soltero is shown from time to time on Cinema One...

    Sa Init Ng Apoy is a personal favorite. It may not be the best horror film but it really scared me. I vividly remember the scene you mentioned. Nakakakilabot talaga!

  9. aliwanavenue says:
    2:34 AM

    Hi, Jojo, for whatever reason I am not credited as owner of the story. This is actually a true story i researched about a college student who disappeared in a plane crash and resurfaces after 5 years as a native (apparently, she was abducted by a tulisan native tribe and made her their own after finding her alive in the wreakage.

  10. Jojo Devera says:
    5:27 PM

    Really Mama Paul? I wonder why you weren't given story credit. I know that you were one of the writers of Gabriela which was made a couple of years later. Did you get to watch the movie when it was shown? What was Tata Esteban's excuse for not giving you credit for the film's story? It's interesting to know that the genesis of Diwata was based on a true story.

  11. Dennis says:
    12:52 AM

    Kaya I do catch Soltero whenever it airs on cable. Wortn watching again and again.

    Naintriga naman ako at natuwa sa sinabi mo Sa Init Ng Apoy, what do you mean by personal favorite? Maraming terrifying scenes ang movie, from Lorna showering pero dugo na pala ang lumalabas to George Estregan's diabolical laugh. Napakarami. And the house itself is very creepy. Nakatayo pa kaya 'yun hanggang ngayon? I was very disappointed nga sa list ng Ang Pinaka (on Q-Tv pa)sa Scariest Pinoy Horror Movies nila dati. I was a bit expecting na pasok 'to sa list pero nasa listahan ang Feng Shui at Sukob?!

  12. Jojo Devera says:
    5:27 AM

    Personal favorite dahil sa lahat ng tagalog horror films na napanood ko, hindi ko pinagsasawaaang ulit-ulitin ang pelikula. When I was asked by Frank Cimatu kung alin ang mga paborito kong movies shot in Baguio, Sa Init Ng Apoy was on my list. I remember watching it sa Diamond Theater at sobrang lamig sa loob ng sinehan, Nakadagdag yon sa creepinesss ng movie at talagang maraming nakakagulat na mga eksena.

    I guess hindi kasi gaanong napapanood ang pelikula kahit sa TV kaya it wasn't even mentioned among the scariest Pinoy horror movies. It was also in this movie where Rudy and Lorna fell in love...

  13. Dennis says:
    10:23 AM

    I never get tired of watching Sa Init Ng Apoy too. Tuwing pinapalabas nga sa cable kahit sa'n ko maabutan pinapanood ko hanggang matapos o talagang inaabangan ko ang schedule on cable. Nagulat din nga ako years later na may love theme din courtesy of Imelda Papin and Anthony Castelo. I remember you told about Sa Init as part of your favorite pinoy movies set in Baguio. That was one movie na talagang nararamdaman ng manonood ang lamig ng Baguio. Buti ka pa you were able to watch it on the big screen.

    It was controversial (tama ba, hehe) as you told me too that du'n nga sila nagkahulugan ng loob. At natawa ako ng sobra sa choice of words mo.

  14. Jojo Devera says:
    12:27 PM

    I wouldn't say controversial dahil nabalita na ang panliligaw ni Rudy kay Lorna when they were filming Bantay Salakay, I guess nakatulong ang Baguio para magkatuluyan silang dalawa...

  15. Dennis says:
    12:31 PM

    Siguro nga. Baguio is a perfect place everything- for vacation, relaxation, for honeymoon and even for ghost hunting hehe...

  16. Jojo Devera says:
    4:28 PM

    Agree ako diyan... Maraming na-in love na celebrities dala na rin siguro ng lamig sa Baguio.

  17. Dennis says:
    9:35 AM

    Thanks again for the insights, I never knew Dick Israel was behind the camera din pala until now!

  18. Jojo Devera says:
    5:11 PM

    You're most welcome! At least meron kang natututunan kahit paano sa mga comments ko ;)

  19. Armand Lazaro says:
    9:58 AM

    I was terrified as well by Sa Init ng Apoy when I was young! That sofa scene when Dick Israel was rising up in green was sooooo scary!!! :)

    By the way kuya Jojo, may kopya ka ba ng Sa Init ng Apoy? Would love to be scared again!!!

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Karapatang Magpalathala 2006-2013. SARI-SARING SINENG PINOY Lahat Ng Karapatan Ay Nakalaan. Disenyo Jojo Devera