SARI-SARING SINENG PINOY

Sensual

Upon first viewing, the obvious merits of Sensual (Regal Films) clearly place it several notches above  Perfumed Garden (1985) as an art film. Given Marilou Diaz-Abaya's microscopic concern with the sexual problems between three individuals, Sensual ably maneuvers all its episodes to make the story move, if only in terms of plot, for instance, where the sexual encounters in Perfumed Garden are often dispensable, the ones in Sensual seem to have a point. The first scene between best friends Niña (Barbara Benitez) and Elsa (Lara Jacinto) shows a realization of their sexual fantasies. The second between Ariel (Lito Gruet) and Niña indicates the girl's conscious decision to take the man as her lover. Commendable as well are the visual aspects of the film. Production design deftly captures the atmosphere of heat and sexuality in a small, quiet rural town. Cinematography is technically superb, especially the lighting of the night scenes. Editing is tight and spare, while sound faithfully and creatively reproduces the dialogues and the aural details of dressing and undressing and the ritual and passion of lovemaking. Technically polished as the film is, however it is wanting in certain elements essential to an art film on sex. First, if the director's intention is to prove that the passion of her female characters leads to sexual awakening, then it seems that the success of the film will have to hinge on excellent characterization. In a movie such as this, the viewer has every right to demand that the main characters at least be worked out as people with dreams, frustrations, idiosyncrasies, emotional imbalances and intellectual abilities so that we may understand why they act, think and feel the way they did in the film.

As it is, none of the actors involved emerge as persons. Here, Diaz-Abaya's camera does not only narrate a sexual encounter, it participates in that encounter, it does not only watch the lovemaking from a distance, it caresses bodies in the heat of passion. Clearly, the director intends to sexually arouse her viewers. But if the film is to be regarded as art, it should narrate sexual encounters with a certain objectivity that could be achieved through directorial techniques that will create and maintain a distance between viewer and viewed. Such a distance is necessary, so that we may temper titillation with thought and so that they may situate criticism within the film's perspective. This objectification which is similar to Bertolt Brecht's alienation effect, could be achieved perhaps by a camera that could enable us to zoom out of the scene, perhaps by giving details that remind us of a reality bigger than the one we are watching, perhaps through touches of humor that paint sexual excesses as excesses or perhaps through the development of supporting characters who can serve as alternative points of view for the narration such as Niña's mother Turing (Chanda Romero) and grandmother Senyang (Charito Solis) could have been more rounded out and most of all through the careful characterization of the three protagonists. All told, Sensual is more artistic than Perfumed Garden because it has a tighter plot, richer design, competent cinematography and more coherence as a whole. But its serious lack of characterization and the equally serious inability to make us critical of the subject matter prevents it from being an art film.

Directed By: Marilou Diaz-Abaya
Screenplay: Jose Javier Reyes
Director Of Photography: Conrado Baltazar
Music: Jaime Fabregas
Film Editor: Marc Tarnate
Production Design: Jay Sabrina Lozada
Produced By: Regal Films
Release Date: February 21, 1986

Direksiyon: Lino Brocka
Hango Sa Nobela Ni: Mars Ravelo Mula Sa Espesyal Komiks
Dulang Pampelikula: Mario O'Hara
Sinematograpiya: Loreto U. Isleta
Musika: Jose Mari Chan
Editing: Felizardo V. Santos
Disenyo: Ben S. Otico
Produksiyon: LEA Productions
Release Date: June 25, 1971


Ang Ika-6 Na Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino

Hagkan Mo Ako, Bago Isumpa

Hagkan Mo Ako, Bago Isumpa (Fantasy Films International) is built on a rather thin plot whose major point of interest is a mildly clever twist. A twist in the plot which is less than original at that. Since the film's source of interest hinges slowly on the unexpected turn of events, the screenplay tries to postpone the moment of revelation for as long as possible. The consequence of all this padding is a tiresome excess of redundant incidents that stretches to the limit not only the film's story but also the viewer's patience. Myrna Castillo plays Christy, a bride who is raped before her wedding. Unable to tell Rodel (Tony Martinez) the truth, she leaves him alone and humiliated. True to what one writer calls the Myth of Filipino Fertility, this one time sex act leads to a child. With the support of her mother Carmen (Lucita Soriano) and aunt Cedes (Anita Linda), a traumatized Christy accepts her unbelievable fate. Then illogically, the screenplay takes a turn that only melodrama can justify. Orly (Greggy Liwag), the faithful suitor is about to marry his boss' daughter Carla (Ivory Imperial) when he literally bumps into Christy. He turns his back on Carla and offered Christy love and care plus marriage. What is most amusing is how actions are often started but never finished. A character starts on something but is soon forgotten for the highly dramatic but unoriginal scenes. You are never in the know just how Carla managed to locate Rodel's whereabouts. And what happened to Christy after discovering that Orly was her rapist?

The movie is derailed from its central intention by the long drawn-out sex scenes, although reliable dramatic performers are cast for good measure. Myrna Castillo's concept of dramatic intensity unfortunately is to play every scene on a very high key, which she achieves mainly by doing a lot of shouting. A misconception that the director did not choose to correct. All of Myrna's external manifestations of anger and resentment only succeed to create an intolerable and unsympathetic character. To Myrna's excess of external energy, more experienced actresses Lucita  Soriano and Anita Linda counter with muted and deliberately controlled performances. While Myrna is ranting and raving, Lucita and Anita respond with small reactions and interiorized emotions that easily score them acting points. In contrast to the film's bridled dramatics, the pervasive musical score is awash with a runaway exuberance, proving to be more than anything else, intrusive and annoying. The screenplay unravels tediously, abusing further an already abused plot. The dialogue eventually degenerates into pure soap opera, a fitting compliment, as it happens, to the omnipresent score. Needless to say, Hagkan Mo Ako Bago Isumpa shows plenty of flesh but the titillation does not make up for its lack of substance.

Written And Directed By: Lito J. de Guzman
Director Of Photography: Joe Tutanes
Music By: Jenny Lee
Film Editor: Rene Tala
Produced By: Fantasy Films International
Release Date: November 19, 1987

Problem Child

Sa pagbubukas ng Problem Child (Regal Films, Inc.) ay establisado nang lahat ng bagay-bagay tungkol sa ating tauhan, si Alyssa (Cherie Gil). Tiwalag sa ina, wild, naglayas, naninigarilyo, umiinom ng alak. Sinikap nitong takasan ang imahe ng kanyang ina sa pamamagitan ng literal na pagpapalaya ng kanyang katawan sa akto ng  pakikipagseks kay Eddie Boy (Lloyd Samartino). Ngunit hindi ang nagsasariling ahensiya ng tauhan ang gustong ipamalas ng pelikula. Sa mapaghiwatig na paraan, malalantad ang mga kontekstong humugis sa ganitong sitwasyon. Ang pangungulila ni Alyssa sa amang si Caloy (Romeo Rivera), ang kalinga ng inang si Sylvia (Rosemarie Gil) at pagmamahal ng nakatatandang kapatid na si Butch (Greggy Liwag). Binibigyang kahulugan sa pelikula ang pagiging progresibo ni Alyssa sa kanyang pagiging halaghag sa pag-uugali at bigay hilig sa pakikipagrelasyon. Nagmumura siya, nakikipagbastusan at nakikipaglaro sa mga lalaki. Bukod kay Eddie Boy, may isa pang lalaking interesado kay Alyssa, at ito ay ang abogadong si Leo (Freddie Webb) na kalaguyo ng ina pero may pagnanasa sa kanya. Sa katunayan, sa isang tagpo, natagpuan silang naglalampungan sa swimming pool ng kanyang ina. May pagsisikap ang pelikula na lumikha ng moderno at naiibang larawan ng babae. Tila walang pakialam sa tradisyunal na huwarang pambabae ang ina. Nagdedesisyon siya ayon sa pinaniniwalaan niyang tama. Malaya siyang sundin ang nais ng kanyang isip at katawan. Hindi niya itinatago ang kanyang kalayaan sa harap ng mga anak. Pumaloob siya sa patriyarkang solusyon, kung hindi kuntento, maghanap ng iba, manlalaki. Ngunit nakonsensiya siya nang madama niya ang labis na pagkapoot ni Alyssa at tumalilis sa pamamagitan ng resolusyong kamatayan. Nanatili itong kaayusang naglalagay sa babae bilang pasibong tao na hindi buo kapag wala ang aktibong lalaki.


Mahusay ang estruktura ng pelikula mula sa pagpapakilala ng mga tauhan hanggang sa paggamit ng diyalogong angkop at malaman. Marami ring imahe ang nagpapayaman sa materyal, ang makinang na pagsasadula, plantsado, pulido, walang gusot, buong kinis at sadyang makintab tulad ng mga eksena ng karangyaan, ng magarbong pamumuhay ng pamilya ni Alyssa. Namumukod-tangi ang pelikula dahil sa malalim at may kalawakang pagsasalarawan ng milyu. Sadyang kaaliw-aliw ang mga balitaktakan at ng mga angkop na lokasyong napili para sa mga eksena. Naipahayag sa lengguwaheng biswal ang mga hidwaan at sagupaan ng mga tauhan. Ang daloy ng naratibo ay angkop na nailatag ng pelikula. Naibunyag kung gayon ang mga pagkatao ng mga protagonista sa paraang sikolohiko at kapani-paniwala. Habang hindi naman lumalabas sa genre na kinabibilangan ang Problem Child, lumilikha rin ito ng mga pakahulugan na siya namang ikinauungos nito bilang pelikula. At hindi matatawaran ang pagganap, bagama't hindi pumapainlalang ang mga ito sa kaganapan ng sining. Maliban na lamang kay Rosemarie Gil. Naging kapansin-pansin ang simple ngunit malalim niyang pagdulog sa kahingian ng papel na kanyang ginagampanan. Naging matingkad ang paghamon ng pelikula sa kumbensyong may kinalaman sa seksuwalidad. Bagama't inilako bilang sex-drama, kinakitaan ang Problem Child ng sariwang naratibo at paraang lumihis sa palasak na pagsasalarawan sa katawan ng babae bilang lunan lamang ng kamunduhan at kalaswaan. Subalit kailangang tandaan na malinaw na sumakay ang pelikula sa kahingian ng panahon. Isang pelikulang pansamantalang umaliw sa manonood na nagtampok sa katawan ng babae bilang sentral na panghatak.


Direksiyon: Elwood Perez
Dulang Pampelikula: Jose Javier Reyes
Sinematograpiya: Totoy Jacinto
Musika: Lutgardo Labad
Editing: Rogelio Salvador
Disenyo: Mel Chionglo
Produksiyon: Regal Films, Inc.
Release Date: February 1, 1980