#vicente salumbides

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Ibong Adarna (1941)

direksyon ni Vicente Salumbides at Manuel Conde

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Uod sa Anay, Anay sa Uod

Sa pamamagitan ng dalawang mangangalakal na Swiss na nagbukas ng kauna-unahang sinehan sa Maynila, naipakilala ang ‘motion pictures’ sa mga Pilipino. Nagpapatungkol kay Rizal, ang pambansang bayani ang mga naunang mga palabas na ginawa ng mga dayuhan dito sa Pilipinas. Taong 1919 ginawa ni Jose Nepomuceno ang isang ‘silent film’, “Ang Dalagang Bukid” (The Country Maid), ang kauna-unahang pelikulang Pilipino. Sa “Collegian Love” (1930) naman ni Vicente Salumbides nabigyang-tunog ang mga ‘silent film’. Ang mga ‘talking pictures’ ay dumating sa Pilipinas sa tulong ng direktor na si George P. Musser na lumikha ng “Ang Aswang” (The Witch) noong 1932. At si Nepomuceno muli ang gumawa ng kasaysayan sa pamamagitan ng paggawa ng unang ‘talkie’ na likha ng Pilipino, ang “Punyal na Ginto” (Golden Dagger) na natapos noong 1933.

Sa tekstong ito, tinatalakay ang apat na negatibong pagpapahalaga sa pelikula; 

1.) Maganda ang maputi,

2.) Masaya ang may palabas,

3.) Mabuti ang inaapi, at

4.) Maganda rin ang inaapi.

Unahin natin ang ideya ng mga pelikulang ito na “maganda ang maputi”, nakakatawang ideyang itinurok sa isipan ng mga Pilipino kaya’t karamihan sa atin ang naghahangad na pumuti kahit natural na kayumanggi ang kulay ng ating lahi para lang matawag na maganda. Gasgas na ngunit talamak pa rin ang mga produktong pampaputi upang gumanda “daw”. Maaari nating sabihin na nag-ugat ang ideyang yan sa mga pelikulang Amerikano kaya naman ganun na lamang ang pagkahumaling ng mga Pilipino sa mga produktong makatutulong sa kanilang pumuti at maging “maganda”.

Nakakalungkot isipin na maraming patalastas at karamihan sa ating mga artista na may malalakas na impluwensya sa madla ang siyang unang nagpapakita kung gaano kaganda ang produktong Kanluranin sa pamamgitan ng mga advertisements at pag-eendorso rito, ngunit walang ni isang patalastas ang nagpapakita ng kagandahan ng gawa ng Pilipino. Tulad ng  sapatos ng Marikina na ni minsan ay hindi nagkaroon ng patalastas sa telebisyon, hindi tulad ng mga sapatos na gawang kanluran na maraming patalastas kung kaya naman mas marami sa atin ang lalo pang na-eenganyo sa kanilang mga produkto.

Sa bawat pamantayan ng lipunan nababahagian ba ang lingid sa kanilan ninanais? Kapag ba pinoy dapat laging kawawa sa isang pang-internasyonal na palabas? Dapat ba kapag maitim ka ay ikaw yung laging pinagaalipusta ng kontrabida at nagiging alipin? Nasaan ang hustisya para sa dugong pinoy? Kalimitan sa mga artista ngayon ay may halong banyaga, miski nga sa mga pinapadala sa internasyonal pageantry ay may halong banyaga gaya nalang ni Ms. Universe 2018 Catriona Gray na naging kontrobersya kung saang bansa ba ang titulo sa pagitan ng Australia at Pilipinas. Subalit nanalo pa din nag pusong pinoy. Sapat na ba ito para masabing kaisa sila sa nasyonalismong pagbaybay ng watawat ng Pilipinas? Kung sa kanila mismo nagmumula ng pamantayan na dapat maging ganito ang mga Pinoy? Susmareyosep aba'y ginoo nga pala aking pagtiktik sa sanaysay ni Nicanor Tiongson.

Mula sa kasaysayan kung saan nagmula ang pelikula na hanggang ngayon ay patok sa tekilya. Nakakapanibago ng basahin ko ang isang teksto na naglalahad ng siguro isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit tinatangkilik natin ang ganoong gawi sapagkat maganda sa paningin ng tao. Kasi kung tutuusin nga naman, kapag sa isang disney na pelikula ay pangit ng bida sino nga ba naman ang tatangkilik? Hindi sa maling paglalahat subalit ito ang totoo.

Ang pelikula din ay isang hudyat ng rebolusyon, nakalimutan ko yung talaan ng pamagat kung saan ko ito nabasa subalit sa isang kasaysayan na nagbigay hustisya sa holocaust na pagpatay sa mga jews ay may nalathala na pelikula at nagsilbing pagbubukas tanglaw sa kaisipan ng madla.

Kung tutuusin ayon sa pag-aaral mas tinatangkilik ng mga manood ang mga may matangos, maputi, balingkinitan at kaaya-ayang itsura ng mga karakter subalit nakadepende pa din sa pag-eedit, videograpiya, linya, direktor at istorya ng pelikula para tangkilikin ito ng madla. Subalit bakit sa Pilipinas iba ang pamantayan maliban sa ibang palabas na "Kita Kita" na pumatok sa tekilya at nabigyan pa ng tagline na "Funny is the New Pogi" subalit di pa din maalis sa reyalidad na bihira itong mangyari.

Minsan nga may kilala akong mga taong, nabubuhay sa pantasya na dapat kasingkisig ng mga 'oppa'nila tsaka papakasalan nila. Kaya di makahanap ng lovelife e sobrang taas ng ekspektasyon at pamantayan sa tao. Walang 'sugar coating' totoo lang hindi sa maling paglalahat subalit maraming ganito. Pelikula kasi minsan ang nagbibigay ng pamantayan sa lipunan.

Pero wag nating kalilimutan ang mga pelikula ay nagbibigay hulma sa tradisyon at kultura ng isang bayan, nalalaman natin na hindi kaiba ang ninanais ng madla sa mundo natin. Na kahit di ka nakapunta sa isang lugar ay parang nakarating ka na din na parang libro pero pagkakaiba nga lang ay nakikita at na-vivisualize mo sya sabi ng nakararami. Ang pagputok ng pelikulang Pilipino ay dapat yakapin ng nakararami, na di natin kailangan ng maputi, matangos ang ilong, at iba pa. Sapagkat ang tao pa din ang nagbibigay kulay at liwanag sa dilim tulad ng sulong nagliliyab sa gitna ng kagubatang punong puno ng mga mababangis na hayop.

[thistime-iwillbelistening]

Despair of Philippine Cinema

          The film industry is considered as an effective tool of propagating a nation’s culture, language, philosophy and beliefs. Inversely, the dominant ideologies that describes a nation can be determined on what type of film the public gives most consideration to. This paper serves as a critique of the current condition of the Philippine cinema as it highlights a few films that not only aims to entertain but intends to interrogate the audience as well.

          As of June 2016, the ten highest grossing films in the Philippines are (in ascending order): The Unkabogable: Praybeyt Benjamin (2011), My Bebe Love: #KiligPaMore (2015), Sisterakas (2012), My Little Bossings (2013), It Takes a Man and a Woman (2013), Starting Over Again (2014), Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy (2013), The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin (2014), Beauty and the Bestie (2015), and A Second Chance (2015). All of which are classified as comedy with three as rom-coms and the rest as parody-spoof like. Although this exhibits the cheerful personality which the Filipinos are known for, this also shows how film are viewed largely for entertainment but the viewers are not the only one to be blamed for. Film production companies such as Star Cinema and GMA Films nowadays prioritizes profit over content producing highly-commercialized films with clichéd plotlines. Aside from the age-old star system that uses celebrity power to attract more viewers, mainstream films also practice product placement of their sponsors throughout the movie. One such example is the Marlon Rivera’s My Little Bossings (2013) that was flooded with advertisement and ended up appearing like a 100-minute commercial. These films didn’t seem to care about their content as long as they achieve blockbuster success especially during the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) season. Thousands, even millions of Filipinos line up during the holidays to watch these brainless entertainment that will disturbingly last weeks in cinemas. With a few attempts of movies such as Enzo Williams’ Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo (2014), Erik Matti’s Honor Thy Father (2015), and Brillante Mendoza’s Thy Womb (2012), substantial films still failed to infiltrate the the audience’s attention.

Historical Films in the Academe and Public Viewing

          First, the uncertain position of historical films in the industry makes them remote from the blockbuster scene. For the public, the notion of historical films being academic makes it harder to appeal to a larger audience. The idea of these films being just a narrative of historical events that are already written in books instigates such. But what the public failed to grasp is that these films weren’t necessarily directed from historical text but are mainly stories based upon historical events and famous people. These works not only intend to narrate but also create a discourse that interrogates the conventional realities that the majority believes in. One such example is Eddie Romero’s Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon? which won Best Picture in MMFF 1976. This film being set on the downfall of Japanese occupation in the Philippines centers on the journey of Kulas on his search for his personal and the nation’s identity. This portrayed historical events from the occupation but is a clear fiction that attempts to rationalize the nature of the Filipino identity. Ganito Kami Noon’s comedic tone made it more appealing to the public. Chito Roño’s 2002 drama Dekada ’70 gives off the same appeal as it focuses on the struggle of a family during the Marcos regime. It depicts the historical events of Martial Law but focuses on the torment of the family. It doesn’t necessarily narrate the events during the time but exhibits the occurrences that is not written in history books.

          On the other hand, when information in the film directly contradicted the historical text, people often falsely recalled the misinformation portrayed in the film or condemns the film for its inaccuracy (Everding 2009). Popular film’s potentially inaccurate nature often hinders its way to the academe. Although Jerrold Tarog’s Heneral Luna (2015) made its way to the mainstream, its take revolving Emilio Aguinaldo’s involvement on the death of both Andres Bonifacio and Antonio Luna is still questioned on its historical basis. Despite such, using a historical film in teaching history can be used to pave the way towards new and transformative discourses that push the boundaries of both history and film as sites of contradiction (Flores 1998 cited in Campomanes 2015). This gives room for discourse on interpreting historical narrative rather than crediting it without inquiry and could be a way of interrogating the audience about the current condition of the nation in comparison to historical events.

Film Industry’s Depiction of Beauty

          As a tool of propagating ideologies, the film industry’s depiction of beauty disfavors its own nation’s features for women in particular. Film became an institution that creates a standard of Western and European White beauty by informally privileging lighter skinned women (Renault n.d.). In 1924, Vicente Salumbides employed Hollywood film-making techniques and images on the Filipino production Miracles of Love. In the film, the American beauty was launched in Philippine cinema in the person of Elizabeth “Dimples” Cooper (Pilar 1978 as cited in McFerson 2002). Up until today, the most popular actresses such as Anne Curtis (2008 Baler), Toni Gonzaga (2014 Starting Over Again), Jennylyn Mercado (2014 English Only, Please), Bea Alonzo (2015 A Second Chance), and even the most respected actresses such as Vilma Santos (1984 Sister Stella L.), Sharon Cuneta (1996 Madrasta), Maricel Soriano (2007 Inang Yaya) are lighter skinned than most Filipinas. Curtis, Alonzo and even other actresses such as Marian Rivera (2007 Bahay Kubo), Rhian Ramos (2011 The Road), Kim Chiu (2012 The Healing) are celebrities with foreign blood. This implies that Japanese, Korean, and Chinese women who are lighter skinned than Filipinas are considered the ideal Asian beauty, while also continuing to adhere to Western standards of White beauty (Glenn 2008 cited in Renault n.d.). All of this while the natural brown complexion remained in supporting and minor roles. Natural Filipina skin doesn’t have enough and better representation not only in films but in media and fashion industry as well, that it has its own connotation of “dark beauty”. As a result, stereotypes and negative images of women with darker skin are contributing to the desire for them to resort to facial procedures to reconfigure their race, such as skin-lightening and cosmetic surgery. But this is not always the case in the Philippines.

          During the height of Nora Aunor’s career on the 70’s and 80’s, she defied racial and class ideals of Hollywood-patterned film industry (Tadiar 2004). As a poor, small, dark-skinned and uneducated actress, she dominated the cinemas with his role in films such as Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos (1976), Ina Ka ng Anak Mo (1979), Himala (1982), Bulaklak sa City Jail (1984), Andrea, Paano Ba ang Maging Isang Ina? (1990), The Flor Contemplacion Story (1995) and 179 more films as of the present. Numerous Filipinas idolized and even devoted Aunor as they identify themselves with her than any other actresses that established her a huge fanbase. Nora not only made Filipinas became confident about their skin but also empowered them into realizing their own capacity and that they can be something beyond familial responsibilities and domestic labor.

LGBTQI+ Representation in Films

         Not only the women has a troublesome representation in films but also the LGBTQI+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex) community. As the Philippines’ dominant heteronormative standpoints, the LGBTQI+ community is not given authentic representation as it reinforces stereotypes. The most common portrayal of queer people is the stereotype of parloristang bakla (beauty parlor gay) for the effeminate. Usually given as supporting or minor roles, typically the protagonist’s sidekick or best friend, these are gays who are loud and funny that sometimes cross dresses and are always portrayed to have sexual desires for straight men. These roles are usually placed in films to add to its comedic features and more often than not, became unidimensional as it only highlights the role’s queerness. Even films with gay lead roles reinforces such stereotypes such as Markova: Comfort Gay (2000), Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (2015), Zombadings 1: Patayin sa Shokot si Remington (2011), all of Vice Ganda’s movies such as the Praybeyt Benjamin duology and even Lino Brocka’s Ang Tatay Kong Nanay (1978). Masculine gays, on the other hand, are always depicted as “still in the closet” gays. Suddenly shrieking, wearing pink tops, and lifting of pinky finger as he drinks are just few of the gay signals that implies that all gays eventually will dress and act like women (Tagudina 2012). It is just recently where masculine gays are represented accurately such in the films Olivia Lamasan’s In My Life (2009) and Jason Paul Laxamana’s The Third Party (2016). Both films did not sensationalized the sexuality of the men but rather sheds light on their relationship with one another and with the people around them.

         Films together with television and other visual mediums that uses the queer or has homosexual characters in its cast could create false assumptions in terms of activity and personality of the LGBT community (Tagudina 2012). The lack of films with accurate queer representation implies that the Philippines still has a long journey into accepting the community and not just tolerating them. This is substantiated by the absence of lesbian, bisexual and transgender portrayal in mainstream films as the public only tolerates gay-themed movies as long as they are portrayed with comedic value for the audience’s entertainment. Despite a few attempts of some filmmakers, heteronormative and homophobic views in films will continue to flourish as long as the majority reinforces stereotypes and as long as the audience doesn’t support films that defies such norms and interrogates the current dominant stand towards the LGBTQI+ community.

Clichéd Plot lines and Hollywood Rip-offs

         Such setbacks mentioned above are intensified as filmmakers only recreates recurring plot lines making films that are considered as sellable to the public. Hundreds of drama and romantic-comedy films about a boy/girl torn between two lovers proves such as they share common stories with Carlos Vander Tolosa’s Giliw Ko (1939). Films will change the location, timeframe, the character’s social status, and many others but the plot will still end with two lovers being happily together as the other sacrificed and leave. One such variety of this plot are star-crossed lovers, most commonly with different social status, will defy all odds and still ends up together. Filipino films became unoriginal and formulaic that most of the movies will click to the scheme characters’ introduction – handful of ecstatic events – climactic challenge – against all odds resolution – happy ever after. Some films not only reimagines storylines but even replicate Hollywood films’ plots. Some examples are Wanted Perfect Father (1994) and Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Unofficially Yours (2012) and Friends With Benefits (2011), That Thing Called Tadhana (2015) and Before Sunrise (1995), The Break-Up Playlist (2015) and Begin Again (2013).

         Philippine cinema are capable of producing substantial and original films such as Orapronobis (1989), Magnifico (2003), Muro Ami (1999), Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita (2004) and Bata, Bata… Pa'no Ka Ginawa? (1998) but most of the mainstream films are still those with clichéd storylines. The potential of the cinema as circulating national discourse and interrogating socioeconomic condition of the country is overlooked because of the commodification of the industry. Filmmakers failed to produce more insightful, progressive, relevant and fresh stories as the public pays attention to films with more entertainment value (Matti 2016). Mainstream films especially the comedy movies only reaffirms the current ideologies in the country and doesn’t even attempt to challenge the audience’s minds. If only filmmakers realize the power of the cinema to create national discourse and actually instigate social change, the quality and substance of films today will heighten. At the same time, if only the audience views films not only for entertainment but also for education and enlightenment, more valuable and significant films will be produced. In this two-way improvement, a better and notable Philippine film industry could be achieved.

 References

2014. 5 Reasons Why Philippine Mainstream Cinema  is Going Downhill. May.

Campomanes, Alvin. 2015. A Study Guide for  Heneral Luna.  http://henerallunathemovie.com/files/Heneral-Luna-Study-Guide.pdf.

Everding, Gerry. 2009. "Historical movies help  students learn, but seperating fact from fiction can be challenging." Phys  Org.

Flores, Patrick. 1998. "Ang Pinilakang  Himagsikan. ." In Wika, Panitikan, Sining, Himagsikan., by  Raymund Arthur Atoy Navarro, 183-187. Quezon City.

Masigan, Leonardo Garcia Jr. and Carmelita. 2001.  "An In-depth Study on the Film Industry In the."

Matti, Erik. 2016. The Future of Philippine  Cinema is not Bright. January.  http://www.philstar.com/supreme/2016/01/09/1540571/future-philippine-cinema-not-bright.

McFerson, Hazel. 2002. Mixed Blessing: The Impact  of the American Colonial Experience on Politics and Society in the  Philippines. London: Greenwood Press.

Payuyo, Louise Abigail. 2012. "The Portrayal of  Gays in Popular Filipino Films, 2000 to 2010." In Philippine  Sociological Review, 291-322.

Renault, Kristin Baybayan. n.d. Filipino Women  and the Idealization of White Beauty in Films, Magazines and Online.  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Tadiar, Neferti. 2004. "The Noranian  Imaginary." In Fantasy Production: Sexual Economies and Other  Philippine Consequences for the New World Order, 230-264. Hong Kong  University Press.

Tagudina, Iman. 2012. ""The Coast is  Queer": Media Representation of the LGBT Community and Stereotype's  Homophobic Reinforcement." Ateneo de Manila University.

2016. Top 10 Highest-Grossing Filipino Movies Of  All Time. June.  http://www.juan-republic.com/top-10-highest-grossing-filipino-movies-time/.

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FLORANTE AT LAURA (1939)

Vicente Salumbides

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Miracles of Love 1925 

Vicente Salumbides