Gusto ko sanang simulan ang thread na ito dahil sa wakas, nai-release na ang dalawang kanta ni Jun Latonio mula sa sineng ito ("Umaga na Naman" at "Tuwing Umaga") sa bagong CD ni Christopher de Leon ("Mga Awit Pampelikula"). Nasa CD rin ang "Sisikat Din Ako" mula sa "Kakabakaba Ka Ba?"
Mas pulido ang bagong interpretasyon kaysa sa orihinal. Mas gusto ko ang orihinal, pero mabuti na ito kaysa wala.
I read somewhere that Mike de Leon doesn't count Kung Mangarap among his favorite movies. Some say it's like a Pepsi commercial. But I remember being blown away when I first saw this movie during the 1977 Manila Film Festival. There was also that big controversy among the participating filmmakers and Rolando Tinio, who headed the panel of judges. Rolando wrote a judge's report about the strengths and weaknesses of each festival entry and his views angered Mike and Lino Brocka ("Tahan Na Empoy, Tahan"). "Burlesk Queen" won practically everything that year among a field of really good movies. The critical analysis of Filipino movies at that time was vibrant and exciting. The Manunuri critics (Doy del Mundo, Bien Lumbera, Hammy Sotto, Behn Cervantes, Pio de Castro) wrote long and incisive reviews of movies and cinema in general in the dailies. They argued and debated on print, and the filmmakers responded with increasingly better movies.
"Kung Mangarap" was gentle, recognizable, and urbane; it had a good-hearted core that I had not seen in our movies until then, a romantic drama that was truly romantic. It made me fall in love with Sagada, Jun Latonio's music, and Oya de Leon.
I know Kabayan Central sells a copy on videotape, but I'm reluctant to watch it again because it's magic may not hold up for me. But back then it was (along with Eddie Romero's "Kamakalawa") the most delightful experiences I had with Pilipino movies.
