NEWSFLASH

Special to the Philippine Headline News Online
by Alex Jimenez
Newsflash Entertainment Columnist

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RAYMART VERSUS RAYMOND

The distance from friend to foe is a fine line scrawled in the sand of circumstance and invested emotion. In the breakup of life-long friendship, the blinding pain can drive friends into mortal combat. The searing heat of hatred forces a breakdown of humanity and drives everything to destruction.

Two actors could fit that role well: Raymart Santiago and Raymond Bagatsing.

Santiago rose to fame as the awshucks prince of action heroes. He moved beyond that to emerge triumphant in Butch Perez's MUMBAKI which garnered top prizes in film derbies two years back.

Santiago refuses to be boxed into a stereotype, gambling once more in ISKALAWAG last year. Yes, he needs to make it at the tills. Yet he has never abandoned the quest to become a fine actor. No matter if his co-stars appear to outclass him. He persists and he'll learn.

Raymart's movies have always taken on the elements of friendship and loyalty, and what happens when they go wrong, as in LEON CORDERO and and FRAME UP during the last couple of years.

Says Raymart, "I think these elements are truly part of what makes us Filipinos tick. They are inevitably what serve as the basis for tightly knit friendships. Loyalty comes way before even right or wrong when it comes to really close friends. It's the betrayal of loyalty that results in violent hatred between the best of friends."

He realizes that these changes in emotion can only be portrayed realistically by truly competent actors and directors. "See, what makes a movie work is competence and rapport. You become confident because you work as a team. No one's really trying to outshine anyone else, just trying to do the best job they can. In my case, I listen, I observe, I see what I can pick up for my benefit. These are the things that would help me grow as a performer. Besides, there's an element of fun to it. Why should I go on if I don't enjoy what I do? My work will suffer."

For Raymart, the important thing is that he keeps a tight rein on his career moves.

"Even if the movies haven't been doing so well lately, an action movie is a sure fire hit always. There's a market for films like this. Let's face it. Producers are in this for business and surely by giving the best product possible -- and few can outdistance Jun Posadas as a film maker -- audiences will pay for your movie. So, you see, I am not worried at all about the current state of the industry. Things will work out well and pick up once again." Raymart pointed out.

Raymond Bagatsing has seen a checkered career that brought him from the abyss of obscurity to the spotlight of fame in eight roller coaster years.

Famished for fame and fortune, he bided his time before seizing one moment of glory during this year's Urian Awards night when he copped the best actor trophy . It was a long and difficult journey from the hinterlands of Cabanatuan City, to an extended stay in Melbourne, Australia where Raymond sowed his wild oats while trying to find some meaning in all the confusion he went through while growing up. After all, it wasn't easy growing up in the shadow of a famous political father notorious for his romantic dalliances.

He knew he had what it takes to become an actor: a tight muscular body that would go well with action and sexy roles, a character face that is ruggedly handsome and hints at a resilient personality forged by long years of living on the wrong side of the tracks.

Yes, he was the bad boy, the toughie who got into fights during those years in Melbourne where white men would taunt his Filipino friends and hurl the most cruel insults at them. Loyalty was his most enduring trait. And if loyalty meant defending his friends to death, then so be it.

Coming home after his teenage years he wanted to make some sense of life here. No place like home, he says. It wasn't long before his striking good looks got noticed by talent scouts. Raymond also had a small fortune with him. So he also ventured into movie making. However, streetsmart hustlers got the better of him and he decided that he would be better off trying his luck in acting.

That proved difficult. For a few years, his moves misfired and he was ignored by critics and audiences. Raymond continued to persist.

He took on the challenge of stage, in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE with Dr Anton Juan's World Theater Project and THE MAN OUTSIDE with Dr Lito Casaje and Lorli Villanueva for the Goethe Institute.

He has long starved for good movies that will not only bolster his chances at the box office but will also leave enough room for him to hone his acting craft. It wasn't easy to cope with the heartbreak of losing his launching movie when his previous mother studio, Mahogany Films was torn apart by quarrelling investors.

Sure, he was quietly making movies here and there, accepting traditional action and sexy roles in run-of-the-mill potboilers. The pay and exposure were small and the big break he was dreaming of seemed so far away.

Under the experienced wing of veteran talent manager Francis Villacorta, Raymond began getting the movie roles which really mattered. He did not set out to upstage his co-actors, but his skillful use of eye and body language resulted in visually exciting portrayals that left a memorable impression on movie audiences.

Now he has two projects in the can, megged by reputable directors and to be released by major production outfits. He gets a stellar role in Star Cinema's BATA, BATA, PAANO KA GINAWA? By Chito Rono and just around the corner, is OctoArts' MARAHAS: WALANG KILALANG BATAS by that underrated master of local action movies, Francis Jun Posadas.

The knock-out combination of macho sexuality and emotional intensity fires up every role he essays on the silver screen. He seems consumed by contradictory passions stirred up by inner conflicts that remain unresolved.

Raymond has no qualms about daring roles. There are no roles he would not accept. "A good role is a good role. I would take it on and not consider what it may do to my future image," he says.

"Going back to doing action films is just another career step. Things will definitely get better as I accept a wide variety of roles on stage and film. The award is only a stepping stone. It's what you do after the award that really counts. Like I told you, I've worked with good company here," underscored Raymond.

As an artist, he displays an extremism that can only be found in those who are committed to furthering their art. Yet he has no inhibitions as far as the nature of the roles are concerned. "I doubt if movie audiences will buy it, but I can even portray a distinctly non-sexual character like that of a monk or religious leader."

Raymond's head is not up in the clouds. A good part of the reason for accepting parts in these coming films lies in their box office potential. While he is not obsessed with box office figures, he is still wants to appear in films that will be seen by the greater number of people.

Unlike stereotyped performers, Raymond has no signature gestures. He simply takes on the part and becomes it; and after giving it his best, hopes to come up with good results.

Raymond and Raymart -- rivals in the movie, but in reality, they are just two artists mapping their way through a complicated industry suffering from the doldrums. The triumph sought by Raymart and Raymond will not be achieved by petty one-upmanship but by the accumulation of a worthy body of work that both can truly be proud of.