NEWSFLASH

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

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RICHARD, JUDY FLOPS HIT VIVA, REGAL

The long awaited clash of titans at Manila's box office fizzled out when both Regal's anniversary offering starring Richard Gomez and Viva's first Judy Ann Santos feature opened to empty theaters.

In a year replete with clichés, long standing rivals Regal Films and Viva Films came up with offerings that brought them back to square one.

August has always been associated with leanness and disaster in our national life. The movie industry has not been spared either. In fact, the August of the industry has been around for more than two years. The season has left the industry with few alternatives, and even fewer choices in terms of direction and vision.

How telling that on the anniversary of Regal's founding, the production company came up with "Katumbas ng Dugo" a reprise of the archetypal sibling rivalry where good versus evil is personified in the conflict between brothers. One is dedicated, even to the point of being self-sacrificing in his job as a law enforcer, and the other, a prodigal who is blind to the dark side of the father he idolized, and in the pursuit of retribution falls into harm's way.

We've lost count of the many times writer Jose Carreon practically squeezed blood from stone in inventing countless variations on this theme. The plot is nothing more than a trivial framework to highlight the stunts, and the reputedly fine acting skills of its leads stars.

The big problem lies in director Toto Natividad's inability to break free from his usual antics.

Had Richard Gomez performed his role effectively, then he would have convincingly transported us beyond the image of the hunk, the poster boy, the clean-cut underwear model. This never happened, not even once, throughout the movie.

He reminds us of clean, nice, unnaturally antiseptic, as if one protected by a force field that repels the grime that is expected to stick to a character who must constantly grapple with underworld characters. What we have here, then, is an actor posing and audiences are far too wise to be deceived by posturing because the essence of a credible performance lies not in techniques or methods, nor in histrionics but in getting across to the gut of the viewer that, by the way, is what the high sounding term "catharsis" is all about.

Gelli de Belen is another case in point. She has arrived at a comfort zone where wackiness, pensiveness and similar stock expressions provide a convenient excuse to avoid the challenge of acting. It is not easy to overcome. Bad habits die hard, and in Gelli's case whatever new ground she broke in the "Sarah Jane" story a few years back, has long been forgotten.

True, Mark Anthony Fernandez gives the most credible performance, but we do not see anything new. Perhaps it's time for him to explore new material lest he squander his obviously great potential.

On the other hand, I'M SORRY MY LOVE is a return to Viva's infantile days with Sharon Cuneta.

Much as we refuse to believe it, there seems to be an intellectual void that couldn't produce better material than juvenile romances these days. If the fans' sensibilities have gone down, then pandering to them would only make the situation worse. How unfortunately, that no less than a new director is made to handle this teenybopper pot boiler.

Obviously, Viva needs to be rescued. One after another, their juvenile female leads failed to live up to the box office magic expected of them: Donna Cruz, Rica Peralejo and of late, Angelu de Leon.

So, who else can turn the tide of disaster but the perennial box office queen herself, Judy Ann Santos? Truth to tell, Judy's magic lies in the fact that she projects, a completely different persona from the packaged beauties that have emerged from Viva's film factory. For that same reason, she will always remain one of a kind - no matter your definition of beauty.

Mel del Rosario's plot has all the earmarks of a paper back love affair: giggly romance and petty jealousies, capped by a saccharine ending. Very much like an old Sampaguita flick. Does Judy, and her long time screen sparring partner deserve it? Definitely they are capable of so much more. They did not sharpen their skills on endless telenovelas for nothing.

The major leaguers are scraping the bottom of an empty barrel. Maybe it's time to look elsewhere.

New stars, new stories, new directors?

All of the above?