YR 47 Issue 1 2011
Letters
Movie Review
Dekada 70
On feminism and dignified living
By KATRINA MARIE R. MARIANO
JUST like any other form of visual art, films possess the capability to reflect to its audience the different faces of reality and to arouse their deep-seated inhibitions to give remedy to the various illnesses that haunt the society. It ignites the spirit of its viewers to fight for their own beliefs and to transport their predictable lives to a new world where dreams and ideologies are formed.
Nourishing the beauty of feminism and its capability to justify the shunned notion that women are of the same equal level with men is Chito Roño’s Dekada ’70 (2002).
Based from the novel of one of the best-selling Filipino authors Lualhati Bautista, the movie ignites the flame of liberalism possessed by every Filipino to act against dictatorial rule and to improve the country’s state from a dictatorial administration to a democratic one.
The movie revolves around the story of the Bartolome family, a household that was united and peaceful, but when the country was placed under the state of Martial Law, their ties were affected and became fragmented and chaotic.
It also showed the struggles of Amanda (Vilma Santos), the family’s matriarch, to keep her family intact in the midst of the country’s authoritarian rule. Despite the issues and problems concerning her family, she remained positive and hopeful that in the future, peace and unity will again reign in her family. As an understanding mother to her five sons namely Jules (Piolo Pascual), Gani (Carlos Agassi), Eman (Marvin Agustin), Jason (Danilo Barrios), and Bingo (John Wayne Sace), Amanda raised her children properly and was able to witness how they grew up and became active members of the society.
However, conflicts started to rise when her children became socially active in opposing the Marcos administration. Jules became an activist; Gani enlisted himself to the United States navy; Eman worked as a political writer; Jason became a victim of injustice; and Bingo became exposed to the rigors of dictatorship. Because of these incidents, Amanda started to realize the destructive effects of injustice not just to the society in general, but to every family as well.
In a general sense, the movie depicted the story of terrified Filipinos who were forced to subject themselves to the dictatorial rule of the late president Ferdinand Marcos.
The movie revolves around a sensible storyline that generally deals with societal conflicts and minutely exposes the familiar struggles experienced by common families during the era. Another notable aspect of the movie is that it does not directly feed the viewers with emotions that they must feel, rather it gives them freedom to independently interpret and understand the discourse being presented.
The feminist approach of the movie is effectively relayed to its audience as Amanda was portrayed to be a strong and sensible woman amid the conflicts and injustices that her family has gone through. She was the strongest member of the family who eventually found her own voice and the fullness of her womanhood despite the seeming patriarchal ideology dominant in the society.
Technical-wise, the cinematography of the movie is good for the camera shots used were able to draw the appropriate emotion from the viewer. The lighting is also notable and sufficient as it perfectly reflected the intensity of emotion depicted by each character.
The movie’s musical score is commendable from the pointof-view of an average movie-goer because as opposed to other local films with mediocre sound effects, Dekada ‘70’s musicality enabled the viewers to feel the right emotion especially in scenes where no dialogues were uttered.
Even if the movie deals with a historical event that occurred approximately three decades ago, its message transcends through time. It showcases the clamor for liberty, pride, and equality among Filipinos while giving an image of an ideal government. Moreover, it has effectively shown how Filipino women think and act to surpass the social dilemmas they face in the society. F
On feminism and dignified living
By KATRINA MARIE R. MARIANO
JUST like any other form of visual art, films possess the capability to reflect to its audience the different faces of reality and to arouse their deep-seated inhibitions to give remedy to the various illnesses that haunt the society. It ignites the spirit of its viewers to fight for their own beliefs and to transport their predictable lives to a new world where dreams and ideologies are formed.
Nourishing the beauty of feminism and its capability to justify the shunned notion that women are of the same equal level with men is Chito Roño’s Dekada ’70 (2002).
Based from the novel of one of the best-selling Filipino authors Lualhati Bautista, the movie ignites the flame of liberalism possessed by every Filipino to act against dictatorial rule and to improve the country’s state from a dictatorial administration to a democratic one.
The movie revolves around the story of the Bartolome family, a household that was united and peaceful, but when the country was placed under the state of Martial Law, their ties were affected and became fragmented and chaotic.
It also showed the struggles of Amanda (Vilma Santos), the family’s matriarch, to keep her family intact in the midst of the country’s authoritarian rule. Despite the issues and problems concerning her family, she remained positive and hopeful that in the future, peace and unity will again reign in her family. As an understanding mother to her five sons namely Jules (Piolo Pascual), Gani (Carlos Agassi), Eman (Marvin Agustin), Jason (Danilo Barrios), and Bingo (John Wayne Sace), Amanda raised her children properly and was able to witness how they grew up and became active members of the society.
However, conflicts started to rise when her children became socially active in opposing the Marcos administration. Jules became an activist; Gani enlisted himself to the United States navy; Eman worked as a political writer; Jason became a victim of injustice; and Bingo became exposed to the rigors of dictatorship. Because of these incidents, Amanda started to realize the destructive effects of injustice not just to the society in general, but to every family as well.
In a general sense, the movie depicted the story of terrified Filipinos who were forced to subject themselves to the dictatorial rule of the late president Ferdinand Marcos.
The movie revolves around a sensible storyline that generally deals with societal conflicts and minutely exposes the familiar struggles experienced by common families during the era. Another notable aspect of the movie is that it does not directly feed the viewers with emotions that they must feel, rather it gives them freedom to independently interpret and understand the discourse being presented.
The feminist approach of the movie is effectively relayed to its audience as Amanda was portrayed to be a strong and sensible woman amid the conflicts and injustices that her family has gone through. She was the strongest member of the family who eventually found her own voice and the fullness of her womanhood despite the seeming patriarchal ideology dominant in the society.
Technical-wise, the cinematography of the movie is good for the camera shots used were able to draw the appropriate emotion from the viewer. The lighting is also notable and sufficient as it perfectly reflected the intensity of emotion depicted by each character.
The movie’s musical score is commendable from the pointof-view of an average movie-goer because as opposed to other local films with mediocre sound effects, Dekada ‘70’s musicality enabled the viewers to feel the right emotion especially in scenes where no dialogues were uttered.
Even if the movie deals with a historical event that occurred approximately three decades ago, its message transcends through time. It showcases the clamor for liberty, pride, and equality among Filipinos while giving an image of an ideal government. Moreover, it has effectively shown how Filipino women think and act to surpass the social dilemmas they face in the society. F
Year 47 | Issue 3 | 2011
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