Ronessa E.

Rollorata 2008-01475 BA Broadcast Communication

Film 100 Thursday Sir Patrick Campos Feb. 10, 2011

Its All about Dreams and Bridges in Between Things are not always what they seem. KidlatTahimik, the Father of Philippine Indie Cinema, just proved this motherly statement in his 1977film MababangongBangungot. We are full of dreams and are willing to do everything to fulfill it, but sometimes, what we want is not what we need. Dreams could turn out be nightmares. When I first watched MababangongBangungottwo years ago, I honestly didnt find it interesting. Those were the times that experimental films were not in my vocabulary. Two years after, I sincerely praise KidlatTahimik for creating films that amazingly break conventions and tickle our imagination while conveying a message that all of us should be aware of.

Amidst all the bridges and fabulous European countries, MababangongBangungotexposes to the world the true face of American colonialism, the reality behind industrialization and globalization. The luscious American dream of traveling in space and advanced technology are just illusions cloaked in shining shimmering packages that keep our eyes blinded and thwarted in the realities of life. In the movie, KidlatTahimik is just like everyone of us, someone whose ultimate dream is to belong to a highly-modernized world where everything is beautiful and developed. Thanks to his trip to Paris that awakened him and gave way to the long-awaited resistance against US domination.

Films content and form are impressively interrelated in MababangongBangungotthrough KidlatTahimiks enormous symbolisms. Effects of colonialism were clearly shown through

various scenes and elements in the film. The white carabao which is beautiful on the outside but cold and aggressive inside connotes the subtle yet immense blending of American culture with our very own culture. The jeepney which is a recurrent icon in the movie greatly signifies the way we look at American products as superior and we pattern our own with them. Jeepneysare the army jeeps that Americans used up and we end up recycling it and making it our basic mode of transportation. The Voice of America radio program which seems to be Kidlats favorite shows how Filipinos regard American culture. What caught my attention was the acclaimed Werner Von Braun Fans Club. Due to KidlatTahimiks love for the American dream of space travel, he founded a fans club for a man who doesnt even know it exists. I was quite bothered why Kidlat is the only aged member of the club and the rest are a number of innocent and playful kids. It just shows that colonial mentality can easily affect and influence kids at very young age without them even knowing it. Their town, Balian, was also reached by the promoters of Miss U meaning colonialism has penetrated even the far-away lands and culture which duly received it.

I also noticed the contrast among the images displayed in Kidlats room. On one side was the poster of the evolution of our Katipunan flags and adjacentto it is the montage of the winners of Miss Universe. A fight between nationalism and colonialism. There was also a picture of Virgin Mary and another poster of beauty queens in their bikinis. The holiness of religion and lust.MababangongBangungotalso showed our clamor to speak the English language. Even if youre not that fluent, as long as you can say it, you feel that you have an edge as exemplified in Kidlats mispronunciation in one step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

Another theme that I saw is that development erases little by little the ordinary and simple things in our everyday life. Urbanization and cosmopolitanism have its painful consequences of life and values. As said in the movie, one market vendor equals one parking space for the supermarket, and Kidlat deeply affected with this harsh reality refuses to be part of this kind of world and resigns as the head of the Werner Von Braun Fans Club and dreams of coming home to the place where the beauty of simplicity rules the world.

MababangongBangungotalso used powerful statements in the most subtle and natural way that hint the resistance to American cultural domination. First is what Kidlat told his sister, you are the controller of your vehicle. Only you can control it where to go. Of course, hes not only talking to his sister but the whole Filipino nation which has its own challenges to face and dreams to reach. We can choose to be dominated by the oppressive forces or we can decide to resist it. A heavier quote is when Kidlat said a simple sculpture is more powerful than the decaying monuments of our civilization, pertaining to the wooden horse and the concrete statues of some historical figures. A simple sculpture can remind us of something dear to us as what it reminds Kidlat that theres no place like home, that he could always go home whatever happens. The last remarkable statement is, the sleeping typhoon must learn to blow again. When the typhoon blows off its cocoon, the butterfly embraces the sun. I could relate the sleeping typhoon to the Philippines that has been put to sleep by its colonizers, but it shall awaken again and rise as a nation that is devoid of the colonizers trace. When the country defeats its obstacles and gain absolute freedom, it will embrace the success and modernity that it had always wanted.

KidlatTahimiks experimental use of film make his statement possible by putting elements such as contrasting images, symbolisms and subtle quotations in parts where you wont usually expect it, to get his message across. The powerful scene where Kidlat blows off the masks of the foreigners as a sign of overcoming colonial power was delivered in such an original and extraordinary way. Another is when he uses the wooden horse made by his father to conquer and defeat the modernized buildings. Who would ever think to use a simple blow to create chaos and that you can superimpose a little wooden horse to signify bravery and victory.New, practical, surprising and remarkable. The statement essentially dictates a new utilization of film form since the film is all about breaking free from American colonial power so its needed to bravely break pronounced American conventions. Its vital to create our own that will bear the mark and originality of our own race. MababangongBangungot and KidlatTahimiks series of films have that cheap feel, breaking away from the extravagant Hollywood productions, the editing is not fantastic and animating but just ordinary. A kind of film free from any trace and influence of Western domination and KidlatTahimik successfully and wonderfully created a foundation that we can proudly call our own.

MababangongBangungotintends to say something true about the world outside the film and I have to agree with this message. It just shows how much we Filipinos are deeply in love with Westernization. We worship everything related to America, be it a product, a program or an ideology. Its a common notion that we can escape from poverty and have a better life if we go to US, like KidlatTahimiks character in the movie. He believes he will be an astronaut in US while hes just a jeepney driver here in the Philippines. It just proves how much we look up to America and we dont see it as an evil force dominating us and invading our beliefs and traditions because

we regard them as our role models and protectors. We are more than willing to recycle anything that the Americans used and we do, we cant help but smile and be proud that we have something Western, like what we did to the jeepneys and other American products.

In my opinion, MababangongBangungot resemble other Filipino films Ive seen in the past since it features our very unique and exquisite culture and values, things that only Filipinos practice and know by heart wherever they go. First is the concept of traditional circumcision. Its not the process done in medical clinics and operated by professional doctors but the old-style kind of circumcision done by some barrio doctor with his handmade tools and natural remedies. Plus, the use of guava leaves to somehow ease the pain of the poor boys who just turned into man. The intense belief in saints is also prominent in Filipinos which dates back to the Spanish tradition, as shown in Balians devotion to St. Marcus. They worship him like a god owing their survival from immense danger during the war. In world transportation, you can only see jeepneys in the Philippines which are the source of income for many of its citizens. MababangongBangungotis so Filipino as it showcases the ordinary and stress-free provincial life, bizarre rituals and beliefs and the true ingenuity of the natives. KidlatTahimik also presented the practice of self-flagellation during Holy Week as a sign of repentance and forgiveness. The extravagant practice of putting up a grand party where everyone is invited and spend even with scarce resources just to celebrate someones achievement of going out of the country is also evident in our country. Lastly, a clear sign that makes MababangongBangungotso Filipino is its garnering of countless of countless awards from international film festivals, gaining support from countless filmmakers, and inspiring Filipino filmmakers to continually produce films with heart and spirit, despite of the lack in funding. KidlatTahimik MababangongBangungot is indeed

successful in being experimental yet creating a fresh start for an industry that has been waiting for so long for a big push to release all the unbelievable skills and will each Filipino possess.

Sources: Cruz, Oggs. MababangongBangungot (1977). LessonsFrom the School of Inattention. Oggs' Movie Thoughts. 2 Feb. 2007. 3 Feb. 2011. <http://oggsmoggs.blogspot.com/2007/02/mababangongbangungot-1977.html>.

Devera, Jojo. IsangMabangongBangungot. Sari-SaringSinengPinoy.1 Feb. 2011. <http://sari-saringsinengpinoy.blogspot.com/2006/07/isang-mabangong-bangungot.html>.

Wetzel, Steve. MababangongBangungot. Snap Milwaukee Coherent Cultural Criticism. 13 Aug. 2009. 5 Feb. 2011.<http://www.snapmilwaukee.com/film---mababangong>.