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Dekada '70 - movie review.

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Rent Dekada '70 on Apple TV, or buy it on Apple TV.

Audience Reviews

Cast & crew.

Chito S. Roño

Vilma Santos

Christopher De Leon

Piolo Pascual

Carlos Agassi

Danilo Barrios

Star For All Seasons

Vilma santos is a popular multi-awarded actress and politician in the philippines. she's known as the "queen of philippine movies," "queenstar" and "star for all seasons." she is currently the congresswoman of district of lipa, batangas (philippines). this site is mostly about her film career., film review: dekada ’70 1/2.

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For Film Review: Dekada ’70 2/2 CLICK HERE

“Buong buhay ko yan na lang lagi ang sinasabi nila sa akin…wala kang magagawa eto ang gusto ng asawa mo…wala kang magagawa eto ang kapalaran mo…wala kang magagaw dahil dapat…putris naman, dapat hindi ganuo…tapos sasabihin ng daddy n’yo hindi lang ang anak ko ang pinatay hindi lang ang anak ko ang dinukot…lalo akong nanggigigil, lalo akong nagagalit dahil kung nanay ka talaga, hindi ka lang dapat nanganganak kundi naiapaglaban mo rin ang anak mo dapat kaya mong pumatay para sa anak mo…gusto ko lang malaman bakit nila pinatay ang anak ko…hindi masamang tao ang anak ko, kahit sa oras na ito humarap ako sa diyos kahit sa dimonyo hindi masamang tao ang anak ko…hindi masamang tao ang anak ko!” – Amanda Bartolome

“You could stop being proud of me! Nagsawa na ako sa ganuon, gusto ko naman ngayon ako mismo just for a change, maging proud sa sarili ko!” – Amanda Bartolome

Dekada 70 is a story of a family caught in the midst of a tumultuous time in Philippine history – the martial law years. Amanda (Vilma Santos) and Julian (Christopher Deleon) is a picture of a middle class couple with conservative ideologies, who must deal with raising their children, five boys – Jules (Piolo Pascual), Isagani (Carlos Agassi), Emmanuel (Marvin Agustin), Jason (Danilo Barrios) and Bingo (John Sace) in an era marked by passion, fear, unrest and social chaos. As siblings struggle to accept the differences of their ideologies, as a father faces the painful dissent of his children, a mother’s love will prove to be the most resonant in the unfolding of this family’s tale, will awaken to the needs of her own self, as she embarks on a journey of discovery to realize who she is as a wife, amother, a woman and a Filipino. – Star Cinema

Dekada ’70 (English: 70s Decade) is a 2002 Filipino drama film released based on a book called Dekada ’70 written by Filipino author, Lualhati Bautista. The film tells the story of the life of a middle-class Filipino family who, over the space of a decade, become aware of the political policies that have ultimately led to repression and a state of Martial law in the Philippines. Filipina actress Vilma Santos stars as Amanda, who realizes the implications of living within a dictatorship after sorting out the contradictory reactions of her husband and five sons. Her husband (Julian), played by Filipino actor, Christopher de Leon, supports his eldest son’s (Jules), played by Filipino actor, Piolo Pascual; efforts to rail against the government while refusing to follow Amanda’s wish to find a job. Her second son (Gani), played by Filipino actor, Carlos Agassi, is in the United States Navy. Her third son (Eman), played by Filipino actor, Marvin Augustin, writes illegal political exposes. The fourth son (Jason), played by Filipino actor, Danilo Barrios fell victim to a corrupt police department, and her youngest son named (Bingo), played by Filipino actor, John W. Sace, is still a boy. – Wikepedia ( READ MORE ).

The Reviews

“…At the center of the film and the family is Amanda (Filipino cinematic diva Vilma Santos) who vicariously experiences living under a dictatorship through her husband and five sons’ different reactions before coming into her own as a person. Her husband, Julian (Christopher De Leon), seems a walking contradiction: He offers rationalizations for the government while supporting his eldest son’s revolutionary activities, but has a fit when his wife wants to get a job. As for the sons, firstborn son (Piolo Pascual) joins the guerillas in the mountains. The second son (Carlos Agassi), forced into a shotgun wedding, defiantly works for the American Navy. The third son (Marvin Augustin) writes journalistic exposes he can’t publish, while the fourth son (Danilo Barrios) is a mystery to his family until his brutal, motiveless murder (probably by police) reveals a lost girlfriend. The fifth son (John W. Sace) is still a boy. Santos’ Amanda effortlessly and movingly chronicles the changed consciousness of the family and the country, with understatement her most reliable tool. Pic begins and ends with images of Santos at the forefront of a political demonstration, and nothing, from first image to last, for 128 minutes, is allowed to spontaneously or slyly deviate from the logic of her consciousness-raising.” – Ronnie Scheib , Variety Magazine ( READ MORE )

“Last seen in ANAK (SFIAAFF ‘01), Vilma Santos delivers an understated, profoundly moving performance as the matriarch whose awakening redefines the traditional mother and wife role she donned for years. This is the story of an incredible character that survived an unforgettable decade.” – Michael Magnaye , The 22nd San Fransisco Asian-American Film Festival, 2004 (READ MORE)

“…Rono and Bautista, who writes her own adaptation, have obviously worked very closely in fleshing out the novel on screen. The result is an effective and even subtle tableau of scenes to present the Bartolome family’s struggles from the late ‘60s to ‘70s that not only set the domestic drama, but also prefigure the wider social and historical saga unfolding before the nation. No scene is wasted, no useless pandering to the viewer’s sense of spectacle or penchant for soap opera is even attempted. The competent production design, the agile editing, the stark photography (which impresses even the Paris-based Filipino-Spanish painter Sanso who calls it comparative to the best in Europe) ensures a panoply of images that is immediate, recognizable, and keen. Like Regal Films, Star Cinema has been compelled to throw in its stable of stars so that the Bartolome siblings look distractingly too much like a boy band. But because they play well-thought-out characters, their damage is put to a minimum. In some cases, like Piolo Pascual as Jules, the young communist rebel, the effect is heart-wrenching. Pascual plays, along with Vilma Santos as Amanda, one of the centers of gravity of the movie; the other center consists of Santos and Christopher de Leon. As arguably the first unabashedly feminist Filipino novel, “Dekada” shows a woman’s awakening to her nature and gender through the men of her life-her husband and her first born. Their age, generation and preoccupation divide both men, and Amanda serves as their bridge and transition. In the process, Amanda herself is transformed. She becomes herself. The most moving scenes of the movie are of Jules and Amanda meeting on the sly and forced to carry on mother-and-son endearments hurriedly because of the threat of arrest. But the most poignant scene is Julian and Amanda confronted with the terrible loneliness of their advanced years, left by their children, he turning away from her to hide his tears, and she asking him to face her and not to be ashamed. It helps that the scene is played by Santos and De Leon, truly one of Filipino cinema’s most effective screen couples. As Amanda, Vilma Santos shows again why Brocka, before he died, had likened her to water. “She can register anything,” he said. In “Dekada”, its the same Santos of vigor and transparency. The only difference is the depth, the resonance, and the greater confidence. Can she ever go wrong?” – Lito B. Zulueta , Philippine Daily Inquirer, 30 December 2002 ( READ MORE )

“…Ang Dekada ’70 ay isang mahusay na adaptasyon sa pelikula ng nobela nitong may parehong titulo. Napanatili ang kaluluwa ng nobela sa pelikula sa kabila ng limitasyon ng pelikula bilang isang audio-visual na medium. Marahil, nakatulong ng malaki ang pagkakaroon ng iisang manunulat lamang. Naging maayos ang takbo ng pelikula na tulad sa nobela nitong nahati sa mga taon ng dekada ’70. Mahusay ang pagkakaganap ng mga pangunahing tauhan (maliban kay Carlos Agassi) na nakapagbigay hininga sa mga tauhang noo’y nababasa lamang. Naibalik ng pelikula ang larawan ng dekada ’70 sa mga eksena nitong nagpapakita ng mga demonstrasyon, protesta at rallies na tunay na nangyari noong panahon na iyon. Ang musika at tunog ay madalas na akma at nagpapaigting sa emosyong nais ipahatid ng pelikula. Naging mahina lamang ang disenyong pamproduksiyon ng pelikula na hindi naging masusi sa make-up, at kasuotan ng mga tauhan sa pawang hindi parating umaangkop sa panahon…” – Catholic Initiative for Enlightened Movie Association (READ MORE)

“…Dekada 70 journeys with the central character Amanda Bartolome (Vilma Santos), the reticent wife of an alpha-male husband, and the worrying mother of a boisterous all-male brood. Thoroughly relegated to domesticity in a world slathered in testosterone, Amanda begins to undergo a transformation when her family becomes imbricated in the sociopolitical realities brought about by the Marcos dictatorship. The declaration of Martial Law, the lifting of the writ of habeas corpus, the curfews and police searches, all these could have easily floated past Amanda’s head had her sons not found themselves caught in the crossfire between the government and the pro-democracy movements. As one son after another faces the oppressive forces of the dictatorship, Amanda gradually realizes that the personal is political. While chanting slogans for sociopolitical change, she finds her own voice and comes to terms with the fullness of her own person…There are touches of seventies style Filipino humor that foreign audiences might miss; they effectively establish that this is a real, average Filipino family trying to navigate through the eye of the political storm. The acting is generally impressive, most especially that of lead actress Santos, who gives a luminous, sensitive performance. Santos essays the transformation of Amanda so effectively that we do see clearly at the end of the film that there has been a fundamental change in her character. If there is something to be faulted about the film, it is Roňo’s failure to keep melodramatic moments in check. The funeral sequence of one of Amanda’s sons, for instance, becomes an over-extended session of copious tears. The rich story material of Dekada 70 could do away with such “in your face” paroxysms, which only work to dull the film’s cutting edge political trajectory. Nonetheless, it cannot be denied that Roňo had created a noteworthy, epic-scale Filipino film, and on a Third World budget at that. It also cannot be denied that Roňo had not forgotten the sentence of history on his home country…” – Antonio D. Sison , Insititute for Pastoral Initiatives University of Dayton ( READ MORE )

“…about Vilma’s performance in “Dekada ‘70”: Some jurors, viewers and reviewers have expressed dissappointment over it because they regard it as too passive, low-key, unemotional, too much taken up with observation, and reflection instead of action. Thus, it doesn’t deserve the best actress award. We disagree. We think that, precisely because Vilma’s portrayal was so restrained for the most part, it was more difficult to achieve. It’s far easier to rant and rave, to “feel” bigtime, to run the gamut of emotions from A to Z- but, if Vilma did that, she would have gone against her character’s nature, as written…during the first half of the film, Vilma’s character occasionally felt unhappy, taken for granted or unappreciated as a person, but she held her emotions in check to keep the peace in the family. It was only later, when the national trauma of martial law rule affected her sons in various tragic ways, that she found the voice and rediscovered the heart to assert herself as a person and to give her emotions full play. We submit that Vilma’s portrayal is excellent precisely because she vivified he character as the wife and mother was in the ‘70s. Her thematic and emotional high points towards the end of the film rivetting, but it was her quieter, more controlled moments that showcased Vilma’s true gift as an actress. During those moments, Vilma didn’t just observe what was going on, she was constantly conflicted only, she had been programmed not to speak out because it wasn’t her “place”. Thus, when she finally changes and expresses herself in the end, the contrast makes her transformation all the more stunning. In the movie’s first half, Vilma is such a good actress that, although she may not be the active element in her family (her husband is), she is quietly involved in each and every scene, and every new development is seen from her point of view. Even better, despite her relative lack of dialogue at this point, we can “read” her thoughts on her face as clearly as though she were speaking. And we see her slowly changing before our very eyes, gradually overcoming her reticence, discovering her true worth, and finally finding and expressing her true self. This is very difficult to do, as any true thespian will affirm. Which is why, unlike some people who dismiss Vilma’s portrayal as passive and weak, we think it ranks among her best, right up there with her performances in and fully deserving of the filmfest’s coveted best actress trophy.” – Nestor Torre , Philippine Daily Inquirer ( READ MORE )

“…The reason “Sister Stella L” will probably end up better appreciated is that the movie was shown during the martial law era. The movie was relevant to the times and Vilma was portraying an activist nun, a role not usually associated with the Star for all Seasons… As the mother, Vilma does justice to her character, holding back her strong emotions until the end, when she finally confronts Christopher de Leon and wants to break up with him. Despite the many tragic events that befall her character, Vilma chooses to underplay her role except at key points towards the end of the movie. Boyet is his usual competent self as the chauvinistic husband of Vilma who is forced to change when his wife breaks out of her shell. Piolo Pascual also deserves mention for his realistic portrayal of the activist turned NPA rebel…” – Edmund L. Sicam , Philippine Daily Inquirer ( READ MORE )

“…Unlike Vilma Santos’ Sister Stella L. character, who becomes politicized practically overnight, her Amanda role in “Dekada ‘70” takes longer to mature politically (almost the whole decade). And she goes through a very painful process because she experiences the abuses of the marcos regime by seeing her own children suffer. With Vilma hurting inside and suffering almost in silence, we have here in “Dekada ‘70” some very moving dramatic scenes that are mostly devoid of hysterics but are still very effective nonetheless. Actually, we see yet another facet of Vilma Santos’ acting talent in this film. In the story, she goes through guilt (with the fate of one of her sons), pain, anguish and anxiety (particularly with the eldest, Piolo)-plus discontent as a plain housewife who wants to do something more with her life other than to keep house for her husband and kids. The great actress that she is, Vilma is able to manifest clearly the different layers of her character in a very quiet manner, which-you have to admit-is quite difficult to achieve. But Vilma-after all these decades -can do no wrong anymore in the field of acting. Although it’s not the greatest performance of her career (it’s still Sister Stella L), her portrayal of Amanda in “Dekada ‘70” is no doubt one of her finest. More importantly, her role (and her approach to it) is different from the hundreds of other roles she has done in the past…” – Butch Francisco , The Philippine Star ( READ MORE )

“…Santos’ performance is so vivid and insightful that we can see her changing in front of our very eyes… We were enthralled…we were moved. And we valued the film’s important contribution to the very urgent task of reminding everyone of the trauma in our collective lives that was the martial law period of the ’70s,” noted Nestor Torre of Inquirer News Service. Chito Rono’s Dekada ‘70 made its world premier at the Asian American International Film Festival in June of 2003. The film has also won numerous domestic awards. The Young Critics Circle voted Dekada ‘70 Best Film of the Year (2002), Best Screenplay, Best Sound and Best Performance in a tie between actress Vilma Santos (Amanda) and Piolo Pascual (Amanda’s eldest son). The Best Film of the Year award is reserved for the director, such that no separate prize for direction is needed. The Best Performance award is the most coveted as it is conferred on the performer whether male or female, adult or child, individual or ensemble in leading or supporting role. Vilma Santos also received an award for Best Actress from Star Awards for Movies, Film Academy of The Philippines, and Gawad Urian Awards. Piolo Pascual also received an award for Best Supporting Actor from the Young Critics Film Circle, Metro Manila Film Festival, Star Awards for Movies, Film Academy of the Philippines, FAMAS Awards, and Gawad Urian Awards. The Gawad Urian Awards also presented Dekada ’70 with the award for Best Screenplay…” – Sara Stokoe , Asia Pacific Arts ( READ MORE )

“…In Chito S. Roño’s superb “Dekada ’70,” a family in the Marcos-era Philippines has a domineering father and five sons, but it is the mother (Vilma Santos) who provides the mental stamina. She fights for her family in ways the father can’t even dream of. “To give birth to these children isn’t enough,” she says. “You have to defend them, protect them.” That’s the ’70s. In 30 years, that kind of woman will deal with difficult questions of divorce and motherhood, one in which women want freedom, yet must be willing to share blame when something goes wrong. The young woman who leaves her husband and thinks about aborting her pregnancy in South Korean filmmaker Gina Kim’s “Invisible Light” is an experimental example. Moon’s great performance in “A Good Lawyer’s Wife” almost makes you believe wrong is right, and, taken with her much-lauded portrayal of a girl with cerebral palsy in “Oasis,” reveals her as one of the world’s best actresses. Hollywood, take note. – No stereotypes of Asians here…” – G. Allen Johnson , Festival Celebrates Real Women, San Francisco Chronicle March 4, 2004 ( READ MORE )

“…The young actors that were cast in Dekada ’70 were all guilty of doing too much “acting”. I don’t think actors should be acting-out, or (in this case) over-acting, unless they were filming a farce, or a comedic parody. Inexcusable mediocre performances plagued every scene. Instead of ensuring the characters were having a real conversation (real interaction), it seemed as though they were merely spitting out lines which they had memorized word-for-word, the delivery, inflections, and pauses unnatural. People don’t talk to each other like this in real life now, do they? Of course not. It is sometimes possible for a younger actor to deliver a satisfactory performance though the guiding hand of an experienced veteran. This of course is quite rare, as it calls for a unique, uncalculated, natural chemistry that can never be faked. Award winning greats like Vilma Santos and Christopher De Leon should never be subjected to work with a group of inexperienced pretty faces who are incapable of displaying a sense of depth and sophistication. Proof that casting makes for a vital element that determines the success of a film…” – Edwin Manalo (READ MORE)

“…The characters of brothers Jules (Piolo Pascual) and Eman (Marvin Augustin) share similar anti-Marcos perspectives in the movie. A movie that attempts to add a more familiar and human touch to a real event isn’t without its melodrama. The overt use of music to drive emotion home and unnecessarily lengthy shots distract a bit from what otherwise could have been short and sweet takes of awesome performances. The pace of the film seems to slow down mid-way through the film. Yet these faults are minute enough that they probably didn’t even deserve a mention…This movie makes for a satisfying introduction to this decade in Philippine history. I shouldn’t forget to mention how faithful the movie remains to the styles of dress, the models of cars, and the music of the time to strongly present the age and era the movie takes place. Most importantly Dekada ’70 presents to us the emotional aspect, an aspect you cannot obtain through school textbooks, snapshots, and soundbites of Martial Law under Marcos. This is communicated successfully through its collection of talents seen through the eye of a veteran director…” – Pinoy Movie Reviews (READ MORE)

“…Dekada ’70 tells of how under hate, greed and corruption, one normal person transcends beyond right and wrong: instead learns that it is freedom that entails survival. Set in the 70′s, urban Metro Manila, Amanda Bartolome is a middle-class mother of five young men. Amanda acts as a supposed symbolism of detachment. First of all, she was a mother, a housewife; such were not considered integral parts of society during those times. She was not the breadwinner; she did not experience the foremost effects of the decline of the Philippines economy back then. She was a member of the middle class; her family did not take money, like the rich, nor did her family suffer the worst of the financial crises, like the poor. The lives of Amanda’s children each went in different directions in the story, and each varied. Her eldest son was Jules. Jules grew up normally, similar to every other ideal family. His upbringing was that of what ideally conformed to normal standards and circumstances. Being the eldest, however, Jules lived, and more importantly, matured through the shock caused by the declaration of President Marcos’ martial law. Thus, Jules lived his adolescence exposed to rebellious reading material, and inevitably molded his mind into that of guerilla. Jules grew up to become a member of the communist New People’s Army, and his evolution came full circle…” – Dekada 70, A Book Review ( READ MORE )

“…For ten consecutive years from 1995 to 2004, the Philippines submitted films for consideration for the Best Foreign Language Film category of the Oscar Awards. But up to this point of film history, we remain in the list of countries who has never won nor nominated for this award…The next year 2003, the country’s entry was Dekada ’70, directed by Chito S. Rono based on the novel Dekada ’70 of Lualhati Bautista. It tells the story of a middle-class Filipino couple (Christopher de Leon and Vilma Santos) and their five sons during a tumultuous decade of the martial law regime. The sons were played by Piolo Pascual, Carlos Agassi, Marvin Agustin, Daniel Barrios and John Wayne Sace…” – FAP ( READ MORE )

Fernando Poe Jr.’s “Lawin” (hawk) failed to soar high at the box office after Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.’s “Agimat” (amulet) proved to be more powerful. Working wonders at the tills, “Agimat ni lolo,” Revilla’s action-fantasy-adventure movie was the top grossing film on the first day of the festival last Wednesday, edging out Poe’s “Alamat ng Lawin,” from top slot. Caloocan Mayor Rey Malonzo, chair of the MMFF executive committee, refused to divulge the box-office figures because “that was the request of the other producers.” An MMFF insider, however, disclosed that “Agimat” earned P14 million gross on the day it opened. Imus Productions bankrolled “Agimat.” As early as yesterday noon, Revilla said he was told that “Agimat” was already leading in the box office race. A number of theaters opened as early as 9 a.m.yesterday, making it easy to determine the results after only the first screening. Revilla outshone even comedy king Dolphy’s “Home Along da Riles,” which ranked only third. Regal Entertainment’s “Mano Po,” which boasts a powerhouse cast and Joel Lamangan at the helm, came in fourth. Star Cinema’s period opus, “Dekada ’70,” directed by Chito Rono and top billed by drama royalty Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon, was fifth. The epic tale of Filipino hero “Lapu-Lapu,” with Pampanga Governor Lito Lapid in the lead, took the sixth place, and Reflection Films’ “Hula Mo, Huli Ko,” starring Rudy Fernandez and Rufa Mae Quinto, came in seventh in the box-office race. But the box-office tallies might still change after tonight’s “Gabi ng Parangal,” when the MMFF hands out the awards to this festival’s best films. Two more entries – OctoArts Films’ “Lastikman” starring Vic Sotto and Regal Film”s “Spirit Warriors 2: Short-cut” -will be shown starting Jan 1. The filmfest will run until Jan 10. – Leah Salterio Philippine Daily Inquirer, Dec 27 2002 ( READ MORE )

This year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) sports a new name, but its trademark controversial image and reputation remain the same. The 28th MMFF has included a “P” in its official name. The “P” which stands for Philippines, means the entries in the festival can now be seen nationwide. The cast of “Dekada ’70” staged a walkout. A special effects awardee returned his trophy. A film that failed to make it to the filmfest’s top seven won thrid best picture. These and other inconsistencies were the “highlights” of this year’s “Gabi ng Parangal” awards ceremony last Friday. Piolo was “Dekada ’70’s” biggest winner as best supporting actor for his compelling portrayal of a tortured rebel leader in Chito Rono’s period drama. John Wayne Sace, who plays Pascual’s brother Bingo, bagged the best supporting child actor award. “Dekada ’70” also bagged the second best child actor award. “Dekada ’70” also bagged the second best picture award. Regal Films’ “Mano Po” romped off with the most number of awards, including the best actress plum that went to Ara Mina, who best-ed the veteran “Dekada ’70” star Vilma Santos. Eddie Garcia was adjudged best festival actor, while Joel Lamangan was named this year’s best director. Kris Aquino won best supporting actress also for “Mano Po.” Regal Films matriarch Lily Monteverde thanked the filmfest committee in Aquino’s behalf. Mother Lily has two more reasons to say “Chi chien” after “Mano Po” won best picture and best original story for writer Roy Iglesias. Iglesias also won the best screenplay citations for “Mano Po.” Resty Garchitorena and Tara Limberger took home the best cinematography and best film editor awards, again for “Mano Po.” The cross-cultural drama, which even partly filmed in Beijing, China, bagged a toral of 12 awards that night. Bong de Guzman snatched the best musical score trophy from such veteran composers as Louie Ocampo, Nonong Buencamino, Jimmy Fabregas and Elmer Sayson.

Best festival production design trophy was awarded to Tatus Aldana for his spectacular work on “Mano Po.” The biggest surprise came when Chito Rono’s “Spirit Warriors 2: Shortcut.” won third best picture. The award came as a surprise even to its director Chito Rono, who upon hearing the news, commented that “the award only proved how good the movie is.” “Spirit Warrior 2” snatched the festival’s two most important technical awards – best make-up for Warren Munar and best visual effects for Dodge Ledesma and Road Runner Productions. Unlike “Alamat” and “Lastikman” which didn’t get any award, Reflectin Films’ “Hula Mo, Huli Ko” and RVQ Productions’ “Home Alone da Riles” each won an award. RVQ Productions’ “Nasaan Ka” was heralded as this year’s best theme song, while Caloy de Leon won the best sound recording plum for his work on “Hula Mo.” De Leon, however, returned the award later that night. “I want the jurors to explain to me how can a film dubbed in mono like “Hula Mo” win over other films dubbed in Dolby digital,” he said. Imus Productions’ spectacular “Agimat” float took home P75,000 after bagging the best festival float award. Noticeably absent during the awards night were “Alamat ng Lawin” lead star Fernando Poe Jr., his leading lady Ina Raymundo, and the entire cast of “Lastikman,” led by comedian-producer Vic Sotto. Poe’s long-time aide, Amay Bisaya, said the action king chose not to attend the ceremony to “avoid intrigues and politicking.” – Marinel R. Cruz Philippine Daily Ingquirer, Dec 29 2002 ( READ MORE )

Filmography: Dekada 70 (2002)
IMDB: Dekada ’70 (2002)
IMDB: Chito S. Roño
IMDB: Lualhati Bautista
IMDB: Christopher De Leon
IMDB: Piolo Pascual
Dekada ’70 (novel)
Vilma Santos’ Top 10 Film Directors (part five)
The Classic Vilma Santos Movies
Dekada 70’s Movie Critique
Dekada ‘70 makes the creative leap of faith by Lito B. Zulueta
The Philippine’s Submission for Best Foreign Language Film (Academy Award)
Dekada ’70 by Chito S. Roño
RP Cineme in Cannes Festival Section 2005
Dekada ’70 (2002) (Video)

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The Seventies (2002)

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‘Dekada ‘70’ is more timely than ever

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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Paw Castillo

Politics, injustice, and history are common topics in theater. But Black Box Production’s musical adaptation of Lualhati Bautista’s novel is a different beast. The events that inspired the production are more recent, the wounds it examines rawer.

And given the recent developments in our political landscape, the topics of the musical are still, sadly, one of the biggest problems facing society.

During the pre-production of Dekada ‘70 , director Pat Valera and his creative team were faced with a different kind of challenge: how do you set the events of the martial law era to music? How do you make the horrific musical?

Valera muses on this hurdle: “When I asked my best friend, who’s always been my consultant, can we make a musical out of Dekada ’70 ? ang sabi niya sa akin, ‘It’s hard to sing about this struggle. It’s so hard.’”

Rousing emotions

Valera’s solution was to use the music as a means to elevate the emotions, not soothe or diminish them. There is catharsis in Dekada ‘70, but not escapism. “You use music as a device to heighten (feelings), especially for people who were not born during that time, to be able to feel and to get into that place.” Valera says.

Dekada ‘70 also uses music to make the events of the martial law era relatable to a young audience. There is breathtaking beauty in the music, which was done by Valera and Matthew Chang, and orchestrated by Dana Marquez. But it stops short of romanticizing the past. The music wipes away the idea that the 70s were a golden age in Philippine history.

“Especially now, we always contextualise it,” Valera says. “It (the musical) cannot be a nostalgic discussion of what happened in the 70s.”

“Is it real?”

Our history is being rewritten by the spate of fake news, memes, and propaganda, but young people are hungry for the truth. “A lot of the younger people right now are looking for a place to gather, to understand, to process,” Valera says. Some of the audience members are incredulous, and this reminds Valera that there is much work to do.

“You encounter audience members who ask, ‘Is this real?’” recalls Valera. “These audience members are as young as 12 or 13. (I tell them) it’s fiction, but it’s based on real events. That question ‘Is it real?’ makes me realize that we have so much work to do. And theatre is one of the platforms to do that.”

No nostalgia

Dekada ‘70 examines one of the deepest wounds in Philippine history. The musical (and the novel it is based on) tells the story of Amanda, a mother of five boys, and how her family gets caught in the middle of the tumultuous decade. It’s a deeply personal story, but it points to the bigger issues that plagued the nation. “You think you are only reading the tragedy of a family,” Pay says.

“But in truth, you are reading the tragedy of a nation.”.

Dekada ‘70 is also powerful because the events that took place almost five decades ago could easily take place today.

“One of the tragic points in the musical is when one of the brothers is killed because he was suspected of carrying marijuana. That’s what we wanted to showcase. It’s not only in the 70s, it reverberates to today,” Valera says, then wonders if the present-day is the natural progression of the events that took place back then. “Is this the future?” he asks.

Lualhati’s blessing

Despite the challenges brought about by mounting a production of this kind, Valera was heartened by Bautista’s response. “She cried,” Valera says in awe. “Lualhati, of course, is a tough woman but she wept. Kahit sa dina-dami niyang mga libro na naging matalinghaga , and even at her age, she is still a wild-eyed energetic child.”

Valera is also quick to point out that Bautista placed a lot of faith in his team. “She was very open,” he says.

“But there was also hope that this narrative can be retooled for this medium and for this time. When we opened, that’s the only time she saw it. That’s the only time she saw the script — and there were no changes needed.”

Art as healing

There can be no healing without an examination of what ails us. And art, whether it’s a book or a musical, is one of the most effective tools for doing that. “A lot of us are hardened, a lot of us are cynical, a lot of us are in disbelief,” says Valera.

“We have the choice to not to be part of the struggle or to fight anymore. And I think the music in the play allows people to be vulnerable again. To feel something for themselves, for the family, and later on — hopefully — for a nation.” – Rappler.com

Black Box Productions’ Dekada ’70 runs until March 14 at The Doreen Black Box in Areté, Quezon City

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Dekada '70 and the Tides of Change

First attempt at a film review outside of letterboxd.

Hello! As one of my attempts to diversify my content, I will be sporadically posting film reviews. I’m currently enjoying Letterboxd as a platform for writing and sharing films that I’ve seen in recent years, which has inspired me to do this. Anyway, enjoy this review!

What do the Vietnam War, Roe v. Wade , the death of Elvis Presley, and the proclamation of Martial Law in the Philippines have in common? Well, they all happened in the 1970s.

The seventies was a time of flux. It was a period marked by social and cultural movements that influenced the freedoms of the present, immense conflict among nations, and periods of innovation and economic growth.

Here in the Philippines, this decade was a time that eerily resembled the suppression of freedoms that many Filipinos experienced during colonial rule. However, this decade of violence and human rights abuses were masked by promises of economic progress through the rise of Overseas Filipino Workers, foreign remittances, and the patronage of crony capitalism.

In the film adaptation of Lualhati Bautista’s novel Dekada ‘70 , we see the Bartolome family experience the horrors, the silver linings, as well as the societal (and personal) shifts that come with this defining decade.

The Bartolome family comprises of Julian, his wife, Amanda, and their five sons: Jules, Gani, Em, Jason, and Bingo. At a first glance, you may be tempted to compare the Bartolome brothers with the Salazar siblings from Four Sisters and a Wedding , based on their individual personalities and quirks.

Jules, the eldest son, is smart with a take-charge attitude. He leads a radical life that will trigger the film’s entire plot (and everything else).

Gani is the happy-go-lucky, lovesick second son who wants to make big bets in life, yet exerts little effort in them. He also happens to have ambitions that go against his Kuya Jules’ beliefs.

Eman, or Em, the third son, is intelligent, creative, and utilizes his passion for writing to create stories that people can resonate with.

Jason, just like his Kuya Gani, is also happy-go-lucky. He loves music, girls, and having fun with his friends. The youngest, Bingo, is a curious young boy who is doted on by the entire family.

Since the source material is written from Amanda’s POV, we also see how Amanda’s experiences from this era shape her and transform her. She goes from being a docile housewife, to a woman playing a part against the injustices brought upon by Martial Law–a transformation that is influenced by her son Jules. Similarly, we see Julian accept Amanda’s growing influence in the household as they both deal with the horrors and the challenges that their family faced during this time. More so, we see how the Bartolome boys grow up and come into their own during this turbulent time. We see Jules play key roles in the resistance movement, Gani pursuing a career that’s against Jules’ beliefs and accepting adult responsibilities at an early age, Em silently joining the resistance through his writings, Jason caving into peer pressure, and Bingo witnessing the horrors of the regime by his parents’ side.

Overall, Dekada ‘70 is an accessible, crowd-pleasing film that is fueled by powerful performances from Vilma Santos, Christopher de Leon, and Piolo Pascual. Piolo Pascual masterfully plays Jules, the character that serves as the catalyst for the events of the film. Similar to Enchong Dee’s performance in Gomburza , Piolo’s portrayal of Jules embodied grief and trauma that may seem a little too uncomfortable to bear for everyday life. This performance probably opened the gates for him as a serious actor. Vilma and Christopher, being the screen legends that they are, brought the much-needed warmth and groundedness to the film. You can immediately feel the grief, the exasperation, and the pride of Amanda and Julian towards their reality and their family. Other standout performances to me in the film were from Jhong Hilario and Dimples Romana. For the sake of memes and laughs, I honestly think that this is Carlos Agassi’s best piece of acting work before he became a cringeworthy social media star. The direction and the storytelling were straightforward, which made it easy to digest without looking at the source material.

With more than 50 years after the declaration of Martial Law and 22 years after the film’s original release, so many things have changed in Philippine society, yet a lot of things still remain the same. We have Marcoses in power, for fuck’s sake. Dekada ‘70 is a film that serves us a reminder of the horrors and the lessons of Martial Law, yet many Filipinos remain indifferent to these lessons up until today. I hope things change for the better.

Dekada ‘70 is available on the Star Cinema Youtube channel in the Philippines. Fingers crossed that they release the full cut worldwide in streaming platforms!

Ready for more?

REVIEW: “Dekada ’70 the Musical” is a rousing reminder to never forget

Now on its third run, the musical adaptation of Lualhati Bautista’s 1983 novel is still powerful and cathartic.

The story that Dekada ’70 has been telling for the past two years is by no means small. Yet because of the space it inhabits—the two-year old Doreen Black Box at the Areté—its biggest moments come in the form of something a bit more unnoticeable. It’s something different for each audience member. It can be a sigh, perhaps, or the sound of a cast member sobbing. It can be footsteps. It can be a scream: guttural, as most of the screams in the show are, or muffled, as the transcendent Stella Cañete-Mendoza reprising her role as Amanda Bartolome buries her face in an afghan. It can be a chant. It can be a tear rolling down someone’s cheek—how beautifully it glistens under Meliton Roxas Jr.’s lights. Dekada ’70 is a show filled with small, perfect moments like these; moments that condense big emotions and feelings into something easier to hold, easier to grasp; moments experienced by anyone who’d lived through the darkness and uncertainty that had cloaked Metro Manila in the 1970s.

the cast of Dekada ’70; photo by Boo Gabunada

Within the show’s first few minutes, there’s deliberate incoherence and discordance, a sign of things to come. After a difficult childbirth, Amanda and Julian (Juliene Mendoza) introduce their five beautiful sons, strobing lights and all: Jules (Jon Abella), Gani (Vincent Pajara), Em (Esteban Fulay Jr., alternating with Boo Gabunada), Jason (Iggi Siasoco), and Bingo (Abe Autea). In Dekada , the scenes are structured much like life itself: lighter moments always in contention with heavier, more upsetting ones. Oftentimes the tone and the mood change so suddenly that it’s hard not get whiplash from it all—a grim reminder of how life can turn around so quickly and so instantly, especially during the time of Martial Law. At one point, a scene so horrifying plays out across the stage literal seconds after one of the show’s most heartfelt, delightful moments just transpired.

And the stage, kept minimal and stripped down by Ohm David, with objects able to be moved and transported freely and seamlessly by the actors, lends itself to the balancing act that the show takes on: quiet and intimate moments of the Bartolome family juxtaposed against larger, more overarching ones involving the ensemble, the nation. The actors are never more than a few feet away, making you feel like you’re a necessary part of the show and the show’s goings-on, because in one way or another, you are . The audience is as much a core part of the show’s success as the actors on stage, and in the show’s louder moments, as the floor shakes along with each cast member’s stomp, you feel that force, that intensity, that energy. You are here with them, and your presence matters.

The entire cast turn in wonderful performances, led by the heart and soul of the show, Stella Cañete-Mendoza, in what might just be the role of a lifetime. It’s almost impossible to take your eyes off of her, as each sigh she sighs and each brow she furrows hold so much meaning and emotion. It is indeed a woman’s world out there, too; it’s very much Stella’s. But there’s something to be said in watching each member of the ensemble sob and cry while they sing and chant. It feels like catharsis, almost. The look of release and relief on their faces is contagious and overwhelming—if we’re to assume they auditioned and joined the cast for a reason, because they believe in the story the musical wants to tell, then the arduous task of bringing something as heavy and and as exhausting as this to life is easily worth it. Plus, it’s always been the youth at the frontlines, and this show is no exception, whether thematically or behind the scenes. Dekada is made up of a talented and capable team of young creatives, from its director and dramaturg Pat Valera to its costumes head Hershee Tantiado, and everyone else in between.

Juliene Mendoza and Stella Cañete-Mendoza; photo by Boo Gabunada

At the opening Sunday matinee of Dekada ’70 , two days shy of the 34 th anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution, director and dramaturg Pat Valera welcomed the audience with a thought-provoking anecdote. When they opened this run, he said, a 13-year old boy approached him after the show. “Sir Pat,” the boy began. “ Totoo po ba ‘yung mga nangyari sa play na ito ?” It’s genuine questions like these that make a case for the everlasting need for art about the Marcos regime, even three decades after the dictator’s fall from power. We must never forget, Dekada reminds us, and thankfully, this reminder playing until March 14 is a reminder so compelling and strong that its frustratingly limited run only leaves us wishing for more.

About the Author / Renée Nuevo

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Renee is, first and foremost, a devoted writer of paeans to and about The Parent Trap (1998). She covers pop culture, entertainment, and the arts to feed her three loud cats, one of which is named after Marisa Tomei. Say hi to her on <a href="https://twitter.com/danawhitakers"><b>Twitter</b></a> or <a href="https://instagram.com/meuses"><b>Instagram</b></a>, and view her work on <a href="http://reneenuevo.com">reneenuevo.com</a>.

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Worthy, faithful but ultimately pedestrian adaptation of the prize winning novel, "Dekada 70" offers a year-by-year account of the slow political awakening of a middle-class Filipino family over a decade of repression and martial law. Veteran helmer Chito Rono skillfully interweaves the familial and the political in pic carefully aimed at stemming the tide of political amnesia and right-wing revisionism, while not turning off a middle-of-the-road audience. Unfortunately, such cinematically safe practice seems unlikely to attract arthouse interest, paling as it does before the delirious political soap operas of Ripstein or Chahine.

By Ronnie Scheib

Ronnie Scheib

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Worthy, faithful but ultimately pedestrian adaptation of the prize winning novel, “Dekada 70” offers a year-by-year account of the slow political awakening of a middle-class Filipino family over a decade of repression and martial law. Veteran helmer Chito Rono skillfully interweaves the familial and the political in pic carefully aimed at stemming the tide of political amnesia and right-wing revisionism, while not turning off a middle-of-the-road audience. Unfortunately, such cinematically safe practice seems unlikely to attract arthouse interest, paling as it does before the delirious political soap operas of Ripstein or Chahine.

Popular on Variety

As for the sons, firstborn son (Piolo Pascual) joins the guerillas in the mountains. The second son (Carlos Agassi), forced into a shotgun wedding, defiantly works for the American Navy. The third son (Marvin Augustin) writes journalistic exposes he can’t publish, while the fourth son (Danilo Barrios) is a mystery to his family until his brutal, motiveless murder (probably by police) reveals a lost girlfriend. The fifth son (John W. Sace) is still a boy.

Santos’ Amanda effortlessly and movingly chronicles the changed consciousness of the family and the country, with understatement her most reliable tool. Pic begins and ends with images of Santos at the forefront of a political demonstration, and nothing, from first image to last, for 128 minutes, is allowed to spontaneously or slyly deviate from the logic of her consciousness-raising.

Tech credits are professional and soberly subdued, as befits the film’s stylistic downplaying of its impassioned message. Evocations of ’70s era profit greatly from film’s casual depiction of hairstyles, artifacts and costumes.

Philippines

Production: A Star Cinema production. Produced by Tess V. Fuentes. Executive producers, Charo Santos-Concio, Malou N. Santos. Directed by Chito S. Rono. Screenplay, Lualhati Bautista, based on her novel.
Crew: Camera (color), Neil Daza; editor, Jess Navarro; music, Nonong Buencamino; production designer, Manny Morfe; sound, Rannie Eulloran. Reviewed at New York Asian American Film Festival, June 28, 2003. Running time: 128 MIN.
With: With: Vilma Santos, Christopher De Leon, Piolo Pascual, Marvin Augustin, Carlos Agassi, Danilo Barrios, Dimples Romano, John W. Sace. (Tagalog, some English dialogue)

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COMMENTS

Dekada '70 - Movie Review - Film Geek Guy
Matthew Escosia reviews 'Dekada '70', the critically-acclaimed Chito Roño film starring Vilma Santos, Christopher De Leon, Piolo Pascual and Marvin Agustin.
REVIEW: “Dekada ‘70” is a powerful, respectful adaptation
Lualhati Bautista’s Dekada ‘70 is a strong political and feminist piece, which has successfully transcended multiple forms of media (first, film, and now, theater) without losing its essence.
Dekada '70 - Rotten Tomatoes
Reviews. 88% Audience Score 100+ Ratings. In the Philippines, Amanda (Vilma Santos) and Julian (Christopher De Leon) are doing their best to rear their five sons during the repressive...
FILM REVIEW: DEKADA ’70 1/2 - Star For All Seasons
Dekada ’70 (English: 70s Decade) is a 2002 Filipino drama film released based on a book called Dekada ’70 written by Filipino author, Lualhati Bautista. The film tells the story of the life of a middle-class Filipino family who, over the space of a decade, become aware of the political policies that have ultimately led to repression and a ...
Dekada '70 (film) - Wikipedia
Dekada '70 ( lit. 'The ’70s') is a 2002 Filipino historical drama film directed by Chito S. Roño and based on the 1983 novel of the same name by Lualhati Bautista. [2] Set in the Philippines during the period of martial law under Ferdinand Marcos, the film follows the struggles of the middle-class Bartolome family.
The Seventies (2002) - The Seventies (2002) - User Reviews - IMDb
Lualhati Bautista's Dekada '70 (as directed by Chito Rono) is a film executed masterfully. The film captures every aspect of the seventies from the wardrobe, the music and even the atrocious hairstyles.
‘Dekada ‘70’ is more timely than ever - RAPPLER
Dekada ‘70 examines one of the deepest wounds in Philippine history. The musical (and the novel it is based on) tells the story of Amanda, a mother of five boys, and how her family gets...
Dekada '70 and the Tides of Change - by Lea Bolante
In the film adaptation of Lualhati Bautista’s novel Dekada ‘70, we see the Bartolome family experience the horrors, the silver linings, as well as the societal (and personal) shifts that come with this defining decade.
REVIEW: "Dekada ’70 the Musical" is a rousing reminder to ...
REVIEW: “Dekada ’70 the Musical” is a rousing reminder to never forget. Now on its third run, the musical adaptation of Lualhati Bautista’s 1983 novel is still powerful and cathartic. The story that Dekada ’70 has been telling for the past two years is by no means small.
Dekada 70 - Variety
Worthy, faithful but ultimately pedestrian adaptation of the prize winning novel, “Dekada 70” offers a year-by-year account of the slow political awakening of a middle-class Filipino family...