Hanggang Sa Kalawakan Ng ALAPAAP

Posted by Jojo Devera , Labels: , , , , ,


Dekada '80 nang matunghayan natin ang panggugulantang ni Tata Esteban sa marami niyang pelikulang nagsasaad ng malakabaliwang bumabalot sa hiwaga ng buhay. Hindi na kailangang pagtakahan kung bakit sa bawa't sitwasyon sa kanyang mga pelikula kadalasa'y kahalo ang mga elementong grotesque na kapuwa nakakabahala at may hatid na kababalaghan. Matingkad ang pagsasalarawan ng Alapaap (Aces Film International / Oro Vista Motion Pictures at Rare Breed Ltd., 1984) sa karahasang dinanas ni Baeg (Tanya Gomez). Ipinakita dito ang malupit na karanasan ng isang babaeng Kiangan na ginahasa at pinatay ng mga di kilalang lalaki habang nangangahoy sa kagubatan. Dito umikot ang kuwento ni Jake (William Martinez), isang scriptwriter. Kasama ang magkapatid na filmmakers na sina Dave (Mark Gil) at Donald (Michael de Mesa), umakyat ang barkada sa ng Baguio para maghanap ng posibleng lokasyong gagamitin sa pelikula hanggang mapadpad sila sa bahay ni Mr. Longed (Ed Villapol), ang ama ni Baeg. Ginamit na instrumento ni Baeg si Jake bilang upang maisakatuparan ang kanyang paghihiganti . Nagpapasalin-salin ang kanyang kaluluwa sa katawang lupa nina Betchie (Isadora) at Christine (Eva Rose Palma), maging sa kanilang alagang aso na si Jabbar. Ginalugad ng pelikula ang mga hangganang maaring tahakin ng isang mapaghiganting multo. Sa bandang huli'y hindi matanto kung nagtagumpay si Baeg dahil lahat ng pangyayari ay tila naganap lang sa loob ng isipan ni Jake habang lulong sa droga.

Patunay sa manipestasyon ng estilo sa pagbuo ng sine ang estetikong prinsipyong pinanghahawakan ni Tata Esteban. Kaakibat nito ang nahahating pananaw sa uri ng representasyon sa pagsasaayos ng iba't-ibang elementong kaagapay sa pagbuo ng isang pelikula. Sa Alapaap, madarama ang pirming nagbabadyang malagim na pangyayari sa tulong ng angkop na paglapat ng musika at tunog. Nailahad din ang makulay at makatotohanang daigdig sa mga samu't-saring detalyeng nakakapaghatid ng gitla at gimbal. Ilan lamang ito sa mga patunay sa pananaw na nais iparating ni Esteban sa kanyang pelikulang nagbigay-bunga sa sarili niyang estilo. Sayang na sayang at hindi napangatawanan ng Alapaap ang mayabong na tema at diskurso ng naratibo. Mapapansing matapos na maipundar ang milyu, hindi na alam ng direktor kung paano paandarin ang istorya. Sapat nang ipasubo ang mga bida sa kung anu-anong sitwasyong nangangailangan ng paghuhubad. Maliban sa pagtukoy ng kahinaang ito na siyang bumalda sa pelikula, napag-iisip ng Alapaap ang manonood nito na kung estilo lamang ang pag-uusapan, walang sinabi ang ang ibang magagaling na direktor ngunit may ibang pang dapat pag-abalahan maliban sa teknik at teknolohiya at pagpapakitang gilas sa larangan ng disenyong biswal.

Direksiyon: Tata Esteban
Dulang Pampelikula: Rei Nicandro
Sinematograpiya: Joe Tutanes
Musika: Rey Ramos
Editing: Abelardo Hulleza
Disenyo: Steve Paolo
Produksiyon: Aces Film International / Oro Vista Motion Pictures At Rare Breed Ltd.

14 Response to "Hanggang Sa Kalawakan Ng ALAPAAP"

  1. Ronald says:
    3:46 AM

    I love horror movies. This was on my watch lists at MMFF back in 1984 only to be disappointed because of my age when I was rejected together with my brother at Gotesco Cinema in Caloocan City. We ended up watching Shake, Rattle & Roll instead.

  2. Jojo Devera says:
    3:55 AM

    i can definitely tell you're a huge horror fan... most of Tata Esteban's work had adult content so it was understandable that it woulr be rated For Adults... Alapaap was a techically superior film it's just that the directro wasn't able to grasp his material completely.

  3. Ronald says:
    4:00 AM

    What could be the major flaw of the film, Jojo? The screenplay? One of the saving grace of the movie was Ed Villapol. But Tata Esteban's directorial debut was good, he knows how to handle shock value thru extreme gory and sex scenes.

  4. Jojo Devera says:
    4:05 AM

    it's not the script... Tata Esteban was carried away by the technical aspect & visual effects of the film that he fogot he had a story to tell. midway through the film all his main concern was to give the audience a little jolt here and there. he didn't even bother to let the viewers in on what's going on...

  5. Ronald says:
    4:07 AM

    The place where they shot almost helped the whole visuals of the movie and I love it! Tanya Gomez became his main squeeze, right?

  6. Jojo Devera says:
    4:19 AM

    the location made it more eerie... he also did the production design work for the movie... and yes they even had a child together

  7. Ronald says:
    4:25 AM

    Yeah I know that Tata Esteban started as production designer for Celso Ad's PEDRO TUNASAN & SNAKE SISTERS. He also act on some Brocka movies particularly CAUGHT IN THE ACT.

  8. Jojo Devera says:
    4:32 AM

    actually he started as an actor... Maryo J. de los Reyes discovered him and cast Steve Paoli in a short role as Dandin Ranillo's squeeze in the 1980 film Bongga Ka Day he tried to join the bold bandwagon by appearing in a string of Cloyd Robinson directed movies as well...

  9. Ronald says:
    4:37 AM

    Tata Esteban is underrated. Too bad he went downhill after ALAPAAP. Can you remember his other films aside from sleazy sex flicks like FLESH AVENUE, LIHIM NG KALAPATI, MATERYALES FUERTES. But I think he can deliver fantasy and suspense genre.

  10. Jojo Devera says:
    4:47 AM

    i think one of his best films would be Salamangkero which was entered in the 1986 MMFF... too bad it was also the same year that O'Hara's Halimaw was shown. Ricky Lee despised what he's done to the script of Flesh Avenue. Tata Esteban missed the inner conflict of the screenplay.

  11. Ronald says:
    4:51 AM

    It was edged out by HALIMAW both at the box-office and accolades. The following year critics didn't give awards primarily stating that the films in 1986 were trash and have no quality.

  12. Jojo Devera says:
    4:59 AM

    it was but Salamangkero is worth seeing not just for the exciting visuals but also for Michael de Mesa's extraordinary performance...

  13. ron says:
    10:40 AM

    Hi Jojo,

    I remember seeing a VHS copy of this on Ebay early this year. I think it's a Japanese release. I bid but I lost.

    Regards,
    RSE

  14. Jojo Devera says:
    2:24 PM

    hello Ron!

    it's been quite a while! sayang, di ka nanalo sa bidding... how much was the final cost for the VHS copy of Alapaap?

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Karapatang Magpalathala 2006-2013. SARI-SARING SINENG PINOY Lahat Ng Karapatan Ay Nakalaan. Disenyo Jojo Devera