Schoolboys... Meet SCHOOLGIRLS

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

Schoolgirls
Schoolgirls (Regal Films, Inc.) could have been a really entertaining movie. Hints of this occur in the sequences involving Ella (Maricel Soriano) and Matthew (Joel Alano). In tongue-in-cheek style, the two play out a most unconventional courtship. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie fails to match the energy of Soriano and Alano. Something happens to actors when Maryo de los Reyes directs. They rise above themselves. Edu Manzano's performance in the film is a perfect example. Here, he completely portrays Nestor Alcala, the baduy college professor falling for someone much younger, but more sophisticated than him. This is one of Manzano's best performances. Similarly, Anita Linda has always excelled in dramatic roles but in this film, she shows herself to be excellent in a tragicomic role. As the alcoholic nightclub owner, she conveys the sense of futility that faces aging women in society. Soriano displays here the kind of tomboyish femininity that is her hallmark but Joel Alano clearly outshines everybody with a performance much better than those in his earlier films. Completely matching Soriano line for line and action for action, Alano ably portrays the young man with mixed feelings towards a girl who does not behave like one.

The acting achievements of the actors, however, are ruined by so many other elements in the film. One can't believe, for instance, that a folk house as prestigious as My Father's Moustache will hire someone who sings badly as Egoy (Edgar Mande). The art direction is a big letdown from De los Reyes' previous outings where it is usually a strong element. Here, one cannot understand how Margot (Dina Bonnevie) can have such an intellectual looking room when her mother is a nightclub owner and she herself spends more time with boys than with books, how Nestor can afford such an expensive pad, even the most exclusive schools don't pay their teachers that much or how Ella can live in such a rich house when her behavior, as well as her family smacks of lower middle class and how in the first place all three well-to-do girls are enrolled in an obviously lower income university. Schoolgirls leave much to be desired. The screenplay for instance features the wrong level of language, it uses gay lingo when it should be using colegiala English. The story is patently ridiculous, with Margot, Ella and Zora (Snooky) getting into the most incredible situations. Who would believe for instance, that a college girl, after being raped by a college professor is simply going to forget the incident? And the ending is unsatisfactory with a completely unmotivated and unconvincing attempt by Tet (Maya Valdes) to patch up everyone's life.

Directed By; Maryo J. de los Reyes
Screenplay: Jake Tordesillas
Cinematography: Joe Batac Jr.
Music: Lutgardo Labad
Film Editor: Nonoy Santillan
Art Directors: Orly Tolentino And Gabby Francisco
Produced By: Regal Films, Inc.
Release Date: June 18, 1982

14 Response to "Schoolboys... Meet SCHOOLGIRLS"

  1. dexter says:
    7:40 AM

    Hello,Jojo! Hindi ko ata ito napanood sa tv noon,unlike Underage na madalas ipalabas. Dalawang taon pala ang dumaan bago uli nagsama-sama sina Dina,Snooky at Maricel? Was it a disappointment at the boxoffice? Underage was a big hit in 1980,and the story and production were quite good,sino nga ba ang direktor ng Underage?

  2. Ronald Selorio says:
    9:39 AM

    Thanks for another excellent review and great screencaps too! I haven't seen this one.

  3. Dennis says:
    11:16 AM

    Hi Jojo!

    Regal Presents used to air this many times. Napakarami palang imperfections ang movie considering it was Maryo J.de los Reyes film but I do remember being entertained by Regal's three prized possessions that time.

    Louella was one the of the bad 'schoolgirls' that bullied Maricel, Dina and Snooky. I remember Maricel saying to them "Mga Unano Sa Kuko Ng Agila" haha...

  4. Jojo Devera says:
    4:08 PM

    Hi Dexter!

    Actually in between Underage and Schoolgirls, nagsama uli silang tatlo sa Age Doesn't Matter with Tito, Vic & Joey kung saan na-in love sina Dina at Vic sa isa't-isa.

    Schoolgirls wasn't a flop, it was a mild hit. Nagkaroon kasi ng problema sa censors kaya naurong ang playdate ng pelikula. There were a few cuts and some scenes were shortened.

    Underage was a huge hit and catapulted Dina, Maricel and Snooky into stardom. It was directed by Joey Gosiengfiao. Ironically, Maryo J. who helmed Schoolgirls, directed Underage Too in the 90's...

  5. Jojo Devera says:
    4:09 PM

    Thanks so much Ron! You should definitely watch this movie if only for Maricel and Joel Alano's performances...

  6. Jojo Devera says:
    4:16 PM

    Hello Dennis!

    Schoolgirls is far from being perfect but like you, I enjoyed watching this movie. I just wished na sana yung tatlong regulars ni Direk Maryo ang kinuha sa roles nung tatlong kontrabida. Louella was one, then Benggot Pe Benito and Melvi Pacubas. Sana si Debraliz na lang, mas nakakatawa siguro dahil nakakaaliw ang triumvirate nila sa Bongga Ka Day!

    Nakakatuwa naman at naalala mo pa ang linya ni Maricel, ang sinabi niya was "mga unano sa kuko ng liwanag..." ;)

  7. Dennis says:
    11:14 AM

    Right, right! '...sa kuko ng liwanag' was the exact line haha.. Oo nga 'no, mas kuwela siguro. Hindi ko kilala 'yung Benggot at Melvi, yun pala names nila. Debraliz can be a mean bully or a very loyal friend in movies. Naaalala ko 'yung kuwela niyang role as officemate/friend ni Snooky sa Blusang itim!

  8. Jojo Devera says:
    5:34 PM

    Friend ko sa fb si Benggot who is now based here in the US at si Melvi Pacubas naman who started with PETA and was a regular fixture sa mga films ni Lino Brocka like PX where she played Hilda's best friend ay nakilala ko in NY and every time na may Filipino Film Festival kami, she would watch the movies at nagkakakuwentuhan kami. Louella naman I met in San Francisco nung nag-concert si Ate Guy. Si Debraliz lang pala ang hindi ko pa nakadaupang-palad. She also played Snooky's best friend in Paano Kung Wala Ka Na...

  9. Dennis says:
    11:09 AM

    Nice, mga friends mo pala sila. Si Louella pa yata ang last mo nakilala. Yes pala, Debraliz is also Snooky's bestfriend sa Paano movie. Nakailang role na rin yata na bestfriend si Debraliz not to mentioned her fairy godmother role in Sleeping Beauty episode ng Mga Kuwento Ni Lola Basyang.

  10. Jojo Devera says:
    6:29 PM

    Actually, una kong na-meet si Louella. Sandali lang kami nagkausap. I would say na mas kilala ko si Tita Melvi Pacubas. Benggot sent me a friend request sa fb when she saw the photos I posted from Rock 'N' Roll where I tagged Direk Maryo J.

  11. Dennis says:
    3:12 AM

    Nice! Thanks uli.

  12. Jojo Devera says:
    3:39 AM

    Wala pong anuman!

  13. Carlo says:
    10:00 AM

    Hi Jojo! I agree that the "rape" incident (especially between a professor and a student) is such a delicate matter in real life (and at that time Martial Law era) and in this movie, it was completely dropped/ignored just to end the movie.

    However, what was cut in this film and why? Was it the rape scene?

  14. Jojo Devera says:
    11:24 AM

    The rape scene was shortened to get a GP rating. Mother Lily didn't want the film to receive an Adults Only rating from the Censors simply because it starred her precious Regal Babies...

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