From ‘Gimik: The Reunion,’ to ‘Captain Barbell,’ restored Pinoy films hit big screen anew

MANILA, Philippines – Classic Pinoy films are now being screened at the Santolan Town Plaza in San Juan City at a festival showcasing digitally restored and remastered versions of the movies.

The festival, dubbed “Reelive the Classics,” opened on March 13, and will run until March 26.

The festival includes a range of stories, from mainstream romances, to superhero flicks, to historical films. Among them are Martial Law drama Dekada ’70 (2002), iconic Bea Alonzo-John Lloyd Cruz starrer One More Chance (2007), and the coming-of-age romance Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising (1977).

The full schedule for the festival is up on the ABS-CBN Film Restoration Facebook page.

The festival’s premiere saw the screening of the 1973 version of Captain Barbell on March 13, as well as 90s teen flick, Gimik: The Reunion on March 14.

The 1973 Captain Barbell film starred the late film icon Dolphy, who played Mars Ravelo’s caped crusader as well as his alter-ego Enteng. It was directed by Jose “Pepe” Wenceslao and also starred Lotis Key, Panchito, Babalu, and even includes a cameo by a young Maricel Soriano.
 
Rex Ravelo, Mars Ravelo’s son shared that his dad created Captain Barbell especially for Dolphy. 

“Captain Barbell was made specifically for Dolphy and my father and him are good friends.The movie is really a spoof of Captain Marvel. It was supposed to be a real comedy because of Dolphy but it turned out to be a hit superhero movie and the rest is history,” he said.
 
Dolphy’s son, Ronnie Quizon recalled that after Facifica Falayfay – which was his father’s and Ravelo’s first movie together – almost all of Ravelo’s characters resembled Dolphy. 
 
Meanwhile, the Gimik: The Reunion screening saw the film’s director Laurenti Dyogi and the crew reunite. The film, set to celebrate its 20th anniversary in April, starred the biggest young stars of the time: Judy Ann Santos, Marvin Agustin, Jolina Magdangal, Giselle Toengi, Diether Ocampo, Mylene Dizon, Bojo Molina, Kristine Hermosa, Dominic Ochoa, Rica Peralejo, and the late Rico Yan – whose birthday fell on the same day of the film’s screening.

“I can’t even remember making this film. Today is a special day since it’s Rico Yan’s birthday and my birthday was two days ago. My wife was just reminding me that on my birthday I was shooting a car scene for this movie. I’m excited to see the whole movie again for the first time on the big screen,” Direk Lauren said.
  
Both Captain Barbell and Gimik: The Reunion, along with the other films that are one the festival line-up, are part of the ABS-CBN Film Restoration Project. The project has so far restored over 160 films, some of which have been screened abroad in international film festivals or locally at red carpet premieres.

Tickets to the festival are available online for P100 for students, and P200 for regular patrons. – Rappler.com