In praise of Mario O’Hara

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SINCE being introduced to the films of Mario O’Hara back in 1986, film critic Noel Vera knew that he was seeing the works of a master.

His exploration continued in the 1990s, as he became more familiar with the filmmaker’s body of work. He noted the narrative power and strong visual language in films like Bulaklak sa City Jail, Bakit Bughaw Ang Langit?, and Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos, all of which depict the violence that plagues those in the fringes of society.

But the idea of writing a book on Mr. O’Hara only materialized in 2005, and it took a long while to put together. The result is a collection of essays titled The Quiet Man: The Films of Mario O’Hara.

Mr. Vera, ����ý’s long-time film critic, describes Condemned as “the perfect noir,” and Bagong Hari as “the perfect action film.” He refers to Mr. O’Hara as more understated, more “drawn to the dark and morbid, yet still tender,” as compared to his contemporaries like Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, Mike De Leon, and Laurice Guillen.

The book is a long-overdue tribute to the man’s talents. His is a body of work that “deserves its own module, if not its own course” in film studies, according to Mr. Vera.

“I’ve seen all the best in Philippine cinema, you name it, and I still believe O’Hara’s films were the most moving,” he said during the book’s launch on April 25 at Archivo 1984 in Makati. “His work touches me, above anyone else, and I think he’s the best not just in the Philippines, but the entire world.”

The book got its name in large part due to the director never truly selling himself or having as many champions in film scholarship as other directors, but there’s a different reason as well. Once, writer and fellow critic Jolicco Cuadra referred to Mr. O’Hara as his favorite Filipino director and someone “who truly knows violence.”

“The man who’s loud, threatening violence as he’s walking down the street? I’m not scared of him. I’m afraid of the quiet man,” he said, talking about Dan Alvaro’s character in Bagong Hari. Thus, the title of the book was born.

The first chapter gives more insight into this moment, painting a picture of a sit-down interview with Mr. O’Hara in the 1990s, when they managed to corner him backstage at his last performance of a play. (Though a famed film director and screenwriter, Mr. O’Hara was also an actor in television and film, but was most prolific in theater.)

Mr. Vera explained that the experience of going through the man’s filmography impressed him gradually as he went along, and hoped that the book could aid more people seeking to do the same.

In attendance at the launch was actor and production designer Frank Rivera. He gave a moving speech recalling his friendship with Mr. O’Hara, and talked about how they would take ideas from the things they saw around them. During a walk along Roxas Boulevard, they saw a blind man with a guitar near the US Embassy — which eventually inspired the character played by Yoyoy Villame in Babae sa Breakwater.

Another anecdote he told was when Joel Torre had to drop out of a role in Babae sa Bubungang Langit due to scheduling conflicts, and Mr. O’Hara asked Mr. Rivera to take his place. A moment of hesitation came when a scene required frontal nudity.

“Sabi niya, artista ka naman. Gawin mo na para matuloy ang pelikula. Na-challenge ako. (He said, you’re an actor. Do it so we can continue the film. I was challenged),” Mr. Rivera recounted.

“He was not a quiet man. He told stories, he told dreams, and he sang. He made me do things I did not want to do. I made him do things he did not want to do. And I miss him every day.”

As for where to see Mr. O’Hara’s films, quite a few were restored and can be found on YouTube thanks to ABS-CBN’s now defunct Sagip Pelikula program — Mga Bilanggong Birhen, Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos, Bulaklak sa City Jail, and Tatlong Ina, Isang Anak.

Leo Katigbak, who used to head the film restoration initiative before it closed, said that “a lot of young people now are rediscovering classics.”

“There’s a resurgence of interest in all things old. I’m glad we were able to do a lot of that in ABS-CBN. Right now, I’m a consultant with the FDCP (Film Development Council of the Philippines), so we’re focusing on restoring a lot of movies,” he said.

One of these is Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang, directed by Lino Brocka and co-written by both Brocka and O’Hara.

“It’s a great time to be a cineaste, to be a film buff,” he said. “We have to restore more movies while a lot of the people who actually worked on them are still around.”

The Quiet Man: The Films of Mario O’Hara is published by Archivo 1984. The book is available to order via . — Brontë H. Lacsamana