Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista cannot help but be nostalgic over starring in an episode of Regal Film’s perennial entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival, Shake, Rattle and Roll XIV: The Invasion (SRR XIV).

For those who are unaware, the actor-turned-public servant was actually part of the movie franchise’s very first installment in 1984, in the trilogy’s “Manananggal” episode with Irma Alegre.

Now a legitimate part of Pinoy Pop Culture, the nail-biting 30-minuter won Bautista his first Best Actor award since becoming a child star in the early 1980s.

“To this day, I am proudest of that moment [when I won Best Actor] in December 27, 1984,” recalled one of the iconic Bagets actors of the said decade. “I was 17 years old. [Before doing the movie] I asked our director Peque Gallaga kung gusto niya akong mag-workshop. Ganoon kasi talaga kami nung dati, laging nag wo-workshop with the likes of Direk Peque and Ishmael Bernal. But Direk Peque told me, ‘No need—just be yourself in the movie.’ That’s why it’s an honor for me to have been named Best Actor for Shake, Rattle and Roll because it was my own take on the role.”

Happy reunion
Besides remembering the “happiest moment” of his acting career, Bautista was also thrilled to be working with two other stars of his generation, Janice de Belen and Arlene Muhlach, in SRRXIV.
Janice, of course, was Bautista’s sister in yet another iconic project in the ‘80s, the highly successful soap opera Flor de Luna; while Arlene was also a mainstay of the popular barkada movies of the generation.

“For additional trivia, Janice and Arlene were also both part of the first Shake, Rattle and Roll,” conveyed the 44-year-old actor-politician. Janice was in the “Pridyider” episode, which I believe was just remade recently [Lovi Poe starred in the lead]; and si Arlene naman, sa ‘Spirit of the Glass.’ Kaya masayang–masaya talaga kami sa set.”

Bautista further enjoyed relating how Regal Films’ matriarch, Mother Lily Monteverde convinced him to return to the big screen after five long years. [His last movie was Umaaraw, Umuulan of Eight Elephants Productions, with Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos].

“Nagkabanggaan lang kami ni Mother sa isang get-together minsan, tapos sabi niya agad sa akin, ‘Gawa ulit tayo ng Shake, Rattle and Roll’,” he recalled laughing. “Tapos the next time, may nakita akong babae sa Singapore na nag-susukat ng sapatos—naka-jogging pants lang na parang mamalengke,” he teased his long-time producer. “Ang sabi naman niya n’un, ‘O, shooting ka na!’

True enough, when he and Mother Lily returned to the Philippines, the latter immediately organized a story conference with the mayor, and in a matter of days, he found himself shooting his first scene near his Quezon City Hall office.

‘Hi-tech’
“Iba na pala ang camera ngayon!” exclaimed the mayor, good-naturedly laughing at his not too “hi-tech” self. “Hinihintay ko pa nga sabihin nila ‘rolling’ tulad nung araw [when movies still used film] at tsaka wala na talagang ingay ngayon sa digital cameras.

“Yon lang siguro yung pinaka-nakakanibago ngayon pag gumagawa ng pelikula, aside from hindi na lang iisa ang direktor. May main direktor tapos may CGI director pa and blocking director na pinapakinggan talaga ni Chito Roño!”

Roño is of course one of Philippine movie’s most respected directors and often singled out as the best in the horror genre. His more recent credits in this category include the box office hits The Healing (2012), Sukob (2006) and Feng Shui (2004). For the first time, Shake, Rattle and Roll’s 14th installment has a single director for all three episodes, a distinction, which has been given to Roño.

Bautista stars in the episode “Pamana,” which is coincidentally set in the 1980s. Its script by Ricky Lee brings touches of comedy to the thriller when he, Janice and Arlene, as cousins, come across a different kind of inheritance.

“Ang lagi sa aming pinaalala ni Direk Chito dito ay kahit ‘80s yung pelikula, iba pa rin ang roles namin kasi adults kami dito at hindi mga bagets! I had to do research on what they were wearing at that time, the lingo they used, mostly from movies of [the late] Jay Ilagan and Dindo Fernando.”

‘Lalaking Vilma’
When Mother Lily was asked why she asked Bautista and his cast mates to become part of SRR again, she enthusiastically replied, “Originals are always very precious to me; they are the best!”
The producer also admitted to having a special place in her heart for Bautista who she fondly remembers as a very patient and hardworking young actor. Her admiration for the boy who is fondly called “Bistek” in showbiz circles grew all the more when he entered the political arena.

“Ang tawag ko sa kanya, ‘Lalaking Vilma Santos’,” Mother Lily shared, noting the similarities between the two who both started as child actors to eventually become successful public servants.

To this, Bautista can only reply, “Of course I’m so honored to be compared to [Batangas] Governor Vilma Santos because I share her passion and desire to serve the Filipino.”

Shake, Rattle and Roll XIV: The Invasion is Regal Film’s official entry to the 2012 Metro Manila Film Festival. Updates are available via www.facebook.com/ShakeRattleRollXivoffical and www.twitter.com/RegalFilms, with trailers on www.youtube.com/regalcinema.