Today is the fortieth anniversary of the theatrical release of Bituing Walang Ningning (Tagalog: A Star Without Shine), a 1985 drama musical film directed by Emmanuel Borlaza from a komiks serial written by Nerissa G. Cabral and adapted into a screenplay by Orlando R. Nadres.
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| Screen Capture: Viva Films |
Numerous aspects of the movie have gained iconic places in Filipino popular culture. One blog post is not enough to cover these aspects, so I will focus for now on three of those:
1. Sampaguita and fandom
2. The theme song and food
3. "You are nothing but a second-rate, trying hard copycat!"
WARNING: For those who have not watched the movie, you will encounter spoilers as you read further.
SAMPAGUITA AND FANDOM
SAMPAGUITA AND FANDOM
Sampaguita, the national flower of the Philippines, is referenced throughout the movie, which is about the fan-idol dynamic. Meanwhile, the flower is well-known for its use in religious practices. In this country, fans adore their celebrity idols to god-like levels. The sampaguita appears to function as a mediator between the fan, Dorina Pineda (portrayed by Sharon Cuneta), and her idol, Lavinia Arguelles (portrayed by Cherie Gil).
The opening scene is set in a sampaguita plantation where the pre-stardom Dorina works. While gathering the flowers, Dorina listens to a radio broadcast in which Lavinia, her idol, sings "I Just Called to Say I Love You."
Prior to her own rise to fame as a singer, Dorina also sold sampaguita garlands on the streets. Instead of buying food, Dorina prefers spending her earnings on fan magazines that feature Lavinia. The economic benefit of sampaguita allows the fan to buy reading materials, which seem to give her a semblance of nearness to her idol.
Further demonstrating her adoration for her idol, Dorina places a sampaguita garland around Lavinia's neck in two pivotal scenes in the movie. One of these scenes is set during Lavinia's guesting in German Moreno's GMA Supershow. Dorina sneaked from the audience seating area to the stage. She placed the garland around the neck of a visibly annoyed Lavinia, who once more was singing "I Just Called to Say I Love You."
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| Screen Capture: Viva Films |
In other instances, Dorina attempted to hand over the garland. One night, she fell asleep waiting on the gate of Lavinia's home. Upon the arrival of Lavinia's car, Dorina was awakened and got the opportunity to hand over the garland. Lavinia pretended to be delighted with Dorina's present. Moments later and behind Dorina's back, Lavinia expressed her disgust.
On the day of Lavinia's departure for a concert tour in the U.S., Dorina tried to give her a garland as a send-off present. Lavinia's maid stopped Dorina at the same gate. Dorina just asked the maid to give the garland to Lavinia. Lavinia then scolded the maid, retorting that she was allergic to the flowers. The maid promptly complied with Lavinia's instruction to wear the garland.
When Lavinia returned to the country, Dorina went to the airport and brought another garland with her as a welcome present for her idol. However, Dorina came too late and just looked at her idol from afar. Nico Escobar, her soon-to-become manager and boyfriend, was also there. They seem to have found a common ground in relation to Lavinia: Nico's new status as Lavinia's ex-boyfriend appears to have brought him to the same level as Dorina: Nico and Dorina are now Lavinia's mere fans.
In the showdown concert toward the movie's finale, Dorina conceded to Lavinia as "the one and only superstar." Right before doing this gesture of adulation, Dorina had announced that she is not fit to be a celebrity. She opted to live a quiet, normal life with her beloved Nico.
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| Screen Capture: Viva Films |
Interestingly, Sampaguita Recording Studio is acknowledged in the end credits. I presume that the recording-session scenes in the movie were shot in the studio. As of this moment, it is still not clear to yours truly if the studio is connected to Sampaguita Pictures.
Sampaguita Pictures was a film production company that was established in 1937. It produced hundreds of movies that form a part of the first Golden Age of Philippine cinema in the 1950s. Many of these movies were topbilled by screen performers who gained millions of fans.
THE THEME SONG AND FOOD
The lyrics of the eponymous theme song include a line that became a reference to the act of wrapping and taking home food from parties and other special gatherings. These lines are "Balutin mo ako sa liwanag ng iyong pagmamahal" (Tagalog: Wrap me in the light of your love).
Singer-actress Sharon Cuneta, who plays Dorina in the movie, popularized the song. The Tagalog slang verb mag-Sharon (to Sharon) was coined by netizens to refer to the said food-related act.
On a personal note, I am one of those who wrap and take home food from special gatherings as long as the host allows the guests to do so. I always look forward to free food to save money at a time of rising inflation.
Food tastes better to me when received at zero cost. However, there are times that there is no more food to wrap and take home. Interestingly, the character name Dorina means 'gift.' I am always grateful for free food which I consider as a gift.
Speaking of food and inflation (again), there is a scene that provides viewers clues about how much things cost in 1985. Early into the movie, a vendor at the Aurora Market told Dorina that a dalanghita costs two pesos each. A cantaloupe costs 15 pesos each (Now it is at least 80 pesos). A fan magazine costs five to six pesos.
"YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A SECOND-RATE, TRYING HARD COPYCAT!"
The line, "You are nothing but a second-rate, trying hard copycat!" was spoken by Lavinia to Dorina during an event when the ZoNi Recording Company launched the latter's album.
Dorina had just opened the event with a rendition of "I Just Called to Say I Love You." She then asked Lavinia, a guest of honor, whether she liked her performance. Lavinia responded with the following lines:
"Sinira mo ang kanta. Binaboy mo. Baliw ang nagsasabing isinilang na ang aking karibal. You'll never make it." (Tagalog: You ruined the song. You made it dirty. Fools are the ones saying that my rival has been born.)
Lavinia then stood up, uttered the iconic line, and splashed a glass of white wine (or water?) on Dorina's face, who was left stunned.
Several observers in the Filipino entertainment industry believe that the scene established Cherie Gil as one of the leading screen villainesses. The scene was also the subject of adaptations on television and stage.
In the 1980s, I remember a parody of this scene in the IBC-13 sketch program TODAS: Television's Outrageously Delightful All-Star Show. I cannot recall the actors in the said parody. One detail that I clearly remember is a fountain that was detached by Lavinia from the floor to splash water on Dorina's face.
CLOSING INSIGHTS
In the two or three instances that I have viewed the movie, I have gathered insights that I just consolidated in this post. I am not sure if I will watch the movie again, but I think there will be future posts about other aspects of this movie. Another thing I am sure of is that the movie will remain ingrained in the firmament of Filipino pop culture for generations to come.
