Classic Tagalog Comedy Movies

Tagalog Comedy Movies from previous years hold a certain charm which more recent movies do not have. Maybe it's the song and dance number, or the excursion to the beach scene with song and dance number, or maybe it's the element of fantasy, or the nostalgia they evoke to adults like me who grew up watching them. Whatever it is, they will always be loved by audiences.

Here's a list of my favorite Tagalog Comedy Movies from previous years:

Puto (1987)
Director: Leroy Salvador

“Boy George, Travolta Elvis…Elvis, Travolta, Boy George!” These are magic words used by Ivanhoe dela Cruz in the movie "Puto". In Puto, Herbert Bautista plays good-natured and kind-hearted student Ivanhoe Dela Cruz who sells puto or rice cakes after school to help his widowed mother (Marita Zobel). Because of this, all the students in school call him Puto. He is always teased and bullied. Taking pity on him, three elves or duwendes (played by Berting Labra, Max Alvarado and Cachupoy) decide to help him. But Ivanhoe soon changes and becomes boastful forcing his duwende friends to stop helping him.

Ending with a song and dance number to the tune of Michael Jackson's "Bad" with Filipino lyrics, Puto is an entertaining film from which you could also get some life lessons. Classic Filipino storytelling.

Working Boys (1985)
Director: Mike Relon Makiling

Working Boys is a spoof of the 1984 movie Working Girls. It stars Tito, Vic and Joey and Herbert Bautista. In this movie, we follow the shenanigans of Oscar, Bert and Ernie, three oddjobmen, who can work on virtually any kind of job, and their nephew/apprentice, Kermit. There are many funny scenes in this movie. Among them -- turning Ben David’s airconditioner into a snow maker, expelling an evil spirit that possessed Balot, tearing apart Dindo Fernando’s car when only the lock was broken, casting Palito as the deceased in a lamay, painting a house using multicolor, literally putting on a show behind the picture tube (hilarious), Kermit dating three girls at once in the same venue. Piling from Mang Kepweng, if I’m not mistaken, also made an appearance in this movie.

Like Father, Like Son (1985)
Director: Mike Relon Makiling

Nanoy (Herbert Bautista) is street smart and crafty just like his con man father (Leroy Salvador). Jon Jon (Niño Muhlach) is book smart and a bit of a nerd just like his father who is an inventor (Nestor De Villa). Nanoy's and Jon Jon's families have been feuding for years because of their differing views. Despite of this, Nanoy and Jon Jon form an unlikely friendship. Fed up of their parents, Nanoy and Jon Jon decide to leave their homes combining street smarts and book smarts to support themselves.

limva123/wilbert's music hard to find music library

A lovely movie. Light and heartwarming. There’s even a talking robot. Features a touching dialogue (Maaring matiis ng anak ang magulang ngunit ang magulang ay kailanman di matitiis ang anak.) by the late Nida Blanca near the ending of the movie. I wish more movies like this could be made.

Like Father, Like Son also stars Nida Blanca (Jon Jon’s mom); Gina Pareño (Nanoy’s mom); Dely Atay-atayan (Jon Jon’s lola); Chichay (Nanoy’s lola); Lea Salonga, Gerard salonga, Cheska Iñigo (as Nanoy’s and Jon Jon’s friends); Cecille Iñigo (Lea’s, Gerard’s and Cheska’s tita in the movie) and Jimmy Santos (as the waiter at Shakey's).

Bagets (1984)
Director: Maryo J. De Los Reyes
Story: Jake Tordesillas (whom some say is the John Hughes of the Philippines)

In Bagets, we follow the coming of age story of five high school students starting their fourth year fresh in a new school after they got expelled from another school. Bagets stars William Martinez, Herbert Bautista, J.C. Bonnin, Aga Muhlach, and Raymond Lauchengco.

YT video credits - bobexr3

Ang Tatay kong Nanay (1978)
Director: Lino Brocka

Coring (Dolphy), a gay beautician or parlorista, is left with a baby by his former ward, Dennis (Phillip Salvador), forcing him to raise the baby as his own. The baby, Nonoy, (Niño Muhlach), grows up thinking that Coring is his real father. Coring would dress and act straight when he's in front of Nonoy and would also urge his gay friends (Larry Leviste and Soxy Topacio) to restrain their flamboyance whenever Nonoy is with them. Everything seems fine until Nonoy's real mother (Marissa Delgado) and Coring's former ward, Dennis, suddenly show up to claim their son. They would buy Nonoy expensive toys which Coring cannot give Nonoy. Eventually, Coring had to give back Nonoy to his real parents. Soon, Coring was back to his old ways -- joining a gay beauty contest and fashion show in a basketball court. It is here where Nonoy, who left his real parents' home to go back to Coring, saw Coring dressed in drag. The movie ends with Nonoy and Coring reunited.

One thing about Dolphy, he can do both comedy and drama very well. He is also one of those actors who could effectively portray gay roles. Galing!

Credits:

http://www.pelikula.net
http://rickyremembers.wordpress.com/category/movies/page/2/
IMDb
ledster of IMDb - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077164/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_pl
"My ‘Tatay kong Bakla’" By Larry Leviste - http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/57557/my-tatay-kong-bakla
limva123 in YouTube/Wilbert's hard to find music library
photos from all over the internet
socialites1969 in YouTube