Of the Flesh (1983) User Reviews

Beauty and ugliness of human beings

[shi612 · 8/10 · 27 June 2004]

The locale is a lonely, conventional village of Philippine in 1930's.

I have some experiences in dealing with Filipinos through business and private. I think the essential problem of Philippine society is that they have lost their identity, under the influences of conventional heritage from Spanish ruling and materialism from American ruling. By setting the locale in 1930's, Diaz-Abaya tried to directly show repression of humanity and fallaciousness in this country.

Narsing returns to his father's home with his new wife Puring. Three years ago he went out from the village to Manila, but after failing many jobs he returned home to sell the land he would inherit from his father. But father never listens to him. Every time the couple talk about going to Manila again, Narsing confesses he is not confident he can do it better. Conventional village is a hell but materialized Manila is another hell for him.

Narsing's sister Doray was raised without going to school, not allowed to go out without permission. She loves Jose, but her father forced to marry to another man. Puring can not stand in this suffocating village. Friendship grows with Gorio, a deaf man came from outside of the village. Gorio is described as an innocent man. Maybe he is a symbol of something.

Getting frenzied after knowing that the father tried to rape Puring, Narsing kills his father. Puring bears a baby, but being refused baptizing the baby, Puring had no way but to kill the baby. Narsing runs away from prison but is arrested again, and he kills himself.

For the first time village people regret what they have done to Puring. Doray goes out of village to marry to Jose. The narrator of the story is their daughter. Doray has chosen to live in love.

First and foremost, this movie tries to show the problem special to Philippine society. Beyond Philippines, I think this movie has power to convey more universal message. It lets the audiences to directly look at ugliness and beauty of human beings.

A Hidden Masterpiece

[akoaytao1234 · 10/10 · 9 December 2023]

Around the turn of the century, a city woman finds herself in the middle of nowhere with her new husband to meet and settle with his family. Slowly, she discovers how things are in the area AND why his husband's family is center of a lot of the town's rumors.

I love this film.

I do not really have a lot of info about Abaya's work. Her works seems to have solidly been made for Philippine audiences or has not yet been appreciated abroad. So, there's a lot of short reviews in letterboxd about her films.

The film do have a weird anti-rural allegory though I think its more about men's power over women's presence AND the biases they face. Often times, women in this film are biased against AND forced to be in uncomfortable situation AND ultimately as the narrator suggest be in 'hell' itself.

The writing for this film is so tight. Somewhat familiar with Ricky Lee's work and this is definitely one of his best written works. Its high melodrama with a smartly added narrator. By the way, that a weird way to have a narrator. I think that is probably the most audacious thing the film does. A fully visible narrator. Her presence really added to the mystique of the story.

Acting wise, its fine. Vic Silayan is amazing. Salvador and Castillo were pitch perfect BUT could have been acted by someone better.

I think the biggest positive about this film is the cinematography. It just so crisp. I saw the ABSCBN restoration AND its so pristine to look at. Everything about this really pops. You could not really see much of the time had passed.

Highly Recommended.