past present: bagets

It’s been a while since I unearthed my 80’s music from the depths of my My Music folder. I picked up some old favorites to join the other songs in the dancerous folder. While going about mechanical chores of re-filing papers, “Just Got Lucky” blared out from the computer’s worn out speakers. True to form, I stated jiggy-ing in slightly behaved manner as our seminarian volunteer was on Sonny’s computer typing something.

I asked, “napanuod mo ba ang Bagets?”
J: sino nga ang mga bida dun?
I: sina aga mulach, William martinez, Herbert bautista… mga 15, 16 pa lang sila nun.
J: hindi e.
I wasn’t surprised. He was 21. Born in 1985. A few years after Bagets.
I: panuorin mo. Classic yun.

Before Bagets became gay speak for an offspring, it was a movie. And honestly, I think every tween, adolescent and teen-ager should watch the movie. And even those of us who have seen it in our youth should watch it again. See, I got to see it again in full last October. And found myself amused at the short-shorts, the high socks, the head band, the mullet, and worse, William Martinez in trunks! But more so with the fact that Bagets can now be considered a great classic as it has reached beyond twenty years and still has the same impact as it did when it first showed.

Arguably, it is the best Filipino teen movie in history. Even with the dated outfits and half of the cast thrown into showbiz oblivion, the issues explored in the movie remain valid after all these years. From falling in love with older people, to finding the courage to say you like a girl, to peer pressure to family issues, Bagets tells it lightly and comically albeit naturally and frankly.

“Pare Ko,” starring the Gwapings, Jao Mapa, Victor Neri and Gio Alvarez (aylabyu!), was the closest thing that tried to do a “Bagets” in the 90’s. Though it was fun, and relatable at that time (I was 16 when it showed), it can never reach the level Bagets has achieved. And they had Claudine Baretto whith her thick eyebrows and puruntong shorts. That is a terrible ordeal to be subjected to. Definitely worse than William in trunks. Defintely.

Or it could be just the soundtrack that makes it great. Hehehe!! (matanda na talaga ako!)

Bagets 2, I can barely remember. But it does have Francis Magalona, Richard Bonin and Ramon Christopher in it. Kilala niyo pa ba ang last two ta-artits? Hahaha! Francism talks about their reunion in an old old entry. A commemorative DVD? Anybody seen one? I want! And Ninja Kids? Meron din? Tat, tat!!! Let's scour the stores na!