Katorse: Will the 'magic kamison' still work?

The late ’70s and early ’80s, when the Regal Babies burst on the showbiz scene, were indelibly marked by, among other symbols, the Regal Matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde’s “magic kamison” which spelled M-A-G-I-C at the tills when worn in the “bold” launching starrers of Regal stars like Gina Alajar (Diborsyada), Cherie Gil (Problem Child), Rio Locsin (Disgrasyada), Kristine Garcia (Exploitation) and, who can ever forget, Dina Bonnevie in Katorse, a story of sexual awakening in which she was torn between two men, Gabby Concepcion and Alfie Anido, megged by Joey Gosiengfiao, that period’s campiest director.

That was 30 years ago, in 1979. The “magic kamison” (which was, according to urban legend, given by Remy Monteverde to Mother Lily as a honeymoon gift) now hangs in the Regal Matriarch’s cabinet as a remembrance of an era which sizzled with flicks that were insanely entertaining.

It’s 2009 and ABS-CBN is reviving Katorse on its Primetime Bida block, airing nightly for one season starting on June 8 with fresh new faces topbilled: Erich Gonzales playing Dina’s character torn between Ejay Falcon (Gabby’s role) and Xian Lim (Alfie’s role). At the helm is Malu Sevilla.

Nope, Erich isn’t wearing Mother Lily’s mothballed “magic kamison” but a new one. Will it spell the same “magic” and make the rating soar?

Ejay was the top “graduate” of the Pinoy Big Brother 2008 edition, Erich the winner of the 2005 Star Circle Quest and Xian the latest addition to the fast-growing roster of US-bred Pinoy talents.

Besides being products of broken homes (an information they freely volunteered), the three have another thing in common: They were not born yet, were not even a glint in their parents’ eyes, when Katorse was shown.

“But before we started shooting,” said Erich, 19, who hails from Davao, “we were made to watch a DVD copy of Katorse. It’s a fun movie set at a time far different from today.”

“Wala pang celfone noon,” said Ejay, 18, who grew up loading sacks of copra and abaca at the pier of a Mindoro town with his adoptive parents (Ejay’s biological father, whom he hasn’t seen yet, is French). “Wala pang Internet.”

“At wala pang video-video,” added Xian, 19, who spent his first 10 years in San Francisco with his mom, without actually referring to the current controversy around the sex video of Dr. Hayden Kho and Katrina Halili.

Come to think of it, how would they react if they were confronted one day with copies of similar videos featuring them? In this age when everything is possible, especially with the “splicing” or digital-altering process, stars are easy prey to sick minds.

“I’ve been a victim, too,” said Ejay who was rumored to have “starred” in a video with another guy. “‘Yon pala, kahawig ko lang ‘yung guy.”

In local showbiz, a male aspirant is suspected to be — take your pick — a closet queen, a macho dancer, the boytoy of a gay benefactor, an unwed father or a call boy as part of his initiation into the, grrrr, lions’ den. Female aspirants are not spared from the same roasting.

“I almost gave up,” said Ejay. “I’m glad I did not.”

During an acting workshop organized by ABS-CBN with Gina Alajar as facilitator, the three underwent such sessions as “Sensuality” (designed to make them overcome discomfort or self-consciousness during love scenes, no matter how tender) and “Being” (in which they pour out pent-up emotions and, if any, accounts of traumatic experiences).

“We talked about mostly family problems,” said Xian, an only child, 6’2” tall and 25 percent Chinese, who had his early schooling in San Francisco and is now enrolled at the University of the East where he’s a varsity player. “My parents are separated but they have remained friends; they have constant communication. My father, Godofredo Lim, used to play basketball; he was the contemporary of Alan Caidic.”

“I’ve never known my father,” said Erich, youngest of three children. “He left us when I was barely two years old.” (Her father was reported to have died only recently).

“I, too, haven’t seen my father,” seconded Ejay, “not even in pictures.”

Together, they bring a lot of “angst” into the revived Katorse which has to be tamer than the original, understandably so because it’s on primetime TV watched also by minors.

“Mayroong love scene pero tender,” assured Erich who claimed that it’s only on Katorse that she’s having her first kiss ever, from Ejay.

It would have been a good idea if Dina and Gabby were in the cast to give Katorse some “continuity.” Instead, included are the likes of Cherie Gil and Gardo Verzosa.

Katorse served as Dina and Gabby’s springboard to stardom (sadly, Alfie died, at 20, just when the Big Time was a grab away).

Will the “magic kamison,” even if not the orig, still work for Erich, Ejay and Xian?

Just wait and see.

Source: Ricardo F Lo (Yahoo Philippines, News)