The cast members of Ang TV fondly reminisced over their experiences doing their '90s fantasy-adventure film.
Select members of the popular 90's variety show Ang TV were present during the premiere of the Ang TV Movie: The Adarna Adventure at Rockwell, Power Plant.
The film, originally released in 1996, has been digitally restored and remastered for the new generation as the cast brought their own children along to appreciate the movie.
When asked about their fondest memories of shooting the Ang TV movie, the cast echoed each other's sentiments of enjoying their time spent out of town on location in Baguio and Tanay with their friends.
Camille Prats pointed out: "It was a take off from Ang TV the show so we were all really good friends before we started shooting for the movie. We get to see each other more often, we get to enjoy each other's company, we get to play more."
"When you’re a kid, doing action scenes would be very fun for you," said Paolo Contis. "It’s the very first physical movie that I did."
Alfred Manal added, "Para lang kami naglalaro. Yung pagod mo sa take, nawawala siya kasi after each and every take, parang tawanan."
"Making the movie was just an extra bonus," said Guila Alvarez.
What were the most difficult things they did in the movie?
Camille Prats recalled, "There were a lot of difficult scenes kasi we shot sa mountains. It was sandy, maaraw and everything. Siyempre pawis ka, pagod ka, may crying scene, maduming madumi ka. But for us back then, since we were kids, it was just all fun, parang wala naman kaming hassle feeling."
Lindsay Custodio narrated, "I remember me wearing this princess costume na parang may headdress ako. It was fun pero, of course, medyo uncomfortable kasi maiinit with the lights and all. Pero nananalo pa rin yung fun and enjoyment sa akin."
The boys had different, more humorous concerns. Patrick Garcia said his biggest challenge was "when I had to sing. No, no, I don’t sing! So when they told me the movie's going to have a musical part, that I had to sing this part... What? I’m going to sing?! Maliit lang naman, like a two-liner."
Paolo Contis was put in an embarrassing position. "There was a scene na lelechonin kami. At that time, I think I was 12 when I did the movie, so nasa awkward stage ka na, medyo ayaw mo na mag-brief, di ba? Feeling mo binata ka na. Tapos si Direk Mr. M [Johnny Manahan], alam niya na-awkward ako. Being who he is, ako yung pinag yellow brief niya! Parang nakakahiya talaga!"
Gio Alvarez's burden would have hurt more that his pride. He pointed out, "There was a fight scene, a sword fight between me and Tirso Cruz III. For the effects of the swords clashing, may mga sparks. For that effect, there were wires that we had to wear inside our costumes. What was hard was, pagmatagal na nakadikit yung dalawang swords, nagheheat up yung wires. Medyo mahaba yung fight scene na yun. It was the whole night for one scene."
For Alfred Manal, it was keeping steady. "Dun sa time na nagshoot kami, di ako marunong mag roller blades. Yung eksena namin na umiikot-ikot ako, habang pinapractice namin yon, medyo struggle ako non. Pinakamahirap na nangyari sa akin pero okay naman. Walang injuries whatsoever."
Still, everybody had fun bonding. The word "kulitan" was mentioned more than once.
Patrick Garcia added, "It was very light because we were children back then. Makulit kami, sobra."
Paolo Contis described it by saying: "It was just a fun shoot. Super!"
Gio Alvarez explained: "It was easy because we all saw each other every Saturday for the TV show. And then it's almost the same set of people during this movie except for the veteran actors. Bonding was very easy when it came to camaraderie and stuff."
Camille Prats recalled being close to this ABS-CBN actress: "Angelica [Panganiban] and I. We were really close back when we were kids and get to hang out a lot kasi we always worked together. With the others, we practically grew up together so parang the bond was just given."
Lindsay Custodio brought up her favorite time of the day: "We would eat together in the set. Kwentuhan, kulitan. Because for us, mga teenagers kami non, di ba?"
Guila Alvarez had an altogether different take on what teens would do. "Before it was just simple. Tara, punta tayo so roofdeck ng ABS, hahanap kami ng mga silong silong madidilim. Pero in a good way! Basta group kami! Hindi kami by twos!"
But Alfred Manal explains it the best: "Yung buong film, habang kinukunan, is actually the bonding itself. It's all work pero at the same time, it's play. Lalo na yung mga takbuhan, yung mga eksena na ganon. Sa lahat non, nung kinukuha siya, kahit kasama ka or kahit nasa sides ka lang ng eksena, nandon silang lahat. Parang kami, freedom nandun."
How can millennials now become hooked on to shows just like Ang TV?
Paolo Contis suggested: "Maybe you should make an Ang TV app to connect to the millennials."
Camille Prats pointed out: "Back then, wala naman kaming YouTube. There's no cellphone and all those things so we really had to do something to be able to entertain ourselves. So I think there's going to be a lot of technology included kung magkakaroon ng Ang TV ngayon."
