She beat the hell up and tied Richard Gomez in a chair in unforgettable tele-movie back in late 1980s. The graphic violence in this tele-movie was heightened by the violent tropical storm the night it was broadcasted. You felt like it was happening that night because the movie was also happened during a stormy night.
She threw red wine to the face of a frightened Gloria Romero. At the same time, you’ll hear her crisp laughter. It reverberated the whole veranda while poor Gloria, have to slowly guarded her exit while shouting her litany of fighting words. Too late, her laughter is more powerful, as Gloria accept her humiliating defeat.
She pointed a gun into the head of kneeling Cesar Montano, asking for her forgiveness, pleading for her pity. She abruptly stop him and said “ULOL! Gutom lang yan!” which basically means, “Crazy! That’s just your hungry stomach!,” basically saying, I’m not going to fall for that! Funny how simple lines like this can be very satisfying! These are some of memorable scenes from the revenge films of Vilma Santos. Long before Hollywood discovered this genre, it was the local Filipino films who forever instigated this kind of stories in our films and into our memories. Vilma Santos’ filmography has been a rainbow of genre, drama, action, fantasy, you name it, she have it. Including revenge films.
Long before Eva Candelaria in Uninvited, Vilma Santos played several roles that define her versatility in acting. She is not afraid to portray anti-heroin, Villainesque roles. She is not boxed into those “api-apihan” or martyr roles like her rival. She always find something different in every roles and always giving her own flavouring, resulting with something savoury. Here, I listed down her most memorable and iconic revenge films, enjoy!
Revenge Plot: The innocent looking girl (Vilma Santos) who went into a killing spree and avenging the murder of her mother. All the righteous preacher will be satisfied as the films ends, showing a bald Vilma Santos as she was sentenced to death.
Revenge Plot: A medical intern (Vilma Santos) was abducted and raped by her persistent suitor (Phillip Salvador). He sued the bastard and won. He was jailed but when he got out, he kidnapped their child, so that he can be reunited with her. This obsessed rapist met his demise when Vilma finally had her chance of revenge, she hit him with a boat paddle and then shoot him. Rubia Servios was perhaps, one of the most underrated films, of both Lino Brocka and Vilma Santos.
Ang Galing-galing Mo, Mrs. Jones (1980)
Revenge Plot: A showgirl (Vilma Santos) who was raped by a powerful politician (Vic Silayan), avenged her suffering by exposing his tormentor and killing him at an event attended by big crowd, very similar to Uninvited.
Revenge Plot: A young girl was traumatized when her family was murdered while she had her first menstruation. She was then incarcerated in mental institution and abused. When she came out of this institution she started her murder spree by enticing the men and while in sexual act, killing them. Hailed in 1987 as a feminist movie, Tagos ng Dugo was also considered avant-garde, unusual for a Filipino film during that time. One scene I will never forget was, while sitting in a toilet bowl, peeing, Vilma took one of her slippers, and using this, slowly and taking her time, started smashing the crawling cockroaches on the ground. Does this means she see men as cockroaches?
Revenge Plot: A photographer (Vilma Santos) avenged her sufferings by torturing back the rapist (Richard Gomerz) who abused her.
Kapag Langit Ang Humatol (1990)
Revenge Plot: An oppressed housemaid (Vilma Santos) has transformed herself into a wealthy and powerful business woman. She came back to the town where she was tormented and abuse, now the woman (Gloria Romero) who was the mastermind of all her sufferings came to see her asking for an extension to their overdue debt, she threw red wine to her face. Vilma then started to laugh, her crisp laughter reverberated the whole veranda while poor Gloria have to slowly guarded her exit while shouting her litany of fighting words.
Revenge Plot: A wife (Vilma Santos) of a murderous-sadistic politician (Gabby Concepcion), who falls for a younger married man (Aga Muhlach). The politician sadistically killed the poor lover boy. She then avenge his death by by shooting her husband saying the iconic lines: “hayup! Hayup!…Baboy! Mamatay kang kasama ng mga baboy mo!” which literally translates to: “Animal! Animal! Pig! Died together with your Pigs!” She killed him in his hog/swine farm. What a satisfying scene!
Revenge Plot: She was abused, murdered, and dumped in a river by her coward, brainwashed husband (Cesar Montano), who is controlled a domineering mother (Zeny Zabala). She was found by a fisherman (Ronnie Rickets) and by God’s miracle survived the cruel ordeal. She went back to reclaimed her child and pointed the gun to Godless mother and son! The spineless ashole then begged for his life, kneeling asking for forgiveness. She then screamed at him, “ULOL! Gutom Lang Yan!” which literally translates to “Crazy! That’s just your hungry stomach!,” basically saying, I’m not going to fall for that! I swear, that leaves a lasting smile on me!
Don’t forget to watch her latest Revenge film, #Uninvited, still showing!
Revenge Plot: A grieving mother (Vilma Santos) who gatecrashed into the birthday of a powerful, rich and evil man (Aga Muhlach). Her sole purpose was to avenged the death of her daughter who was raped and murdered. The ending was bloody satisfying! If all other women avengers will witness her revenge, they would probably applause in agreement, Killing is such Godless but satisfying sight!
#VilmaSantos
#RevengeFilmsofVilmaSantos
