Stories that linger forevermore about the question of TIME. In folklore, occult novels, personal accounts, and yes, history.
Of people vanishing deep within the soil or deep within the seas, and when they reappear back, TIME has changed.
My grandfather, too, told me about a story of three fishermen-friends of his who were taken by mermaids and came back as little boys. He told me that story when he was sick and dying, but I vowed to him I won’t ever be scared at all.
Or what about the personal account of author T. Lobsang Rampa in one of his occult books- “The Third Eye”? He recounted there that he went to a place wherein time and space swallowed him and when he got out, he was already in an entirely different continent?
These and all still causes unbelief and amazement to many. But thanks to the very creative minds of the people behind a TV network- the channel 2 people- for giving and breathing-in a new life and a powerful concept for a TV series melodrama. An ancient tale has become the ‘backdrop’ of their new prime time teleserye, entitled “All of Me”.
A very beautiful pilot episode was seen and watched by a selected few during a press screening, attended by bloggers and movie press people, at Cinema 7 of SM Megamall last August 24, 2015.
The pilot episode seemed to swing you up and down as you felt like a baby in a cradle, being swayed upon by an invisible hand. No pretensions of grandeur and greatness, only a simple story-telling of a man’s life that rose up from a very tragic start.
The main lead was a boy who became a young man, and turned into a 56 year-old adult man. His name was Manuel, alternately played by Akira Morishita,
JM de Guzman and Albert Martinez.
His life was like a POEM, a lyrical song, with loving and sweet, lonely undertones. He lost all the people he so dearly loved, but emerged as a successful doctor who built-up a humble hospital in memory of his dead mom. But when he loved a woman and married her, she died.
He sought refuge in a watery land, where villagers are unassuming and kind. He lived a new kind of existence, seeking comfort in the ashes of his dead wife. Not until…
A young woman came along. Carefree, playful, sincere. And his heart became alive once more.
Albert Martinez as the old Manuel could makes you feel he was really ‘the’ JM de Guzman, the younger Manuel. To be able to do this seemed so hard, but a fine actor like Albert indeed transformed you into the hidden dimensions of time via ‘deja-vu‘s’, coupled-in by his powerful acting and controlled emotions.
Yen Santos as the young woman was so pretty to be true, angelic in nature, casual in her acting performance.
But another young supporting actor, in person of Arron Villaflor almost stole the show. His character as the other man who loved the young woman served as the bittersweet aspect of the plot. Arron exuded a great acting sensitivity this blogger had not seen for a long time.
Ms. Ana Capri, Neri Naig and Micah Munoz- the threesome bit players in most of the village scenes- looked so delightful, wholesome, wonderful. Especially that of Ms. Capri’s scene with Albert wherein she told him it’s okay for her as a mom to have him as his son-in-law. That scene was truly delightful! Wow.
The production design of this “almost- like- a- painting” pilot episode was so alluring, mystifying, that left you with a feeling of wanting to live there the rest of your life. Whoever is the production designer for this, simply deserves a “kneel down”.
The music “All of Me” by John Legend served as the perfect musical background for this pilot episode. It’s so romantic to hear, recharging your spirits, regressing your mind, body and spirit to become young once more.
But the most touching of all, was the way director Dondon Santos attacked his rather captivating style of an artistic direction for a TV teleserye. It was almost like a full-length movie that you were watching. Anticipating the next scene, loving every frame and angles, shots and “bird’s eye views”. Truly AVANT-GARDE.
As the ocean rumbles, scrambles and raptures…
Or the skies turns blue, and the lights, orange.
Silhouettes from a different angle of time, once again, appear-
On the face and the image of the greatest young actor we had seen in this generation-
Mr. JM de GUZMAN.
As the younger Manuel, you could feel an almost mystical spirit, mixed-in with humbleness and perfection.
The way he ran in the sand dunes, the way he jumped, the way he cried, and smiled.
It’s ALL OF HIM.
Yes, without JM de GUZMAN in this TV teleserye, the “poetic justice” of a remarkable story-plot could not be put into a totally magnificent form.
It’s like, your embracing his very soul via this TV drama, loving him more, touching him more.
And,
you won’t ever want to lose him again
FOREVER.
(as the words were written by the “67”, in an infinite glory that separates a time dimension of space and eternity- recorded in robert manuguid silverio’s “book of love”).*
SSSIP's "A.W.E." ((ATTIC of WHITE ETHEREALS!)) 