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‘Half-sisters Aileen and Romina, along with first
cousins Ruth and Sandra, reunite in Camiguin to bury
their grandmother. Accompanied by Sandra’s friend, Lucy,
the five girls dare to call on the spirits of the dead
when they find their old Ouija board from when they were
kids. Alas, the Ouija board is accidentally burned
before they are able to finish the ritual, trapping a
murderous entity around them.
“As they
begin to realize the terror that they have brought upon
themselves, Aileen and Romina’s hostile relationship
become even more strained, while Lucy’s sanity brings a
heavy burden on Sandra, and Ruth’s boyfriend is
unknowingly pulled into the danger and horror that await
all of them.”
So
goes—according to the materials in the press kit,
anyway—the story of Ouija, a GMA Films and Viva
Films production that is part of GMA Network Inc.’s 57th
anniversary celebration, and also marks the 20th
anniversary of the movie’s two lead stars, Judy Ann
Santos and Jolina Magdangal. Directed by Toppel Lee, it
also stars Iza Calzado, Rhian Ramos, JC de Vera and the
great Anita Linda. It opens in theaters everywhere on
July 25.
Offhand,
you would think that horror is not the sort of genre
with which a film studio or an actor would like to mark
a milestone, unless, of course, you’re Christopher Lee
or Peter Cushing or Hammer Films. Then again, with the
exception of big-screen comic-book adaptations, perhaps
there is no other genre right now that guarantees the
kind of box-office business that will make for a really
happy anniversary. Now, what this obvious penchant for
creepy scares says about us a people is something best
left for sociologists to split hairs over (which, by the
way, can also be downright scary, but that, too, is
another story).
Equally
scary is the controversy that has dogged Ouija in
the days leading up to its July 25 release, although
we’re happy to report that it doesn’t involve a
hair-pulling incident between Judy Ann and Jolina over
something as petty as billing (they are, after all,
friends in the nonshowbiz sense of the word). What it
does involve is the seemingly inexhustible well of
active enmity between ABS-CBN (where Judy Ann is a
prized talent) and GMA (where Jolina is a prized
talent), which—according to various reports—supposedly
led to the barring of any promotion of Ouija on
Kapamilya programs, not even by Judy Ann, which,
typically enough, GMA then used as ammunition to gain
brownie points in the media and among the public (after
all, did they not allow Regine Velasquez and Piolo
Pascual to promote on several top-rating GMA shows
Paano Kita Iibigin?, which was a production of ABS-CBN’s
Star Cinema?).
In the
face of the bitter rivalries between their competing
employers, Judy Ann and Jolina—whose fiancés make
fleeting cameos in Ouija—have had the grace and
graciousness to keep themselves and their long-time
friendship above the ugly fray.
What
attracted/drew you to Ouija?
JUDY
ANN:
Honestly, it was the prospect of working with my good
friend Jolina in a full-length feature film after a long
while (Jolina started out on ABS-CBN). Also, it was the
chance to work with a TV network that has been good to
me since I started in the business (Judy Ann started
with Kami’ng Mga Ulila and was also part of
That’s Entertainment, both on GMA).
JOLINA:
There are many firsts for me in Ouija. This is my
first full-length horror movie and my first full-length
movie with my friend Judy Ann. This is also the first
time GMA Films is doing this genre.
How was
the experience like doing a movie with a director (Toppel
Lee) whose body of work largely consists of small
independent films?
JUDY
ANN:
Direk Topel Lee knows his stuff. He is very meticulous
and particular about details. He is very cool on the
set. He has his mind set on the shoot and his technical
expertise can be seen in the storyboard that he prepared
for the shoot.
JOLINA:
Direk Topel is very professional and passionate in what
he does. This might be a result of his training in doing
independent films which are usually not commercially
oriented.
Do you
believe that the spirit of a dead person could become
trapped in the world of the living, specifically in an
Ouija board?
JUDY
ANN:
Yes, because I saw the documentary where they based the
story of Ouija—and without the proper rituals,
the spirit of the dead may just linger and get back at
those who played with the Ouija board. So just a word of
caution: if you intend to play with this, think
again…you should know how to properly do it so as not to
cause adverse effects/reactions. Or better yet, don’t
play with one at all!
JOLINA:
I’ve been hearing and reading stories about this,
pero wala akong personal experience na ganito. But
I do believe that there are really spirits that roam
around us. I think this is possible.
Having
been ‘separated’ by professional circumstances and
corporate rivalries, how was it like to come together
and work together again?
JUDY
ANN:
Jolina and I never lost touch with each other. We are
constantly “present” for each other…and getting together
for this project was like a walk in the park. There was
never a dull moment during the shoot—whether we were
filming in Manila, Subic or Camiguin, we (girls) always
had a blast!
JOLINA:
It was a pleasure working with my kumareng Juday. We
share common interests, especially regarding lovelife—kilig
to death ang kuwentuhan namin. Every time we come
to the set, chika to death kami as if
decades ago kami huling nagkita. We can’t help
but recall our Gimik days. Rivalry? Ano ’yun? You
see, we know and our fans know that we have achievements
of our own in different fields. We have reached the
point in our careers where we don’t have to prove
anything anymore.
You both
started in show business at a very young age. How much
have you changed personally and professionally since?
JUDY
ANN:
We’ve
both grown wiser, more responsible, more focused on life
and our careers, more in love…and should I say, more
beautiful! (Laughs)
JOLINA:
I guess we both have matured emotionally and
professionally. Our growth years in show business have
taught us to be strong. I can safely say that we are
both survivors.
How much
has show business changed since you first started? Or is
it still more of the same?
JUDY ANN:
Show business is pretty much the same—except that the
rivalry between the TV networks is more pronounced now.
Before, artists could easily do projects with different
networks and get to enjoy performing and acting with and
learning from as many different coworkers. Now, you are
stuck with almost the same group of coworkers and if
you’re not lucky, you won’t be allowed to promote your
own project even on your mother TV network.
JOLINA:
The showbiz industry is so much different now.
Discipline, talent and professionalism—all that is fast
eroding. This might be the reason why the public has
come to down on showbiz people.
Having
been there, how much different are the aspiring/young
stars now compared with your days as very young
celebrities?
JUDY
ANN:
Nowadays, there are just too many stars (especially
coming from reality and talent searches) but very
limited jobs/assignments for them.
Unlike
some young and aspiring entertainers, you have never
suffered a meltdown à la Britney Spears or
Paris Hilton (at
least not that we know of). Was there a time when you
felt like you were this close to being pushed over the
edge? What kept you from going through such a meltdown?
JUDY
ANN:
Good for me that I always have my family, my friends, my
manager and Ryan (Agoncillo) who look out for me so that
I’m never anywhere near the edge.
JOLINA:
Everybody knows that I have not experienced any
such meltdown. I was raised to be upright about
everything I do. You know how strict my parents are. Of
course, sometimes I can’t help but wonder kung bakit
mas binibigyan ng importance ang mga gumagawa ng
kalokohan, but I don’t regret
being this sheltered. I had to depend on my talent and
skills to survive and I think this is the reason why I
have kept myself afloat.
What
advice can you give to your younger peers to help them
from becoming casualties of show business?
JUDY ANN:
There is no shortcut to stardom. Work and be the best in
whatever you do. Your best weapon is always good work—so
don’t lose hope, make a difference in whatever you do.
Affect people’s lives in a positive way always.
JOLINA:
Young stars today should stay focused if they want to
stay long. They should not rely on controversies and
gimiks just to be in the news. They should keep
their hard-earned money or put it into something that
would be safe. Remain humble and always think that in
everything they do, people, especially the young, look
to them for examples. They should also remember that
they are part of a bigger circle of other artists,
producers and workers who are affected by what they do. |
