‘90s Kabaklaan is a visual learner.
He came of age during what some may argue was the peak of Pinoy pop culture: the 1990s, when celebrities were immortalized in magazine covers and on- and offscreen rivalries shared equal airtime as love teams.
To this day, he keeps some of these printed ephemera in his archive. He’s made it his life’s work to digitize some of these pages, along with snippets of films from that era, to fuel the modern-day affliction that can only be described as a longing among Filipinos of his age (thirty-somethings) for the ‘90s and the 2000s local celebrity culture.
As a teen, ‘90s Kabaklaan remembers buying Chika Chika magazine over some overtly sexual publications that were all the rage then. It’s the sense of restraint that lured him in, preferring to use his imagination rather than resorting to the explicitly sexual.
There was “joy” to be found beyond brief boxes. Tabloid erotica, graphic magazines, and R-18 films (though he didn’t care much for the female love interest) were where he sought sexual respite.
The anonymous showrunner behind one of the most sought-after Instagram accounts today reminisces about some seminal films that turned his teenage self on — a luxury, he argues, we now take for granted with the variety of online content to get off to readily available when libog strikes. He observes, “We’re overexposed to the point na it makes you ask, ‘Is there actually left to be aroused for?’”
“Horny,” to him, is not all sexual acts, or dicks, or pussies or butts. “‘Horny’ goes into your mind, into your consciousness,” he says. “Even small cinematic choices like a sensuous touch, or wearing specific kinds of clothes, can stir all sorts of emotions from a viewer.”
Here, he tries to explain what about these movies — from Ricky Lee’s screen adaptation of Nick Joaquin’s “The Summer Solstice” to a Dawn Zulueta and Richard Gomez-starrer loosely based on Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights — turns him on.
‘Hihintayin Kita Sa Langit’
1991
Dir. Carlitos Siguion-Reyna
This is a classic one. It’s been replayed to death on Cinema One, so everyone must have seen this at some point. It’s a beautiful film. Beautifully shot, beautifully cast. It’s horny for me because grabe ‘yong passion ng characters here. You can see the longing sa emotions and sa dialogue nina Dawn Zulueta and Richard Gomez. They played their parts well.
At the time, they were two of the most attractive actors in the industry. The film made good use of their stature. This was one of Zulueta’s breakthrough performances that elevated her from a supporting role to a lead. Same with Gomez.
Visually, the film was very bold [laughs]… in terms of color. I mean, there are lots of bright swimsuits, a lot of skin. You see Gomez here in a sando a lot, and even in a Speedo. He emerges from the pool wearing trunks in one scene. Grabe ‘yong katawan niya. Very Adonis. It would make a young gay blush.
It’s not made to make you feel horny, but it makes you horny in a way because the passion is there. It’s a love story, but you see the actors and their physiques complemented by gorgeous cinematography.
Compared to the other films in this list, which just make you feel aroused enough to want to get off, this one makes you yearn for romantic sex and a really nice relationship.
‘Tatarin’
2001
Dir. Tikoy Aguiluz
Screenplay by Ricky Lee
For me, it evokes some of the most erotic scenes in modern Philippine cinema: women suggestively dancing around a Balete tree in their kamison in the 1920s.
This is loosely based on Nick Joaquin’s 1972 short story “The Summer Solstice” about a three- day pagan ritual celebrating the femininity and fertility of women.
The cast includes some really powerful female leads: Dina Bonnevie, Rica Peralejo, Chin- Chin Gutierrez, alongside Viva Film’s sexy stars Patricia Javier and Maui Taylor. Lahat sila, L na L sa film na ‘to.
Bonnevie is a rich doña who feels that her husband, Edu Manzano, is not interested in her anymore, which makes her want to explore her sexuality more. The perfect time came for her with “Tatarin,” a ritual when women were basically allowed to be horny.
Ang pinaka-memorable sa akin na scene for this is one of Peralejo, who ventured into her mature era with this film, falling into a trance as she climaxes on top of Raymon Bagatsing. (Baka makita niya ‘to, e Christian na siya.) She’s scratching his body. Sweaty sila, the light was dim. It was really sensual. Then it was juxtaposed with Bonnevie alone in her house, feeling herself. That really stuck with me.
It’s partly a commentary on class, exploring all kinds of women and their parallel desires. There’s one scene sa simbahan, where women of different walks of life were shown praying, and their inner monologues were revealed, tapos they were all wishing for sex.
I don’t think it’s actually objectifying women, to be honest. It’s more about women having the agency to realize their sexual desires.
‘Gabo: Walang Patawad Kung Pumatay’
1990
Dir. Mauro Gia Samonte
It’s an action film starring Gabby Concepcion. Parang Die Hard. This was one of his few lead films where he was not overshadowed by a leading lady. He gets a lot of screen time. And there’s a lot of body.
May scene dito where he’s tied up with his pits on full display as he gets roughed up. Kita ‘yong puwet from behind. I’m not sure though if it’s his ass kasi you only see his back. That’s horny for me. He has a good body. Enough reason ba ‘yon? [Laughs] I mean, he was the profile photo of my page for three years.
It’s borderline objectifying men. Concepcion was powerless, naked with his best asset out, and vulnerable. May pagka- BDSM. Okay, ‘yon pala ‘yon.
There are also scenes where he’s shirtless or naka-sando. This is definitely one of his sexier films.
‘Sisa’
1999
Dir. Mario O’Hara
This is a reimagined — retconned, actually — tale of Jose Rizal’s last few days in Dapitan. ‘90s sexy star Aya Medel is a sexually and mentally abused Sisa [from Noli Me Tangere], who’s a servant of the Rizal family. She gets mentally and physically abused by her husband, which drives her to madness.
The trauma flashbacks with Gardo Versoza and Medel doing it are horny because — while they are not explicitly sexual in nature — you can really feel the intensity. It boils down to how good actors Versoza and Medel are.
It’s difficult to watch now because there’s a sort of power imbalance: Versoza is having sex with Sisa, who is mentally unstable. But remember, this came out in 1999. It was a different time.
‘Xerex’
2003
Dir. Mel Chonglo
It’s an anthology of the infamous “Xerex” column in the tabloid Abante. It’s erotica. Pinoy erotica. This was one of the earlier exposures talaga ng mga bagets sa porn. Hindi suggestive ‘yong writing. Talagang full erotica siya. Kaya nauso ‘yong expressions like “Nagbabasa ka na naman ng ‘Xerex’” or “Nahuli akong nagbabasa ng ‘Xerex.’”
It was definitely popular. That’s why they made a film out of it, starring Aubrey Miles, who plays different characters. Sex here is happening in places that you wouldn’t really imagine having sex in. For example, she has sex in a laboratory, sa lab class with Jake Roxas.
And then on the beach with Kalani Ferreira, who’s a PBA player at that time (I just posted him sa page three days ago. Siya ‘yong medyo Middle Eastern-looking).
Si John Hall ‘yong third. Ito ‘yong parang pinaka-famous of the film’s scenes, ‘yong sex sa elevator. This was the time when celebrity video scandals were rampant. 2003 na ito e so mayroon na tayong mga phones capable of video recording.
May cheating involved, too, so it’s a little polarizing. Miles’ character was going to get married, but decided against it a week before the day of the wedding, all because she was so smitten by Ferreira. They had crazy sexual chemistry, she told her friend they had sex for five straight days and only ate crackers and potato chips in between to recoup.
Xerex makes you open your eyes or your mind to the possibilities of outdoor sex. I know it’s a bit common now with the rise of the alter community, but at the time, there was novelty in this idea of having sex anywhere but the bed.
