By Ronald Constantino
FOR THE BENEFIT – Highspeed the past four columns wrote on the movie queens of the ‘40s, ‘50s,’60s, and ‘70s. As earlier noted, it’s some kind of “lessons in cinema history” for the benefit of millennials who are generally not keen in history.
Highspeed segues to the ‘80s, with Sharon Cuneta and Maricel Soriano as the movie queens. They are actually the last of Philippine movie queens as in the ‘90s cinema took a backseat to television and Internet and other forms of entertainment.
Sharon and Maricel also hosted TV shows, but they were more known as movie stars, with track records to be proud of.
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FINE FILMS – Sharon starred in Olive Lamasan’s “Madrasta,” which gave her a grandslam (best actress from Star, Urian, FAMAS, and Academy or Luna). Other fine films: Mark Meily’s “Crying Ladies,” Lino Brocka’s “Babangon Ako at Dudurugin Kita,” Chito Roño’s “Caregiver,” Laurice Guillen’s “Tayong Dalawa,” Maning Borlaza’s “Bituing Walang Ningning.”
Maricel starred in Ishmael Bernal’s “Hinugot sa Langit,” Joel Lamangan’s “Mila,” Maryo J. de los Reyes “Saan Darating ang Umaga,” Chito Roño’s “Dahas,” Mel Chionglo’s “Babaeng Hampaslupa,” Carlitos Siguion Reyna’s “Ikaw Pa Lang ang Minahal.”
Sharon made a big screen comeback in “Unexpectedly Yours.” The audience is waiting for Maricel’s turn.
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MULTI-MEDIA STARS – What we have now are no longer movie queens, but multi-media stars. Those into TV, recording, concert, endorsement (print and TV ads, billboards), but also doing movies every now and then.
They include Sarah Geronimo, Judy Ann Santos, Marian Rivera, Anne Curtis, Jennylyn Mercado, Lovi Poe, Toni Gonzaga, Solenn Heussaff, Angel Locsin, Bea Alonzo, among others.
