Comments on "Si Ayala at si Zobel" and "Ang Pinakamahabang Baba sa Balat ng Lupa"

Si Ayala at si Zobel (Tagalog: Ayala and Zobel) and Ang Pinakamahabang Baba sa Balat ng Lupa (Tagalog: The Longest Chin in the Face of Earth) are two comedy films from the 1990s that are part of our guilty pleasure list.

We would like to share some thoughts on these movies, both of which have been viewed for the nth time.

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Photo Credit: OctoArts Films

Si Ayala at si Zobel is a 1994 movie that employs humor to shed light on the most Filipinos' aspirations to become wealthy.

The protagonists are implicitly named after the Zobel de Ayala family, one of the richest in the country.

Ironically, Ayala (Anjo Yllana) and Zobel (Ogie Alcasid) portray janitors -- members of the working class.

One day, they got a windfall. From there, hilarious situations arise.

More than thirty years later, the same economic woes beleaguer Filipino society. The working-class dream of getting a huge amount of wealth strikes a chord in this movie.

Si Ayala at si Zobel is escapist entertainment that digs into the working-class dream of getting rich. It is not the type that will earn the approval of critics, but will be enjoyable to the masses.

These views come with a caveat: some of the humor might be considered politically incorrect, given today's sensibilities.

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Photo Credit: Good Harvest Productions / IMDb

The late Filipino comedian Pablo Martin Sarmiento, better known as Babalu, had a screen name that refers to his long, sharp chin (baba is the Tagalog term for chin).

Released in 1997, Ang Pinakamahabang Baba sa Balat ng Lupa is the first one of movies starring Babalu having a title that explicitly mentions the anatomical feature for which he became famous.

The title is translated to English as The Longest Chin in the Face of Earth.

Babalu plays a supporting role to the lead comedian(s) or is cast in equal billing with other comedians in the majority of the entries in his filmography. (For example, Si Ayala at si Zobel)

For a welcome change, Ang Pinakamahabang Baba sa Balat ng Lupa is one of the few movies in which Babalu is the lead comedian. It is a quintessential movie STARRING Babalu.

Released a year before Babalu's passing in 1998, the movie Ang Pinakamahabang Baba sa Balat ng Lupa is definitely one of the movies that will define his place in the history of Filipino comedy movies.

Another Guilty Pleasure: Two Themes to Think Over With in "I Do? I Die! (D'yos Ko 'Day!)"

The 1997 comedy film I Do? I Die! (D'yos Ko 'Day!) gained its place in the Pinoy pop culture because of hilarious scenes that went viral on the Internet in the latter part of the 2010s.

Bernardo "Bernie" Mendiola (Edu Manzano) owns an antique shop with Domeng (Babalu) and Mokong (Redford White) being his employees. One morning, Bernie fired Domeng and Mokong. He did not know that the two had just come from an overnight job ordered by the manager (Joji Isla).

Mokong and Domeng on their way to try their luck in a construction site.

Screen Capture: Star Cinema

The trouble is that Bernie owns the site

Screen Capture: Star Cinema

Instead of receiving a bonus and vacation, Domeng and Mokong were forced to look for new work. Their job hunt led to a series of hilarious situations. Many of us already know what happened. For now, we will just focus on two themes:

Theme Number One is the different kinds of diligence.  Bernie showed diligence with direction. He worked hard for his family and became successful. It also affected his relationship with his wife and children, but that’s another story.

Domeng and Mokong, on the other hand, showed diligence without rest. They were motivated by the promise of a bonus and vacation. But they got tired and slept at the wrong time and place. Bernie then saw this as negligence.

Theme Number Two is monopoly capitalism, presented through comedy.  Bernie can be seen as a monopolist. He recurringly appears as the owner or boss of different business enterprises. 

For Domeng and Mokong, one man can control their fate and opportunities. In the bigger picture, this seems like the "illusion of choice" in capitalism.

Domeng and Mokong decided to just beg instead, saying there is no boss, the income is good, and there are no taxes. (For most minimum wage earners, taxes are a burden—especially if they are not properly allocated to public services.)

So Domeng and Mokong started begging. The twist? Bernie was still the one inside the car they knocked on. 🤣

Anyway, this post is getting nowhere. If there is a need to escape the heaviness of the world's pressing issues, we can just go to YouTube and watch these scenes.

Full Movie: Star Cinema / YouTube

Hilarious Sequence in "I Do? I Die! (D'yos Ko 'Day!)"

A few years ago a sequence from the 1997 Filipino comedy film I Do? I Die! (D'yos Ko 'Day!) went viral on social media and remained popular ever since.

The main characters in this sequence are Bernardo 'Bernie' Mendiola (Edu Manzano), Domeng (Babalu) and Mokong (Redford White).

Bernie is the owner of an antiques shop, and Domeng and Mokong are his employees.

One morning, Bernie fired Domeng and Mokong after catching them sleeping on the job. 

Bernie made the decision without knowing that Domeng and Mokong were tired from the overnight tasks assigned by the shop manager (Joji Isla).

Instead of getting a bonus and a vacation for their sleepless shift, Domeng and Mokong embarked on an amusingly futile quest to find a new job.

After choosing a country club as their initial prospect, they approached the manager (Cesar Mozo) and ask him if there are any job vacancies.

The club manager told them he will refer them to the club's president and then asked them to wait for the meantime.

As they waited at the driving range, Domeng and Mokong saw a golfer who keeps on missing the ball.

They taunted  this golfer; Domeng advised him to use a basketball instead of a golf ball while Mokong said he should just pick the golf ball and throw it away.

Domeng topped the barrage of insults with a remark about a marble.

The club manager then approached the golfer, who turned out to be Bernie.

Photo Credit: ABS-CBN Star Cinema

After getting introduced by the manager as the club president, Bernie laughed mockingly at Domeng and Mokong.

Still optimistic following the missed job opportunity at the club, Domeng and Mokong chanced upon a long line of applicants at a construction site.

They fell in line only to find out that Bernie (again!) is the owner.

As they tried to find another job, Domeng and Mokong saw a few beggars who are asking for alms from motorists. 

Domeng and Mokong had a lightbulb moment and dressed as beggars too.

Domeng reasoned out to Mokong that begging is a highly profitable venture. 

He added that there would be no boss like Bernie, and that there would be no taxes.

They chose a car and tapped on the window.

To their consternation, the car owner turned out to be Bernie who laughed at them ridiculously (again!)

Photo Credit: ABS-CBN Star Cinema

Domeng and Mokong then resolved to seek revenge against Bernie. 

Their attempts to get back at Bernie set a chain of uproarious misadventures toward the end of the movie.

Following is a portion of the movie which includes the sequence.

Video Credit: ABS-CBN Star Cinema