"Matang Lawin" (Hawk Eyes) Sung by Mar-Vic

While browsing YouTube to watch classic Filipino movies, Matang Lawin (Tagalog: Hawk Eyes) caught my interest. I checked to find out whether this movie is connected to Matanglawin, an educational program hosted by Kim Atienza. 

Matang Lawin turned out to be a 1979 action drama flick starring Ramon Revilla. However, my focus for now is not about the plot but about the similarly titled theme song written by Snaffu Rigor and performed by Mar-Vic. 

Screen Capture: Lea Productions / OctoArts Films / YouTube

Mar-Vic is none other than actor and comedian Vic Sotto, whose full given name is Marvic Valentin. Decades before establishing his popularity and bankability as Bossing and Enteng Kabisote, Vic Sotto started a career as a musician. He also used to be the lead vocalist of the funk rock band VST & Company.

Vic Sotto as MarVic and Enteng Kabisote

(Photo Credit: Vicor Records; M-Zet Productions, OctoArts Films, and APT Entertainment)  

   

The theme song has been playing back continually through my mind for a long time, so I am sharing the original Tagalog lyrics and my English translation"

Mahirap maging totoo, ang mabuhay nang tama't wasto
Dahil sa pag-api't pagtukso, kasalana'y 'di maiwasan
Malinis man ang mithiin, naghahari pa rin dilim
Mapait ang siyang kabayaran, kung katuwira'y 'di pagbibigyan

Ang buhay sa lupa, sadyang saglit lamang
Sa bawat kapalaran, may sawi at mapalad
May sakim sa kapwa, may talim ang dusa
Sa mata ng lawin, panganib ay 'di lihim

[Interlude]

Malinis man ang mithiin, naghahari pa rin dilim
Mapait ang siyang kabayaran, kung katuwira'y di pagbibigyan
Mahirap man na tanggapin, kabigua'y may lunas pa rin

May pag-asa sa nagdurusa, hatol sa pagsamantala (2x)

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

It's hard to be true, to live properly

Because of oppression and temptation, sin cannot be avoided

Even if the goal is pure, darkness still reigns

The reward might be bitter, if the truth is not given way

Life on earth is indeed only for a moment

In every fate, there are ill-fated and fortunate ones

There is the greedy toward others, suffering has a blade

In the eyes of a hawk, danger is not a secret

[Interlude]

Even if the goal is pure, darkness still reigns

The reward will be bitter, if the truth is not given way

It's hard to accept, but there is still a remedy

There is hope for the afflicted, judgment for exploitation (2x)

  Matang Lawin Full Movie

                 Video Credit: Lea Productions / OctoArts Films / YouTube            

                                           

Enteng in the Movies Since the 1980s

The fifth tropical cyclone to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility this year is called Enteng.

As of now, the weather disturbance is gaining strength. 

The strong winds and heavy rainfall Enteng brings is a reminder that multitudes of Filipinos are named Enteng.

It also happened that Enteng is a popular diminutive of the male given name Vicente.

Enteng is also the name of a handful of eponymous characters in Filipino movies, the most famous of which are topbilled by Vic Sotto as Enteng Kabisote.

Movies in the Enteng Kabisote series were perennially selected as entries in the Metro Manila Film Festival during the 2000s and 2010s.

The following list covers other movies with lead characters named Enteng.

 

Photo Credit: Video 48

Released on April 18, 1980, Enteng-Anting (Tagalog: Enteng-Amulet) features Nino Muhlach in the title role. Muhlach is the Child Wonder of Philippine Movies at that time.

The movie is a production of the family-owned D'Wonder Films. It is based on a series in the Movie Special Komiks.

 

 

Photo Credit: Video 48

Enteng the Dragon appears to be a parody of Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon.

It was released on July 14, 1988, or eleven days shy of the sixtieth birthday of lead star Dolphy.

This offering by RVQ Productions was also shown in theaters during the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar.

 

 

Starring Eddie Garcia, Enteng Manok: Tari ng Quiapo is a dramatization of the life of Vicente Sangel.

Sangel was a cock-fight aficionado known for defending the downtrodden against wicked entities in Quiapo, a district of the city of Manila.

The movie was released by Magdalena Films on September 30, 1993.

(ADDITIONAL NOTE: Tari is the Tagalog cockfighting term for a bladed spur that is attached to a rooster's leg.)

 

 

Enteng and the Shaolin Kid is a 1995 martial arts starring Vic Sotto and Jacky Shik.

Released on December 7 of that year, the venture was co-produced by Moviearts Inc. and Vic Sotto's own M-Zet Films.

 

 

Photo Credit: Video 48

A year later, Vic Sotto partnered with fellow comedian Janno Gibbs to star with him in Enteng en Mokong: Kaming mga Mababaw ang Kaligayahan (Tagalog: Enteng and Mokong: We Who Have Shallow Happiness).

Released on December 10, 1997, the movie was Regal Entertainment's pre-Christmas (and pre-Metro Manila Film Festival) offering that year.

 

 

Photo Credit: Video 48

Enteng Kabisote: Okay Ka, Fairy Ko ... The Legend is the movie that jumpstarted the successful streak of Vic Sotto's Enteng Kabisote movies in the MMFF in the 2000s and 2010s.

For a brief background, Vicente 'Enteng' Kabisote is the name of Vic Sotto's character in the fantasy comedy TV sitcom Okay Ka, Fairy Ko. 

The sitcom inspired entries in the 1991 and 1992 editions of the MMFF.

Overall, Enteng Kabisote: Okay Ka, Fairy Ko ... The Legend is third movie installment based on the fantasy comedy TV sitcom Okay Ka, Fairy Ko.

This 2004 MMFF entry grossed 101.6 million in the box office.

 

Photo Credit: Video 48

 Enteng Kabisote 2: Okay Ka, Fairy Ko ... The Legend Continues grossed 108.37 million pesos in the 2005 Metro Manila Film Festival.

 

 

Photo Credit: Video 48

Enteng Kabisote 3: Okay Ka, Fairy Ko ... The Legend Goes On and On and On grossed 128 million pesos in the 2006 Metro Manila Film Festival.

This fantasy comedy movie even won the Best Picture award, its sole accolade in the festival.   

  

 

Photo Credit: Video 48

Enteng Kabisote 4: Okay Ka, Fairy Ko ... The Beginning of the Legend grossed 108.37 million pesos in the 2007 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Characters such as Jose Rizal, Karimarimar and Arianey No Money had special participatory roles in this fourth installment of the original Enteng Kabisote films.

 

Photo Credit: Video 48

From 2008 to 2009, Vic Sotto took a break from the MMFF. He came back in the 2010 MMFF with an action comedy and fantasy crossover titled Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote (Tagalog: Amulet and Enteng Kabisote).

Also starring Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr., Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote marks the actor-politician's movie comeback since his 2010 re-election as senator.

 

 

Photo Credit: Video 48

For the 2011 MMFF, Vic Sotto's Enteng Kabisote was paired with Ai-Ai delas Alas' Ina Montecillo of the Ang Tanging Ina film series to come up with Enteng ng Ina Mo (Tagalog: Enteng of Your Mother).

Aside from earning almost 238 million pesos in its MMFF run, Enteng ng Ina Mo won Second Best Picture and a few other awards.

 

Photo Credit: IMDb

 Si Agimat, si Enteng Kabisote at si Ako (Tagalog: Amulet, Enteng Kabisote, and Me) is one of the eight official entries for the 2012 MMFF. Judy Ann Santos joins the lead cast as Ako, a fairy disguised as an environmental activist.

According to Revilla, Si Agimat, si Enteng Kabisote at si Ako is the first movie to have a shoot at the "Kapurpurawan" (white) rock formations in Burgos, Ilocos Norte.

Photo Credit: OctoArts Films / M-Zet Films / APT Entertainment

Although submitted for consideration for the 2016 MMFF, Enteng Kabisote 10 and the Abangers was not included as an official entry. This superhero fantasy and comedy film was released instead theaters on November 30 of that year, apparently to capitalize on the holiday break (Bonifacio Day).

More entries will be added to this list as more information gets uncovered.

Four Filipino Comedy Movies

Comedy is one of the most popular genres in the history of Philippine movies. Following are some newspaper advertisements of Once Upon a Time in Manila, Tasya Fantasya, Swapings, and Pempe ni Sara at Pen.

Tony Reyes' Once Upon a Time in Manila opened in theaters on January 11, 1994. Based on the title, the movie might have been a spoof of the Once Upon a Time in China series of martial arts films. Filipino Vic Sotto and Japanese-born actress Cynthia Luster lead the cast of Once Upon a Time in Manila. It can be noted that Sotto would partner with child martial artist Jacky Shik in Enteng and the Shaolin Kid.  

On the same date, Golden Lions Films released Carlo J. Caparas' Tasya Fantasya. The movie is not just a combination of comedy and fantasy; it also features many Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) players. Kris Aquino and 1993 PBA Most Valuable Player Alvin Patrimonio lead the cast of this fantasy comedy movie.

Tito, Vic and Joey as the "Kabayo Kids"

Kabayo Kids is a 1990 comedy-action film starring the comedy trio of Tito, Vic and Joey under the direction of Tony Y. Reyes Cruz. Aside from being apparently inspired by the Japanese sentai series Bioman, the title of this Regal Films production might have been a nod to the year of release, which is Year of the Horse in Chinese astrology. Kabayo is the Tagalog word for 'horse.'