Witty and ‘winking’ movie titles still make film buffs’ day

Lyka Ugarte, Eddie Garcia and Gloria Diaz in “May Lamok sa Loob ng Kulambo”

Our recent mention of unusual Filipino movie titles has elicited eager requests for more of the same. Happy to oblige!

Quite a number of unique Pinoy movie titles that have “hooked” us through the years turn out to have been thought up by the late filmmaker, Danny Zialcita.

He may be underrated by forgetful viewers, but some film buffs think the world of him because his sexy film romps and social satires “spoke” for and vivified the colorful ’70s and ’80s.

Representing Zialcita and his “winking” movies most succinctly was the 1984 sex-comedy, “May Lamok sa Loob ng Kulambo,” topbilling Eddie Garcia, Gloria Diaz, Tommy Abuel, Amy Austria and Suzanne Gonzales.

Other Zialcita screen zingers: “Nagalit ang Buwan sa Haba ng Gabi,” “Ito’y Isang Baliw na Baliw na Daigdig,” “Kapag Tumabang ang Asin,” “Anak sa Una, Kasal sa Ina,” “Hindi sa Iyo ang Mundo, Baby Porcuna,” “Kulang sa Init, Kulang sa Lamig,” “Si Malakas, si Maganda at si Mahinhin,” “Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan?,” “Hawakan Mo at Pigilan ang Kahapon,” “May Daga sa Labas ng Lungga,” “Lalakwe,” “Bakit Manipis ang Ulap?,” “Bakit Madalas ang Tibok ng Puso?” and “Bakit Iisa ang Pag-ibig?”

We hope that this “title tribute” to Danny Zialcita will prompt a film organization to put up a retrospective of his best movies. He was that seminally influential.

What about Ishmael Bernal? His movies were less playfully titled, but he’s “titularly” remembered for: “Pito ang Asawa Ko,” “Scotch on the Rocks to Remember” (followed by the unreleased “Black Coffee to Forget”), “Dalawang Pugad, Isang Ibon,” “Mister Mo, Lover Boy Ko,” “Lumapit, Lumayo ang Umaga,” “Walang Katapusang Tag-araw,” “Isang Gabi sa Iyo, Isang Gabi sa Akin,” “Pahiram ng Isang Umaga” and “Nagbabagang Luha.”

Tit for tat, Bernal’s fellow National Artist for Film, Lino Brocka, counters with “Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag,” “Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang,” “Gumapang Ka sa Lusak,” “Ang Tatay Kong Nanay,” “Ina Ka ng Anak Mo,” “Babangon Ako at Dudurugin Kita,” “Pasan Ko ang Daigdig,” “Makiusap Ka sa Diyos,” “Palipat-lipat, Papalit-palit,” “Natutulog Pa ang Diyos” and “Ama … Bakit Mo Ako Pinabayaan?”

As for Eddie Romero, his most unique movie titles as scriptwriter and director include “Hele, Hele, Bago Quiere,” “The Passionate Strangers,” “The Mad Doctor of Blood Island,” “Brides of Blood,” “Beast of the Yellow Night,” “Black Mama, White Mama,” “Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?,” “Banta ng Kahapon,” “Kamakalawa” and “Hari sa Hari, Lahi sa Lahi.”

Other unique Filipino film titles that movie buffs still delight in recalling are “Dingding lang ang Pagitan,” “May Pulis, May Pulis sa Ilalim ng Tulay,” “Curacha, ang Babaeng Walang Pahinga,” “Huwag Mong Buhayin ang Bangkay,” “Patikim ng Pinya,” “Walang Matigas na Tinapay sa Mainit na Kape,” “Kapag ang Palay Naging Bigas, May Bumayo,” “Diligin Mo ng Hamog ang Uhaw na Lupa,” “Iputok Mo … Dadapa Ako,” “Diligin ng Suka ang Uhaw na Lumpia” and the classic, “Kakabakaba Ka Ba?”