Dekada 70
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Bellbottoms, long hair, and funky music are what I would be reminded of when someone mentions the 70’s. But in the Philippines it was a time where revolution starts to rise against the President Marcos. There is no time to actually listen to funky music when there are issues happening especially when the President is not doing a very good job running the country. This was also the decade that questions the position of women, the decade that decides what they are in this world and not just a housewife.
The film Dekada 70 started out a family of two parents and 5 sons. Amanda, the mother of the sons is an ordinary wife that rarely speaks during the film and there was something missing in her life. Something that she thought it would be great but to men it was repulsive. She was used to being with men since she’s the only female in the family. Her husband, Julian, is a devoted father and a strong husband but doe not commend to what his wife wants. He takes pride as being the man in the house and at the end it almost crushed him at the same time. His eldest son, Jules, was a revolutionary activist who joined the fight against the corruption of Marcos. Julian admired his son’s belief and supported him all the way even though he knows his inside is eating him because there’s a possibility he will get tortured to death if he gets caught by the police. While Julian’s second eldest son, Isagani, was the opposite of Jules and joined the U.S Navy. His third son, Emmanuel, is an active write that criticizes the government system illegally.
From Amanda’s point of view it seems to me women didn’t have much to say or do during the 70’s especially housewives. I can see how she suppresses her true emotions just so it doesn’t get in the way of her families’ situation. After seeing Julian throw a fit after Amanda told him that she wanted to get an office job I was astounded to see someone who gets upset jut of something like that. I was also surprised when during dinner the guys would be talking about prom and doing girls while Amanda would just be speechless about it. It’s like this was nothing to her but deep inside her I bet she wish she didn’t hear any of those things. I would be very kind of embarrassed if I was there as a friend and then I would be hearing about having sex right in front of someone’s mother. I won’t be adding any input into their conversation.
What I notice in the film is that each brother would be doing their own thing while their mother would be in the background blending in with the scenery. It seems like the 70’s were truly a rebellious decade that portrays individualism to the children especially during the revolution where students would boycott school and join in the rally. It also shows that the father is the only one that actually that their sons listen to. But it was Jules who sees his mother as someone that he can talk and listen to.
I have an auntie who is the only female in her family with four sons and I can see some similarities between the film’s family and my auntie’s family. The wife is the one provides love and support and indoor activities while the husband is the man in the house who provides money and also support and the main boss. Each of my cousins is very into rough housing and I would see my auntie try t stop them from behaving like it. At first I thought it was pretty funny but I can tell it’s no fun for my auntie since there is no one in her family that can fit the position she is into right now.
I have to say I like this movie because I can see this happening at that time especially when rebels would be outside shouting and showing the L sign to the police officers. It must have been one of the craziest decades of the 1900’s for the Philippines. During this sprig break I’m going to ask my parents and grandparents what it was like during the 70’s in the Philippines. I would like to know if what happen in the film is what my parents experienced too.
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