Batch ’81 (1982)
Director: Mike de Leon
Sometimes you criticize a dictator through allegory, which is what de Leon does when he chronicles the lives of seven fraternity neophytes. The violence and the evocation of Hitler in a chilling performance of Cabaret had producer Marichu Maceda quaking in her pumps at the prospect of a ban, but Imee Marcos rescued the film by pushing for a high-profile premiere—proof that she is indeed a credit to her family’s spotty legacy.
Production insider on 'Batch '81' Production insider on 'Batch '81'
The title is 'Batch '81' but the movie was shown in 1982. We actually started shooting in 1981 and then we stopped because of problems in the budget. The movie resumed shooting in 1982.
The movie was intended to launch or further the careers of the cast composed of Mark Gil, Sandy Andolong, Ward Luarca, Ricky Sandico, Jimmy Javier, Bing Pimentel, Dang Cecilio and others. The cast had a lot of star potential. But because of the nature of the subject matter which is fraternity hazing, the film became a social comment. You cannot make light of a topic like that. The 'lightest' we could go as far as scenes are concerned, was a song-and-dance number, where the members of the fraternity had a Cabaret-inspired production number.
We filmed that 'Cabaret' scene in the gymnasium in Colegio de San Agustin (CSA). Someone saw the Swastika flags used in the scene, thought there was a Neo-Nazi gathering and alerted the police who came to the set.
