It has been a long tradition for a horror movie to be included during the Metro Manila Film Festival or MMFF. So this year, meron pong magbabalik after a long time!
Regal Entertainment is resurrecting the horror franchise “Shake, Rattle & Roll” as its entry for this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), assembling both new blood and horror veterans for a multi-generational comeback.
“Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins,” the film features a star-studded ensemble, including Richard Gutierrez, Ivana Alawi, Carla Abellana, Janice de Belen, Manilyn Reynes, Loisa Andalio, Francine Diaz, Seth Fedelin Ashley Ortega, Matt Lozano, Sassa Gurl among many others. Regal president and CEO Roselle Monteverde shared how she scored the casting coup for the latest iteration of the most enduring Filipino film series.
“To be honest, it was hard to achieve. Napakagaling na cast and it crosses different generations. Like Manilyn, when she started (in the business) she was five years old, (I remember her) singing on the top of the dining table talking to my mom (the late Regal matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde). But natutuwa ako, because from the heart, we chose these actors according to their expertise and where they fit and who will be the most fitting for the story. That was really our criteria, like who can play their characters on point.” according to Ms Roselle.
Her son and Regal executive vice president, lawyer Keith Monteverde, said that team spent a full year securing the stars.
“But all the effort was worth it to bring all these people to the big screen,” he said.
For him, rebirth is personal.Regal Entertainment’s mother-and-son duo — president-CEO Roselle Monteverde and executive vice president Keith Monteverde — present the creatives and staff behind the latest ‘SRR.’
“It means the world to me. ‘Shake’ was the first horror movie I saw in a theater with my lola (Mother Lily) and so upon coming back (to the Philippines to join the family business), I really wanted to do a ‘Shake.’ I’m very lucky to be able to collaborate with my mom and the entire team on this movie, which is very, very special.”
The new “Shake” promises a narrative arc that spans 250 years, from 1775 to 2025 to 2050, while maintaining the trilogy format already familiar to Filipino moviegoers. This is the 17th edition in the span of 41 years since the first “Shake” came out in 1984. It then starred Janice de Belen and Arlene Muhlach, who are also part of the latest iteration of the movie.
“Watching ‘Shake’ is like taking on a trip to Philippine horror history that started over 40 years ago,” said Keith, citing the “iconic” monsters introduced to Filipino audiences — Nanay ni Undin, the water nymph creature that comes out in toilet bowls, the LRT monster, the aswang, to the killer ref or “Pridyider.”
In choosing the creatives, on the other hand, Roselle said she only had one question: “Horror fan ka ba?”
Though the main task fell to content head JP Abellera, who shared Roselle’s single instruction when greenlighting the comeback:
“We really had a hard time when we started developing ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins.’ Ms. Roselle said, JP, I only have one requirement for you, you better make this a good one so it can qualify for the MMFF. Nag-isip talaga kami, kasama si Noreen (Capili), Onay (Sales) and Manay Gina Tagasa,” referring to the writing pool who have written “Shake” stories in the past. “All of them are into horror. We mined their expertise. Ginamit nila all the books they’ve read, stories they’ve heard to create a story that will span from 1775 to 2025.”
As for the directors, JP said they were handpicked based on their horror style.
“Who is good at supernatural horror? That’s Shugo Praico. For slasher films, si Joey de Guzman, for survival horror, it’s Ian Lorenos. So we had to make sure the combination of writers and directors would be the perfect match also for the cast of this film,” he said.
Evil Origins’ tells three ‘interconnected’ stories set in different eras — 1775, 2025 and 2050. Directed by Shugo Praico, Joey de Guzman and Ian Loreños, it’s an official entry to this year’s 51st Metro Manila Film Festival.
“It wasn’t easy of course making our episode,” said Richard, one of the stars for the film’s finale, who plays “not really a hero, but someone who is forced to lead people to a safe place.”
“It was very challenging not only for us actors but also for everyone, the production team, especially the production designers and the art department, they did a good job of creating a world where everything is devastated.
“In this world, your money, your possessions have no value, it’s all about survival and living every day as if it’s your last.”
The episode also stars Manilyn, who has appeared in multiple “SRR” films over the years, including the iconic “Aswang” episode in the second installment way back in 1990. Describing the evolution of the aswang in this film, she said, “Dito kasi ang bibilis na nila. I mean, at my age, they have become quicker and it’s scary of course,” quipping, “If before, parang habulan lang (they would run after you), here you already see them flying.”
Meanwhile, during the presscon, the stars were “hounded” by questions about modern-day evil: Which are they more afraid of — one unseen or one that takes the human form?
Carla opined, “I’m more afraid of an evil person kasi ang dami po nila sa paligid tsaka hindi po sila nakukuha sa dasal, medyo mahahaba po ang buhay. Parang masasamang damo kung sino pa yung mababait sila pa yung nauuna.
“So, between a ghost and a person, we’re more afraid of the latter because they’re the ones with the capability to hurt us the most. Either way, whether it’s an evil entity or human being, ang katapat lang po talaga ay pananampalataya. Si Lord na po ang bahala sa kanila.
“Honestly, evil is everywhere, my gosh, with all that’s happening in the world, people without integrity, sa mga magnanakaw, the corrupt, they are around us… But thankfully, we have the Lord, who is our armor against them.”
Richard, on the other hand, weighed in on the question, “Yung sa akin, an evil spirit can go to any person. When that person is weak, the evil spirit can go inside that person. Nakakatakot yung evil spirit because it can touch many people and certain people can touch other humans in a big way.
“Just like what’s happening right now in front of our very eyes, right? Evil is everywhere, but the real battle is how we eliminate the evil spirits in those people. Let’s pray for them and siguro if they’re already behind bars, they will realize it and makapagdasal-dasal na sila, yun lang.”
What Scary Stories to Expect
Episode 1 is set in 1775, which tells about a holy place attacked by evil.
Carla joins the cast as one of the nuns, who will use their “sisterhood” to fight evil forces, in the first part of the movie.
“The vibe of the episode is there’s no screaming, it’s about the eeriness, the darkness. The fact is we are in a beateryo (convent), we are nuns, but an evil entity was able to enter it,” said Carla.
“It’s an honor to start the film and the pressure is really there… But it’s very fitting, it’s a period episode and the great thing about it is we are setting the mood of the film.”
Episode 2 is set in the present day, this 2025.
The writers said that it’s “very now, very young, very chaotic because it’s set in a party — this is the Gen Z story.”
Two of today’s popular love teams — Fyang and JM, and Francine and Seth — are starring in this story about a Halloween party targeted by a serial killer.
Francine, who also starred in Regal’s MMFF entry last year “My Future You,” with Seth, said “When we did ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll,’ we gave it our all. It’s our first ‘Shake,’ it’s my first horror.”
Episode 3 imagines a post-apocalyptic Philippines 25 years from now, overrun by aswangs. With no help coming from other nations, the country must fend for itself and deal with the infestation.
Other included young stars are Fyang Smith, JM Ibarra, Dustin Yu, Ysabel Ortega, Karina Bautista, Ashley Ortega to add more scare and thrill in this year’s return of MMFF household favorite, Shake Rattle & Roll.
Catch your favorite idols as they join the Parade of the Stars and abangan their float together with the other official entries on December 19, 2025 starting 2pm sa host city of Makati.
And on Christmas Day, after ninyo magsimba and mag family reunion, sugod na sa mga sinehan to watch Shake Rattle & Roll with your Kapamilya, Kapuso at mga Kapatid!
