Star Cinema's The Reunion movie pays tribute to the iconic rock band Eraserheads

Director Frasco Mortiz explained that Star Cinema has acquired the copyrights for the Eraserheads songs before they came up with the story of The Reunion, which top-bills today’s hottest male stars Xian Lim, Enchong Dee, Enrique Gil and Kean Cipriano. “Nauna yung kanta bago yung pelikula,” said Direk Frasco during The Reunion’s bloggers event yesterday, August 13. “Before kami nag-shoot, napagkasunduan na na dapat yung mga bandang tutgtog ng Eraserheads may credibility. Yung hindi naman mapapahiya kina Ely Buendia (lead vocalist of Eraserheads). At yung fans ng Eraserheads maiisip na, ‘Ahh, logical naman kung bakit sila ginawang mag-perform ng kanta.”
 
All 14 tracks in The Reunion: An Eraserheads Tribute Album were used in the movie including hits like Ang Huling El Bimbo, Overdrive, Alapaap and Ligaya. Star Cinema’s head writer Aries De Guzman shared that his objective when he wrote the script was for the audience to identify the songs of the iconic rock band in specific scenes. Coupled with the fact that the movie was based on true-to-life experiences of his friends, how does he handle the pressure for it to become a huge hit? “Fan ako ng Eraserheads eh. The pressure came mostly from there. Gusto namin mabigyan ng justice, na hindi lang basta namin ginamit yung kanta ng Eraserheads. Sobrang dami ng fans nila. Ako rin nung high school, I was into Eraserheads, at yun ang kasikatan nila. As much as possible, kailangan ‘pag nakita nila itong eksenang ito, wala kang ibang makikita. ‘Ah dapat Overdrive yung kanta dito. Dapat El Bimbo.’”
 
As for working with the four male stars, Direk Frasco said that he was very happy with how they easily established rapport on the set since it’s a barkada movie. “Nag-enjoy ako katrabaho sila. January hanggang July magkakasama kami halos thrice a week. Kahit na may konting age gap, nasasakyan ko pa rin yung mga kalokohan nila. Napakagaan. Wala kami naging problema. Given a chance gusto ko sila makatrabaho ulit.” He also made sure that Xian, Enchong, Enrique and Kean will each have their turn in the spotlight. “Aaminin ko, nung nag-first shooting day kami, naisip ko ano ba itong pinapasok ko? Yun ang pinakatatakutan ng director, isang ensemble movie. Hanggang ‘di ko siya nakita na ine-edit, yung kaba ko nandun. Tatayo kaya yung pelikula? Maramdaman kaya na barkada sila? Nung napagtagpi namin, masaya ako kasi balanse. Lahat sila may moment sa movie.”  
 
Will the members of Eraserheads attend The Reunion’s premiere night? “Naging subject ‘yan before pa. Hindi basta-basta mapagsama yung apat sa isang [event]. Hindi na namin masyado pinursue kasi ok na sa min yung we’re doing a tribute to them. Alam naman nila yung project. Iba kasi yung mundo ng Eraserheads sa showbiz. Hindi kasi masyado mahilig ang banda sa mga showbiz event.”