‘Heneral Luna’ star John Arcilla on the hero and the film

In a chance interview with GMA News, "Heneral Luna" lead actor John Arcilla shares his thoughts, insights and reflections after portraying the revolutionary hero on film.

Before we could interview him, however, we saw the star in the mall—approaching people and handing out promotional pamphlets for the film.

Arcilla says he believes it is a must for every Filipino to know the real life and story of General Antonio Luna. He tells us more about the general and the film.

GMA News: Bakit kailangang panoorin ng mga Pilipino itong "Heneral Luna"?

John Arcilla: Unang-una, ang tagal kasing naitago sa mga Pilipino ang kasaysayang ito. And I think it's about time na makilala natin kung sino talaga siya. Kasi napakalaki ng bahagi niya sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas, especially during the Filipino-American war.

He was depicted as a very temperamental person, like mad dog na kailangang patayin to stop him. Actually, he is misunderstood dahil ang pinanggagalingan ng rage niya o galit niya ay his genuine love towards our nation.

GMA News: Mainitin daw ulo ni Heneral Luna. Was it difficult for you?

John Arcilla: It's not really hard. Maybe my advantage is I played different roles of our national heroes since I started theater in the 80's [laughs]. So somehow nakatulong sa akin ang mga studies ko sa characters ni Bonifacio, ni Emilio Aguinaldo, ni Mabini, ni Rizal. I played Rizal and I also played Crisostomo Ibarra and Simoun. So somehow familiar sa akin 'ung era.

But it is really different kasi sabi nga hot-tempered siya [Luna]. And you will realize kasi as an actor you don't just read the history or you don't just read their stories. You experience them, so somehow you discover where they're coming from. Ang nakita ko is, kung naging impatient man siya, it is true na he swears, masakit siyang magsalita, nananampal siya ng military na indolent, lazy o hindi sumusunod and that is because during those times, hindi pa tapos o patapos pa lamang ang giyera ng Español, ito nanaman ang bagong colonizer na ang tingin ng mga colleagues niya mismo at mga kaibigan sa government ay hindi colonizer kundi kaibigan.

GMA News: Saan kayo pinakabumilib sa kanya?

John Arcilla: Nakakatuwa kasi he is a poet, he's an artist, he is actually a musician. He is a sharpshooter. He was known for that. He studied military science in France and he was a graduate of Pharmacy. Ang tawag na rin sa kanya noon ay duktor kasi nag-doctorate na rin siya.

Napakalawak ng kaalaman niya sa maraming bagay. Noong panahon nila, katulad ni Rizal, parang normal lang sa kanila 'yan. I think para sa atin dapat normal lang 'yun kasi ang pag-aaral ng musika, pagkanta, kumbaga lahat ng kaya mong gawin para i-expand mo ang sarili mo as a human being, as a person, kaya naman gawin kung tutuusin ng lahat ng tao, komporme lang sa priority mo.

Ganoon kalawak ang kanyang kakayahan bilang isang tao and at the same time, mahal niya ang kanyang bayan. Nakakabilib. Kaya hindi mo iisipin na iyong mga outbursts niya ay walang pinanggalingan kasi he is a very intelligent person and he is an Illustrado—nag-aral siya sa ibang bansa, sa Europa, sa Espanya at mataas ang mga grado niya mula pagkabata. At artist siya.

Isa nga sa na-discover ko ay ang mga outburst niya ay calculated kasi he had to [be] an example to the military men. There was not enough time to train the military kasi napaka-immediate, bigla nalang dumating ang mga Amerikano. So walang ample time to train them. Tapos napaka-powerful nung kalaban. Wala naman tayong mga armas noon e, namumulot lang tayo ng mga guns every time na mananalo tayo sa small battles.


GMA News: Anong eksena ang hindi niyo malilimutan?

John Arcilla: Ang dami. Actually this particular project is really memorable kasi for the first time, sabi nga ng mga writers saka ni Jerrold [Tarog, the film's director], we have an anti-hero hero or we have an anti-hero protaganist, we have an antagonist-protaganist. Nagkaroon na ng ganyan sa Disney, si Maleficent. Ito naman talagang totoong tao. Everybody hates him but he is actually the person who is on the right track.

Nagkataon lang na ang tragic flaw niya ay ang kanyang temper. Siguro kung naging mas mellow pa siya ng konti, or if he knew how to handle his public relations, malamang mas tumagal pa 'yung kanyang buhay.

So pinakamahirap sa akin sa shoot most especially were the assassination scenes, kasi we did that for four days! Yes! 'Yung assassination. We were under the sun, they're pouring on you syrup, sweet, sticky and slimy, every now and then, and I'm putting the syrup inside my mouth. You have to gargle it from time to time because there are some effects that should come out from your mouth. In fact after that medyo nagkaroon ako ng problem sa teeth I really had to run to my dentist.

Especially sa last day kasi ang hirap-hirap. One of the most unforgettable is I learned how to ride a horse. I was supposed to have a 20-day training, which I finished in 10 days. After 10 days marunong na akong gumallop. I was challenged because my mother learned to ride a horse when she was only 11.

GMA News: May nabago ba sa paniniwala niyo about history after doing the film?

John Arcilla: One thing about me is I'm very critical about everything I read, ever since I was a kid. I do not instantly believe history book accounts kasi whether you like it or not it, it always depends on who wrote it and his point of view. So very critical ako sa ganyan. Na-affirm lang at na-confirm at natuwa ako dahil I was the one who played it. 'Yung mga nabasa at aking mga reflections ay maraming nag-a-agree. I think this is the culmination of those things na namulatan ko mula pagkabata.



GMA News: What are your reflections [on the general after doing this film]?

John Arcilla: He is not totally a bad guy. Ito one thing isipin mo ha. He is known for his temper. He is known for being a hot-headed military man. But did he kill anyone among his subordinates? Wala siyang pinatay at wala siyang napatay. The people around him were not known for being temperamental, but they were the ones who killed him. So sino ngayon ang nakakatakot?

Isipin mo, natatakot sa kanya ang tao—he was depicted as a mad dog—pero wala siyang napatay sa sinuman sa kanyang mga colleagues at sino man sa kanyang mga sundalo. I think 'yun nga yung point e. He is very open to what he feels e. Meron nga siyang kasabihan sa sarili niya na, "Ang taong may damdamin ay malaya." Kaya siguro ganoon siya ka-open mag-express ng damdamin. Eh itong mga hindi nag-e-express ng damdamin, these are the ones who plotted the assassination. I'm not pinpointing anyone, but these are the people who killed him.

Ang na-discover ko, you can be an imperfect person but you can still love your nation perfectly. — BM, GMA News