The 50 Unforgettable Movie Lines

I rarely read newspaper magazine supplements. Come to think of it, I hardly read newspapers at all (and to think I used to be part of the fourth estate...but that was ages ago. Do I miss it? naahhh). I only get to connect with reality when I need to go back to Manila to visit family. In one of those rare occasions when I actually get to read the papers, I happened to pick up an issue of the Sunday Inquirer Magazine and chanced upon this article written by Monette Quiogue of the PDI entitled "50 Unforgettable Movie Lines." which includes some of the most amusing repartees in Philippine movies. So unforgettable that article was for me that I finally got around to actually searching for it over the net. Well, lucky me.


So, here it is, and as my way of emulating Ms. Quiogue's feature story, I am posting the entire article (with images as added bonus to Pinkoy readers... o di ba? Naaalala nyo pa?).

"50 Unforgettable Movie Lines"

Some people view the movies as art imitating life. But have you ever heard people in real life speak with such color, an abandon of choice metaphors and razor-sharp wit? You might say that because movies are a slice of life condensed in two hours, the drama and emotions even in ordinary conversations are scrunched up within that short period instead of being allowed to spool out naturally over time. Especially in local movies, people sound like they’ve been saving their venom for years until it becomes so thick and viscous it’s literally spilling out of the screen and into our memory bank. Well, who can forget these lines?

1. “You’re nothing but a second-rate, trying hard copycat!"—Cherie Gil, “Bituing Walang Ningning” (1985)

2. “Para kang karinderyang bukas sa lahat ng gustong kumain.”—Vilma Santos, “Palimos ng Pag-ibig” (1985)

3. “Walang himala! Ang himala ay nasa puso ng tao! Nasa puso nating lahat!"—Nora Aunor, “Himala” (1982)

4. “My brother is not a pig! My brother is not a pig! Ang kapatid ko ay tao, hindi baboy damo!"—Nora Aunor, “Minsa’y Isang Gamugamo” (1976)

5. “Once, twice, thrice, gaano ba kadalas ang minsan?"—Hilda Koronel, “Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan” (1982)

6. “Ayoko ng tinatapakan ako. Ayoko ng masikip, ayoko ng mabaho, ayoko ng walang tubig, ayoko ng walang pagkain, ayoko ng putik!"—Maricel Soriano, “Kaya Kong Abutin ang Langit” (1984)

7. “Hayop... Hayuuup... Hayuuupppp!"—Nora Aunor, “Ina Ka Ng Anak Mo” (1979)

8. “Trabaho lang ito, walang personalan.”—Rudy Fernandez, “Markang Bungo” (1991)

9. “Si Val! Si Val! Puro na lang si Val! Si Val na walang malay!"—Vilma Santos, “Saan Nagtatago ang Pag-ibig” (1987)

10. “Ikaw pala. Ikaw pala ang sinasabi ng asawa ko na asawa mo na asawa ng bayan!"—Laurice Guillen, “Nagalit ang Buwan sa Haba ng Gabi” (1983)

11. “Akala mo lang wala... pero meron! Meron! Meron!"—Carlo Aquino, “Bata, Bata...Paano Ka Ginawa?” (1998)

12. “Gutay-gutay na ang katawan nyo... pati na ang kaluluwa nyo!"—Sharon Cuneta, “Pasan Ko ang Daigdig” (1987)

13. “Sabel! This must be love!"—Carmi Martin, “Working Girls” (1986)

14. FPJ: “Ang problema sa ’yo, maaga kang ipinanganak.”

Sharon: “Ang problema naman sa ’yo, huli kang ipinanganak!"—Fernando Poe Jr. and Sharon Cuneta, “Kahit Konting Pagtingin” (1990)

15. “Wala akong pakialam… ibalik mo sa akin si Jun-jun. Ibalik mo sa akin ang anak ko! Ibalik mo sa akin si Jun-jun. Ibalik mo ang... ahhhhh!"—Vilma Santos, “Paano Ba Ang Mangarap” (1983)

16. “Kung saan, kailan, at paanong labanan, magpasabi ka lang. Hindi kita uurungan!"—Sharon Cuneta, “Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin” (1984)

17. Alice: “Mamamatay ako, Ate, pag kinuha mo sa akin si Alex!”

Lorna: “Ipalilibing kita.”

Alice: “Ate, please!”

Lorna: “Nung inagaw mo sa ’kin si... muntik na rin akong mamatay. Puwes, ikaw naman ngayon ang mamatay.”—Lorna Tolentino and Alice Dixson, “Nagbabagang Luha” (1988)

18. “Simple lang naman ang hinihingi ko. Kung hindi mo ako marespeto bilang asawa, respetuhin mo naman ako bilang kaibigan. Kung hindi naman, respetuhin mo ako bilang tao.”—Vilma Santos, “Relasyon” (1982)

19. Rene: “Cheetaehhh... ganda lalake!”

Echo: “Ulol! Sinungaling! Panget! Panget!"—Rene Requiestas, “Starzan”

20. “Kung hindi tayo kikilos sino ang kikilos? Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa?"—Vilma Santos, “Sister Stella L.” (1984)

She Said, He Said

JUST when you think those particularly memorable and piquant movie lines are peculiar to Filipino movies, here come more quotable lines from Hollywood:

1. Bette Davis (Margo Channing): “Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night!” (“All about Eve”)

2. Julia Roberts (Katherine Watson): “This is all they’re really doing here, isn’t it? They’re just biding time until SOMEBODY proposes!” (“Mona Lisa Smiles”)

3. Jennifer Connelly (Alicia): “I need to believe that something extraordinary is possible.” (“A Beautiful Mind”)

4. Audrey Hepburn (Holly): “We’re alike, me and cat. A couple of poor nameless slobs.” (“Breakfast at Tiffany’s”)

5. Julia Roberts (Maggie Carpenter): “I guarantee that we’ll have tough times and I guarantee that at some point one or both of us will want to get out. But I also guarantee that if I don’t ask you to be mine, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life ‘cause I know in my heart you’re the only one for me.” (“Runaway Bride”)

6. Humphrey Bogart (Rick): “Here’s looking at you, kid.” (“Casablanca”)

7. Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator): “I’ll be back!” (“The Terminator”)

8. Richard Gere (Lancelot): “I dare not kiss so lovely a lady. I have but one heart to lose.” (“First Knight”)

9. Sandra Bullock (Angela): “For future reference you should know that the living tend to interest me just a little more than the dead do.” (“The Net”)

10. Judy Garland (Dorothy): “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” (“Wizard of Oz”)

11. Jack Nicholson (Melvin): “You make me want to be a better man.” (“As Good As It Gets”)

12. Robert Hays (Ted Striker): “Surely you can’t be serious!”

Leslie Nielsen (Dr. Rumack): “I am serious. And don’t call me Shirley.” (“Airplane”)

13. Julia Roberts (Anna Scott): “I’m also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” (“Notting Hill”)

14. Sandra Bullock (Annie Porter): “Oh sure, it’s just like driving a really big Pinto.” (“Speed”)

16. Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich): “They’re called boobs, Ed.” (“Erin Brockovich”)

17. Tom Hanks (Jim Lovell): “Houston, we have a problem!” (“Apollo 13”)

18. Sandra Bullock (Agnes von Kurowsky): “You know what I’ve been told? Italian men respect their wives. They spoil their mistresses. But the only women they love are their mothers.” (“In Love and War”)

19. Andrew McCarthy (Blane McDonough): “You told me you couldn’t believe in somebody who didn’t believe in you. I believed in you. Always believed in you... just didn’t believe in me.” (“Pretty in Pink”)

20. Anthony Hopkins (Dr. Hannibal Lecter): “I do wish we could chat longer, but I’m having an old friend for dinner. Bye...” (“The Silence of the Lambs”)

21. Julia Roberts (Alice Sutton): “This guy’s a restraining order waiting to happen.” ("Conspiracy Theory”)

22. Kiefer Sutherland (Nelson Wright): “Today is a good day to die.” (“Flatliners”)

23. Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump): “Mama always said life was like a box a chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.” (“Forrest Gump”)

24. Sandra Bullock (Annie Porter): “I’ve been in worse situations than this, and panic does not help, trust me!” (“Speed 2”)

25. Tom Cruise (Jerry Maguire): “Show ME the MONEY!!!!” (“Jerry Maguire”)

26. Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator): “Hasta la vista, baby.” (“Terminator 2: Judgment Day”)

27. Julia Roberts (Shelby): “I’d rather have 30 minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.” (“Steel Magnolias”)

28. Renée Zellweger (Dorothy Boyd): “I love him for the… for the man he wants to be and I love him for the man he almost is!” (“Jerry Maguire”)

29. Richard Gere (Jack Sommersby): “Being your husband has been the only thing I’ve ever done that I’m proud of.” (“Sommersby”)

30. Kevin Costner (Crash Davis): “Well, I believe in the soul, the cock, the pussy, the small of a woman’s back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days.” (“Bull Durham”)