'Eraserheads: Combo on the Run' is Essential Viewing for OPM Fans
At the heart of the film is the band members' surprising honesty, vulnerability.
(SPOT.ph) Eraserheads fans are flocking to over 150 cinemas across the country this weekend (March 21-23) to catch the highly-anticipated Eraserheads: Combo on the Run. The Diane Ventura-directed documentary film is marked as essential viewing for the legendary Filipino band’s dedicated following, a nostalgia trip that is also a truthful look into the band’s complicated history, especially their eventual breakup, which they discuss openly for the first time.
Moviegoers at the film’s red-carpet premiere at Gateway Cineplex were spotted leaving the theatre with satisfied smiles and more than a few tears. Ely Buendia, 'Heads frontman and among the film’s co-producers, was said to have gotten teary-eyed himself during one of the advance screenings. Raimund Marasigan, Buddy Zabala and Marcus Adoro have yet to see the film, but the band played a spectacular set for the 300 lucky fans in the audience which included film co-producers Francis Lumen of WEU Productions, Chuck Gutierrez and Baby Ruth Villarama of Voyage Studios, the band members’ family and friends, members of the Araneta family including the late Margarita Forés’ son Amado Forés and his beautiful fiancée Carmela Fortuna, and multihyphenate artist Kate Torralba.
Also read: Eraserheads to Hold Manila Concert in 2025
The film’s inception happened during the course of the band’s 2022 Ang Huling El Bimbo World Tour, with Ventura’s idea of documenting the historical reunion and diligently unearthing the band’s archive, among its many gems featured in the film guaranteed to tickle the fancies of their loyal following.
The biggest revelation
The film isn’t just for Eraserheads fans, but it is especially for them, to gain a deeper understanding of how the band came to be and how they fell apart. Viewers will be surprised to witness the rock heroes revealing their vulnerable sides, with an accountability that only comes with maturity. “Timing played such a pivotal part in the making of this film,” said Ventura in an interview.
The film’s biggest revelation is actually Ventura, whose work speaks for itself – it is apparent she left no stone unturned mounting the film. This is a thoughtfully-made, painstakingly rendered film, and clearly an expensive one given the film’s high production values. Ventura’s well-curated team of collaborators, which includes music journalist Aldus Santos who shared co-writing duties with Ventura, American cinematographer Hilarion Banks, and an award-winning team of editors led by Chuck Gutierrez, Adrian Arcega, and Janus Victoria.
On the big screen, the film is pure audio-visual pleasure, what with its impeccable sound quality, ideally experienced in a Dolby Atmos cinema. Also notable are the film’s sound design and scoring by composer Tengal Drilon and German musician Atlas Glaas, overseen by Ventura herself, enhancing the Eraserheads’ greatest hits which frame the entire film. I must say my favorite moments were perfectly accompanied by strains of “Huwag Mo Nang Itanong” and of course, the anthemic “Ang Huling El Bimbo”.
Interestingly, it was Ventura, Buendia’s ex-wife and business manager who took the initiative to mount, produce and lead the financing of the film. It is inevitable to think that the film is an elaborate love letter for the band, and Ventura fully acknowledges it: “And this is my way to thank them.” A fitting tribute and
contribution to the band’s legacy and history anchored in authenticity, obsessively made: The film being shown in screens is, shockingly, the 68th version.
Also read: Eraserheads Awarded Alma Mater's Highest Honor, Gawad Oblation
The heart of Eraserheads: Combo on the Run
Crediting the band’s “bravery, honesty and vulnerability” as “the heart of this film”, Ventura also singled out editor and script consultant Janus Victoria during her thank-you speech for dragging her to that first Eraserheads concert where she met Ely during her youth. Ventura was spotted arm-in-arm with Victoria and friends in the audience during the pop-up concert, later posing for a group reunion photo with Ely backstage.
We managed to catch Diane post-premiere to ask for her candid impressions of each Eraserheads member. “Ely is very helpful, selfless and inspiring,” she said of her ex-husband and co-parent to son Eon.
“Buddy is a true gentleman, earnest and always courteous. Marcus is humorous, and very sweet. He’s the sweetest among them all. I understand why it’s hard for the guys to stay mad at him because he really tries so hard to make things right.”
“Raims is the most changed, I would say among all. He really approaches life with a conscious effort to be more positive and have levity and to be more inclusive.”
As Diane and the Eraserheads rekindle their relationships with one another, things are coming up wonderfully for the band: An invigorated Ang Huling El Bimbo World Tour, their just-announced upcoming “Eraserheads: Electric Fun Music Festival” on May 31 at the SMDC Festival Grounds in Parañaque, and hints of new music in the pipeline. As Buendia aptly put it: “It feels like a new beginning.”—Luisa Vicente
Eraserheads: Combo on the Run screens in theaters nationwide starting March 21st until the 23rd, 2025.