Batch '81: Fraternity as Facism

Films should always be a reflection of society as I have said numerous times in my previous blogs. Not only it gives content and culture, it could also be a way of provoking truth in the eyes of the many. Batch ’81 is indeed a realistic and metaphorical depiction of the horrors of fraternity initiations as fascism. Fraternity wars are stories that we always hear in the media but we rarely hear or see and feel how it is to be inside a fraternity. The so-called masters of the organization subject their neophytes to gripping physical and psychological violence and humiliation leading to death and chaos even society through its presentation of its relationship to the Marcos government - freedom, conformity, identity and cruelty in human rights.

Batch ’81 is a metaphor about power and domination during the dark period in the Philippine history-the Martial law from its declaration on September 21, 1972. The military took control of society and everything was under one man named President Ferdinand Marcos. Every basic human right were blocked. The film showcased how these rights were suppressed and tells us a story that we didn’t hear or know regarding the struggle to restore the rights of the citizens.

Batch ’81 or also known as Alpha Kappa Omega Batch '81 is a 1982 Philippine dramatic film starring Mark Gil. Directed by Mike de Leon. The film is about the titular fraternity's harsh initiation of a new batch of members in 1981 as seen from the eyes of Gil's character, Sid Lucero.

Sid Lucero is a 26-year old pre-Med student. He is an aspiring neophyte of the Alpha Kappa Omega fraternity. Over a six-month initiation period, he and six other neophytes are subjected to severe physical and psychological torture in and outside the fraternity house. The neophytes come to accept the senseless violence as a mandatory of their acceptance into the brotherhood. Only five of them survive the brutal, dictatorial suffering, due to the fraternity rumble with Sigma Omicron Sigma (rival fraternity)

Sid Lucero’s goal is to find his inner identity by joining a fraternity. This is the common reason why people join fraternities – for finding out who and where he or she belongs to. The film displayed how individuals are made to conform and lose their individuality inside a fraternity. The people who join fraternities lose their identity and acquire a new one offered by the fraternity. To which in my opinion, is very senseless. People may have their own reasons for the sake of their own benefit, but in this case it shows gullibility.

Other people prefer to suppress their individuality in favor of a collective identity such as fraternities. They get their personal satisfaction in joining a brotherhood. There’s nothing wrong with finding a sense of belonging into a brotherhood although the extremes are always harmful and dangerous when frat is what you’ve chosen to join with. Before I watched the film, I expected it to be about fraternity alone. But the film didn’t come up to me that it was a metaphor of Martial Law. Alpha Kappa Omega Batch ’81 told its audience how a fraternity resembled Filipino society at a time when the raising of voices weren’t allowed. Being an underdog of a dictator leader who will give you penalty if you don’t follow. Such idea of it is developed as the story goes in the overall length of the film Batch ’81.

On the other hand, the stylistic execution of Alpha Kappa Omega Batch ’81 is not that preachy unlike the story it depicted. The scenes are a collection of establishing shots, medium shots, and close up shots. There is also a movement in camera when it is necessary to use in a specific scene. I don’t like the titles being used as a transition in every situation. It hinders the audience to have their own judgement or conclusion of what a certain situation is depicting at the time. They could’ve used that treatment to discern such idea in every viewers mind that fraternity is also a fascism in the Philippine society. My expectations are delayed because of the fact that I didn’t know that it is also about the Marcos era. But overall, it was definitely a Cannes film award worthy.

Alpha Kappa Omega Batch ’81 is yet an another cinematic expression at society's tolerance and acceptance, even approbation, of mindless conformity and submission-- the order of the day during the martial law regime.