Cold open

The cold open features several attempts by Onota (Boboy Garovillo), a member of the Japanese yakuza, to smuggle contraband into the Philippines. In 1964, he arrives at Manila International Airport but is denied entry into the Philippines after customs discovers that he is smuggling diamonds hidden inside a Japanese doll. Five years later, Onota, disguised as a hippie, attempts to smuggle money hidden in his guitar, but is caught once again. In 1976, another failed attempt sees Onota disguised as a kimono-wearing Japanese woman who is caught smuggling opium inside his kimono sash.

Main plot

In the present, Onota is given one more chance by his boss, Japanese Master (George Javier). His mission is to once again fly to Manila, this time with a cassette tape that carries some contraband. On his flight, Onota slips the cassette tape into the pocket of Johnny (Christopher de Leon), an unassuming Filipino returning home. The contraband is finally able to go through Philippine customs, but Onota has to retrieve it back from Johnny.

Soon, Johnny, his long interest Melanie (Charo Santos), and their friends Nonong (Jay Ilagan) and Nancy (Sandy Andolong), find themselves continuously harassed by various groups who are interested in getting the cassette tape. Aside from Onota, there is Madame Lily (Armida Siguion-Reyna), who heads a Chinese crime syndicate, as well as the mysterious Fr. Blanco (Leo Martinez).

A series of hijinks ensue. Johnny and his friends meet with Santacruzan (Danny Javier). They discover that the cassette tape contains opium, which Nonong, Nancy, and Santacruzan take.

Eventually, the foursome of Johnny, Melanie, Nonong, and Nancy travel to Baguio in disguise as priests and nuns. They uncover a plot by the Japanese syndicate, led locally by Pinoy Master (Johnny Delgado), for the large-scale distribution of opium through communion wafers so as to control the Filipino population. The group are able to foil the scheme in a musical extravaganza. The film ends with the two couples marrying in a joint ceremony.

Restoration

In 2015, the film was digitally restored and remastered by the ABS-CBN Film Restoration Project in cooperation with L'Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, Italy. The restored version premiered on December 9, 2015, at Trinoma mall to close the 10th Cinema One Originals festival.^[2][3] The theme of the Cinema One Originals festival that year was "Kakaiba ka ba?" a play on the title of de Leon's film.^[4]

The digitally restored version of the film was screened at the 30th Tokyo International Film Festival in 2017 as part of the Cross Cut Asia program. Program director Kenji Ishizaka first saw the film in 1991and explained his decision in choosing to include the film in the line-up: "First of all, it's a high-quality musical. To look at your own country, through an outsider's point of view, is always interesting. The Yakuza character is depicted in a caricaturish manner, but that's good for us to see. It's a comedy." Ishizaka added that he thought the film should be watched by younger generations.^[5]

Accolades