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6฀ Himala, 'Miracle': The Heretical Potential of Nora Aunor's Star Power It is difficult t o attempt to depict, much more to explain, the magnitude of Nora Aunor' s sta r powe r — th e immens e dra w o f a following tha t commands its own analytical category.1 I n movie critics' conversations, the mos t expressiv e sig n an d irrefutabl e evidenc e o f th e spectacula r power o f this greatest Filipina actress of all time is the hysteria o f her fans. The 'hysteria' is as much about the formidable size of her followin g as i t i s abou t th e impute d excessivenes s o f thei r devotion . I t i s not , therefore, surprisin g tha t Ishmae l Bernal' s 'criticall y acclaimed ' film , Himala, i s in thes e circle s widely understoo d t o be abou t th e sta r o f the film , Nor a Aunor . Himala thematize s mas s hysteri a throug h th e story of a young rural girl, Elsa, who achieves both divine and celebrity power as a faith healer. In the middle of darkness cast by a solar eclipse over th e desolate , impoverishe d tow n o f Cupang , Els a ha s a radian t vision of the Virgin Mary that leaves her with the miraculous capacit y to heal. In awe of Elsa's blessed power , friends an d acquaintance s ar e converted into her devoted attendants, and soon droves of ailing people from al l ove r th e countr y floc k t o he r t o b e touche d b y he r healin g hands. Cupan g become s a nationa l mecc a an d Els a it s hol y star . However, th e hol y miracle , whic h i s als o a phenomenal commercia l success, rapidl y breed s greed , lust , crime , corruption , an d disease . Suffering, alongsid e her ow n flock , th e blight o f these 'developments ' that her own powers have wrought, Elsa calls for her vast following t o gather o n th e sand y dune s wher e sh e firs t receive s th e sacre d gif t o f her calling. It is before this teeming mass of followers that Elsa performs 226฀ Fantasy-Production฀ her final , revelator y ac t o f redemption: th e return o f divine power t o the people . Describing the film's ambition in terms of the 'theatrical potential' of its setting, the 'histrionic stylizations' of its actors, and the 'hysterical audience' before whom the climactic scene was to be played, Joel David concludes: 'I t was truly a great actress's opportunity o f a lifetime, an d Nora Auno r seize d i t an d mad e i t no t just he r role , bu t he r fil m a s well.'2 Himala was Nora's film inasmuch a s it represented th e seizure s of spectacular power, which she herself (a s the superstar, Nora Aunor) embodied, an d performed . Elsa , whos e poo r origins , humility , an d unearthly talen t for healin g capture the zealous devotion of an unrul y multitude, wa s Nor a — th e 'poor , small , dark-skinned , an d barel y educated country girl' revered and idolized by millions as much for her miraculous rise to spectacular power as for her beautiful contralt o voice that first elevated her from the common lot.3 ). And Nora, in her intense portrayal o f Elsa as a medium o f divine power and th e religious mass, brought he r performanc e o f he r ow n lif e rol e a s th e Superstar , th e worshipped mediu m o f mass desire, to sublime heights. 4 In thi s chapter , I writ e abou t th e popula r constitutio n o f Nor a Aunor's star power an d its vital role in bringing abou t a new nationa l as well a s globa l politica l an d economi c order . I argue tha t i n man y ways th e even t o f Nor a Aunor' s sta r powe r prefigure d th e even t o f People Power, which we saw in...

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