I was pleasantly surprised to learn that a documentary film on the Eheads, “Eraserheads: Combo no the Run,” was set to hit theaters. Their rise happened right around the time I was in high school in the 1990s.
Bookended by the first Eraserheads’ reunion concert in 2008 and the massive 2022 “Huling El Bimbo” concert, Combo on the Run provides an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the band that captured the imagination of fans — and more importantly, the zeitgeist — through their music.
Directed and executive produced by Maria Diane Ventura (who is the ex-wife of Ely Buendia, the Eraserheads frontman), “Eraserheads: Combo on the Run” aims to reveal the real score behind the band’s formation, rise to success, and their subsequent disillusionment and eventual break-up, the reason behind which was never fully explained to fans — until now.
“We’ve all reached a certain level of maturity, where we were able to confront the past,” said Ventura on the impetus that drove the project. “We were all at the point in our lives where we felt like running away from things didn’t really serve us anymore and the only way that we could get to healing and redemption is through going through things.”
Ventura charts the rise of the Eraserheads, from their formation in 1989, against the backdrop of the times — as if to imply that the group, through their music, also helped shape the times we lived in, even going as far as venturing into political waters. (Like we are reminded that an Eheads reunion will only happen, as Ely said in 2021, “pag tumakbo si Leni”)
To this end, the likes of seasoned journalist Eric Caruncho, UP Professor Data Canlas, and public historian Xiao Chua are there to provide their insights. Music bigwigs like Vic Valenciano, meanwhile, provide the industry’s point of view. And there’s Sharon Cuneta too.
But it’s really the band members themselves of course — Ely, Buddy Zabala, Raimund Marasigan, and Marcus Adoro — who speak with humor, unrestrained candor and, as Ventura puts it, vulnerability, that makes the film an enjoyable ride.
What I’m sure fans would also appreciate —and get a kick out of — are the faded photographs and the rare archival footage, a lot of which, I’m certain, has never been seen before, including the band’s early days at Club Dredd and their infamous run-in with Tito Sotto over their song “Alapaap” leading to a Senate hearing.
“We went through 128 terabytes of hard drives,” reveals Ventura. “That’s hundreds of hours worth of footage that we had to comb through — it took me more than two years to finish this project!”
While the film’s use of English and the filmmaker’s conscious attempt to add social relevance to the Eraserheads’ story may be off-putting to some, “Eraserheads: Combo on the Run” provides viewers — especially those of a certain generation — a much needed respite and a heady nostalgia trip through a pivotal moment in their lives.
“Eraserheads: Combo On The Run” is brought to you by DVent Pictures and WEU and distributed by Warner Bros. Philippines. Catch its limited theatrical release from March 21 to 23, 2025 in more than 150 cinemas nationwide.
Features Reporter
