JE C.C.
When it comes to horror movies, the ones that give the most creeps–are [usually] that feature the shape-shifting creatures, Aswang, and its many variations.
The creature has been depicted numerous times already in movies. Many of those flicks have ultimately become a part of our childhood; have forced us to hide under the sheet when the light goes out. Some may have outgrown their traumatic nights, but revisiting past classics can very well trigger that scared little kid, we’ve long suppressed in ourselves.
As we have barely a month to go before we celebrate Halloween, here is a round-up of the most terrifying aswang movies the Philippine cinema ever produced, through the years:
Anak ng Aswang (1973).
This aswang flick is based on the Pablo S. Gomez-written komiks of the same title. It starred Gloria Romero as an aswang who terrorizes her own daughter, played by Vilma Santos.
During the days that led to the premiere of the film, stories about aswangs and various aswang sightings got to the headlines, but turned out to be merely publicity stunts. That surely worked as the film went to become a box-office drawer.
Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B (2016).
Starring Ryza Cenon and Martin del Rosario, Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B, follows a manananggal who fell in love with a man. Dubbed as ‘romantic gore’, this film is a visual delight as it is also an emotional romantic saga.
Aswang (1992).
This Peque Gallaga classic surely terrified so many kids in the ‘90s. Starring Alma Moreno in the lead role, Aswang is also starred by Aiza Seguerra and Manilyn Reynes.
In the film, Seguerra, a rich kid, is on the run from assassins. She had her nanny, played by Reynes, tagged with her, as they try to find refuge in a mysterious town. However, the town itself, is a place of terror, having been infested by a devious aswang.
You’d got to love the twists and the ingeniously creative depiction of the aswang in the film! Make sure you have someone with you when you watch it because it surely will creep you out to the bones.
Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang (2015).
This film was an attempt to explore the origins of the Aswang. Starring Erich Gonzales in the title role, the film follows a married couple who has had trouble producing a child. They sought the advice of a faith healer who told them to hold a pilgrimage for the patron saint of fertility and bear the sacrifices it demanded. The sacrifice seemingly worked, as Corazon suddenly conceived a child. But the joy was short-lived as she suffered a miscarriage.
The film’s explanation of the creature’s origin is one that would surely be of particular interest to anybody. In the film, the emergence of the first aswang was merely the result of Corazon’s resentment and vengeance against the faith she heavily relied upon. The film grossed more than PhP50 million at the box office.
Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles 2 (2014).
Kubot is a sequel to the first Aswang Chronicles film that came out in 2012. Dingdong Dantes. The film follows a family of grotesque bloodsucking monsters, called Kubot, as they take their revenge on the man who was the cause of many deaths in their league.
Maria Labo (2015).
This film is a nod to the ‘90s urban legend about a woman named, Mariang Labo, a scar-faced woman who roams at night to abduct children to feast on. The 2015 flick is directed by actor-director Roi Vinzon and starred by Kate Brios in the lead role.
Sa Piling ng Mga Aswang (1999).
In this another Peque Gallaga horror flick, the spotlight is on university students who went to a secluded Panay town to disprove the existence of ‘aswangs’. They meet Maricel Soriano’s character, who is similarly after another truth—his brother’s disappearance. Gina Alajar plays a head figure to a barrio full of aswang residents. While this is a horrifying film, it’s actually an emotional one as it depicted aswangs as beings not devoid of humanity.
Shake, Rattle, and Roll (1984).
The very first Shake, Rattle, and Roll flick featured ‘manananggal’ in one of its three episodes. The now-classic episode starred Irma Alegre as the terrifying manananggal. Herbert Bautista and Peewee Quijano were also part of the cast.
Shake, Rattle, and Roll 2 (1990).
The second installment of Shake, Rattle, and Roll film–is among the scariest of the SRR flicks. Its ‘Aswang’ episode starred Manilyn Reynes who visited a barrio whose residents are all ‘aswangs.’
The creeps in this horrifying flick will definitely send you folding under the sheets, that’s why watching this with someone is a must.
Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles (2012).
This beautifully shot horror film is a modern and revolutionary take on the ‘aswang’ folklore.
Dingdong Dantes and Joey Marquez starred in the film, which is arguably one of the most handsomely shot local horror flick since 2000. The film featured the Tiktik, an aswang whose main prey are pregnant women and the still unborn baby in their wombs.
Have you seen these movies yet? Share your thoughts in the comment section if you have, and if not, tell us which one do you plan to see soon.
