Twenty Years Later: Aswang (1992)

After a convo with a friend that went from the upcoming Erik Matti movie about Tiktik to the 2011 movie Aswang, and ended up on the original 1992 Aswang, I busted out the Google-fu to find the said movie (because video rental shops have long since died around these parts) and thankfully found a copy. Personally, I found the original movie terrifying, as all children of the 90’s probably were – and it wasn’t just because I was in grade school when it was first released.

Aswang stars Manilyn Reynes as the faithful yaya/nanny Veron, mini-Aiza Seguerra as the mischievous surot Catlyn, Aljon Jimenez as the token tall-dark-and-handsome-good-guy Edgar, Berting Labra as awesome driver and aswang deterrent Mang Dudoy, and Alma Moreno as the titular Aswang. Alma Moreno is gorgeous in this movie, and aptly has an “I can seriously bite your face off to get to that tasty liver of yours.” ominousness to her. Lilia Cuntapay, the queen of Philippine horror flicks, also makes an appearance.

Ikaw, pag nakain ka ng aswang, kukutusan kita.

Re-watching the movie 20 years later is an enjoyable, if surreal, experience. With that in mind, here are some notes:

• In local folklore, aswangs are creatures that are similar to vampires. Except they a. will eat you and not just drink your blood, b. can shapeshift into a whole zoo of animals, c. will roost on your roof and use its very long tongue to eat the baby in your womb, d. have a weakness for fresh liver (i.e. YOUR fresh liver), e. have an unhealthy and probably fattening fondness for children, and f. don’t sparkle.

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