When it comes to horror films to watch during Halloween, Pinoy movies might not be the first ones to come into your mind. But there are a lot of gems in our local cinema that will give you all the scares you want. Here are some of the best Pinoy horror movies that you would want to marathon this season.
Pinoy horror movie no. 1: Feng Shui (2004)
Say what you might about Kris Aquino these days but there was a time when she was considered as the horror queen, starring in a string of successful movies. One of these is the brilliant Feng Shui directed by Chito Rono.
The film features Aquino as Joy, an ordinary housewife. She gets her hands one an antique Bagua mirror that brings her all sorts of good luck. But as Joy later discovers, those blessings come at a price. She soon learns that anyone else who looks into the mirror will die based on the Chinese zodiac sign. Joy must then race to save her loved ones from the curse.
Feng Shui’s premise remains as one of the most unique in the local horror scene. There is also a certain dark humor to it as the audience anticipates how the characters will die based on their zodiac signs. One of the most memorable is a character dying after falling onto crates of Red Horse beer because, well, she was born in the year of the horse.
And who will ever forget Lotus Feet, the ghost haunting the Bagua? Her distinctive clacking footsteps is something every Pinoy horror fan will recognize. While she shows only sporadically throughout the film, her sudden appearance is sure to get viewers screaming.
Pinoy horror movie no. 2: Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara (1974, 1995)
This classic from veteran director Celso Ad Castillo is considered as one of the best examples of psychological horror in Philippine cinema. It features Susan Roces as the titular Barbara. Her sister Ruth is played by Rosanna Ortiz.
Barbara and Ruth start with a loving relationship, with the former doting on the latter’s every whim. Things turn for the worse when Ruth confesses that she is in love with Nick, the same man that her older sister also loves. Barbara reluctantly urges Nick to choose Ruth instead and decides to move abroad.
Years later, Barbara receives a message saying that Ruth committed suicide. Upon returning home, she discovers that Ruth’s spirit is seemingly possessing the doll owned by her daughter Karen. What comes next is a terrifying encounter that slowly reveals why Ruth decided to kill herself.
The film eventually got an equally well-received remake years later. The 1995 version is directed by Chito Rono and stars Lorna Tolentino and Dawn Zulueta in the roles of Barbara and Ruth respectively. Rono updates the classic premise with his macabre take, giving horror movie fans a good reason to watch the story again.
Pinoy horror movie no. 3. Shake, Rattle, and Roll
Regal Films’ Shake, Rattle, and Roll has become a fixture in the Pinoy horror movie scene, with new installments being produced almost yearly. But while many of the iterations are there simply to cash in on the franchise, there are also gems worthy of your Halloween movie marathon.
1990’s SRR 2 is where you would want to start with the franchise. Its three episodes all feature stories that Filipinos will connect with. In “Multo,” newlyweds, played by Janice de Belen and Eric Quizon, finds their honeymoon disturbed by a malevolent spirit with a dark secret. The second story “Kulam” follows Joey Marquez as he fights for his life against a doctor who turns out to be a witch. The last story “Aswang” has Manilyn Reynes finding herself trapped in a village besieged by the titular monsters.
Another great entry in the franchise is Shake, Rattle, And Roll 13. While the other two stories “Tamawo” and ”Rain, Rain Go Away” are great watches, it’s the middle story “Parola” that will give you the chills. Here, two teenage friends (Kathryn Bernardo and Louise de los Reyes) gets possessed by dueling witch spirits that threaten to tear their friendship apart. Director Jerrold Tarog builds on this simple story and turns it into a harrowing psychosexual tale of adolescent angst.
Pinoy horror movie no. 4: Yanggaw (2008)
Richard Somes’ Yanggaw is not your typical Pinoy horror film, which makes it all the more interesting. The movie tells the story of a girl that contracts an unknown disease which makes her crave flesh. Her family is soon in a race to protect her from the townspeople as she starts killing and eating animals and eventually people.
Instead of the usual jump scares expected in other aswang movies, Somes takes a more psychological approach in examining its central characters. Audiences will feel the horror that the family and the girl herself has to endure as she undergoes a transformation she can’t control. Somes’ adept use of lighting and shadows adds to the creepiness of the movie.
Give yourself the scare with these Pinoy horror movies
After watching the titles above, you are sure to find a new respect for Pinoy horror movies. And lucky for you, there are more great local films you can check out. Grab these titles and get comfy on the couch with your buddies.