You know I never really knew...

that the Aswang was a known mythological creature until I read up a bit. The encyclopaedia listing says..

The awang are the most feared of supernatural creatures on the Philippines. They can enter the body of a person and through this person they inflict harm on those the they dislike. Most common are the female variety who appear as an ugly old woman with long, unkempt hair, blood-shot eyes, long nails, and a long, black tongue. She has holes in her armpits which contain oil. This gives her power of flight.

A being of enormous power, she can transform herself into any shape, even inanimate objects. She preys on children, pregnant women, and ill people. Once she has overpowered a victim, she will take a bundle of sticks, talahib grass, and rice or banana stalks, and transform these into a replica of her victim. This replica is sent home while she takes the real person back with her. Upon reaching its home, the replica will become sick and die. The victim will then be killed and eaten. She is said to be particularly fond of the liver.

I enjoyed the movie and although shocking and at times suspenseful, I now understand a lot more of it having read the "true" story behind the aswang. It also answers a lot of the questions as to why the more unsavoury subject lines were used, ie the unborn children.

So does this being having any direct relationship to the likes of the European vampires which have been personified by characters like Dracula?

Not going to let my history pull me down and hold me back you see