Official Teaser for Malaysian Horror PENANGGAL

Now, it would be very biased of me I always keep posting related news and reviews on that “popular” side of Asia but I guess it’s safe for me to say that I have not watched Malaysian horror nor do I know anyone who does. It’s sad, really. But, I’m going to go out on a limb and present to you Malaysia’s new bid on the genre.

PENANGGAL is set in the 30s, about a young girl who inadvertently inherits a curse from her guardian, Mak Ajeng. Her unwanted “gift” terrifies the villagers around her, leading them to abuse her and forcing her to flee. Evidently, she wants to rid herself of the curse until she gets a taste of its power and the Penanggal accords to her.

For sideline information, the Penanggal is a mythical creature and is described as another variation of a vampire, basically Dracula’s distant Asian cousin. It is basically a detached female head capable of flying around on its own with its stomach and entrails dangling below, the true essence of woman I might say. It is similar to that of the infamous Manananggal of the Philippines, which detaches its upper torso and flies about at night looking for victims, mainly pregnant women.

The film is to be released sometime this year but no official dates have been announced.