Aswang – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1994
Directors: Wrye Martin, Barry Poltermann
Writers: Frank L. Anderson, Wrye Martin, Barry Poltermann
Cast: Norman Moses, Tina Ona Paukstelis, John Kishline, Flora Coker, Victor Delorenzo, Mildred Nierras, Jamie Jacobs Anderson, Daniel Demarco, John Garekis, Lee Worrell, Rosalie Seifert

Release Date: October 13th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 82 Minutes 18 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo English, DTS-HD 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"A pregnant girl enters into a strange pact, agreeing to play the part of someone else’s wife. She is taken to a huge, isolated estate to give birth. What happens next will haunt your nightmares for years!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "New 4K restoration of the original 16mm negative."

Aswang comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 30.2 GB

Feature: 23.3 GB

While there is some very minor print debris, the source looks incredible for a low-budget film shot on 16mm. Flesh tones and colors look correct; image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid, and the image retains an organic appearance.

Audio: 4.5/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. You can’t go wrong with either track; both sound clean, clear, and balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a fundraising trailer for Aswang (1 minute 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer for Aswang (2 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a trailer for Aswang’s VHS release under the alternate title The Earthing (1 minute 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette that discusses music from the film titled The Nullbery Cooler (2 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Norman Moses’ audition tape (3 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), John Garekis’ audition tape (3 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a deleted scene recreation titled Lost Scene Narration (6 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a documentary titled Different Than Hollywood: Making of Aswang (27 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English subtitles), an audio commentary with co-directors Wrye Martin and Barry Poltermann, moderated by Pete Tombs, and an audio commentary with executive producer David Dahlman and actors Norman Moses and Tina Ona Paukstelis.

Summary:

A pregnant woman in a desperate situation accepts an offer to pretend to be an affluent man’s wife so he can claim his inheritance from his dying mother.

What starts off fairly innocent quickly takes on a sinister tone once the pregnant woman and affluent man arrive at his family's estate. With each day that passes by, the pregnant woman becomes more uneasy about the deal she’s made, and when she reveals her regret, it's met with hostility. While the premise is based on Filipino folklore, at times it's reminiscent of Rosemary’s Baby.

The vampire has been depicted in countless films, and there have been some variations of what it looks like and how it attacks. While most of these variations are similar, Aswang, the Filipino version of the vampire, takes things in an entirely different direction. That said, Aswang is much more than a vampire in Filipino folklore; it's a general term that also includes witches, ghouls, and shapeshifters. The Aswang depicted in this film is a vampire-like creature that feeds off fetususes in their mothers' wombs.

Made for a very modest budget, Aswang, like most low-budget horror films, is not without its shortcomings. Fortunately, it's positive, far outweighing any of its negatives. The star of Aswang is its special effects, which hold up really well, and they bring the gory set pieces to life. The most surprising aspect of Aswang is the performances. Ultimately, Aswang is a genuinely creepy horror film that constantly surprises you.

Aswang gets a definitive release from Mondo Macabro. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer