The 21-year-old Aubrey seemed listless, half-woman and half-child, sexy yet also virginal, humorous and at times petulant. I felt possessed by this young woman. How could any person not be possessed by the sensuality and seeming innocence of Aubrey Miles at such close range?
Sanib is Aubrey’s first non-bold role where she unfortunately does not have to disrobe. This is ironic, considering that it was the same Celso Ad Castillo who directed the first bold movies of Miss Universe winner Gloria Diaz in Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa, Vilma Santos in the 1977 Burlesk Queen, Miss Philippines winner Maria Isabel Lopez in Isla and others. Celso Ad Castillo also "baptized" the Manila Film Center, opening it with the showing of his bold film Virgin People.
As the scriptwriter and director of Sanib, Celso Ad Castillo told Philippine STAR that this is his best horror film ever. He has a remarkable success record in this difficult genre: Susan Roces won the 1979 Best Actress Award in Famas in his film Maligno, Rosanna Ortiz won the Best Supporting Actress Award in the Asian Film Festival for Patayin Mo sa Sindak si Barbara, while Liza Lorena won the Best Actress Award in the Olongapo Film Festival for Kung Bakit Dugo Ang Kulay ng Gabi.
Celso Ad Castillo predicts that horror can be the future hope of Philippine cinema, due to the amazing success of Asian horror films internationally. He cites the film The Eye from Thailand, which has been bought by Hollywood star Tom Cruise, and The Ring from Japan, which was bought by Dreamworks, a company led by top filmmaker Steven Spielberg. He said Mother Lily wants him to create three successive horror films and he may consider one zombie film. Can the Philippines produce horror films as successful as The Omen with Gregory Peck or the original Dracula films with Christopher Lee?
The theme of "demon possession" is as ancient as the Bible, with the book of Matthew citing the case of evil spirits that once possessed a person before transferring to the bodies of pigs. The 1973 Hollywood hit The Exorcist dwells on this theme now tackled in Sanib.
Another blockbuster hit, Ghost, had Whoopee Goldberg being possessed during a séance scene. How can people prevent being possessed by evil spirits? Celso Ad Castillo admonishes: "Have a good religion. Do not have a tormented mind. Be good to everyone. Do not have a deceitful attitude towards others."
This writer asked if it was possible that the dark centuries of Spanish colonial misrule, in which the people were oppressed and bored, are to blame for the numerous folk tales on aswang, manananggal, kapre, tiyanak, dwende, mangkukulam, manggagaway, barang, enkanto. Castillo laughed in agreement: "Yes, I agree. It’s possible that they have created all these horror tales for entertainment because there were no radios, newspapers, so magtatakutan na lang sila kaysa sa mag-iintrigahan sila."
Philippine STAR: In the movie Sanib you play a young bride haunted by the spirit of your long-dead half-sister, a vengeful spirit whom the devil usurps to take possession of your soul. Why are some people possessed and others are not?
Aubrey Miles: I guess it depends on the strength of one’s faith in God. Perhaps if we do not trust God much, we become weak and therefore easily to be possessed. Those who are possessed perhaps feel there is no God, especially when times are difficult. I’m not a very religious person, I don’t go to church that often, but believer naman ako and I pray every day.
How do you feel that many men are lusting after sexy actresses like you?
Overwhelmed, of course. I feel proud and flattered too. But actually, I don’t feel that I am that sexy...Di naman ako mas maganda sa iba. What you and others see is only physical beauty, but what’s inside me is more important, and what’s inside me shows outside too.
Who or what do you think should be exorcised out of the Philippines, so that we can have a better country? Baka may mga politicians diyan or other real-life kontrabidas?
(Laughs) Sorry, I don’t know anything about politics talaga.
Since you’re a sex symbol, can you comment on President GMA’s famous statement that she has plenty of sex daw?
Good for her she has plenty (laughs). There’s nothing wrong with that, she’s honest, she was just being herself when she said that. The President is only human. It doesn’t mean she should no longer say the truth.
Who are the people who become victims of demon possession?
ANA CAPRI: People with weak souls. I think if people are sinful in their five senses, they will be easier targets of possession. The sins of people usually start with our five senses, di ba?
Sexy stars wearing the clothes you are wearing now may provoke people to sin. Are you a sorceress, do you believe in evil spirits and ghosts of all kinds?
(Laughs) If you believe there is good, then there is also the supernatural din na not so good; if there’s heaven, there’s also hell. According to the movie Lord of the Rings, there are different levels of the supernatural. I haven’t met them, and I don’t want to meet them (laughs). Old folks say that when I was a kid in our home in Quezon City where I was born, there was a dwende daw. They had the house blessed. They threw some salt and they claimed that the salt became a rose! As a child, I loved to draw dwendes daw...In our Filipino folklore and old stories, there are many kinds of supernatural. You know, I once had a long discussion with a friend, where I argued that the maligno is different from the aswang. The category of maligno refers to those lamang lupa, the kapre, tikbalang and the enkantada or fairy. While the category of manananggal refers to those evil supernatural who eat babies, eat the innards, eat human beings. The maligno can play games or pranks at us, while fairies are protectors of the earth.
What’s a beautiful, sexy actress like you doing in a horror film like Sanib?
My character here is that of a woman of modern thinking, who does not believe in the idea of the supernatural. I play the role of a fashion designer who becomes possessed. This is my first horror role. I had played bold roles, I won Best Actress for the sexy film Pila Balde, but a horror role is very challenging and totally different.
How can people avoid becoming possessed by evil spirits? Gina Alajar recommends: "Do not play with the devil or evil spirits, such as the Ouija board or spirit of the glass, or other stuff like that. They say that if you play evil games like those, you are opening yourself to the devil. I strongly recommend that people avoid these evil, strange and unusual games associated with the devil. Strong faith in God can prevent possession, avoid evil."