Aayush Sharma
‘Scarecrow’ (Originally titled ‘Espantaho’) is a Filipino-language supernatural horror film that chronicles the journey of a household being haunted by a ghost. After the death of the family’s patriarch, Pabling, Monet and her mother, Rosa, plan nine days of prayer so that his soul could rest in peace. However, a terrifying dream makes Monet believe that her father is telling her to be careful about what will happen. As they prepare for the prayers, her husband, Jack, tells her that he will be going away for some days and see his first wife, who needs help. He leaves a painting behind, and as soon as Rosa sees the painting, she clarifies that the art piece featuring a Scarecrow shouldn’t be here and should be destroyed. Nobody believes her, and things get horrifying for the people living in that house.
As the story continues, people vanish as Monet and her mother, Rosa, pray for Pabling. While things continue to get worse, Monet unravels the deepest secrets about her family tied to grief, obsession, and a cursed painting. What begins as a simple prayer ritual spirals into a desperate fight for survival against forces far beyond their control. But what Monet doesn’t know is that someone close to her might be responsible for everything happening to her and her family. Apart from focusing on the horror, it also explores family bonds, connections, and the lingering weight of unspoken truths. Adding these elements to the film’s narrative, ‘Scarecrow’ becomes more than just simple supernatural horror; it transforms into an emotional journey, confronting the past. This depth allows the terrifying things happening on a more human level.
Scarecrow Tells a Fictional Tale Inspired By a Real-Life Cursed Painting
‘Scarecrow’ is driven by a fictional story about a family dealing with supernatural occurrences. Although the film’s plot remains fictional, mainly, one of the key elements, the painting, is inspired by a real-life artwork. In the production, it is revealed that a painter named Sylvio Madamba fell in love with a young woman while painting her, but his heartbreak took a dark turn when she didn’t return her feelings. When he couldn’t find her anymore, the artist started painting other girls and began torturing them before killing them. Moreover, he painted their corpse on his canvas by mixing his blood into the colors. The entire scenario is similar to the story of the real-life painting, The Anguished Man. The eerie painting portrays a man-like figure consumed by torment, his mouth frozen in what seems to be a silent scream, and eyes like hollow voids. Moreover, it has a very unsettling presence.
Although the story of this painting is unknown, a man named Sean Robinson claimed that the painting was given to him by his grandmother, who knew the artist’s identity. According to a report, Robinson alleged that his grandmother told him about the painting and noted that the painter used his blood to create this terrifying work of art. Consequently, he took his own life after making the piece. But the story doesn’t end here, and Robinson has also claimed to experience supernatural occurrences since the painting came into his life. The story of Anguished Man is similar to the art piece in ‘Scarecrow.’ Although it might not be the exact story that inspired the movie, it definitely played a crucial role in stitching it. It makes the movie more relatable by grounding its supernatural horror in real-world legends that people might already know about. Taking the motivation from something like The Anguished Man gives the film a haunting familiarity, blurring the lines between fiction and reality in a way that stays with the audience even after the end credits roll in.
Read More: Scarecrow Ending Explained
