Orang Minyak
Description
Oily Man — slippery dark figure that terrorizes women at night. Covered in black grease making him impossible to catch. Said to serve a dark shaman
The Legend
According to Malay legend, Orang Minyak is described as a being that kidnaps young women at night. This creature is said to be able to climb walls and capture its victims while avoiding capture due to its slippery coating. Initially, it was described as being coated in head oil, but later stories evolved to depict it as covered in coconut oil and soot. In genre films, it is sometimes portrayed as being covered in crude oil, reflecting the industrial development of the region at the time. In some legends, Orang Minyak is said to appear naked or wearing a 'black swimsuit.' Various stories depict Orang Minyak as a rapist targeting only virgins, and since the 1950s, it has traditionally been held responsible for rape incidents. Superstitious Malay female students are said to wear 'sweaty clothes to look like they have been with a man.' In some versions of the legend, Orang Minyak is depicted not as a supernatural being but as an evil human sorcerer.
In Popular Culture
The Orang Minyak legend has appeared in several films. These include 'Orang Minyak' directed by L. Krishnan in 1958, 'Sumpah Orang Minyak' directed by P. Ramlee, 'Serangan Orang Minyak' directed by L. Krishnan in 1958, 'Oily Maniac' by Shaw Brothers in 1976, 'Orang Minyak' in 2007, 'Pontianak vs Orang Minyak' directed by Afdlin Shauki in 2012, and 'Men Who Save the World (Lelaki Harapan Dunia)' directed by Liew Seng Tat in 2014.
This article is based on the Wikipedia article "Orang Minyak" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia