What's the ideal modern mermaid movie?

[Nate Walis]

Mermaids never seem to be too far away from the minds of Hollywood writers and directors judging by the number of times that they feature in movies that have big budgets and major names on the cast list. But at the same time they more often than not seem to be a sideshow to the main plot of the film and there more to up the fantastical nature of the story than as an integral part of the plot. POTC: On Stranger Tides is a good example of this; the mermaids are well done and nice to look at, but the feeling the viewer comes away with is that they could have been any number of fantasy creatures and the mermaids themselves are not truly characters in the sense of say Jack Sparrow rather than glorified props for the more central characters to act in front of.

On the other hand the films that have centred around mermaids, such as Aquamarine, seem to be aimed at a young female audience and shy away from the more adult elements of the mermaid legend. In the past films like Splash were squarely aimed at an adult audience and tended towards more mature themes as the characters formed a relationship. Unless you're interested in watching a movie that has a cast of young actresses with a plot aimed at young women, then there's really not a lot to recommend the former film to you.

I was wondering what the people around here would like to see made into a movie in terms of mermaid themed tales? Do you think that something like a modern reinvention of Splash (please give the job to Maggie Gyllenhaal or Isla Fisher) would be the answer? Would you buy into a seriously well done live action version of The Little Mermaid? Or is there another tale that has been over looked in the past or even an original idea that you think would make a great movie?

Come to think of it, why does it always have to go the same way as Splash and TLM? Couldn't there be a great mermaid movie waiting to be made in which a human being becomes a mermaid rather than the other way around? It seruiously amazes me that in a world where there are so many people who dress up as and want to actually be merfolk that such a concept has never been explored outside of TF fiction.

Anyway, what do you think?

[AniaR]

yes, I would buy into it. I think there are 2 being made right now actually. I hope they use costumed tails instead of CGI. Carolyn Turgeons book mermaid is being turned into a movie and it's VERY adult, hehe

[Nate Walis]

yes, I would buy into it. I think there are 2 being made right now actually. I hope they use costumed tails instead of CGI. Carolyn Turgeons book mermaid is being turned into a movie and it's VERY adult, hehe

Care to share any links or synopsis of these two movies?

I know I may have a reputation for writing stories about mermaids with an adult nature in an NSFW sense, but that doesn't mean I'm against a movie that has an adult theme more in the sense of Splash.

Not that a boldly adult mermaid film that fully embraced the traditional sense of the mermaid as an unstoppable force of seduction and ruin would be a bad thing...

[malinghi]

I think the biggest problem with mermaid movies and tv shows is that they spend 90% of the time out of the water. Either they can grow legs naturally, or they get transformed. Or, in some cases it shows mermaids hanging out on rocks or on the beach, instead of the water.

I understand there are tons of technical challenges wish shooting underwater, but it still annoys me. Also I think audiences show a lot of human bias, and it widely assumed that being a human is better than being a mermaid. People think of the ocean as being empty and boring, and they take for granted that a mermaid would want to live on land.

Really anything that took place underwater would be cool. And it would be amazing if noone transformed at all- they just stayed as merfolk.

You know what I think would be a good movie? If they made a sequel to splash (I'm ignoring Splash Too) where Alan and Madison want to raise a family, but they can't conceive since he's a human. The movie follows their efforts to find a way to turn him into a merman, and the stress their relationship goes through after the original thrill of falling in love wears off. In the end their love gets affirmed, and also they find out that Alan actually has a low sperm count. They decide to adopt, but Alan chooses to become a merman anyway. The movie could use different actors, or it could use the voices of Tom Hanks and Darrel Hannah and be animated.

[Gem Stone]

I agree with malinghi. In H2O, the girls spent most of the time trying not to get wet instead of trying to help the sea animals or otherwise. They always talk about how much they love their mermaid powers, but they only use them to swim to the island and back. What fun is that? And why couldn't they tell their parents?! That would have relieved a lot of stress.

[Nate Walis]

I agree with malinghi. In H2O, the girls spent most of the time trying not to get wet instead of trying to help the sea animals or otherwise. They always talk about how much they love their mermaid powers, but they only use them to swim to the island and back. What fun is that? And why couldn't they tell their parents?! That would have relieved a lot of stress.

Apart from the fact that it was pitched at a very young audience, that was one of the things that really put me off H2O, the fact that all the episodes revolved around trying not to turn into a mermaid no matter how silly the situation involving water was (remember the episode where one of them was trapped in a greenhouse with an automated sprinkler system, I mean really?).

As far as their parents were concerned, I suppose the logic was that they could be found out through them, which is totally true as no parent has ever kept a secret for their child, have they?:doh:

I mean, I'd shop my son in a second!

[Gem Stone]

I don't think I would do tht if I had a child. Instead, I would turn myself into a mermaid with my child.

[Alveric]

It seemed to me that H2O was more about teen angst than the wonder that becoming a mermaid could be. It might as well have been about hiding a nasty case of acne!

I think the good Mertales are being written as we speak. I'm looking forward to what is coming and not just my stuff.

Alveric

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

Hmm... obviously, I'd like mermen to feature prominently. I agree with Malinghi, in that the "water turns you into merform" element has to go and that the sea should figure more prominently. I wonder if you could get a romance out of the capped/girdled mermaid story (you know, the legendary one from the British Isles that shares the origin with the selkie myth, where the mermaid is held captive by someone human who wants to own her, and is able to escape to the sea when her belt/hat is found by a more heroic and honorable would-be lover or child or friend... and then figuring out how the hero(es) gets rewarded and how the villain is punished afterwards (something the stories rarely go into)).

[Gem Stone]

sounds like a good movie

[mermaidondine]

I wonder if you could get a romance out of the capped/girdled mermaid story (you know, the legendary one from the British Isles that shares the origin with the selkie myth, where the mermaid is held captive by someone human who wants to own her, and is able to escape to the sea when her belt/hat is found by a more heroic and honorable would-be lover or child or friend... and then figuring out how the hero(es) gets rewarded and how the villain is punished afterwards (something the stories rarely go into)).

Well, Ondine touched on the Selkie myth and it was a beautiful movie, but of course things weren't quite as they seemed in the end... There was a movie about a Selkie about 10-15 years ago that was also quite lovely. I remember watching it when I was a kid and not quite understanding the concept, but vividly recalling a baby running naked as a jailbird along the Irish shore LOL!

I would really, really love to see Donna Jo Napoli's 'Sirena' brought to life on the big screen. The backdrop is Ancient Greece and the Trojan War, and while it is a junior/young adult novel, its a very beautiful, tragic love story with a good deal of adult under-tones. I think it would look amazing live-action! And, if done right, it wouldn't be the usual love story of mermaid meets mortal, mermaid acquires legs, and then said mermaid and mortal live happily ever after...

For a whimsical touch, I'd love to see Guillermo del Toro tackle it, or even Steve McQueen for a very gritty, truly realistic feel :}

[jukumerboii]

yes i totally agree with mermaidondine! 'Sirena' was my fav book back in middle school and as i would read it i would vision it as a movie..ya know the scenes and what not. i did the same with 'Mermaid'.

the big thing that's bothering me about these up and coming mer-movie is how the tails are going to look. the CGI needs to be laid to rest and if they use a real tail, they should get the maker of the tails from Hook or the longer tails like H2O maybe. idk just something that doesn't look like the mermaid has "knees". another thing i think about is the visuals and scenes and the actors they would pick. lol i THINK way to much on this stuff on a day 2day bases! lol

[Gem Stone]

i wonder if it's possible to talk about all this to an actual movie producer?

[malinghi]

i wonder if it's possible to talk about all this to an actual movie producer?

I doubt it. I think that the production process for movies and tv shows is frustrating and convoluted. If you really wanted to get a message across, I guess you could write a screenplay and try to get someone to read it.

A good example of how frustrating hollywood can be: http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?730-Merman-quot-Splash-quot-movie

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

Really, guys? Donna Jo Napoli has some intriguing ideas, but her books are horrifically depressing. I want to burn the entire "Prince of the Pond" series because it basically excuses a guy abandoning his family and marrying a pretty princess. Zel is mildly better (and I'll admit I haven't read most of her other work), but Sirena basically has Sirena's entire family turn into uncaring monsters after one sister is raped and killed, has her lover drawn away by high adventure, and has her returning to her family (who are still uncaring monsters). As far as retold fairy tales go, someone get Gail Carson Levine to work on a mermaid story... I loved Ever, Ella Enchanted and Fairest were both fun, and the Biddle books are amusing (though I don't think the Disney Fairies series is the same level of quality, even if it does feature mermaids).

[mermaidondine]

Really, guys? Donna Jo Napoli has some intriguing ideas, but her books are horrifically depressing. I want to burn the entire "Prince of the Pond" series because it basically excuses a guy abandoning his family and marrying a pretty princess. Zel is mildly better (and I'll admit I haven't read most of her other work), but Sirena basically has Sirena's entire family turn into uncaring monsters after one sister is raped and killed, has her lover drawn away by high adventure, and has her returning to her family (who are still uncaring monsters).

Well, I haven't read anything else by Napoli, so I wouldn't know if the depressing atmosphere is a running concept in her stories. However, I appreciated Sirena for the fact that it wasn't yet another happy-go-lucky mermaid-gets-legs-and-the-prince novel with a perfect fairytale ending =P In my opinion, that story gets old pretty quickly. Not to mention its incredibly overdone, both as a book and as a movie lolol

[Mermaid Saphira]

I would love to see my all time favorite mermaid book, Forgive my Fins, turned into a movie or at least a cartoon movie like Ariel

[Mermaid Sirena]

Anything with the darker more traditional feel, also they aren't pathetic and helpless.

[secret_ocean]

OMG i LOVE that book, and i completely agree with you, how descriptive it was when she was scaling her self across the land and how painfull it was. the book is amazing sitting in my mermaid grotto waiting to be reread over and over

[Mermaid Sirena]

Didn't even see the Sirena thread in here ^_^ I would adore to see the Book Sirena made into a movie it is without doubt one of my all time favorite books and where I draw a lot of my mermaid inspiration.

J&R If I remember the story correctly she does not return to them and stay she returns to see what has happened but in the end stays on her island. To me it is more of a story of how no matter your circumstance or what those around you do you can rise above and be a better person. It also shows to me, enjoy what you have for nothing lasts forever and immortality can be more of a curse then a blessing.

I am infinitely sad that they seemed to off stopped printing the book as I was only ever able to buy a used copy when purchasing it for a close friend. I haven't read any other works by Donna Jo Napoli though I probably should.

[Mermaid Photine]

I really like the darker siren side of mermaids, and the myths and the orgins of myths of the sea.

I'd love to see a movie where there is a mermaid whose goal is not to go to the human world and get hitched. Maybe someone that I could relate to on more than just a surface level. I would be greatly interested in some sort of adventure story, or even something that takes place entirely underwater (or mostly). Maybe, voiceovers for the "merspeak" or subtitles to some invented mer sounds if they need dialogue and an encounter with a fisherman or two. And plenty of shots of epic tail costumes, not cg'd. Also, a personal per peeve of mine, when a character spends an entire move finding/going on amazing adventures, they always end up going home to where they weren't happy (Atlantis:the Lost Empire is one of the exceptions.) If a character discovers a magical world, I want them to stay there. I am talking to you, Labyrinth.

Wow, I guess I am really opinionated. xD

[CynthiaMermaid]

In H2O, I thought it would have been cool if Cleo's dad found out the trio's secret.

In addition, we do need a mermaid story where the mermaid does not get legs.

Mermaid Cynthia

[merboy78xy]

I guess I would love to see a live action and dark version of the Little Mermaid. I have a bit of trouble with the SeaWitch aspect, for fear things'll get hokey, but I would enjoy seeing something like that. They actually cut a SeaWitch scene out of Splash. Wish they'd kept the cuts for the DVD. Ah well. I also get upset with CGI in general being overused instead of accenting and complimenting good-ol' fashioned movie magic, makeup, special effects, etc. I think the transformation scene in Splash is tremendous. It's unique, realistic and leaves a lot to the imagination. I DID enjoy the transformation in STRANGER TIDES (I like that her tail literally "washed away" with the spilled water, but I do love for people to use their tangible skills to get the mind working too.
I wish that we could get over the merman thing. The idea that Someone is a merman in a movie always makes the male character out to be a laughing-stock. Look at Ben Stiller or Adam Sandler. I feel like in general, women can be seen as sexy-- and mermaids are sexy. But men and merfolk aren't. I strongly disagree. I just feel that it hasn't been done justice yet.
Maybe there could be a film where splash is reversed. It seems a BIT hard to come up with truly unique ideas for merfolk plots that aren't just your standard: human falls for mermaid/merman or merman/mermaid falls for human. That's one good thing STRANGER TIDES did... it gave a plot that utilized merfolk in a new way. Same with SHE CREATURE

[Princess Kae-Leah]

Maybe a mer-film with an environmental theme would be interesting? Help hath no fury than a mermaid upset with humankind for polluting her home, killing her friends for food, etc.!

[Nate Walis]

I think it was that TV movie that people refer to as "PAX Mermaids" in which the main mermaid's human love interest discovered her secret and reacted in a way that was totally new: "You're a mermaid? Wow, that's incredible." But of course they then had him loose his memory as a cop out. Is there no way that a mainstream take on mermaids can handle the concept of someone actually being amazed and enchanted by the realisation that the object of their desires is a beautiful and exotic creature rather than acting as though they have been fed human flesh?

[merboy78xy]

Yeah Nate... I agree.
I was actually very pleasantly surprised when the mermaid's love interest reacted that way-- and then the memory deletion?! I was like: OH COME ON!!!
Maybe that would make a great theme for a movie... the mermaid is your protagonist. She's in love with a mortal. She worries about him finding out. He does. He likes it. then they BOTH have the shennanigans of trying to keep it under wraps from others?

[Nate Walis]

Yeah Nate... I agree.
I was actually very pleasantly surprised when the mermaid's love interest reacted that way-- and then the memory deletion?! I was like: OH COME ON!!!
Maybe that would make a great theme for a movie... the mermaid is your protagonist. She's in love with a mortal. She worries about him finding out. He does. He likes it. then they BOTH have the shennanigans of trying to keep it under wraps from others?

You took the words right out of my mouth!

For me that was one of the things that saved Splash 2 from being hopeless as a film, the fact that the couple had dealt with the fact Madison was a mermaid and were living their lives with that as a part of the whole. The entire thing may have been a cheap attempt to cash in on the vastly superior original, but the myriad of scenes in which the characters were scrabbling to dry off the tail just proves to me that they were aware of that fact and trying to play it as a comedy.

It's just a shame that we couldn't have Amy Yasbeck as a mermaid with her natural hair colour; not all mermaids have to be blondes.

[merboy78xy]

I know... when I was a kid, I was infatuated with SPLASH and always wanted them to make a sequel, and one day I saw that Disney was going to show it on their special presentation program. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. then they TOTALLY lost everything that made the 1st film so good. I was so upset, but willing to settle, because at LEAST it was more of my mermaid obsession onscreen. I love when mermaids are shown as beautiful creatures, but not so "human." I like a little mystery and style to them as a creature unique to themselves. I'd like any new mermaid movies to continue to explore what a mermaid could be like

[Mermaid Lorelei]

I'm not sure if this has been said yet, but I would personally prefer to see some merfolk who actually looked like they were born from their environment. Instead of the ditzy, blonde, or overly human mermaids, how about a real race of creatures who looked as alien as the undersea world does? I want to see a culture, not just one magical woman who later turns into a human... but that's just me.

[malinghi]

I think it was that TV movie that people refer to as "PAX Mermaids" in which the main mermaid's human love interest discovered her secret and reacted in a way that was totally new: "You're a mermaid? Wow, that's incredible." But of course they then had him loose his memory as a cop out. Is there no way that a mainstream take on mermaids can handle the concept of someone actually being amazed and enchanted by the realisation that the object of their desires is a beautiful and exotic creature rather than acting as though they have been fed human flesh?


Yeah Nate... I agree.
I was actually very pleasantly surprised when the mermaid's love interest reacted that way-- and then the memory deletion?! I was like: OH COME ON!!!
Maybe that would make a great theme for a movie... the mermaid is your protagonist. She's in love with a mortal. She worries about him finding out. He does. He likes it. then they BOTH have the shennanigans of trying to keep it under wraps from others?

I'm not sure if everyone is aware of this, but the reason he lost him memory was just because the movie was a backdoor pilot, and the story was supposed to go on for much longer.

[Nate Walis]

I'm not sure if everyone is aware of this, but the reason he lost him memory was just because the movie was a backdoor pilot, and the story was supposed to go on for much longer.

I got that impression, but I still thought it was unoriginal to loose that element of the character.

[koiboi]

First of all i fully agree that if there is to be a mermaid movie it should def stray away from a central romantic story line(love romances dont get me wrong but its been overdone). i adore the darker aspect of the mermaids- like the mermaids in the mermaid lagoon in the peter pan remake from a few years back. or the mermaids from POTC. i think there are richer, darker aspects to be explored from the mermaid myths. Also i heard tim burton was gonna remake the little mermaid- Survey Says?

[Mermaid Photine]

Tim Burton for the win!