An Exploration of Mermaids in Film

graphic by HSR

“Far away from here there is an old, old sea.

In that sea lives fishes... 

Try to remember, maybe you lived there too.”

— Rusalochka (1976)

The existence of merfolk (mermaids and mermen) has been a topic of fascination for centuries now – dating back to the Assyria empire in 1000 BC. Ever since then, many legends and folktales have been told about mermaids, much more than their male counterparts. The representations of these mythical creatures vary in different cultures and time periods. Medieval folktales generally depict them either as sirens who lure men to their deaths or as sea-maidens longing for a soul which can only be attained through marriage with a mortal. Later on, mermaids began to be characterized as romantic and kind-hearted beings, and new portrayals of mermaids introduced in the twentieth century helped reinvent their significance in today’s popular culture. Just like their varying depictions in folktales, the mermaids shown in films are of mixed roots, and their characterizations are at times reworked. Here I’ve compiled a list of films exploring the different representations of mermaids in cinema.

Rusalochka (1968) dir. Ivan Aksenchuk

Long before Disney made alterations to the darker parts of Hans Christian Andersen’s tale in the 1989 animated classic, there were other adaptations that didn’t shy away from turning the little mermaid into sea foam – such as this Russian animated short film, in which both the animation style and the grimness of the tale greatly contrast the sugar-coated Disney version. Though the little mermaid is still depicted as lovestruck as ever, love is not put on a pedestal in this one. As one of the fish characters in the film says, “Foolish humans! They think love is real and mermaids are a myth! Little do they know that love is an illusion and mermaids are real!”. This film wonderfully – and tragically – captures the notion that love is not only capable of bringing you happiness, but also misfortune.

Malá mořská víla (1976) dir. Karel Kachyňa    

This Czech adaptation of the infamous fairy tale was directed by Karel Kachyňa. Though it was made with no CGI, it still managed to be so whimsical and atmospheric. This version eschews the traditional image of mermaids having tails. Instead, they wear flowing robes and are presented more as water spirits. Not only is Malá mořská víla a faithful adaptation to the original tale, the story is also presented in such a dreamlike way that it will convince you the Czechs are really good at fairy tale adaptations. This personal favorite of mine will leave you feeling sad for days.

Rusalochka (1976) dir. Vladimir Bychkov

Another Russian adaptation, this time featuring a beautiful green-haired mermaid who instead of giving up her voice for a pair of human legs, gives up the green of her hair. Though there are lots of changes to the original fairy tale, Rusalochka still wonderfully captures the perfect essence of tragedy. Odd little details like having bells ring whenever the mermaid speaks, or the mermaid being doted on by the princess, only make the film all the more endearing. Dreamy and melancholic, this one is almost as haunting as Karel Kachyňa’s masterwork from the same year.

Blue My Mind (2017) dir. Lisa Brühlmann

The film follows Mia as she makes a series of terrible decisions with drugs, alcohol, sex, and self-harm — all while slowly transforming into a mermaid, from growing webbed toes to having urges to eat her mother’s goldfish. Blue My Mind is an accurate portrayal of a young girl in a body going through changes, capturing the sheer horror of feeling betrayed by her own body and wanting to do anything to stop it. Body horror as an allegory for coming of age is not uncommon in cinema, but the film personally trumps my expectations of the genre. The film’s blue tones give off an added charm, giving some of the uncomfortably raw scenes the illusion of an underwater grace. It’s the mermaid film you never knew you needed.

Evolution (2015) dir. Lucile Hadžihalilović

The story takes place in a remote seaside village, with its only residents being only preadolescent boys and grown women resembling mermaids in Renaissance paintings. When Nicolas swims out to sea and discovers a dead boy with a starfish on his stomach, he begins to question everything about his life, from the community surrounding him to the mysterious medical procedures the young boys are forced to undergo. The film is an eerie and ambiguous allegory of rebirth and procreation, with male pregnancy being the director’s initial idea for the film.

Miranda (1948) dir. Ken Annakin

A British fantasy comedy in which a mermaid named Miranda is discovered by Paul, a married physician on a fishing trip. Fed up with living underwater, she then asks to be taken to London. Even on land, she uses her charm to seduce men left and right, including Paul’s servant Charles, and friend, Nigel — both of whom are so smitten with Miranda that they are willing to abandon their respective fiancées for her. Miranda has siren-like characteristics, the film presents her as a sweet-voiced temptress who allures the men around her by batting her lashes and using flattery. Not only is the film about the adventures of a flirtatious mermaid, it also touches on themes such as infidelity and the insanity of lust.

The Lady in Water (2006) dir. M. Night Shyamalan

Possibly M. Night Shyamalan’s strangest work, The Lady in Water tells the story of a water nymph who came straight out of a bedtime story. When apartment building superintendent Cleveland finds her in the communal swimming pool, he tries everything he can to return her to her world. With her life in danger from a wolf-like creature preventing her from leaving, she can only make the journey back to her home with the help of the apartment tenants. Though the film has been receiving harsh criticism throughout the years, it’s still quite a delight to watch for those with an affinity for mythical water creatures.

The Lure (2015) dir. Agnieszka Smoczyńska

This Polish musical is a very loose adaptation of The Little Mermaid, following two mermaid sisters hired to sing at a nightclub. When touched by water, these men-eating sirens possess big, slimy tails. On dry land, their tails are temporarily replaced by legs, making them anatomically identical to humans — except for their lack of genitalia, between their legs are “as smooth as Barbie dolls”, as one of the characters in the film puts it. The sisters are only on land to play around and feast on human flesh, but when one of them falls in love with a man, tragedy and mayhem ensue.

Night Tide (1961) dir. Curtis Harrington

Inspired by the writings of Edgar Allan Poe, this cult classic is about a sailor on shore leave who becomes infatuated with Mora, a woman working as a “mermaid” at a carnival attraction. However, Mora really does believe herself to be a descendant of an ancient race called the Sea People, who are known to kill during the full moon. Night Tide feels like a dream and a nightmare at the same time, and the film being in black and white somehow adds to the otherworldliness.

The Lighthouse (2019) dir. Robert Eggers

Set in the 1890s, the film follows lighthouse keeper Thomas Wake, and his new young assistant as they slowly lose their minds while living on a remote island. When Ephraim Winslow finds a wooden figurine of a mermaid, he begins lusting after it, and siren screams begin to haunt his dreams. He later finds out the mermaid lure might have been the reason the man he replaced was driven to death by madness. Whether the mermaid on screen is a product of his deranged mind or the personification of the sea, is up to your own interpretation.

Aside from the titles mentioned on the list, there are many more fantastical representations of merfolk in cinema, both from the past and in today’s popular culture — such as the mermaid in Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid (1948) being a mute with a beautiful singing voice, merpeople being magical beasts in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005), and a human-shaped water creature with scales and fins in The Shape of Water (2017), just to name a few. Our lack of knowledge about their existence does not limit our imagination about these water creatures, it even has allowed us to dream and come up with different ideas as to what they could be like. The mermaid legends from across the world also have not been forgotten — they are retold throughout the years, reigniting mankind’s intrigue with these creatures through each retelling.