SHE CREATURE
US, 2001, 86 minutes, Colour.
Rufus Sewell, Carla Guggino, Jim Piddock, Aubrey Morris, Jill Bellows, Rya Kihlstedt.
Directed by Sebastian Gutierez.
She Creature allegedly remakes a 1956 B-budget supporting feature but the relationship is very tenuous. However, this film shows some inventiveness in presenting contemporary horror.
Rufus Sewell and Carla Guggino play two carnival performers, he the master of ceremonies, she disguised as a mermaid. When a member of the audience, Aubrey Morris, invites them to his house, he reveals that he has captured a mermaid who has killed his wife. The carnival people decide to steal the mermaid and take her back to the United States to make money, rivalling the Ringling Brothers.
While at sea, the mermaid has a strange effect on the young woman, becomes a source of contradiction for the captain and the crew. The boat eventually lands on mysterious unmapped islands and the mermaid turns into a devouring monster.
With the strength of the leads, some better than average dialogue, a way of filming that resembles the past but brings it into the 21st century, this is a much better than average horror feature – stronger than its name would indicate.
1.The popularity of horror films? The B-budget films of the past? The remakes? Horror for the 21st century?
2.The initial Irish settings, the carnival, the mansion? The boat, the sea, the islands? The special effects? The presentation of the mermaid transformed into the diabolical monster? The musical score?
3.Ireland, 1905, the carnivals, the people watching the sideshows? The planted interrupter? Angus, his bringing the zombie out, the singing of the mermaid charming him? The whole set-up? Making money?
4.Mr Woolridge and his presence, his bewilderment? His attacking Angus and Lily? His apology, their taking him home? His showing them the map, talking about his wife? The revelation of the mermaid? The effect on Angus, his return, Bailey and the attack on Mr Woolridge’s death? Their stealing the mermaid? Bringing her on board?
5.The captain, his friendliness, the members of the crew? Miles and his attack on Lily, remembering her robbing him in the past? The care for the mermaid, Bailey keeping watch? Lily keeping watch? The effect of the mermaid on her?
6.The visuals of the mermaid, seductive, deadly? Communicating or not? Reading Lily’s thoughts? Lily’s pregnancy? The revelation of the story about Mrs Woolridge and her death? Woolridge and his feeding humans to the mermaid? The manuscript, Angus not reading it, Lily reading it and discovering the truth?
7.Angus, as a character, a conman? An actor? His love for Lily? His ambitions for the mermaid? Bailey and Gifford and their support?
8.Lily, her pregnancy, the interactions with the mermaid? Setting her free? The appointed time, the mermaid and her developing legs? The crew and their attack – and their deaths (with the screen going red before their deaths)?
9.The captain, his killing himself? Angus and his bewilderment? Trying to decide what to do about the mermaid? The transformation into the monster? The killing of Bailey, Gifford, the attack on Angus?
10.Lily, persuading the mermaid to spare her, promising to keep the story to herself?
11.The ship in the Wide Sargasso Sea? Empty? The name of the Marie Celeste?
12.Later, Lily and her daughter – and the ominous sense of what might come?
13.An interesting variation on mermaid myths? Carnival people and confidence performances? Horror and sea monsters? The myths of the mermaids as sirens, luring people – but this time as diabolical monsters to devour them?
