The Mermaid Chronicles

[Florian Peitz]

SheCreature (originally billed as Mermaid Chronicles Part 1: She Creature) is a 2001 horror made-for-television film, directed by Sebastian Gutierrez and starring Rufus Sewell, Carla Gugino and Rya Kihlstedt in leading roles. It is the first in a series of films made for Cinemax paying tribute to the films of American International Pictures.[1] The films in this tribute series reused the titles of old American International Pictures films, in this case the 1956 film The She-Creature, but are not remakes of the earlier films. This film was shot in 18 days.

In 1905, in Ireland, two carnies, Angus Shaw and his infertile wife Lily, encounter a Mr. Woolrich during one of their shows. Having heard that a mermaid will be on show, he is relieved to find that it is just Lily impersonating one. They offer him a ride home, where he shows them documented sightings of merpeople and mermaids, explains that they can take human form during the full moon, and reveals to them an actual mermaid, who he captured back in his admiral days and who killed his wife. Woolrich warns Angus against using her as a freak show attraction.

Angus and his colleagues Bailey and Gifford break into Woolrich's home during the night but are caught. During the scuffle, Woolrich dies of a heart attack, allowing Angus and the crew to abduct the mermaid and smuggle her aboard their ship. Lily objects to this idea. During the voyage to America, the mermaid seems to take a liking to her.

During the crew's one evening at sea, Lily is bothered by a drunken sailor, Miles. Miles was a former client of Lily's during her time as Mary Ann, a prostitute. At night, she experiences prophetic nightmares. The mermaid is found tangled in the ship's nets after she attempts to escape. As she is returned to her tank, she spits out Miles' ring, prompting Lily to realize that she killed and devoured him as a favor to her. She attempts to explain this to Angus, but he dismisses it. He admits that they abducted the mermaid rather than bought her and that they didn't mean to kill Woolrich.

The mermaid possesses Lily while she and Angus are making love, and Lily tries to kill him. Lily comes to her senses. Worried that the mermaid will do further harm, Lily attempts to free her, but is caught by Bailey who then is killed by the mermaid. Concerned for his wife's sanity, Angus locks her up in her room. Lily realizes she is pregnant, despite her infertility. She reads the late Mrs. Teresa Woolrich's diary, which confirms her worry that the mermaid grants fertility by possessing women during sexual intercourse. She escapes and encounters the terrified mermaid, now in human form due to the full moon. Lily comforts her, but they are caught by the crew just as she passes out. When she comes to, she explains to Angus that she is pregnant, but he dismisses this as a symptom of her sickness.

The crew angrily harass the mermaid before Angus intervenes. He and Gifford discuss the situation with the Captain Dunn, who confesses that the mermaid made him do things against his will before committing suicide. A storm closes in on them and they approach the mermaid's home, The Forbidden Islands. The crew realize that their captive took control of the ship and led them off course. The mermaid reveals her true monstrous form as the Queen of the Lair and her intention to feed the remaining crew to her people. The crew fight her, but are all killed, save for Lily who is spared.

Two weeks later, Lily is rescued by the crew of a passing ship. Out of respect for the mermaid, she refuses to answer their questions. Lily lives peacefully with her daughter, whose eyes resemble those of the mermaid.

She Creature has received mixed reviews. Maitland McDonagh from TV Guide awarded the film 3/5 stars, calling it "surprisingly imaginative", commending the film's performances, creature design, and claustrophobic setting.[5] Arrow in the Head gave the film a score of 7/10, opining that "The many astounding performances also contributed to make the fantastic premise even more engrossing... Add to that some solid special effects courtesy of Stan Winston Studios, gorgeous cinematography, a couple of intense scares, stylish directing and you get a very strong horror offering."[6] David Nusair from ReelFilm Reviews awarded the film 1.5 out of 4 stars, calling it "cheesy". Nusair criticized the film's first hour as being "limp", writing, "all we really want out of this movie is a bad-ass mermaid killin' lots of folks. But we don't get that until the final 15 minutes."[7]

Entrusted with a magical relic, she must keep it away from an opposing race, the selachii, and their nefarious intentions. When she discovers that her boyfriend is one of these mysterious shape-shifters, Cordelia is forced to choose between love and race.

Cordelia doubts her every decision and the intentions of those around her. Trusting her heart will lead to a path of betrayal, but she might just get her family back. If she chooses her head, the mermaids may stay cursed to remain in the ocean forever.

When one of her closest mermaid friends is imprisoned in a science lab for investigation, Cordelia insists on taking up the quest to find the lost island of Atlantis, a sanctuary for all the water species. But the island is guarded by the dragon kings, an ancient and formidable race who are determined to keep it for themselves.

Dive into the depths with The Mermaid Chronicles, the ultimate companion guide to the mesmerizing series that unveils the hidden world of ocean shapeshifters. From the ethereal merfolk and swift selachii to the elusive eelusionists and majestic dragon kings, this compendium illuminates the rich tapestry of legends, history, and prophecies that bind these extraordinary beings.

Prepare to be swept away on a tide of love, magic, betrayal, and adventure as you explore the vast and enchanting universe of ocean shapeshifters and their enthralling tales. A must-read for fans of the series.

I also have an extended interview with medievalist, historian and English Professor, Sarah Peverley. Sarah is writing two books on the history of mermaids and we discuss the meaning and hybridity of the mermaid throughout time. Scroll to the bottom for our conversation...

Interview Two, Jennifer Kokai, on Weeki Wachee Springs, Annette Kellerman and old school mermaid performances: Jennifer Kokai is a scholar and playwright and the author of Swim Pretty: Aquatic Spectacles and the Performance of Race, Gender, and Nature (Theater in the Americas). In 2017 I met Jenny at a mermaid conference in Copenhagen where she gave the keynote speech. Here we talk about Annette Kellerman, Weeki Wachee Mermaids (Jenny grew up near Tampa visiting the attraction) and the historical links between mermaids and aquariums.

Interview Four, on the history of mermaids with author Sarah Peverley: Sarah Peverley is a medievalist, cultural historian, and BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinker. She is also the Professor of English at the University of Liverpool, where she teaches and researches medieval literature and history. Her current research focuses on mermaids in global cultures. As an expert on the Middle Ages and mythical creatures, Sarah regularly contributes to television and radio broadcasts, writes for the press, and gives public talks at festivals and heritage events. Sarah is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, member of the Liverpool University Press Editorial Advisory Board, Advisory Editor to The Literary Encyclopedia, and Vice-President of The Medieval Chronicle Society.

From Coney Island and Copenhagen to Courtenay Place, Wellington, New Zealand, from the semiotics of 1984 romantic comedy Splash to meet-ups with top professional mermaids, her odyssey takes her fathoms

deep, past the wreck and the boardwalk, as she asks the question that has plagued humans for millennia: What is it about mermaids?

Megan has chaired literary events with national and international authors including Rachel Kushner, Olivia Laing and Noelle McCarthy.

Megan lives and works in Wellington. She is also interested in crocodiles.

Mermaid Chronicles Part 1: She CreatureBeatiful, seductive and totally deadly.Directed BySebastian GutierrezProduced ByLou Arkoff

Colleen Camp

Stan WinstonWritten BySebastian GutierrezStarringRufus Sewell

Carla Gugino

Rya Kihlstedt

Jim Piddock

Reno Wilson

Mark AikenMusic ByDavid ReynoldsCinematographyThomas L. CallawayEditing ByDaniel T. CahnDistributed ByColumbia TriStar TelevisionRelease Date2 April 2002 (Canada)Runtime91 minutesCountry United StatesLanguageEnglish Images of Mermaid Chronicles Part 1: She Creature

Mermaid Chronicles Part 1: She Creature (also known as She Creature) is a 2001 television horror fantasy film starring Rufus Sewell, Carla Gugino and Rya Kihlstedt and directed by Sebastian Gutierrez . It is the first in a series of films made for Cinemax paying tribute to the films of American International Pictures. The films in this tribute series reused the titles of old American International Pictures films, but are not remakes of the earlier films.

Two carnies (Sewell and Gugino) abduct a mermaid in Ireland, circa 1900, and decide to transport her to America. As their ship loses its way and heads towards the mythical Forbidden Islands, the mermaid begins to display its deadly side.

The true tale of how one woman's lifelong obsession became a midlife mermaid odyssey, from the irrepressibly witty author of Tinderbox and Things I Learned at Art School. Forty, freckled and facing infertility, Megan Dunn hears the siren call that reawakens her lifelong obsession, and sets off in pursuit of mermaids. Real mermaids. From Coney Island and Copenhagen to Courtenay Place, Wellington, New Zealand, from the semiotics of 1984 romantic comedy Splash to meet-ups with top professional mermaids, her odyssey takes her fathoms deep, past the wreck and the boardwalk, as she asks the question that has plagued humans for millennia- What is it about mermaids? Diving into the caverns of her own life, Megan loses the plot but finds her voice and hears the mermaids singing. Shimmeringly intellectual and devastatingly deadpan, tragicomic and true, this is an off-the-hook tale about sex and death, mothers and daughters, women's work and marriage, the stories we tell ourselves and the myths that define us all. 'Her voice is so strong. It's wonderful.' - Lorde 'A treasure of a memoir . . . funny, frank and moving.' - Kim Hill 'Observes the importance of fantasy with keen wit and an open heart'. - Pip Adam, author of The New Animals 'A fabulously witty adventure, written in deeply moving prose.' - Philip Hoare, author of Leviathan or, The Whale

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