Mermaid's Song

Warning: There are no singing crabs in this movie.  Despite the fact that this movie touts itself as being “inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless tale,” this movie is definitely no ‘Little Mermaid’.  Instead, ‘Mermaid’s Song’ is a 1930s Dust Bowl-era horror/gangster movie.  The film stars ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Inhumans” Iwan Rheon and Katelyn Mager and directed by Nicholas Humphries, based on his 2011 short which was actually entitled ‘The Little Mermaid’.

“The film is set during the 1930s Depression and tells of young Charlotte, who is struggling to keep the family business afloat. When gangster Randall [Rheon] offers to pay off the family debt he demands some illegal changes to the business. But Charlotte, like her mother before her, is a mermaid capable of controlling humans with nothing but her voice, which creates a battle between all of those who want Charlotte’s magical powers for themselves.”

This film was completed in 2015 and originally entitled ‘Charlotte’s Song’.  Despite the artwork at the top of the page, this is no cheesy low-budget horror flick.  Judging by the trailer, it’s a beautifully shot period drama with extremely high production values.  In fact, it won five Leo Awards, which are handed out to honor the best in television and film in British Columbia– Best Cinematography in a Motion Picture, Best Production Design, Best Musical Score, Best Make-Up and Best Costume Design.  Additionally, Mager was nominated for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actress at the Young Artists Award.

But perhaps feeling that this would be a tough movie to sell as a drama with horror tones, the title was changed to ‘Mermaid’s Song’ and it looks as though it is being marketed as a straight horror movie.

The poster switched from this:

 

To this:

Once you see the trailer, you’ll probably agree that the first is more accurate and the second looks like it’s advertising a completely different movie.  (I even had to do some digging to make sure it wasn’t for a different movie with the same name.)

Watch the clip for yourself below:

‘Mermaid’s Song’ will now available on VOD.