Curtis Harrington's Beguiling "Night Tide"

Linda Lawson and Dennis Hopper in Night Tide

October is that time of year when horror fans like to revisit old favorites and check out films they haven't seen before. One of the more intriguing and offbeat thrillers to come out of the early 1960s is Curtis Harrington’s Night Tide (1961). While it’s not really a horror film, it’s an atmospheric, offbeat story that will appeal to old school genre fans. A lonely sailor named Johnny (Dennis Hopper, in an early role) enters a relationship with a woman named Mora, who performs as a mermaid in a sideshow at a local marina. People keep telling him that her previous boyfriends have all met mysterious and violent ends. 

The ethereal Mora (Linda Lawson) believes she may actually be a mermaid. As their relationship continues, a mysterious woman stalks Mora. She appears to know about Mora’s past, and warns her that her 'true nature' will eventually show itself. Is Mora really descended from a race of sea people? Who is killing the men she’s been dating? What does Murdock, the owner of the sideshow, know about all this?

Writer-director Harrington had a long career directing both television movies and feature films. Other films he was behind the camera for include the twist-laden mystery Games (1967), which featured James Caan and Katherine Ross, and What's The Matter With Helen? (1971), starring Debbie Reynolds and Shelley Winters. He also helmed one of my favorite made for television terror tales, The Cat Creature (1973), which starred David Hedison, Meredith Baxter and Kent Smith. Harrington's films are consistently enjoyable, and always worth a look.

In Night Tide, (which was completed in 1961, but not widely released until 1963) Harrington evokes the mist-shrouded style of producer Val Lewton. He was a huge fan of Lewton’s work and the influence of films like Cat People and The Leopard Man on Night Tide is clear. There could be a supernatural explanation for some of the film’s events, but we’re never really sure. What is evident is that some of the characters believe there are eerie forces at work, and that informs their choices in the story. Despite its low budget, the film manages to convey an effective sense of the uncanny. Night Tide has a dream-like aura, and the moody cinematography by Vilis Lapenieks adds to the film's otherworldly style.

The movie has been released in new, remastered editions in recent years by Kino Lorber Video and Powerhouse Indicator, and it's also available on streaming services like Amazon Prime. I recall seeing Night Tide on WPIX's “Chiller Theatre” in my younger days, and it was one of those movies that lingered in my memory in the years since. I've re-visited the movie several times, and recommended it to other film fans in my circle of friends. If you haven't seen the film, its well worth seeking out. Here's a link to the trailer for Night Tide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF6gPQh5t0A.