Showing posts with label Dennis Hopper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dennis Hopper. Show all posts

Sunday, November 15, 2009

'Night Tide' is as mysterious as the sea

Night Tide (1961)
Starring: Dennis Hopper, Linda Lawson, Gavin Muir, and Luana Anders
Director: Curtis Harrington
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

When Johnny, a young U.S. Navy sailor on leave (Hopper), meets Mora (Lawson) in a coffee house, it's love at first sight. But is the air of mystique that seems to hover thickly around her the result of her lonely childhood and curious job as a sideshow attraction, or is it as her guardian (Muir) claims--she's not human, but is in truth a sirine, and sooner or later she will lead Johnny to a watery death.


"Night Tide" is an atmospheric, low-key film that straddles the boundary between horror and suspense. Although a bit on the slow side, it is carried along by the wide-eyed naivete of Hopper's pure-hearted character as he is constantly contrrasted with the friendly yet strange attraction operators on a Venice Beach amusement pier. The ever-growing mystery of Mora will also keep viewers watching. It's also interesting to see Luana Anders in a part that's a bit different than the creepy sort of characters she usually plays. In fact, I have nothing but praise for all the actors that appeared in the film... everyone comes across as very natural and believable.

The only real complaint I can muster with the film is that I don't like the ending. It's in keeping with the rest of the film, but I would like to have seen something stronger and a little more definate. Heck, to be perfectly honest, I think I would have liked to have seen a happier ending. Still, it's an interesting film.