The Philippine Online Chronicles

You already know what vampires can do. Whether they’re the sparkly Cullen kind or the brooding Underworld type, a vampire’s bite can either be deadly or just the first step to transforming you into a creature of the night as well. Then there are werewolves. Take your pick: You could be the human who transforms into wolf form when the full moon rises. You can shift at will. Or you could be the kind of human that just sprouts hair in all places, no need to get down on all fours. You’ve heard about ghosts, poltergeists or scary white ladies. What else is new in the world of Hollywood supernatural creatures though? Are we set to have yet another vampire movie in 2012? (Yes, Breaking Dawn Part 2.) Is there another sequel to Paranormal Activity? Do we get to meet more wolves again?

There are more otherworldly creatures not featured on films. Sure, there may have been some movies about them in the past, but one big movie to introduce their scare factor is yet to be launched. Here are some creatures that can be the next big thing to frighten movie goers.

The Scary Mermaid

Ask a random person on the street what the first things that come to his mind are when thrown the word “mermaid”. They’ll probably say “The Little Mermaid,” or “fish-like woman living underwater.” Maybe someone will say “Dyesebel.” Will anyone bring up how creepy mermaids can be? I think not. I blame it on Disney's Princess Ariel.

According to folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with a female human head, torso, arms and the tail of a fish. They are said to sing to people, particularly sailors, pirates and other men at sea. They lure the men with their beauty and entrancing voices, distracting them from what they’re doing on the ship. The men either walk off the ship or fall out of their boats, baited by the melody of the mermaids. Some myths share that once the man is under the mermaid’s trance, she would pull him off the boat and drag him underwater.

In the latest installment of Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides, mermaids are stripped off that innocent, friendly vibe akin to Ariel’s character on The Little Mermaid. The Pirates movie shows how alluring and erotic the mermaids look, but also show how dangerous and sinister they can be.

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The first time I got introduced to the concept of a mermaid on film was through Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. It was a cartoon, and I distinctly remember being bothered by the film. The story was dark; none of that feel-good underwater world!  While the Disney version ended with Ariel and her prince getting married, Hans Christian Andersen’s story was different. The similarities are that the mermaid (Marina) did end up meeting the man of her dreams and getting her human legs. Another similarity is that her man ended up falling in love with another woman. Heartbroken, she is asked by her mermaid sisters to return to sea. However, she needs to kill the prince to get her tail back. The scene with Marina walking with a knife hidden behind her back is forever emblazoned in my memory.

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Mermaids aren’t all that sweet, you know! Some movies like Tom Hanks and Darryl Hannah’s Splash have portrayed the mermaid as innocent, playful and highly impressionable. Since Splash was a romantic comedy, perhaps the mermaid definition was fine. Looking at a mermaid through the lens of the horror genre though, so many possibilities for the scary mermaid can come up. Movies like She-Creature (2001) and Night Tide (1961) explored the mermaid as a source of fear. Other than those movies, there has yet to be a major Hollywood film that revolves around this sea creature’s seductive viciousness.

If you think about it, the mermaid is one empowered woman. She acknowledges her power and uses it to her advantage. She doesn’t let men stand in her way. Maybe those characteristics are a horror story enough to chauvinistic men.

The Fallen Angel

Young adult literature has spawned many stories around fallen angels. When Twilight made it big on the YA front, its movie franchise came shortly after. Do we see the same trend for fallen angels? I sure hope so. Their mythology is very interesting. A fallen angel is an angel who has been banished from Heaven to Earth. The exile may be punishment for disobedience against God.

Okay, fallen angels in movies are not necessarily new. There’s Dogma, Wings of Desire, City of Angels, Fallen, and many more. The fallen angel mythology I’m talking about here is one that has the same appeal as Twilight – the young adult angle. Expectedly there will be some sort of high school romance going on. Call it predictable but I want to see how that will translate to film! One popular series in the young adult literature world is Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush Saga. Hush, Hush is told from the perspective of Nora Grey, a teenager who is intrigued by her new classmate named Patch. He is later revealed to be a fallen angel who has very dark intentions for Nora. The saga follows their complex connection.

It’s very Twilight-ish: a simple girl meets brooding guy. Girl falls for guy. But guy hates simple girl but falls in love with her anyway. Supernatural forces come to break their connection. Love for each other saves the day. I repeat, it’s very Twilight in plot. That is why I know it will make for a good Hollywood film. Fallen angel within a high school setting? It’s a must see!

Nonetheless, take out the high school angle and just settle on a dark romance. It will still work. Hollywood needs a kickass fallen angel dark romance movie. Enough of the romantic comedies!

The First Wife

In Jewish mythology, Lilith is said to be Adam’s first wife. It’s not the typical Adam and Eve story you learned in school. Lilith was said to be created at the same Adam was, unlike Eve who was created from one of Adam’s ribs. Various stories about Lilith evolved over time, one popular one saying that Lilith left Adam because she refused to be subservient to him. Other stories go on to say that she mated with the archangel Samael and bore 100 demon children. Common interpretations of Lilith are that she is a “femme fatale”, mastering the art of seduction and is a symbol of unbridled lust.  It is said that while she was considered an icon of female empowerment, she was depicted as a demon because of the rise of patriarchy in the earlier centuries.

The story of Lilith would make for an engaging film. Park your views of religion here for a second and appreciate the mythology as literature. It is rich in insights, and could be highly relevant today. We see a lot of women embracing their strength and making known their fearlessness. We see characters in real and reel life unashamed of sexuality.

Remember the Lilith Fair? It was a music festival founded by musician Sarah McLachlan.  The concert tour featured female solo artists and female-led bands. McLachlan took the name “Lilith” from the Jewish myth.

Tracing the roots of Lilith would be a movie worth watching. If Sophie in The DaVinci Code traced her roots to Jesus, perhaps there are individuals still roaming this earth who can trace their family roots to Lilith and Adam. If this movie is made right, it could certainly become a ra-ra kind of movie for women who, too, refuse to be subservient to their men. That’s frightening enough for some men. We’ll see.

Forget vampires, werewolves and ghosts. These three characters from mythology can make for great movies too. They can be scary if their mythology is studied correctly and interpreted well. I’ll be waiting for these movies to be made. Bring on Lilith, fallen angels and sharp-toothed mermaids! I’ve had enough of sparkly vampires.

Photo: “20030830144a” by John Carleton, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved. Photo: “Eventually, everything falls.” by betenoir, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved. Photo: “Lilith by British artist John Collier (1850-1934)” by Uppity Rib, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved.

Toni Tiu hates scary movies but would definitely watch films that would feature any of her suggested creatures. For more thoughts on film and life, visit her personal blog at Wifelysteps.com.