IMDb >
Mermaid (1997)
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditsAwards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guidemessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsmemorable quotesDid You Know?
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
box office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsMermaid (1997) More at IMDbPro »Rusalka (original title)
Overview
User Rating:
Your Rating:
Director:
Writer:
Aleksandr Petrov (written by)
Plot:
An elderly monk, while training the young novice who will succeed him, recalls the mysterious lost love of his past - just as his young successor appears to be encountering her himself. | Add synopsis »
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar.
Another 4 wins
&
1 nomination
See more »
User Reviews:
Hard to Follow But Darn Pretty
See more (5 total) »
Directed by | |||
| Aleksandr Petrov | |||
Writing credits | ||
| Aleksandr Petrov | (written by) | |
Produced by | |||
| Aleksandr Petrov | .... | producer | |
| Dmitry Yurkov | .... | producer (as D. Yurkov) | |
Sound Department | |||
| Roland Kazaryan | .... | supervising sound editor | |
| Yuly Yagudin | .... | assistant sound editor | |
Production Companies
Additional Details
Also Known As:
"Rusalka" - Russia (original title)
See more »
See more »
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
Germany:10 min | Argentina:10 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Certification:
Company:
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.See more (5 total) »
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Mermaid (1997)Recommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| The Old Man and the Sea | Mermaid | Big Fish | The Cow | The Wind Journeys |
|
IMDb User Rating: |
IMDb User Rating: |
IMDb User Rating: |
IMDb User Rating: |
IMDb User Rating: |
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Animation section | IMDb Russia section |
Copyright © 1990-2012
IMDb.com, Inc.
Terms and Privacy Policy under which this service is provided to you.
An 
company.
The narrative in Mermaid is somewhat muddled. The old monk has what must be considered a flashback 1/4 of the way through the film and then a dream 3/4 through, and frankly I'm a bit at a loss to try to explain either. Generally Petrov's storytelling is considered somewhat pedantic, despite or perhaps because he works entirely with literary adaptations, necessitating sometimes difficult omissions. Yet it's his art that he is famous for, and that is firmly on display in Mermaid. He is the most accomplished practitioner of a unique medium —he animates using oil paint on glass, using 2-to 3 layers to add depth to the images, animating new plates as the finished ones dry. It is a meticulous, yet beautiful technique that has won him much acclaim—3 previous Oscar nominations, including the win in 1999 for his adaptation of Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea. That film was a huge technical step forward as he adapted his style to the unforgiving IMAX format with the help of the Canadian production house Pascal Blais.
While Mermaid did not win, it likewise was nominated for the Oscar in 1996. Mermaid is in some ways the perfection of Petrov's original technique before money, improved technology, and production teams lead to Old Man and the Sea and My Love. Indeed it was the success of Mermaid that enabled Petrov to receive the kind of corporate patronage that allowed those films to happen.