Moody and atmospheric tale of a lonely young man (Dennis Hopper) and his growing affection for a pretty woman, a carny no less, with a strange secret. The cinematography, the sets (Santa Monica pier, circa early 1960's), and the supporting cast all lend themselves to what appears to be a memorable and spooky story, but then the ending drops the ball entirely. Which is too bad. The work becomes forgettable immediately ... but the spirit of the thing hangs on a bit. It wanted to be good.

Dennis Hopper plays a combination of the world's biggest rube and possibly the world's most annoyingly desperate sailor who falls for a girl who may or may not be a psychopathic mermaid. The cinematography has a certain charm and I like Night Tide for that reason alone, but the dialogue and story are cheesy and forced. The score was enjoyable in a weird way, but it definitely didn't fit this movie. The massage scene was unintentionally hilarious and full of double entendres. Do not watch this movie before 1AM on a Friday or Saturday night for the full effect. If nothing else it sets a reasonably great atmosphere. Don't expect anything and you may enjoy it.