The Bermuda Depths (1978)

Simply Perfect

People are voting emotionally.

A Masterpiece!

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Magnus Dens (a fine and engaging performance by Leigh McCloskey) suffers troubling and nightmarish memories of his traumatic childhood. Magnus joins up with crusty scientist Dr. Paulis (nicely essayed with cranky aplomb by Burl Ives) and his hearty assistant Eric (a delightfully robust portrayal by Carl Weathers) to investigate what's been causing unexplained disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle. Meanwhile, Magnus meets and falls for the beautiful and enigmatic Jennie Haniver (bewitching Connie Selleca), who has an unusual link to what's going on in the triangle.Director Tom Kotani, working from a quirky and engrossing script by William Overgard, relates the compellingly idiosyncratic story at a hypnotically deliberate pace, makes excellent use of the breathtaking Bermuda locations, and ably crafts an eerie and poetic dreamy mood. The doomed romance between Magnus and Jennie gives this picture an unexpectedly haunting and poignant quality (Jennie's lonely plight and inability to form permanent emotional connections in particular rates as quite tragic and touching). Moreover, the filmmakers deserve extra praise for putting a welcome and refreshing emphasis on characters and atmosphere over cheap scares and fancy pyrotechnics, with the action involving a giant turtle occurring in the last third. The special effects are pretty rough around the edges, but do the trick just the same. Ruth Attaway does well as sage and superstitious local Delia while ravishing former Playboy Playmate Julie Woodson contributes a respectable turn as Eric's concerned wife Doshan. Kudos are also in order for Jeri Sopanen's striking underwater photography as well as the gently spooky and melodic score by Maury Laws. An admirably unique and affecting little item.

So many reviews written here sounds like exactly what I experienced. I, too, saw this movie when I was about 9 or so. And it's been haunting me for years. I searched around for the title a couple of years ago but couldn't figure out what the movie was. Recently, I was reading about Connie Sellecca on Wiki and it mentioned she starred in The Bermuda Depths. When I saw that title, I knew I had finally found this movie.The memories this movie left on me were exactly what a great movie should leave. I felt I was taken away into a surreal world where a beautiful woman is banished to the sea, where her love could never be. They were each other's magical childhood friend, forever together scribbled as "J+M" in a heart on the back of a turtle they found together on the beach. Though the special effects are cheesy and the acting is spotty at best, it really does make you forget all that and just lets you concentrate on the story line. And I do like that fact that it's slow paced without a slick script. The sad ending at the end is what makes the movie too!!I'm glad to have finally found a copy of the movie. This storyline could be such a great remake. I would love to see a modern version of this with computer animation and a richer dialogue.

I have two enduring images from this movie...1. The carved initials the two lovers, as children, showing up years later on the shell of the giant turtle...a very nice touch.2. Carl weathers as an overzealous hunter / fisherman being hauled off into the murky deep as the eerie theme music played out...an interesting way to end the film. I had almost forgotten this film, until it turned up on a random search I did for "TV Movies of the 70's". I can remember how strange it seemed, even at the time - not your usual fare, compared to the choices at the time. I also remember the other Rankin-Bass opus, The Last Dinosaur (and the extraordinarily cheesy theme song...JHC!), having some kind of bittersweet anti-finale, as well. Clearly, there was an ongoing cautionary / environmental agenda going on up in there office...lol...!

I have thought of this movie for 30 years, asking my parents if they remembered, but they didn't. I wondered for awhile if I dreamed the whole thing up, or if the movie was just a TV show, or an actual movie. I do know that it left such an impression that I have never forgotten it! My memories are sort of vague, but I remember that it involved some giant sea turtle or turtles and some sort of music that I loved. I thought I would never know the answers, but here I have found it after searching around just a little on this sight. I see that many people remember this movie and I am not alone! I am wondering how I would get a copy? I can't say really if I love it, hate it, I just REMEMBER it as a six-year-old and it has never left my mind. I find it very strange that it would stick with me as it has, and feel I MUST see it again!