When he was a boy, Magnus Dens (Leigh McCloskey) met a girl on the beach in Bermuda. They became friends and played together. One day they found a large turtle egg that hatched. The shell of the turtle was still soft. Magnus carved their initials on the turtle’s back with a seashell, J for Jennie and M for Magnus. Later the girl and the turtle returned to the sea. Magnus never saw the little girl again. Magnus lived with his father in house on a cliff overlooking the sea. Magnus’ father was a scientist investigating cryptic animals. His laboratory was based in a cave beneath a cliff house. Magnus’ father was killed when an violent underwater disturbance caused the roof of the laboratory to collapse which also destroyed the cliff house.
Years later Magnus returns to Bermuda as an adult. He meets up with his childhood friend, Eric (Carl Weathers) and his father’s old associate, Dr. Paulis (Burl Ives). Paulis and Eric as searching an area of the ocean referred to as the Bermuda Triangle convinced that there is a gigantic creature living in the area. Magnus goes along for the ride. During their search they harpoon something large under the water. The creature almost scuttles the boat and escapes.
Back on land Magnus, Eric and Eric’s wife, Doshan (Julie Woodson) have dinner with Dr. Paulis and his housekeeper, Delia (Ruth Attaway). Magnus is looking for answers about his father’s death but Paulis isn’t all that forthcoming. Later Eric sees a woman swimming in the ocean. He jumps in after her but ends up almost drowning. He is saved by the young woman who tells him that her name is Jennie Haniver (Connie Sellecca). When Magnus tries to tell Paulis about the young woman he tells Magnus that Jennie Haniver is the name given to a mythical sea creature from folklore. Magnus is undaunted and is sure that Jennie is real. Delia eventually tells Magnus about the legend of a young vane woman who made a pack with a god to become immortal at the cost of losing her humanity and becoming a creature of the sea. It is said that she can appear to people as either a young girl or a beautiful woman and that death follows her.
“The Bermuda Depths” was released in 1978 and was directed by Tsugunobu Kotani. It is an American and Japanese science fiction fantasy love story and a family film. It is the third of three films that Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass created in collaboration with Japanese filmmakers Tsuburaya Productions. It was technically a made for television film but did have a theatrical release in Japan. Eventually the film was released on Blu-ray in 2021.
The film has quite a few questionable special effects but the movie mostly focuses on the love story between Jennie and Magnus. As such it is a gentle tale with some really good cinematography. It is slightly melancholy and sentimental but enjoyable if you’re not into a lot of violence or blood. People do die but there isn’t really any gore or sex to speak of.
A Jenny Haniver is the carcass of a small dried ray or skate fish. The carcass is manipulated to make it look like a dragon or some other type of mythological sea creature or cryptid. They were created and sold as curiosities to tourists as proof of the existence of sea creatures. They were first created in the 16th century. Many still exist in different private collections and museums. For a time it was believed that the creatures had mystical powers and could kill someone by looking at them. They are now historical artifacts of a bygone time.
The turtle sounds were actually those of a humpback whale.