The Mermaid (Yu mei ren) (1965)

Modern day fans of The Little Mermaid are in for a revelatory delight when they see this spectacular Chinese variation. Here, a carp turns into a "fairy" which looks just like the gender-bending hero's lady love. The lovely Li Ching gets this plum dual role, sharing the screen with such other characters as a turtle and lobster fairy. But only the last second intervention of the Goddess of Mercy can save the day, leading to an ending that is truly universal living happily ever after.