The Blue Lagoon (1980)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Randal Kleiser

Writers:

Henry De Vere Stacpoole (novel)
Douglas Day Stewart (writer)

Release Date:

5 July 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A story of natural love. Two children shipwrecked alone on a tropical island. Nature is kind. They thrive on the bounty of jungle and lagoon. The boy grows tall. The girl beautiful. They swim naked over coral reefs. They run in a cathedral of trees. And the warm winds, the tropic moon, the silk sand conspire to enchant them. When their love happens, it is natural as the sea, and as powerful. Love as nature intended to be.

Plot:

On a Journey to San Fransico Richard, his father and cousin Em find them selves on a ship about to explode...

Plot Keywords:

Island | Boat | Tropical Island | Desert Island | Baby

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Brooke Shields	...	Emmeline
Christopher Atkins	...	Richard
Leo McKern	...	Paddy Button
William Daniels	...	Arthur Lestrange
Elva Josephson	...	Young Emmeline
Glenn Kohan	...	Young Richard
Alan Hopgood	...	Captain
Gus Mercurio	...	Officer
Jeffrey Kleiser	...	Lookout (as Jeffrey Means)
Bradley Pryce	...	Little Paddy
Chad Timmerman	...	Infant Paddy
Gert Jacoby	...	Sailor
Alex Hamilton	...	Sailor
Richard Evanson	...	Sailor

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (original rating) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) (re-rating) (2005) | Brazil:14 | Spain:13 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:13 | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Nanuya Levu Island, Fiji

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Christopher Reeve auditioned for the role of Richard but turned it down due to his commitment with Superman II (1980).

Goofs:

Continuity: After Emmeline teaches the baby to swim, they go swimming together. In the underwater shots they have no clothes on but in a close-up of Emmeline, a little piece of clothing is visible.

Quotes:

Emmeline: [imitating Richard] It doesn't scare them off unless I can spear them!
[throws an umbrella that acted as the spear]
Richard: Aw, spear you!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "20 to 1: Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (#6.6)" (2008)

Critically underrated film that resonates with global audience

I've never understood the critical slam this film has received. Then I saw the widescreen dvd version and understood; everyone has been watching it in pan and scan! The film is a visual poem. So much of the story telling is done through visual information. The impact of this is lost when the cinematography is altered. Remember that Nestor Almendros received an Academy Award nomination for his work on this film. The film has resonated with global audiences for so long for this very reason. I suggest people watch the dvd commentary with Randal Kleiser and Brooke Shields to get a better understanding of why this film is still such a popular one.

People attack the acting, but these are children left alone with no one to guide them into adult sophistication. Their interaction and reactions to situations are very consistent with this scenario. Yes, the birth scene is a little rushed, but do we really need to see the umbilical cord? Not all films need to be about gritty reality, ala "Taxi Driver." No one asks to see the bloody guts of the smashed witch in "The Wizard of Oz."

It is a beautiful, romantic film that speaks to millions of people. It seems that only the most skeptical cynics cannot embrace this film.