The Island (1980)

Director:

Michael Ritchie

Writers:

Peter Benchley (screenplay)
Peter Benchley (novel)

Release Date:

13 June 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

For 300 years, a terrifying secret has been kept from the outside world.

Plot:

David Warner leads a band of modern day pirates who raid yachts and sail boats of people on vacation out in the Caribbean...

Plot Keywords:

Boat | Reporter | Pirate | Exploding Airplane | Molotov Cocktail

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Blair Maynard
David Warner	...	John David Nau
Angela Punch McGregor	...	Beth
Frank Middlemass	...	Windsor
Don Henderson	...	Rollo
Dudley Sutton	...	Dr. Brazil
Colin Jeavons	...	Hizzoner
Zakes Mokae	...	Wescott
Brad Sullivan	...	Stark
Jeffrey Frank	...	Justin Maynard
John O'Leary	...	Doctor #1
Bruce McLaughlin	...	Doctor #2
Jimmy Casino	...	Doctor #3
Suzanne Astor	...	Mrs. Burgess
Susan Bredhoff	...	Kate
Reg Evans	...	Jack the Bat
Steve Gladstone	...	Pirate
David Hart	...	Attendant
Robert Hirschfeld	...	Cook
Gary Hoffman	...	Mr. Burgess
George Marshall Ruge	...	Seaman #1
John Macchia	...	Seaman #2
Ricky Rincon	...	Manuel
Robert Thomas Salmi	...	Ship Captain
William G. Schilling	...	Baxter (as William Schilling)
Stewart Steinberg	...	Hiller
Bob Westmoreland	...	Charter Boat Captain
Mark Westwood	...	Coast Guardsman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rod Ball	...	CPO Zimmerman (uncredited)
Chris Bean	...	Charter Yacht Captain (uncredited)
Christine Page	...	Woman at Gun Range (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Ritchie

Writing credits
Peter Benchley		(screenplay)
Peter Benchley		(novel)

Produced by
David Brown	....	producer
Richard D. Zanuck	....	producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Henri Decaë

Film Editing by
Richard A. Harris

Production Design by
Dale Hennesy

Set Decoration by
Robert De Vestel

Costume Design by
Ann Roth

Makeup Department
Paquita Núñez	....	hair stylist
José Antonio Sánchez	....	makeup artist (as Jose Antonio Sanchez)
Bob Westmoreland	....	makeup artist
Stan Winston	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Alan Levine	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chris Carreras	....	second assistant director
Michel Cheyko	....	first assistant director
Peter Waller	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Jack M. Marino	....	property master (as Jack Marino)
Gary Martin	....	construction coordinator
Dianne Wager	....	assistant art director (as Diane Wager)
Tom Margozewitz	....	assistant property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bernard Bats	....	sound mixer
Richard Beggs	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Berger	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jay Boekelheide	....	sound editor
Tom Bullock	....	supervising sound editor
Frank Cervarich Jr.	....	assistant sound editor
Eugene Finley	....	supervising sound editor
Vivien Hillgrove Gilliam	....	sound editor (as Vivien H. Gilliam)
Richard Hymns	....	assistant sound editor
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bobbe Kurtz	....	sound editor
Norman Mau	....	assistant sound editor (as Norman R. Mau)
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bill Nicholson	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Nutt	....	sound editor
David Parker	....	sound mixer
Clyde Sorenson	....	sound mixer (as Swede Sorensen)
Karen Spangenberg	....	assistant sound editor
Dennie Thorpe	....	assistant sound editor
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Gregg Bond	....	special effects artist
Cliff Wenger	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Bill Taylor	....	matte photographer
Albert Whitlock	....	special visual effects

Stunts
Phil Adams	....	stunts
Fletcher Bryant	....	stunts
Jimmy Casino	....	stunts
David S. Cass Sr.	....	stunts (as Dave Cass)
Michael Cassidy	....	stunts (as Mike Cassidy)
Erik Cord	....	stunts
Bill Couch Jr.	....	stunts
Vince Deadrick Jr.	....	stunts
Christopher Doyle	....	stunts (as Chris Doyle)
Dean Engelhardt	....	stunts
George Fisher	....	stunts
Ted Grossman	....	stunt coordinator
Orwin C. Harvey	....	stunts (as Orwin Harvey)
Bob Herron	....	stunts
Larry Holt	....	stunts
John Hudkins	....	stunts
Mike Johnson	....	stunts (as John Michael Johnson)
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunts
Clay Lacy	....	stunts
Fred Lerner	....	stunts
Dennis Madalone	....	stunts
Bill Madden	....	stunts (as William James Madden)
Grant Page	....	stunts
Victor Paul	....	stunts
Ernest Robinson	....	stunts (as Ernie Robinson)
George Robotham	....	stunts
John Robotham	....	stunts
Philip Romano	....	stunts
Thomas Rosales Jr.	....	stunts (as Tom Rosales Jr.)
Paul Stader	....	stunts (as Paul Stadler)
Bud Walls	....	stunts
Jerry Wills	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Georges Ferrière	....	gaffer
Eugene B. Kerry	....	key grip
Ron Knox	....	gaffer
François Lauliac	....	assistant camera
Margaret Miller	....	assistant camera (as Margaret Ann Miller)
Neil Roach	....	sea photography
Yves Rodallec	....	camera operator
Brian Hamill	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Michael Orefice	....	gaffer: added scenes (uncredited)

Casting Department
Dee Miller	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mary Malin	....	assistant costume designer
Robert M. Moore	....	costume supervisor (as Bob Moore)
Silvio Scarano	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Carolyn H. Abe	....	first assistant editor
Aubrey Head	....	color timer (as Aubrey L. Head)
Burton J. Sears	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Michael Tronick	....	music editor

Other crew
Gary Chason	....	production assistant
Susan Dukow	....	production secretary
Al Ebner	....	unit publicist
Hank Guzman	....	location auditor
Marshall Schlom	....	script supervisor
Brian Stuart-Young	....	production assistant
Rod Ball	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures
• Zanuck/Brown Productions

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• MCA Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1980) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1981) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Esselte Video (1980s) (Finland) (VHS)
• Future Film (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
• Koch Media (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Shout! Factory (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Shout! Factory (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Universal Vault Series)
• VC2 Video (198?) (Netherlands) (video) (Betamax)

Other Companies

• Universal Title  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:R | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1980) | France:-12 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Norway:16 (cut) | Canada:14 (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Norway:15 (uncut) (2009) (DVD premiere) | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:18 | West Germany:16 | Finland:K-15 (uncut) (2009) | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Third filmed adaptation of a Peter Benchley novel after Jaws (1975) and The Deep (1977). Movie versions of Benchley novels became popular in Hollywood for a brief time during the mid to late 1970s due to the box-office success of Jaws (1975), itself producing three sequels, which included Jaws 2 (1978) made during this period.

Quotes:

Beth:What's that?
Blair Maynard:It's a drug called cocaine.
Beth:What does it cure?
Blair Maynard:Insecurity.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in El crack (1981)

Superb modern day pirate tale!

I've always loved this movie. The first part of the film nicely details the troubled relationship between father and son (played by Michael Caine and Jeffrey Frank respectively)and helps you build a sympathy for them that then makes the final part of the movie all the more intense and gut wrenching as a result. As this is essentially a modern day pirate tale you can rest assured that there is no shortage of crusty pirate talk, filthy bodies (although the pirates wife's body makes for a pleasant exception to the rule)unrelenting carnage and David Warner,all of which add up to make a splendid entertainment! The locales are also lush and pleasing. You really have to love a film that can take such beautiful surroundings and add that edge of real menace and danger. The finale is a whole lotta fun too. Check this one out , it's a work of art!