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The Blue Lagoon
Promotional poster for The Blue Lagoon
Directed by	Randal Kleiser
Produced by	Randal Kleiser
Written by	Douglas Day Stewart (screenplay) Henry De Vere Stacpoole (novel)
Starring	Brooke Shields Christopher Atkins Leo McKern William Daniels
Music by	Basil Poledouris
Cinematography	Nestor Almendros
Editing by	Robert Gordon
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)	June 20, 1980 (USA)
Running time	104 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$4,500,000 (estimated)
Followed by	Return to the Blue Lagoon
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

The Blue Lagoon is a 1980 English language romance and adventure film starring Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins, produced and directed by Randal Kleiser. The screenplay by Douglas Day Stewart was based on the novel The Blue Lagoon by Henry De Vere Stacpoole. The original music score was composed by Basil Poledouris and the cinematography was by Nestor Almendros. The film was marketed with the tagline "A sensuous story of natural love." Image File history File links Download high resolution version (448x755, 72 KB) Summary promotional poster for the American theatrical release of the film The Blue Lagoon (1980) Source URL: http://www. ... Randal Kleiser (born July 20, 1946 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American film director and producer. ... Randal Kleiser (born July 20, 1946 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American film director and producer. ... Douglas Day Stewart is an American screenwriter. ... Henry De Vere Stacpoole (April 9, 1863 — April 12, 1951) was a Victorian period author, born in Kingstown, Ireland. ... Brooke Christa Camille Shields[1] (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress and supermodel. ... Christopher Atkins on the cover of Playgirl Magazine, 1983 Christopher Atkins smiling Christopher Atkins (born Christopher Bowman on February 21, 1961 in Rye, New York) is an American actor and was a popular teen idol. ... Image:Number Two. ... For other persons named William Daniels, see William Daniels (disambiguation). ... Basil Poledouris (Greek: Βασίλης Πολεδούρης) (August 21, 1945 - November 8, 2006) was an American film composer. ... Nestor Almendros (born October 30, 1930—March 4, 1992) was a Spanish cinematographer. ... Robert Gordon (1668-1731) was born in Aberdeen. ... The Columbia Pictures logo from 1993 to the present Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. ... is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Return to the Blue Lagoon is a 1991 English language romance and adventure film starring Milla Jovovich and Brian Krause, produced and directed by William A. Graham. ... The year 1980 in film involved some significant events. ... While most films have some aspect of romance between characters (at least as a subplot) a romance film can be loosely defined as any film in which the central plot (the premise of the story) revolves around the romantic involvement of the storys protagonists. ... The quintessential adventure film. ... Brooke Christa Camille Shields[1] (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress and supermodel. ... Christopher Atkins on the cover of Playgirl Magazine, 1983 Christopher Atkins smiling Christopher Atkins (born Christopher Bowman on February 21, 1961 in Rye, New York) is an American actor and was a popular teen idol. ... A film producer creates the conditions for making movies. ... Director Herbert Brenon with actress Alla Nazimova on the set of War Brides, 1916 A director is a person who directs the making of a film. ... Randal Kleiser (born July 20, 1946 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American film director and producer. ... Sample from a screenplay, showing dialogue and action descriptions. ... Douglas Day Stewart is an American screenwriter. ... The Blue Lagoon is a romance novel by Henry De Vere Stacpoole, first published in 1908. ... Henry De Vere Stacpoole (April 9, 1863 — April 12, 1951) was a Victorian period author, born in Kingstown, Ireland. ... Basil Poledouris (Greek: Βασίλης Πολεδούρης) (August 21, 1945 - November 8, 2006) was an American film composer. ... Nestor Almendros (born October 30, 1930—March 4, 1992) was a Spanish cinematographer. ...

The film tells the story of two young children shipwrecked on a tropical island in the South Pacific. Emotional feelings and physical changes arise as they reach puberty and fall in love. The film has major thematic similarities to the Biblical story of Adam and Eve. The article on Mount Desert Island, an island off the coast of Maine, redirects here. ... For other uses, see Oceania (disambiguation). ... Puberty refers to the process of physical changes by which a childs body becomes an adult body capable of reproduction. ... For other uses, see Bible (disambiguation). ... Michelangelos Creation of Adam, from the Sistine Chapel. ...

Plot summary

In the Victorian period, two young children, Richard and Emmeline, and a galley cook are the survivors of a shipwreck in the South Pacific. In the turmoil of the burning ship from which they escaped, they become separated from another lifeboat that the boy's father is in and drift out to sea. After days afloat, they arrive and are stranded on a lush tropical island. The cook, Paddy Button, assumes the responsibility for caring for the small children, teaching them how to behave, how to forage for food, etc. He cautions them about the other side of the island, where he has seen evidence of bloody human sacrifices. He doesn't go into detail but tells them the bogeyman is there, and makes them agree to a "law" that they will never venture in that direction. Another "law" is that they must never eat a certain scarlet berry that Emmeline finds -- they are "never-wake-up" berries. The memory of having had these things in her mouth haunts Emmeline in nightmares for the rest of the film, and because Paddy talks about being "dead'n'buried," she associates the words with the berries and calls them the "dead'n'berries." The Victorian era of the United Kingdom marked the height of the British Industrial Revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ... For other uses, see Bogeyman (disambiguation). ...

An unspecified amount of time passes and Paddy eventually dies in a drunken binge. Richard and Emmeline, now alone and very frightened, cross in the lifeboat to another island and rebuild their home. Together, they have to survive solely on their resourcefulness, and the bounty of their remote paradise. Years pass and they both grow into tall, strong and beautiful teenagers. They live in a self-constructed hut and spend their days together fishing, swimming, and diving for pearls. Eventually, strange emotions start influencing their relationship.

Richard and Emmeline begin to fall in love, although this is emotionally stressful for them because of their general ignorance of human sexuality. Both teens' bodies mature and develop, and they are physically attracted to each other, but do not know how to express it. Emmeline is shown beginning her first menstrual period when she was swimming naked and being very frightened at first. Richard has many questions about what is happening to them, but has no answers; he wants to hold and kiss Emmeline, but when she rejects him, he goes off alone and masturbates. Meanwhile, ever-curious Emmeline has wandered to the forbidden side of the island and discovered an impressive, Kon-Tiki-like idol there. Its shrine is covered with blood. Instinctively recognizing that this is a holy place, she kneels and prays, later telling Richard that she thinks Paddy was mistaken; that the "bogeyman", who bleeds like Jesus, is actually God. Ultimately, they make up after a fight when Emmeline accidentally steps on "a fish that looks like a rock" and barely survives as Richard sets her down at the shrine. Menstrual cycle In the female reproductive system, the menstrual cycle is a recurring cycle of physiologic changes that occurs in reproductive-age females. ... Woman masturbating, 1913 drawing by Gustav Klimt. ... Å… Apu Qun Tiqsi Wiraqutra In Inca mythology, Apu Qun Tiqsi Wiraqutra, commonly known today as Con-Tici Viracocha or simply Viracocha, was the creator of everything in the world civilization, and one of the most important deities in the Inca canon. ... Not to be confused with Rockfish For the Neighbours character, see Stonefish Rebecchi Binomial name Bloch & Schneider, 1801 The stonefish, Synanceia verrucosa, also known as the the reef stone or dornorn is a carnivorous ray-finned fish with venomous spines that lives on reef bottoms, camouflaged as a rock. ...

Richard and Emmeline are then seen swimming naked in the coral reef until they swim to shore. Still naked near the shrine and eating some fruit, Richard and Emmeline then discover passionate love and then sexual intercourse. From then on, they make love quite often for several months, hang out naked, and eventually Emmeline gets pregnant. Although the audience is fully aware of Emmeline's condition, Richard and Emmeline themselves have no knowledge of childbirth and don't understand the physical changes to Emmeline's body. An intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship. ... It has been suggested that Duration of sexual intercourse be merged into this article or section. ...

One night, Richard discovers Emmeline is missing. Looking for her in the forest, he discovers the origins of the drums they have been hearing from time to time on the forbidden side of the island. They come from a group of natives from another island, who use the shrine to sacrifice conquered enemies. Richard flees as the sacrificee is killed. Richard hears Emmeline cry out, and follows the sound just in time to help her give birth to a baby boy whom they named Paddy.

The young couple spend all their time together with Paddy, teaching him how to swim, throw a spear, and play in the mud. It is during this mud play that we see a ship in the distance, heading for the island. Although Richard was formerly keen to leave and remonstrated with Emmeline for not lighting signal fires when they saw ships, he is now committed to the island as their home and does nothing. Meanwhile, the crew, led by Richard's father Arthur, see the family playing on the shore but as they're completely covered in mud, assume that these are Tahitian natives, not the young couple they've been searching for all these years.

One day, the two young parents and Paddy cross in the lifeboat to the place they lived just after arriving. While Richard looks through their old things and cuts bananas, absent-minded Emmeline doesn't realize her son has not only brought a branch of some berries into the boat, he has tossed one of the oars out. When the tide sweeps the boat out into the lagoon, Richard swims to her, followed closely by a shark. Emmeline throws the other oar at the shark, striking it and giving Richard just enough time to get in the boat. Though not far from shore, they are unable to return -- they cannot jump in the water to retrieve the oars without risking a shark attack. They try to paddle with their hands, but to no avail; the boat is caught in the current and drifts out to sea. For other uses, see Shark (disambiguation). ...

After days of being adrift, Richard and Emmeline wake in the boat to find Paddy eating the berries he picked, a poisonous berry they called the "never wake up berries" as told to them by deceased Paddy. Emmeline tries to get him to spit them out, but he has swallowed them. Hopelessly lost, Richard and Emmeline decide to eat the berries as well, lying down embracing to await death. Only a few hours later, Arthur's ship finds them floating in the boat. Arthur asks, "Are they dead?" and the ship's captain answers, "No, sir. They are asleep." The ending, true to the book, differs considerably from the one in the 1949 film version.

The story is eventually continued in the sequel Return to the Blue Lagoon. In this film, which picks up where The Blue Lagoon left off, Richard and Emmeline die in the lifeboat minutes after being found, but their son is rescued. He ultimately ends up back on the island in a story similar to that of the first film. This is based very loosely on Stacpoole's actual sequel The Garden of God. Return to the Blue Lagoon is a 1991 English language romance and adventure film starring Milla Jovovich and Brian Krause, produced and directed by William A. Graham. ... The Garden of God is a romance novel by Henry De Vere Stacpoole, first published in 1923. ...

Cast

• Brooke Shields as Emmeline Lestrange
• Christopher Atkins as Richard Lestrange
• Leo McKern as Paddy Button
• William Daniels as Arthur Lestrange
• Elva Josephson as Young Emmeline
• Glenn Kohan as Young Richard
• Alan Hopgood as Captain
• Gus Mercurio as Officer

Brooke Christa Camille Shields[1] (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress and supermodel. ... Christopher Atkins on the cover of Playgirl Magazine, 1983 Christopher Atkins smiling Christopher Atkins (born Christopher Bowman on February 21, 1961 in Rye, New York) is an American actor and was a popular teen idol. ... Image:Number Two. ... For other persons named William Daniels, see William Daniels (disambiguation). ... mum is in the building Alan Hopgood (born September 29, 1934 in Launceston, Tasmania) is an Australian writer and actor. ... Gus Mercurio (born August 10, 1928 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American born Australian character actor in both films and television. ...

Reaction

DVD cover for The Blue Lagoon

• Unlike her earlier Pretty Baby, this film featured no actual nude scenes for the young Shields, who was only 14 when the film was made. A body double was used for all of her nude scenes, although Shields was featured in several topless scenes. Atkins has a few full frontal nudity scenes however, and the film also featured love scenes, something that Pretty Baby had lacked.
• The younger children who play the young Richard and Emmeline appear nude for far longer periods of time and much more explicitly, but mostly in the water. There is only a brief shot of them fully nude out on land, but only while running on a beach, with Paddy chasing after them to tell them to put their clothes back on, which they refuse to at that point. The only totally apparent full frontal nudity (where you can even clearly see genitals) is when a son they end up having reaches toddler-hood. He walks around naked often.
• The film was criticized as prurient by several Christian and conservative groups, primarily because of the themes presented in the movie. The story touches on masturbation (but without total apparent evidence of it), teenage sex, alcoholism, suicide and other controversial subjects without delving into any of these topics in depth or portending a moral message. To this day, some Christian film review sources^[who?] cite The Blue Lagoon as a benchmark for measuring the immorality of a film, particularly when it comes to teenagers in sexual situations.
• The film was the ninth biggest box office hit of 1980 in North America according to Box Office Mojo, grossing US$58,853,106 in the United States and Canada[1].

For critical reaction see: Image File history File links Summary Cover of the The Blue Lagoon Special Edition DVD from the The Blue Lagoon/Return To The Blue Lagoon box set. ... Image File history File links Summary Cover of the The Blue Lagoon Special Edition DVD from the The Blue Lagoon/Return To The Blue Lagoon box set. ... Pretty Baby is a 1978 historical fiction, dramatic film directed by Louis Malle. ... Nude redirects here. ... Box Office Mojo is a website that tracks box office revenue in a systematic way. ... USD redirects here. ...

• The Blue Lagoon (1980) at Rotten Tomatoes
• The New York Times original review of The Blue Lagoon (registration required)

This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Trivia

• This film is a remake of the 1949 classic The Blue Lagoon, starring Jean Simmons and Donald Houston. That version, directed by Frank Launder, lacks the nudity and sexual content of the 1980 version. However, the original filmed version was a black and white silent film shot in the UK in 1923. The 1923 version was directed by W. Bowden and Dick Cruickshanks, starring Molly Adair and Dick Cruickshanks.
• This film was followed eleven years later by the 1991 sequel Return to the Blue Lagoon, starring Milla Jovovich and Brian Krause. Also produced by Randal Kleiser, the sequel answers (grimly) the question of whether Richard and Emmeline survived beyond the end of The Blue Lagoon. It is only very loosely based on Stacpoole's sequel, The Garden of God.
• This film was parodied by the 1984 comedy film Top Secret!, starring Val Kilmer and Lucy Gutteridge.
• The DVD version of this film featured two audio commentaries. The first is by Randal Kleiser, Douglas Day Stewart, and Brooke Shields; the second is by Randal Kleiser and Christopher Atkins. It also featured a personal photo album by Brooke Shields, which was taken during the making of the film.
• Character actor Gus Mercurio is the only cast member of this film who also appeared in Return to the Blue Lagoon eleven years later. He played the first mate of the ship that found Richard and Emmeline.
• Dana Plato was offered the role of Emmeline Lestrange in the film. Plato was interested but her agent advised her against it because of fear that it could hurt her innocent, wholesome image she had on Diff'rent Strokes.
• Lori Loughlin was offered the lead role of Emmeline Lestrange in the film, but turned it down.
• Willie Aames and Diane Lane both auditioned for the film, but turned down the project because they refused to do nudity (Lane however went on to do full frontal nudity in the 1987 thriller Lady Beware; Aames would eventually take the lead part in the 1982 romance film Paradise, a knock-off of The Blue Lagoon where he appeared fully nude.).
• Kelly Preston auditioned for the role of Emmeline Lestrange, but turned it down for being too sophisticated for the role of a wild child. Matt Dillon was the original choice for the role of Richard Lestrange, but turned it down because he refused to do nudity.
• Reportedly, appearing nude in this film inspired Christopher Atkins to be less worried about things like bathing suits, etc. in real life. In addition, Brooke Shields was rather nervous about doing the menstruation scene prior to her actual experience.
• In the DVD version of this film, it was stated that many of Brooke Shields' nude scenes were in fact done by older body doubles. In addition, the film's stunt coordinator Kathy Troutt was one of the body doubles as well as the dolphin trainer. It was also stated that Brooke Shields had done many of her topless scenes with her hair glued to her breasts.
• The flora and fauna featured in the film were entirely out of place for the island setting. The director utilized a bizarre array of animals from multiple continents. Wranglers even daubed paint on docile iguanas to give them an exotic appearance.
• This film was shot on location in Jamaica and Nanuya Levu, a privately-owned island in Fiji, whilst the blue lagoon scenes were shot in Champagne Bay, Vanuatu.
• Two movies were inspired by the success of The Blue Lagoon, by featuring stories of castaway teens in romance: Paradise (1982) and the Italian movie Due gocce d'acqua salata (1982).

See also: 1948 in film 1949 1950 in film 1940s in film 1950s in film years in film film Events Top grossing films North America Adams Rib Jolson Sings Again Pinky I Was a Male War Bride, The Snake Pit, Joan of Arc Academy Awards Best Picture: All the... The Blue Lagoon is a 1949 British romance and adventure film produced and directed by Frank Launder, starring Jean Simmons and Donald Houston. ... Robert Mitchum and Jean Simmons in Angel Face Jean Merilyn Simmons (born January 31, 1929 in Crouch Hill, London, England, United Kingdom) is a British actress. ... Donald Houston (November 6, 1923 — October 13, 1991) was an impassive, hardworking Welsh actor whose first two films - The Blue Lagoon (1949) with Jean Simmons, and A Run for Your Money (1949) with Sir Alec Guinness - were highly successful. ... Frank Launder (January 28, 1906—February 23, 1997) was a British writer, director and producer, who made more than 40 films, usually in collaboration with Sidney Gilliat. ... See also: 1922 in film 1923 1924 in film 1920s in film years in film film // Events April 15 - Lee De Forest demonstrates the Phonofilm sound-on-film system at the Rivoli Theater in New York with a series of short musical films featuring vaudeville performers. ... The year 1991 in film involved some significant events. ... Return to the Blue Lagoon is a 1991 English language romance and adventure film starring Milla Jovovich and Brian Krause, produced and directed by William A. Graham. ... Milla Jovovich (Serbian: Милица Јововић/Milica Jovović, Ukrainian: Мілла Йовович/Mіlla Jovovič; born Milica Nataša Jovović on December 17, 1975) is an American supermodel, actress, musician, singer, and fashion designer. ... Brian Thomas Krause (born February 1, 1969) is an American actor. ... Randal Kleiser (born July 20, 1946 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American film director and producer. ... // Events The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name. ... Top Secret! is a 1984 comedy directed by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker. ... Val Edward Kilmer[1] (born December 31, 1959) is an American actor. ... Lucy Gutteridge (born November 28, 1956) is a British actress. ... DVD (also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc - see Etymology) is a popular optical disc storage media format. ... Gus Mercurio (born August 10, 1928 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American born Australian character actor in both films and television. ... Dana Michelle Plato (November 7, 1964 – May 8, 1999) was an American actress who became famous playing the role of Kimberly Drummond in the U.S. television sitcom Diffrent Strokes. ... Diffrent Strokes is an American sitcom that aired on the NBC television network from 1978 to 1985, and on ABC from 1985 to 1986. ... Lori Loughlin (born July 28, 1964) is an American television actress, best known for her role as Rebecca Donaldson on the ABC comedy series Full House. ... Willie Aames (born Albert William Upton July 15, 1960 in Orange County, California, USA) is an actor best known for the roles of Buddy Lembeck on Charles in Charge, Tommy Bradford on Eight is Enough and the voice of Hank on Dungeons & Dragons, the cartoon. ... Diane Lane (born January 22, 1965) is an Academy Award-nominated American actress. ... // May 9 - Actor Tom Cruise marries actress Mimi Rogers. ... Lady Beware is a 1987 thriller film, directed by Karen Arthur. ... // This is the year of film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which will become the highest grossing movie for almost 15 years (until Titanic), earning double or triple against any major film of the 1980s. ... Paradise is a 1982 English language romance and adventure film starring Phoebe Cates and Willie Aames, written and directed by Stuart Gillard. ... Kelly Kamalelehua Palzis Preston-Travolta (born October 13, 1962) is an American actress, also known for being the wife of actor John Travolta. ... This article is about the feral child. ... Matthew Raymond Matt Dillon (born February 18, 1964) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor. ... Body Double is a 1984 film by directed Brian De Palma. ... “Topless” redirects here. ... Nanuya Levu is a privately-owned island of the Yasawa Group in Fiji and the site of the Turtle Island Resort, a sustainable luxury resort and also the locale for the romance/adventure film The Blue Lagoon (1980). ... Paradise is a 1982 English language romance and adventure film starring Phoebe Cates and Willie Aames, written and directed by Stuart Gillard. ...

Awards and nominations

Nominee: Academy Award for Best Cinematography - Nestor Almendros

Nominee: Saturn Award - Best Fantasy Film

Nominee: Golden Globe Award, New Star of the Year - Christopher Atkins

Winner: 1980 Golden Raspberry Awards, Worst Actress - Brooke Shields

• Young Artist Awards

Nominee: Best Major Motion Picture - Family Entertainment

Nominee: Best Young Motion Picture Actor - Christopher Atkins

Nominee: Best Young Motion Picture Actress - Brooke Shields

Charles Rosher the first recipient in 1928 The Academy Award for Best Cinematography is awarded each year to a cinematographer for his work in one particular motion picture. ... Nestor Almendros (born October 30, 1930—March 4, 1992) was a Spanish cinematographer. ... The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. ... The Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and television programs, given out each year during a formal dinner. ... The 1st Golden Raspberry Awards were held on March 31, 1981. ... The Young Artist Award is an award which is presented yearly by the Young Artist Foundation. ...

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

The Blue Lagoon

• The Blue Lagoon (1980) at the Internet Movie Database
• The Blue Lagoon (1980) at the TCM Movie Database
• The Blue Lagoon (1980) at Allmovie

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