Customer Reviews

The Blue Lagoon

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In 1980, when this film was released, there was quite a bit of controversy, most of it ill-founded. There were complaints about incest, but the two children are not brother and sister: Emmeline clearly addresses Arthur Lestrange as Uncle, while Richard calls him Father, so the closest they could be is cousins, and the use of Uncle may have been conventional (indicating guardianship) rather than literal. There were complaints about showing a 14-year-old actress nude, but they used body doubles for all of the nude scenes (Brooke Shields spends some of the commentary pointing which body double was used for which scene).

I'd guess that opinion about this film polarises into about three camps. There are those who are shocked / scandalised (let's hope they don't buy the DVD and be shocked and scandalised all over again). There are those who are titillated by the nudity (such a shock for them to learn that they are looking at a 30-year-old woman, rather than a 14-year-old!). And then there are those who can see past all that to the sweet, innocent love story that the film is really all about.

The plot is fairly straightforward. A man, Arthur Lestrange (William Daniels), is taking two children, Emmeline (Elva Josephson) and Richard (Glenn Kohan), from Boston to San Francisco by sailing ship around the turn of the century (the date is not specified). Because the Panama Canal doesn't exist yet, they must travel right down to the bottom of South America to get around. After rounding the bottom, there's a fire aboard - something that is a serious concern, but in this case it is worse, because it is in a hold containing blasting powder, so the passengers are rowed away from the ship. In the confusion, the children are separated from Arthur Lestrange; they end up in a boat with Paddy, the ship's cook (Leo McKern). To make things worse, a heavy fog rolls in, the ship blows up, and they are adrift by themselves.

Luck (and the scriptwriter) is with them, and they awaken within sight of an island. They are very fortunate to discover that this island has fresh water, ample fruit (bananas, papayas, and coconuts, amongst others), and is generally a tropical paradise. Paddy shows them various useful skills, including the construction of a hut, and collection of food, before dying. Now two fairly young children (I'm guessing they are under ten years) are alone. Years pass, and Richard (now Christopher Atkins) and Emmeline (now Brooke Shields) are coping fairly well with the basics of feeding themselves, but they are going through a variety of traumas as their bodies change. Matters like Emmeline's first period are not glossed over - it's easy to see how terrifying that could be for a young girl with no idea of what is happening to her. Emotionally, the pair are still children, and they squabble and tease one another just as children do. There are a series of events (nope, I'm not saying what) that split them apart, then bring them back together. Yes, they do learn about sex, and that is also handled sensitively - it could have come across as pornographic, but it doesn't, it comes across as tender and caring. The consequences are handled well, too. Bear in mind that these children, back on the ship, were still at the "cabbage patch" stage of sex education...

Providing you have a broad enough mind not to be scandalised by the nudity (which is utterly appropriate to the setting), this is a sweet love story set in a tropical paradise, a study of innocence, with enough drama to add seasoning. Recommended.

This movie is innocent, romantic, and sexy all combined in one great movie. Some may find it cheesy but I find it to be very endearing. If you are looking for a great Saturday afternoon, lazy day kind of movie then the Blue Lagoo is one movie you should definitly purchase.

The Blue Lagoon DVD


In 1980, when this film was released, there was quite a bit of controversy, most of it ill-founded. There were complaints about incest, but the two children are not brother and sister: Emmeline clearly addresses Arthur Lestrange as Uncle, while Richard calls him Father, so the closest they could be is cousins, and the use of Uncle may have been conventional (indicating guardianship) rather than literal. There were complaints about showing a 14-year-old actress nude, but they used body doubles for all of the nude scenes (Brooke Shields spends some of the commentary pointing which body double was used for which scene).

The plot is fairly straightforward. A man, Arthur Lestrange (William Daniels), is taking two children, Emmeline (Elva Josephson) and Richard (Glenn Kohan), from Boston to San Francisco by sailing ship around the turn of the century (the date is not specified). Because the Panama Canal doesn't exist yet, they must travel right down to the bottom of South America to get around. After rounding the bottom, there's a fire aboard - something that is a serious concern, but in this case it is worse, because it is in a hold containing blasting powder, so the passengers are rowed away from the ship. In the confusion, the children are separated from Arthur Lestrange; they end up in a boat with Paddy, the ship's cook (Leo McKern). To make things worse, a heavy fog rolls in, the ship blows up, and they are adrift by themselves.

Luck (and the scriptwriter) is with them, and they awaken within sight of an island. They are very fortunate to discover that this island has fresh water, ample fruit (bananas, papayas, and coconuts, amongst others), and is generally a tropical paradise. Paddy shows them various useful skills, including the construction of a hut, and collection of food, before dying. Now two fairly young children (I'm guessing they are under ten years) are alone. Years pass, and Richard (now Christopher Atkins) and Emmeline (now Brooke Shields) are coping fairly well with the basics of feeding themselves, but they are going through a variety of traumas as their bodies change. Matters like Emmeline's first period are not glossed over - it's easy to see how terrifying that could be for a young girl with no idea of what is happening to her. Emotionally, the pair are still children, and they squabble and tease one another just as children do. There are a series of events (nope, I'm not saying what) that split them apart, then bring them back together. Yes, they do learn about sex, and that is also handled sensitively - it could have come across as pornographic, but it doesn't, it comes across as tender and caring. The consequences are handled well, too. Bear in mind that these children, back on the ship, were still at the "cabbage patch" stage of sex education...

Providing you have a broad enough mind not to be scandalized by the nudity (which is utterly appropriate to the setting), this is a sweet love story set in a tropical paradise, a study of innocence, with enough drama to add seasoning.

Recommended For fans OF Brooke Shields(of Calvin Klein blue jeans fame) and love stories.

Gunner January, 2008

The Blue Lagoon is a true classic, never have I seen a film shot as beautifully as this one. It is a true story about natual love, the discovery of one's self, their bodies, their confusing feelings for one another as they hit man and womanhood. This film deals with a lot of issues- growing up on their own on a deserted island, their sexuality, masterbation, menstration, sex,parenthood. This film is wonderful. Never have I really seen a film that's not set in civillisation but is so entertaining for one but the story is just beautiful, and Brooke Shields as Emmeline and Christopher Atkins as Richard are fantastic. The musical score is truely beautiful and makes me feel a range of emotions. The first time I saw this film I was so fasinated by it, and was about the same age as the characters so I could relate to some of the emotions they were going through, the confusion of everything. Anyone thinking about buying this film-Go for it- You woun't regret it. As for the fans who have loved this film throught out the years, it was worth the wait. The Extras on the DVD are excellent. The two commentaries are very informative and I love listening to the Brooke Shields track and hearing her insight about the film and that time the film came out. It's also interesting looking at her own personal photo album and the featurette from 1980 is very interesting.This film will always be one of my favourites.-Brooke Shields is just beautiful and is one of the best actress' of her generation.

There couldn't be a more beautiful movie than this one. It completely shows the way of human nature. When discussing philosophy and how some things work in this world, I refer to this movie so much. What is so true about the movie is that everything that happens in it is natural, innocent, and pure. Some might disagree with the content of the movie, well if someone can't handle nudity, they shouldn't be watching it.(that includes children) If you feel that it is appropriate for a child then let them see it. I first saw this movie at the age of 12 and thought it was a touching story. Some people might say that it's a dirty movie with it's sex scenes, but the beauty of the movie is that it was a natural experience where they werent having sex to "do it", but because they loved each other, and that's more beautiful than anything.

When Blue Lagoon came out in the theatres, I was 17, and my parents refused to allow me to see it. It wasn't until I was 29, married and had cable that I finally watched this contraversial film. While I still think it more appropriate for the actors to have been 18 years old, rather than 14, due to the mature themes and nudity, this is not your hot and sweaty sex movie. You can get that from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and just about any daytime/primetime TV, these days. What the story is about is 2 cousins, eventually left on their own, trying to survive in an Eden-like paradise, with the innocence of children and the natural curiosities that adolescence brings on. They love, gently and affectionately, they have a child, they are content. When a ship nears, they make a mutual decision to remain on the island and not try to be rescued. In a word, they are complete. While the acting overall was pretty pathetic, and the script trite in many places, there were some poignant moments; Em "meeting" God and laying flowers at his feet so they would not make Him mad and would go to Heaven. Richard contemplating the bleached skeleton of Paddy and realizing his own eventual fate, as well as that of Em and his son. The mutual decisions not to be saved, as well as saying farewell to each other after eating poison berries, when accidently drifting out to sea. One cannot but be heartbroken when they are found asleep, rather than dead, because there will be no place in society for them. They belong in paradise, and the director should have let them die. Even the music becomes sad rather than jubilant. Scenery gorgeous, a beautiful score, acting fairly bad. So, why do we keep returning to Blue Lagoon? Because wouldn't we all like to be marooned on a gorgeous tropical island with our perfect love and be left to live simple and fulfilling lives in paradise? 5 stars for the idea, 2-3 for acting, so gave it a 4.

Blue Lagoon is not a blue (raunchy, erotic, etc.) movie at all. It is an interesting examination of the scenario it presents. I have never understood why the critics all rate it so poorly. And I don't even understand why almost everyone scorns the dialogue, and the acting. It all seemed reasonable and realistic enough to me, given the ages of the protagonists (not the actors). What's the matter with the carpers? This is a fine and beautiful movie, much better than lots that are rated higher.

After things don't go like they should, a boy and a girl get stranded on an island in the South Seas. The two children are forced to stay together for years on the island with no other place to go. As you might imagine, once these two reach their teenage years, they might begin to feel a little differently about each other.

I was born the year this movie was made and I grew up watching it a lot of times. When I was a teenager, I never really paid much attention to the movie itself because I was head over heels for Brooke Shields. Now that I'm grown, I decided to watch it again and see if it was really as terrible of a movie as I've always heard it was.

Sure, the movie is somewhat controversial and it's not all that deep plot-wise, but to be honest, I still like this movie a lot.

In my opinion, "The Blue Lagoon" had and still has a lot going for it. For one, I don't see why everybody cuts down Brooke Shields for her horrible acting. Granted she's not the best actress in the world, but I don't think she did that bad of a job. Another thing, I saw that the movie doesn't concentrate hardly at all on how the couple actually survives for years on the island, it's mainly just a movie about two teens who fall in love on a seemingly deserted island. But that's all the makers intended for this movie to be about, it's not supposed to be much of a story of survival. It kept me interested the entire two hours and I never got bored at all.

Finally, I've always heard about "The Blue Lagoon" winning the 1980 award for best cinematography, and I can see why. Throughout the movie, there are several captivating underwater sequences along with the views of the island itself and the ocean. Equally as impressive is the film's musical score. The music couldn't have been any better for the parts of the movie that it signifies.

If you like great movies and if you can tolerate watching a classic romance/drama film, do yourself a favor and purchase "The Blue Lagoon." I really don't see why many people throughout the years have bashed it flatter than a slice of cheese because it's a great movie, and in my book, it's a classic!

Entertaining romantic fairy-tale with Christopher Atkins and Brooke Shields. The pretty Emmeline and her attractive companion Richard, after being shipwrecked, land on a lush tropical island. Over the years their mutual affection develops into a beautiful, innocent love relationship. But their paradise doesn't stay undisturbed. Very lovely movie performance about that what dreams are made of.

THE BLUE LAGOON(1980) was not well received when it was released, but when I saw it at the age of 13(I`m 31 now) it set my imagination on fire; t h i s is how firstlove can be - t h i s is how romantic life c a n be. Of course it is a fairytale. But it is produced with such beauty that when I see the film now, I`m still spellbound. The film takes you away, makes you dream. The photography and music is outstanding, as are the beautiful stars Christopher Atkins and Brooke Shields.

It is - no matter what pedantic critics might say - a most beautiful love story - AND; must be regarded as a classic. Maybe -THE classic film for MY generation concerning first love.