Product Details

• Actors: Brooke Shields, Christopher Atkins, Leo McKern, William Daniels, Elva Josephson
• Directors: Randal Kleiser
• Writers: Douglas Day Stewart, Henry De Vere Stacpoole
• Producers: Randal Kleiser, Richard Franklin
• Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Georgian, Chinese, Thai
• Dubbed: Spanish
• Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: October 5, 1999
• Run Time: 104 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (100 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00000K3D1
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,273 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "The Blue Lagoon (Special Edition)" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The cinematography by Néstor Almendros garnered him an Oscar nomination. Unfortunately, the performance by then child star Brooke Shields garnered her a nomination, too--for a Razzie Award. She won, he didn't.

This 1980 remake of a much classier, 1949 British version features Shields and Christopher Atkins as children shipwrecked on a lush tropical island. They grow to maturity and fall in love, with the script paying special attention to their burgeoning sexuality. Should you desire more trite dialogue, there is an even less satisfying sequel, 1991's Return to the Blue Lagoon. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Product Description

The lush beauty and splendor of a South Pacific paradise is vividly captured in this version of Henry DeVere Stacpoole's 1903 novel. Two small children and a ship's cook survive a shipwreck and find safety on an idyllic tropical island. Soon, however, the cook dies and the young boy and girl are left on their own. Days become years and Emmeline (Brooke Shields) and Richard (Christopher Atkins) make a home for themselves surrounded by exotic creatures and nature's beauty. They learn to cope with the bewildering variety of physical changes that come with adolescence. And as they begin to mature, their childhood affections lead to a sensitive and more profound love and the birth of a child. But will they ever see civilization again?

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

112 of 116 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A sweet love story December 23, 2004

By K. M. Talha

Format: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).

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.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Blue Lagoon September 26, 2004

By Carrie McCord

Format:DVD

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.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tale of Natual Love-Brooke Shields finest February 23, 2003

By justine ryan

Format:DVD

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.