The Fascinating History of that Iconic Movie Blue Lagoon

Two children shipwrecked on an island in the South Pacific with no life supplies. Watch Blue Lagoon the movie to find out if they make it or not. Shot with the Victorian era in mind, the Blue Lagoon became a popular movie of its time. Director Randal Kleiser chose to bring the 1903 novel to life, but it was not the first time it was happening. The first adaptation of Blue Lagoon came out in 1949 with major references from the 1903 novel trilogy.

Blue Lagoon is a movie that can be called iconic in a lot of ways. When it was released, nearly everyone was talking about it or flocking to the cinemas to watch it. A reason behind this popularity is that it is a romance movie. Some messages from this movie include living a life without portraying the nominated roles of society and being humans in our truest nature.

Characters

  • Emmeline Lestrange, the heroine
  • Dicky Lestrange, the hero (Emmeline’s cousin)
  • Paddy Button, the cook of the ship
  • Arthur Lestrange, Emmeline’s father and Dicky’s uncle
  • Hannah, Dicky and Emmeline’s son
  • Filming location of the movie

Before finalizing production, producers searched far and wide in the world for a perfect location for this movie. After much search and negotiation, Richard Evanson agreed to let the team use Turtle Island, his property. The flora and fauna of Turtle Island in Fiji were so diverse that they made the movie look even better naturally. After the Iguanas made an appearance in the movie, scientists noticed that the species were previously unknown to science. Therefore, Blue Lagoon also helped in discovering the Iguanas which were later named as Fiji Crested Iguanas. The owner of Turtle Island, Evanson was so delighted by people loving his property that he later opened the island to welcome guests.

One thing that truly set a precedent in the movie was the fascinating beach. Bluer waters and clearer skies were not presented this beautifully in a movie before. Fiji’s Turtle Island made Blue Lagoon one of the best beach-themed movies in history. The privately-owned island contains wildlife species from around the world, secure in a natural habitat. The Fiji people are very hospitable and warm-hearted, and you will never forget their kindness.

The film also used locations from the tropical waters of Jamaica. For about a century, so many movies have been shot in the natural beauty of Jamaica. Whenever you need to film paradise on earth, you take a flight to Jamaica. Various underwater fresh springs and the Caribbean Sea create a fantastic Blue Lagoon in Jamaica. People from around the world visit the Blue Lagoon to see the mind-healing locations from the movie. While it is rumored that most of the movie may have been shot in Fiji, there is not final word on which locations made the cut in the final version of Blue Lagoon.

Reception

The Blue Lagoon was the 12th biggest Box Office hit in North America in the 1980’s. On a $4.5 million budget, the movie raked in $58,853,106 in North America alone. It is clear that the masses loved the Blue Lagoon. However, it was not widely appreciated by critics around the world. Some also tagged it a ‘naughty fantasy’ and nothing more. People wondered how the plot of the movie actually worked and the ending confused them even more. Garnering numbers like 1 out of 4 or 9% on Rotten Tomatoes, critics suggested that a better plot could have made things better in the movie.

However, one cannot deny the hype this movie received in its time and to date. Even if it was a second take at the Blue Lagoon trilogy, it succeeded in gaining the attention of a target audience. Some critics also question the portrayal of the two characters as 7-year olds. If some research was performed before deciding the theme, maybe this movie could have panned out as a practical guide to surviving a shipwreck on an island.

The cinematographer Nestor Almendros was nominated for an Oscar for the movie. He already had an Oscar from his previous work and this movie cemented his position as a cinematographer. Unfortunately, he lost the award to the cinematographers of Tess.

Other interesting facts about the movie

You’d be surprised to know that the Fiji crested iguana was showcased throughout the movie. When John Gibbons, famous herpetologist, captured an early screening of the movie, it hit his mind that the animal that kept appearing on the screen was a unique specie. Out of curiosity, he made his way to the island of Nanuya Levu in Fiji where he came across a new Fijian native (the crested iguana).

Director Randal Klesier also developed a plan to infuse authenticity in the movie, going as far as living like the characters featured while producing the film. In one interview, he said that we wanted to go as close to nature as he could and had his crew live the lives of the characters. The production team ended up on an island that didn’t have any electricity, water, or roads, but it had one thing – beautiful beaches. The team created tends for everyone to reside in and a ship came in with the camera supplies and equipment.

But despite the authenticity and Oscar-nominated shooting scenes, the film didn’t manage to capture everyone’s hearts. The actress was foisted as a worst actress in an award by The Razzies. And she won it in a category that featured a weird batch of nominees including The Shining’s Shelly Duvall.

Conclusion

The Blue Lagoon features relatively standard stuff that one needs for human survival. What made the movie a hit was the way it was captured and the exotic location it was shot in. Going to the islands in person was a bit unusual of the crew, but it just seemed the perfect choice for this iconic blockbuster.