7 Things You Probably Don't Know About “The Blue Lagoon”

Who is from the 80's and 90's should remember “The Blue Lagoon”, considered by many a classic novel and seen by millions of people. Released in 1980, the American film (classified as romance and adventure) stars Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins - rather sensual production by the standards of the time.

Some critics have even called it shocking because of the scenes of the two young men with very few lost clothes on the island paradise. The movie had a remake and even later versions, but the 1980 original remains the true classic. For those who don't remember, the plot tells the story of English cousins ​​Richard and Emmeline who, as children, survive a wreck in the Pacific Ocean.

One of the most treated aspects of the film is sexuality, as children soon become teenagers and must deal with the discoveries of this phase without any instruction - and they also need to find ways to survive in the wild relying on the wild. instinct they have. Today, let's talk about some things you probably don't know about this once-controversial romantic classic:

1 - Not original from theaters

The film is based on a book of the same name by author Henry de Vere Stacpoole, who also published two more related works, although adaptations for theaters (including the 1991 sequel) focus more on lost young people on paradise islands and the awakening of the island. sexuality. In Stacpoole's books, there is one extremely important element that has not been so prominent in the films - the culture of the Polynesian people, and especially the culture shock that English cousins ​​have with them.

2 - The book was adapted twice before 1980

Yeah, there are even more versions of “The Blue Lagoon” than you thought. The first adaptation of Stacpoole's work came in 1923, made by the hands of director W. Bowden - a silent film. Decades later, British director Frank Launder directed the 1949 version, which was also very popular. However, only with Randal Kleiser's 1980 version of “The Blue Lagoon” became a worldwide hit.

3 - Protecting the Body from Shields

Actress Brooke Shields was only 14 when the recordings took place and, as we all know, the movie has some sexy scenes. Since the character Emmeline is almost always topless (after all, the two young people are lost and isolated on an island since they were young), the production had to find a method to keep Brooke's breasts from appearing all the time. The way to do it was very unusual: they stuck the hair of the actress in the body so that nothing that could not be seen appeared unintentionally.

4 - Brooke Shields Age Controversy

As we have already said, the actress was only 14 years old when “The Blue Lagoon” was filmed. The girl's age was a hotly debated topic at the time due to the implicit sexual content of the production. Years later, Brooke Shields herself said that she had no problem filming "The Blue Lagoon" and that in the most explicit sensual scenes were used body doubles.

5 - A new species of iguana has been discovered.

There is a type of iguana that is often displayed in the landscapes of the paradise island. When herpetologist John Gibbons went to the movies, he was quite surprised to see the animal, which, after some research, proved to be absent from scientific records. So Gibbons traveled to Fiji (the nation where the film was shot) and attested that it was a new reptile - a discovery made thanks to the film.

6 - Perfect Rental

Director Randal Kleiser was very concerned about the authenticity of the film and really wanted to film on a deserted and isolated island in the Pacific Ocean. After the theatrical release, Kleiser said that in order to film this kind of story he wanted to be as close as possible to nature and that the production team almost had to live like the characters in the story. The location was on one of the islands of Fiji - a place that had no roads, water or electricity, but wonderful beaches. The perfect setting.

7 - Love on set

Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins actually had a romance while filming, something that originated because of the time they had been together. However, the passion was not lasting and after a few weeks they had already argued a lot and broke up. According to young Atkins, Brooke got tired of him and thought he took acting very seriously, as the actor always tried to remain lonely and distant from the production crew to get into the island's isolation mood.

* Posted on 6/29/2015