Review by Gary Tooze

Production:

Video: Eureka

Disc:

Video:

Audio:

DVD included

Bitrate:

 

***

Seven-year-old cousins Emmeline (Elva Josephson) and Richard (Glenn Kohan) survive a shipwreck and find themselves marooned on a beautiful island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. Under the tutelage of a fellow castaway, Paddy Button (Leo McKern), the two learn the basics of survival. When Paddy dies, however, the now adolescent Emmeline (Brooke Shields) and Richard (Christopher Atkins) are on their own to discover sex, love and loneliness in a tropical paradise.

 

 

The Film:

In 1980, Columbia Pictures released The Blue Lagoon, a coming-of-age tale about two children who grow to adulthood while shipwrecked on a tropical desert island. Based on a novel by Henry De Vere Stacpoole, it marked the third time the story had been translated onto film; earlier versions were released in 1923 and 1949. The 1980 interpretation, however, was the only one to earn an R rating! Due to its frequent use of nudity and adult themes, the film earned such rave reviews as this one by Leonard Maltin: ". . .little more than soft-core cinema for the heavy petting set." But the heavy petting set turned out in droves to see two of the most popular teen actors of the time frolic about in loincloths and little else.

Excerpt from TCM located HERE

 

The Blue Lagoon is a 1980 American romantic adventure drama film directed by Randal Kleiser and filmed on Turtle Island in Fiji. The screenplay by Douglas Day Stewart was based on the 1908 novel The Blue Lagoon by Henry De Vere Stacpoole. The film stars Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins. The music score was composed by Basil Poledouris and the cinematography was by Néstor Almendros.

The film tells the story of two young children marooned on a tropical island paradise in the South Pacific. With neither the guidance nor the restrictions of society, emotional feelings and physical changes arise as they reach puberty and fall in love.

Shields was 14 years old at the time of filming and later testified before a U.S. Congressional inquiry that older body doubles were used in some of her nude scenes. Also, throughout the film in frontal shots her breasts were always covered by her long hair or in other ways. The film received a MPAA rating of R in the United States.

Excerpt from Wikipedia located HERE

Image :    NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

The Blue Lagoon is absolutely gorgeous on Blu-ray from Eureka in the UK. Cinematographer Néstor Almendros visuals capture the impressive scenery.  The image quality is probably very similar to - or perhaps slightly superior to - the, now, out-of-print Twilight Time Blu-ray. This is dual-layered with a max'ed out bitrate. Visuals and colors are tights showing some depth and black levels are inky and impressive. There is fine grain textures visible. I would guess the 1.85:1 aspect ratio image is a strong replication of the theatrical film. This Blu-ray offers a rich, mesmerizing 1080P presentation. Exceptionally pleasing.

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The audio is transferred via a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround at 3404 kbps (24-bit) with some crisp separations in the jungle-sounds effects and boating/storm havoc. The score is by Basil Poledouris (Cherry 2000, RoboCop, The Hunt for Red October, Conan the Barbarian) and supports the film's stunning visuals very well sounding tight and clean with some resonance. It is also available in an isolated music and effects track. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles and my Oppo has identified it as being a region 'B'-locked.

Extras :

The extra appear to duplicate the Twilight Time with two separate audio commentary tracks, - both from older DVD editions - featuring director Randal Kleiser, Brooke Shields, Christopher Atkins and writer Douglas Day Stewart. Also included is the 10-minute An Adventure in Filmmaking featurette on the films production, a theatrical trailer and the package is dual-layered with a second disc DVD included.

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:
The Blue Lagoon is a very enjoyable, fantasy, film - inspiring a sequel (Return to the Blue Lagoon.) This is all visual splendor, attractive youthful bodies, and deals with themes of maturity, growth and parenthood. The Blue Lagoon is timeless and, when you are in the mood, makes for a pleasurable viewing. The attractiveness of the gorgeous Blu-ray presentation, as well as the commentaries, only adds to the value. This is a highly gratifying diversion and we can endorse this product whole-heartedly.  

Gary Tooze

April 4th, 2017

 

Also released by Twilight Time on Blu-ray in the US: