The Blue Lagoon (1980 film)

The Blue Lagoon
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRandal Kleiser
Screenplay byDouglas Day Stewart
Based onThe Blue Lagoon
by Henry De Vere Stacpoole
Produced byRandal Kleiser
Starring
CinematographyNéstor Almendros
Edited byRobert Gordon
Music byBasil Poledouris
Color processMetrocolor
Production
company
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • June 20, 1980 (1980-06-20)
Running time
105 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$4.5 million
Box office$58.8 million (North America)

The Blue Lagoon is a 1980 American dramatic coming-of-age romantic survival film directed by Randal Kleiser from a screenplay written by Douglas Day Stewart based on the 1908 novel of the same name 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. But without either the guidance or the restrictions of society, emotional and physical changes arise as they reach puberty, go skinny dipping in the ocean, fall in love, and end up having a child.

The Blue Lagoon was theatrically released on June 20, 1980, by Columbia Pictures. The film was panned by critics, who disparaged its screenplay, execution, and Shields' performance, but Almendros' cinematography received praise. In spite of the criticism, the film was a commercial success, grossing $58.8 million on a $4.5 million budget and becoming the ninth-highest-grossing film of 1980 in North America. The film was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film, the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for Almendros, and the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor for Atkins. Shields won the inaugural Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress for her work in the film.