The movie was lavishly produced, with music score composed by Basil Poledouris and cinematography by Néstor Almendros.
Recycling
The Blue Lagoon was based on Henry De Vere Stacpoole’s novel, which first appeared in 1908. The first screen version was the British silent 1923 film, which is now lost. There was another British adaptation in 1949.
The sequel Return to the Blue Lagoon (1991) loosely picked up where The Blue Lagoon left off, except that Richard and Emmeline are found dead in the boat, while their son is rescued.
A TV adaptation of the novel by the network Lifetime, Blue Lagoon: The Awakening, was released in 2012.
Oscar Nominations: 1
Screenplay by Douglas Day Stewart, based on “The Blue Lagoon” by Henry De Vere Stacpoole
Cinematography Néstor Almendros
Edited by Robert Gordon
Music by Basil Poledouris
Production: United Artists, Columbia PicturesDistributed by MGM
Release date: June 20, 1980
Running time: 105 minutes
Budget $4.5 million
Box office $58.8 million