The movies we watch as children carry very different meanings to us than what was intended. Our young minds are not able to comprehend what we are seeing. So we focus on the aspects we do understand. One movie has recently resurfaced. “The Blue Lagoon” is one of the most popular movies of its time, but if you watched it as a child, you may not have had a complete understanding of what was happening, and rather focused on the fun and free life the characters lived. Here are some reasons why:
The two characters of The Blue Lagoon are Richard and Emmeline. They were stranded on an island after their ship sunk during a storm. The two grew up at a very young age without any knowledge of life, nor any adult to guide them through the inevitable puberty. Naturally, their hormones kicked in at a certain age, and the two fell in love. Furthermore, they got romantically involved and ended up having a child together. The messed up part is that they did not know what they were doing the entire time, nor that is is generally frowned upon by society.
The film is like eye candy for the young and wild at heart. Kids who love the idea of adventuring through unknown lands, or getting lost in the jungle on a deserted island would get a serious kick out of this movie. But, what they might not realize is the many dangers that Richard and Emmeline face every day. The Blue Lagoon is not all fun in the sun and sea.
It was actually a very dangerous place to be, especially for two young kids with no one to defend them. Richard and Emmeline were constantly at risk of eating the wrong berries, getting injured, or sick. Emmeline even stood on a stone fish, and nearly did not survive.
Then, as if things couldn’t get any worse for them, there were the natives who lived on the other side of the island. The kids grew up fearing the sound of their drums, and one scene proved their fears right. The natives seemed to practice human sacrifices.
In The Blue Lagoon, the older version of Emmeline was played by Brooke Shields. At the time the movie was filmed, Brooke was only 14 years old. Which means she was only just starting adolescence. This as not her first adult-like film, as she played a sex-worker in “Pretty Baby“. However, the makers of The Blue Lagoon were not keen to attract the negative press that Pretty Baby gathered, so they had to preserve Brooke’s dignity.
Brooke wore a wig while filing as Emmeline. the wig boasted some seriously long and lusciously thick locks. Throughout most of the movie, Brooke is topless, so the wardrobe department had to come up with a plan. So, they stuck two pasties onto each of her breasts and glued the wig to that so that way she was always covered.
For the majority of The Blue Lagoon, Richard is tending to the beacon. He built it to light on fire as a signal to any passing ships. At one stage, Emmeline decided not to light the beacon which enraged Richard. but, later on, another sip passed the island, and still, they did not light it. The mutual decision was so they could enjoy their lives living in peace. Ultimately, they feared what they did not know.