Paradise

Phoebe Cates made her screen debut with TV teen heartthrob Willie Aames in Paradise, a landlocked Blue Lagoon with unfriendly Arabs lurking on the borders of Paradise. It's definitely got some nice nude shots of both young performers to gratify the prurient.

The two young people are in Bagdad of 1823 then part of the Ottoman Empire and governed rather loosely from Istanbul. Cates is with her guardian who is your proper British official and Aames is the son of a bible thumping reverend and his wife. All of these people haven't a clue about where they're at, just an exaggerated sense of western superiority.

But the beautiful and nubile Cates has caught the attention of a sheik who's in the slave trade. He could get some good bucks for her or keep her as private stock. He and his people ambush the caravan, but the kids escape and come to a hidden oasis where they set up and play house.

The similarities to the Blue Lagoon are rather obvious even in the looks of the protagonists. But whereas those kids had been shipwrecked on their island since they were still in single digits in The Blue Lagoon, in Paradise these two young people already know the facts of life, it's just that they have that Protestant Christian upbringing.

The film was shot in Israel and the scenery is magnificent with and without Aames and Cates. Given that Aames is now a born again Christian he probably wants those male nude shots off the market, so hang on to your DVDs and VHSs.

After reading the comments here, I hesitated on this one but glad I went ahead and saw it. Yes, the story has problems, far-fetched and cheesy, but the cinematography, costuming, and settings were fantastic. I don't consider myself too generous giving the film a 7 despite certain shortcomings. The locations - desert, oases, Arabic architecture were well chosen, costuming very stylish, camels, ocean, underwater photography were well done. The actors/actresses did a decent job despite the script. And since when was any paradise on this planet anything but far-fetched? Blue Lagoon does not own youthful awakening. Dream a little and enjoy the visuals.

I saw this film in 1982 when I was 14 years old (purpose: to see the much publicized full frontal nudity of the aptly named co-star Willie Aames.) The short scene (pun intended) did not impress me, nor did Aames' acting. However, Phoebe was such a strong confident actress she became my favorite actress. She followed with a terrific list of credits, most notably Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Private School (so-so movie but she was great in it), Lace I and II (excellent TV pictures), Gremlins I and II, Date With An Angel, Bright Lights Big City, Heart of Dixie, Shag, Drop Dead Fred, and Bodies Rest and Motion. Paradise is a Blue Lagoon rip-off but there are not too many films in that specific genre (Blue Lagoon 2, Castaway, Paradise 2) so I am glad they made the film. Besides, despite it's lack of originality, it is a good film. I think women young and old will enjoy the film (14 years and up due to tasteful appropriate nude scenes) because of it's romantic fantasy and strong female role, and I think guys will as long as they like a beautiful woman cavorting nude on a lost isle.

The only two reasons to watch this movie are on Phoebe Cates chest. This is better than the movie it copies "Blue Lagoon", but that is saying very little. The best way to watch this movie is to have your finger on fast forward. There is a lot of wasted time that will put you to sleep. Unless you are specifically interested in seeing the the reasons previously mentioned, don't bother with this mess.

I liked this movie when I first saw it. It seems like a Blue Lagoon offspring, but it had it's own elements. I like the element of adventure when the Jackal is chasing them. I'm a sucker for movies about people falling in love without society's interference. The movie was more upfront about a teen's growing interest in sex. Sarah is intrigued by the pictures of naked men, which young chicks do as well for those who don't think so. It wasn't trying to be innocent like The Blue Lagoon. It was more upfront and real to me. This movie seriously kept it real, but it realized that alone would be lacking. The chases and the kidnapping were needed to push the movie along. I found the monkey absolutely adorable. Animals are often used in movies like these to almost guide the two people into the expected. Blue Lagoon had many animals having sex while the two kids were. It's a necessary element in a "paradise" or "adam and eve" type movie. They have no one else to teach them necessarily, so they take a look around. Other than that, Paradise was great and the ending was agreeable. Phoebe Cates was a really adorable girl and Willie Aames was an odd choice, but acted like you would expect any young actor in the 80's would...badly. They couldn't help it. The time called for it. All in all, it was a good film.