Paradis

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.

The first movie starring Phoebe Cates. She was a different kind of a star. This movie put her on the maps. She's definitely cute in this movie which is the attraction for the age group the movie was made for.

The movie is the '80s creation that included many teen oriented movies of that decade. It's pretty harmless, and out of the many teen actors of that era, Phoebe Cates was definitely one of the best looking.

That's about all there is to this movie. Producers must have thought that this is a bankable movie following the Blue Lagoon's format. The way they were dressed were almost a carbon copy of Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins in that movie.

I have to admit that we did get to see what we wanted to see, and that is Phoebe Cates in all her natural glory. Just for that it was worth the price of the ticket.

As to the previous comment that the movie is not worth seeing, any movie showing a half-naked, young Phoebe Cates IS worth viewing, (at least for a straight male or gay female). Just get it on DD and fast forward through the boring parts.

Admittedly, the story is silly and predictable. ALso, for me, I identify W. Aames with Charles in Charge, where he was the perpetual dummy. I realize it's just a role, but it's hard for me to see him as a woman's version of a sex symbol.

But the story aside, the photography and surroundings are beautiful, as of course is P. Cates. And since most of us can now get movies for free from the local library, or virtually free from the usual sources, it's worth an hour, just don't have unrealistic expectations. (BTW, it's not as if Blue Lagoon was an artistic masterpiece either, just a little less silly than Paradise.

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.

Okay, I admit it. The only reason I rented this film was to see the gorgeous Phoebe Cates and those nude scenes which seemed to have gained more fame (or infamy?) than the actual film itself.

As many others have pointed out, this film borrows heavily from the Blue Lagoon but somehow manages to strip the emotion and warmth out of the formula.

I wandered through this movie totally oblivious to the death of the parental characters and I audibly yawned when Joffrey the minder died. Too much time is spent wasted on ridiculously stupid chimp scenes which one could over-intellectualise and proclaim as being a raw and uninhibited metaphor of the lives of Sarah and David, but in reality are there for cheap gags. As a result the movie seems too short even though you get the distinct feeling you have been sitting, watching it for a long time.

The continuity and time-span of Paradise seems horribly distorted. By the end of the movie you would swear that the two "cast-aways" had been lost out in the desert sea for no more than a couple of weeks. However, when Sarah conceives a child (towards the end of the movie) and she feels it kick in her womb (perhaps 20 minutes later) , you realise that the time span of the movie has been horribly compressed. As a result, I was left feeling baffled and rather surreal. There was no sense of extended isolation, self discovery or sincere empathy towards the characters as they never really seem to be in danger. Similarly, Paradise does not, nay cannot emulate the irony of Return to the Blue Lagoon, where Civilization is portrayed as the great destroyer or unmaker. The characters in The Blue Lagoon are wholly dependent on their little island, where as the oasis in Paradise seems like nothing more than a stop-over enroute. It's sad that it is nothing more than a rip off of The Blue Lagoon that misses the critical factors that made The Blue Lagoon so good.... but that's what it is.

In reality there is only one reason why you would want to watch this movie, and that is for the nude scenes of Phoebe Cates.. and trust me, they give the movie legs.