“The Blue Lagoon” is the story of two teenagers ship wrecked on a deserted Pacific Island. Adapted from the 1903 novel by Henry DeVere Stacpole, the film looks at children discovering themselves, and their sexuality, without the benefit or confusion of adult guidance. Starring Brooke Shields, Christopher Atkins and Leo McKern, “The Blue Lagoon” is the second feature by 32 year-old director Randal Kleiser. Kleiser attended the USC Film School, where his fellow students included George Lucas, John Milius, Basil Poledouris and Australian Richard Franklin. There, he directed the award-winning short, “Foot Fetish” , which led to Frank Price, then head of Universal, inviting him to direct hour-long episodes for television’s “Marcus Welby, M .D .” . This was followed by “Starsky and Hutch”, “The Rookies” and “ Family”, among others. Kleiser was then approached by Robert Stigwood to direct I haven’t been keeping up, but I think Grease is now No.3 in the Variety “ All-time Box-office Champs” , which staggers me. When we were doing the film, I had no idea it was going to be success ful. Laverne and Shirley and Happy Days were on American television, and our release was at least a year away, so I thought that by the time the film came out the 1950s craze would be over. I was quite amazed by the response. In the U.S. industry, how much of a 166 — Cinema Papers, June-July
the tele-features, “All Together Now” , “ Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway” , and “The Boy in the Plastic Bubble” . He also directed “The Gathering” , which won the Emmy for Best Special in 1978. Kleiser’s first feature was the very successful “ Grease” , also made for the Stigwood Organization. Offers followed, but Kleiser opted to do his own project, “The Blue Lagoon” , which was taken on by Frank Price, now president of Columbia. Kleiser’s co-producer is Richard Franklin. t “The Blue Lagoon” was shot on location in the South Pac ific with a combined American and Australian crew. Nestor Almendros was director of photography, while Vince Monton was responsible for “ additional photography” . The film’s music, composed and conducted by Basil Poledouris, was re corded at Armstrong Studios in Melbourne. Kleiser, who was interviewed by Scott Murray, begins by discussing “ Grease”.
film’s success is attributed to the Grease was a film I was hired to do, director? whereas Blue Lagoon is a film I have wanted to do for eight years. It depends on the film. Grease was packaged by Alan Carr and After “Grease”, were you in a pos Robert Stigwood, and was cal ition to put together a project your culated to be a commercial film. It self? was not a film that just happened to be liked by people; the music, cast Yes, though it took me a while to ing and script were all designed to realize this and I spent a lot of time bring people in. trying to interest various producers Alan Carr was the driving force in Blue Lagoon. Finally, I went with behind the film. He chose me be the story to the president of Col cause I had worked with John Tra umbia Pictures, Frank Price. He volta on Boy in the Plastic Bubble. liked it and said, “ Let’s make it.”
In the two years it took to get it launched, I had been offered a lot of commercial-type films, with big stars and commercial plots — the type of thing you would expect the director of Grease to do next. I almost did a couple of them, but I kept on thinking about Blue Lagoon. I then saw Days of Heaven and finally realized I didn’t want to do another commercial film; I wanted to do something that was a little more my own. Did your fascination for “Blue