Paradise (1982 film): Difference between revisions
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'''[[Golden Raspberry Awards]]''' |
'''[[Golden Raspberry Awards]]''' |
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:'''Nominated:''' [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor|Worst Actor]] ([[Willie Aames]]) |
:'''Nominated:''' [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor|Worst Actor]] ([[Willie Aames]]) |
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==Reception== |
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From [[Leonard Maltin]]'s 2010 Movie Guide, p.1050: "Silly ''[[The Blue Lagoon (1980 film)|Blue Lagoon]]'' rip-off, with Aames and Cates discovering sex while stranded in the desert. Both, however, do look good sans clothes." |
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== References == |
== References == |
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Revision as of 22:28, 18 October 2012
| Paradise | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Directed by | Stuart Gillard |
| Written by | Stuart Gillard |
| Produced by | Robert Lantos Stephen J. Roth |
| Starring | Willie Aames Phoebe Cates |
| Cinematography | Adam Greenberg |
| Edited by | Howard Terrill |
| Music by | Paul Hoffert |
| Distributed by | New World Pictures (Canada) Avco Embassy Pictures (USA) |
Release date | May 7, 1982 |
Running time | 100 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Budget | CA$3.5 million |
| Box office | $5,588,800 (United States)[1] |
Paradise is a 1982 English language romance and adventure film starring Phoebe Cates and Willie Aames, written and directed by Stuart Gillard. The original music score was composed by Paul Hoffert with the theme song sung by Phoebe Cates.[2]
It was critiqued at the time as a "knockoff" of the more-famous The Blue Lagoon (1980). The film was marketed with "If Only It Could Have Been Forever...Paradise...No Two People Have Ever Come So Close."[3]
The films' themes were similar: Two young people find themselves abandoned in a world with no adult supervision, in fact no other people anywhere. Thus they have total freedom, inevitably learning all about love and reproduction, as well as basic survival techniques.
Leonard Maltin's annual Movie Guide book describes it this way: "Rating: star and a half. Silly Blue Lagoon ripoff, with Aames and Cates discovering sex while stranded in the desert. Both, however, do look good sans clothes."[4] Upon its release, when reviewed on the show Sneak Previews, Roger Ebert selected it as his Dog of the Week, the worst film he saw that week and heavily berated it.[5]
Plot summary
In the Victorian period, David (Aames) and Sarah (Cates), two teenagers, travel with a caravan from Baghdad to Damascus. At an oasis, the white slave agent 'Jackal' raids them, mainly to add the beautiful young Sarah to his harem of mistresses. David and Sarah and her manservant, Geoffrey narrowly escape, but all the others are slain in the massacre including David's American missionary parents. However, Geoffrey doesn't survive long, as he sees an encampment that, unbeknownst to Geoffrey, is run by the Jackal. Geoffrey goes to the encampment seeking help but is killed by the Jackal as the remaining duo takes a rest in a nearby enclave on their westerly direction toward civilization.[6]
Sarah and David's flight leads them to a beautiful oasis—their peaceful place in paradise—where they discover natural love and their sexuality. However, the Jackal has not given up on Sarah yet, and David must lure him to his death, or be killed by him.
In the film's ending, David confronts the Jackal and is able to kill him. Sarah reveals to David that she is pregnant and the two young lovers have finally reached civilization, the city of Damascus.
Main cast
- Phoebe Cates – Sarah
- Willie Aames – David
- Tuvia Tavi – The Jackal
- Richard Curnock – Geoffrey
- Neil Vipond – Reverend
- Aviva Marks – Rachel
- Joseph Shiloach – Ahmed
- Jerry Rosen – Jackals Bodyguard
- Riki Halfon – Belly Dancer
- Shoshana Duer – Bedouin Woman
Production
Producers of the film, Robert Lantos and Stephen J. Roth first selected Aames and later after a screen test agreed on Cates for the role of Sarah.[7] The film marks Cates' motion picture debut that followed her modeling career. Cates was also selected for the production of the film to sing the movie's theme song.[8] The film was shot on location at various settings in Israel such as Tel Aviv as well as the Dead Sea and Sea of Galilee.[9][10]
During production, Aames and Cates both decided that the film did not need as much nudity as the script required.[11] In an interview, Aames claimed that "the producer (Lantos) went back to Canada and used somebody else in the shots. They weren't in the version of the film they showed us for approval. When I finally got to see the final print months later, I flipped."[11] Lantos responded to this by saying that it was up to himself and the distributor to decide on how the final print would be, not up to any of the actors. He furthermore claimed that "99% of it was what Willie and Phoebe shot."[11]
Nevertheless, Aames agreed to promote the film, because he admitted that "aside from those parts that bother me, it's a damn good film."[11] Cates felt differently, and refused to have anything to do with the promotion.[11] According to Aames, Cates was "really upset" by the film.[11]
Nominations
- Nominated: Worst Actor (Willie Aames)
References
- ^ "''Paradise (1982)'' Box Office stats". Boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ Closing credits of Paradise (1982) (VHS), (DVD -released outside the US)
- ^ Paradise (1982) Promotional poster
- ^ Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide, Publisher: Signet ISBN 978-0-451-22186-5
- ^ Sneak Previews review of Paradise[dead link]
- ^ Paradise (1982) An Awakening in the Desert, New York Times, By Vincent Canby, Published May 10, 1982 Retrieved 7/5/08
- ^ Paradise Press kit, 'New Eve for Paradise', Embassy Pictures, Published 1982 Retrieved 3/13/10
- ^ Closing credits of Paradise (1982)
- ^ Paradise (1982) An Awakening in the Desert, New York Times, By Vincent Canby, Published May 10, 1982 Retrieved 3/13/10
- ^ Paradise Press kit, 'Strangers in Paradise', Embassy Pictures, Published 1982 Retrieved 3/13/10
- ^ a b c d e f "Hollywood: Nude scenes too much for Aames" by Marilyn Beck, The Orange County Register, March 17, 1982. p. C3
See also
- The Blue Lagoon, 1980 version
- Return to the Blue Lagoon