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'{{Infobox film | name = Paradise | image = Paradise1982.JPG | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[Stuart Gillard]] | producer = {{Plainlist| * [[Robert Lantos]] * Stephen J. Roth }} | writer = Stuart Gillard | starring = {{plainlist| * [[Willie Aames]] * [[Phoebe Cates]] * Tuvia Tavi }} | music = [[Paul Hoffert]] | cinematography = [[Adam Greenberg (cinematographer)|Adam Greenberg]] | editing = Howard Terrill | studio = RSL Films | distributor = New World-Mutual | released = {{Film date|1982|5|7}} | runtime = 100 minutes<br>90 minutes<br>(Showtime Library Print) | country = Canada | language = English | budget = [[Canadian dollar|CA$]]3.5 million | gross = $5.5 million <ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=paradise.htm |title='Paradise (1982)' Box Office stats |publisher=Box office mojo | access-date=2012-08-01}}</ref> }} '''''Paradise''''' is a 1982 Canadian [[adventure film|adventure]] [[romance film]] written and directed by [[Stuart Gillard]]. It stars [[Phoebe Cates]], [[Willie Aames]], and Tuvia Tavi.<ref>Closing credits of ''Paradise (1982)'' VHS (DVD released outside the US)</ref> It was critiqued at the time as a "knockoff" of the more-famous ''[[The Blue Lagoon (1980 film)|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."<ref>''Paradise (1982) Promotional poster''</ref> 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 sex, as well as basic survival techniques. The film was rated "R" for nudity and sexuality.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3lNUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jI0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5182,3477772&dq=willie+aames&hl=en ''Google News Archive: Baton Rouge News - May 11, 1982'']</ref> The film genre was described as "exotic teen" (a teen film set in exotic locations) which began with ''The Blue Lagoon''. ==Plot summary== In 1823, during the [[Georgian era]], teenagers David and Sarah travel with a [[Caravan (travellers)|caravan]] from [[Baghdad]] to [[Damascus]]. At an [[oasis]], a slaver known as 'the Jackal' raids the party and attempts to add the beautiful young Sarah to his [[harem]]. David and Sarah and her servant, Geoffrey, narrowly escape, but all the others are slain in a massacre, including David's American missionary parents. When Geoffrey seeks help at an encampment controlled by the Jackal, he is killed. David and Sarah rest at a nearby enclave as they head west toward civilization. Their flight leads them to a beautiful oasis — a Paradise—where they discover love and sex. However, the Jackal does not give up hope of capturing Sarah, so David must lure him to his death. At the conclusion, Sarah reveals to David that she is pregnant and the two young lovers finally reach civilization, the city of Damascus. ==Cast== * [[Phoebe Cates]] – Sarah * [[Willie Aames]] – David * Tuvia Tavi – The Jackal * Richard Curnock – Geoffrey * Neil Vipond – Reverend * Aviva Marks – Rachel * [[Yosef Shiloach]] – Ahmed ==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.<ref>''Paradise Press kit, 'New Eve for Paradise', Embassy Pictures, Published 1982'' Retrieved 3/13/10</ref> The film marked the acting debut of Cates, who was 17 years old at the time of filming. Cates' starring role involved several fully [[nudity in film|nude scenes]]. She was also selected to sing the movie's [[Paradise (Phoebe Cates song)|theme song]].<ref>Closing credits of ''Paradise (1982)''</ref> The film was shot on location at various settings in [[Israel]] including [[Tel Aviv]], the [[Dead Sea]] and the [[Sea of Galilee]].<ref name="Paradise Desert">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/05/10/movies/paradise-an-awakening-in-the-desert.html |title=Paradise, An Awakening in the Desert |work=[[The New York Times]] |date= May 10, 1982|access-date=May 20, 2013}}</ref><ref>''Paradise Press kit, 'Strangers in Paradise', Embassy Pictures, Published 1982'' Retrieved 3/13/10</ref> During production, Aames and Cates both decided that the film did not need as much nudity as the script called for.<ref name="nudity">[https://newspaperarchive.com/santa-ana-orange-county-register/1982-03-17/page-34 "Hollywood: Nude scenes too much for Aames" by Marilyn Beck], ''[[The Orange County Register]]'' (Archives), March 17, 1982. p. C3</ref> In interviews, Aames and Cates claimed that "the producer (Lantos) went back to Canada and used somebody else in the shots.<ref name="Cates Paradise">{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20082395,00.html |title=Paradise Star Phoebe Cates Hangs Her Own Film with a One-Word Review—'rip-Off' |publisher=[[People (magazine)|People]] |date=1982-06-14 |access-date=2013-05-19}}</ref> 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."<ref name="nudity" /> Lantos responded to this by saying that it was up to himself and the distributor to decide what would be included in the final release, not any of the actors. He furthermore claimed that "99% of it was what Willie and Phoebe shot."<ref name="nudity" /> Nevertheless, Aames agreed to promote the film because, as he admitted, "aside from those parts that bother me, it's a damn good film."<ref name="nudity" /> Cates felt differently and refused to have anything to do with promotion, such as screenings and parties.<ref name="Cates Paradise" /><ref name="nudity" /> According to Aames, Cates was "really upset" by the film.<ref name="nudity" /> ==Critical reception== On [[Metacritic]] the film has a [[weighted mean|weighted average score]] of 20 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/paradise-1982|title=Paradise (1982) reviews|work=[[Metacritic]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|access-date= April 4, 2020}}</ref> Writing in ''[[The Washington Post]]'', [[Tom Shales]] stated that ''Paradise'' "amounts to 100 minutes of agonizing tedium seasoned with equal parts excruciating embarrassment." He also criticized the depiction of the Jackal, describing the character as "an [[Anti-Arabism|offensively stereotyped Arab]]".<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1982/05/10/paradise-birds-bees-and-chimps/c060b236-76d2-4127-8ab0-3054b024ec4b/ "'Paradise': Birds, Bees and Chimps"] Washington Post, May 10, 1982, Retrieved June 10, 2018.</ref> [[Leonard Maltin]]'s annual ''[[Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide|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."<ref>{{Citation | first = Leonard | last = Maltin | title = Movie Guide | year = 2007 | publisher = Signet | isbn = 978-0-451-22186-5 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/leonardmaltins2000leon }}.</ref> 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.<ref>[http://detroit.fuzzymemories.tv/index.php?c=215&m= ''Sneak Previews'' review of ''Paradise'']</ref> In his book ''Reel Bad Arabs'', writer [[Jack Shaheen]] criticized ''Paradise'' for the character of the Jackal, calling him a "particularly degrading" depiction of an Arab sheikh.<ref>Jack Shaheen, ''Reel Bad Arabs : How Hollywood vilifies a people''. Northampton, Massachutsetts : Olive Branch Press, 2015 (p. 28)</ref> ==Nominations== '''[[Golden Raspberry Awards]]''' :'''Nominated:''' [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor|Worst Actor]] ([[Willie Aames]]) == References == {{reflist}} ==External links== * {{IMDb title|0084469}} * {{Amg movie|37224}} * {{rotten-tomatoes|1015925-paradise}} * {{tcmdb title|4780}} {{Stuart Gillard}} [[Category:1982 films]] [[Category:1982 directorial debut films]] [[Category:1982 independent films]] [[Category:1982 romantic drama films]] [[Category:1980s adventure drama films]] [[Category:1980s coming-of-age drama films]] [[Category:1980s historical drama films]] [[Category:1980s historical romance films]] [[Category:1980s teen drama films]] [[Category:1980s teen romance films]] [[Category:Canadian adventure drama films]] [[Category:Canadian coming-of-age drama films]] [[Category:Canadian films]] [[Category:Canadian historical drama films]] [[Category:Canadian independent films]] [[Category:Canadian romantic drama films]] [[Category:Canadian teen drama films]] [[Category:Coming-of-age romance films]] [[Category:Embassy Pictures films]] [[Category:Films directed by Stuart Gillard]] [[Category:Films set in 1823]] [[Category:Films set in the Middle East]] [[Category:Films shot in Israel]] [[Category:New World Pictures films]] [[Category:Teen adventure films]]'