BF and the Blue Lagoon Film

[Aleys]

I am feeling a bit uneasy and wanted to sense check my feelings please if possible.

I was reading an article about Brooke Shields and how she was very young in the movie industry and was raped in her 20s.

My 50 year old boyfriend said that one of his favourite films is the Blue Lagoon. When I pointed out that I found it somewhat problematic that a 14 year old girl was acting with naked scenes etc. He replied that he used to watch it over and over because there was a ‘hot scantily clad girl’ in the film. When I asked if he’d watch it again now he said that he would and he wouldn’t find anything inappropriate about this.

I have got a problem with this. He says that I am being stupid and that it’s just a good story and equivalent to his other favourite film where young children go adventuring.

I was SA’d as a child and this has completely triggered me and I dont know if I am overreacting. I haven’t watched the film so it is possible that I am just being silly.

I would be grateful for some perspective please if possible.

How old was he when he watched it a lot? Was it recently, or was it when he was a teenage boy?

@TooBigForMyBoots I can understand him watching it as a teenager but he doesn’t see any problems with him watching it now. That’s kinda what I have a problem with - it’s making me feel uncomfortable.

I'd have a problem if he was still watching it now @Aleys.

I am similar age to your boyfriend, well I am 52. I have never watched Blue Lagoon but I know my sister (similar age to me) did when she was a teenager and she thought it was a great film. It was a bit of a cult film back then.

Now I am 52 I can understand the issue, but I didn’t when I was a teenager. I presume he hasn’t actually watched it recently?

I watched it as a younger teen and didn’t understand all the implications.

Now I don’t think it’s appropriate really.

Blue lagoon was filmed in 1980. So he would have been 15. So totally appropriate for a 15 year old to fancy a 14 year old.

is eh actually watching it now? If he’s not I can’t see the issue. I can imagine I’d watch something for nostalgia sake

are you trying to insinuate he is a paedohile? I can’t work out where you’re going with it.

He said he would watch it again. Doesn't mean he does and tbh films I loved as a teen, I watch them now and it ruins it for me, because I'm a fully fledged adult.

I still like the blue lagoon films, despite the background of the first one.

Maybe not ask questions if it's a test would be my advice.

I watched the film as a teenager and enjoyed it for what it was, but I would have been a similar age to the children staring it it. I wouldn't watch it now as its completely inappropriate.

I don’t think it would be inappropriate for him to watch it for nostalgia reasons. I do think it would be inappropriate for him to watch it for the purposes of seeing naked 14-year-old.

It’s a bit like the difference between watching Song Of The South, the massively problematic Disney film, because you liked Brer Rabbit and people singing Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Da when you were little but still acknowledging that it’s a bit racist, and watching Song Of The South while vehemently defending and greatly enjoying the racist elements of it.

I definitely was not trying to test him. And I sincerely hope he isn’t a peripheral.

I just feel uncomfortable that he doesn’t see a problem with him watching it now. I also feel uncomfortable about his description of the child as ‘hot’

Hiwever, I also acknowledge that my viewpoint might be clouded a little by my past.

its An interesting point…I loved stand by me as a teenager and the young River Phoenix. I was in love with Anthony Kiedis in the very early days of the red hot Chili peppers. I watch those things now and feel the same as I felt when I was 14 or so, but now I’m 42.
I suppose I think about it as if I still was 14. I certainly don’t look at young boys of that age and feel anything about them. It’s a nostalgia thing rather than a sexual thing.

He’s not saying he finds her hot today, he is saying when he was 15 he thought she was hot. Which is totally natural.

i think you need to get further therapy to help you process The appalling things that happened to you as a child, but from what you’ve written in no way shape or form has your partner just announced he today fancies 14 year olds, amd if I was him I’d be horrified at you insinuating he is a paedo . To the extent I’d end it.

Your dp and I are the same age, and at the time it was a movie everyone had seen. I think it was probably the first movie I had seen with naked scenes. So as a teen I don't think it was out of the ordinary to watch it more than once. I know I have.

They made a sequel as well, that is how popular it was.

If he watched it recently, yes I'd say it was for nostalgic reasons. There are many movies and shows that were popular back that would probably not air now.

I am grateful for all of the perspectives - I do think he is saying that he found her attractive when he was a teenager but I suppose he could have worded it better than he did! it just made me feel uncomfortable and that’s why I asked for an outside perspective because it has actually made me feel quite tearful.

But I think that’s my past talking nonsense and I am sabotaging my future.

When I asked if he’d watch it again now he said that he would and he wouldn’t find anything inappropriate about this.
I have got a problem with this. He says that I am being stupid and that it’s just a good story and equivalent to his other favourite film where young children go adventuring.
If that's accurate OP, I think people are not reading it properly. Which they often don't. If that's accurate he's dodgy. Or just refuses to think about it and doesn't take your concerns seriously. I truly wish people would read stuff carefully. Sorry OP.

I am a bit younger than him and I remember the hype at school about it. I didn't often watch TV, but I did see the first half. Like him, I remember what I watched as being a children's adventure story. Marooned on an island and having to survive-that's my memory of what I watched
However then dm came in and was not too impressed I was watching and switched it off with mutters about inappropriateness. If she hadn't done that I would only have a memory of it as an adventure. I've not seen the second half at all.

I watched a LOT as a teen. Now age 50 I probably wouldn’t though.
Just let it go. He has fond memories of a film that wasn’t considered problematic at the time.
i don’t listen to Michael Jackson anymore, other people have no issue with his music.

I'm also 50's and the boy in it is 18 - I can well remember the attraction to him when I was a teenager and to many other teenage heart throbs

I'm convinced if I saw it now I'd fancy him still because my brain can't help it

That's quite different than me actively pursuing an 18 year old or cat calling one in the street

If he knows she was abused (I believe she was abused during filming, but not sure), and he also knows that you were abused, then it’s pretty insensitive to say that. And if he still finds her hot at 50, he obviously has a taste for very young girls.

I think I read the same article, and if it makes you feel any better, Brooke said that they used a body double for the nude scenes in Blue Lagoon, as she was only 14 at the time. She also talked about having to appear totally nude on screen herself for a different film where she was only 11 - in that film she had to kiss a 29 year old man, and it was her first kiss - her Mother told her not to worry as it was "make believe and didn't count". Grim.