Le grand bleu (1988)

Director:

Luc Besson

Writers:

Luc Besson (story)
Luc Besson (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

22 September 1988 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Between what you know and what you wish, lies the secret of... [The Big Blue]

Plot:

Enzo and Jacques have known each other for a long time. Their friendship started in their childhood days in the Mediterranean...

Plot Keywords:

Italy | Dolphin | Diver | Diving | Rivalry

Awards:

3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Rosanna Arquette	...	Johana Baker
Jean-Marc Barr	...	Jacques Mayol
Jean Reno	...	Enzo Molinari
Paul Shenar	...	Dr. Laurence
Sergio Castellitto	...	Novelli
Jean Bouise	...	Uncle Louis
Marc Duret	...	Roberto
Griffin Dunne	...	Duffy
Andréas Voutsinas	...	Priest (as Andreas Voutsinas)
Valentina Vargas	...	Bonita
Kimberly Beck	...	Sally (as Kimberley Beck)
Patrick Fontana	...	Alfredo
Alessandra Vazzoler	...	La Mamma (Enzo's Mother)
Geoffrey Carey	...	Supervisor (as Geoffroy Carey)
Bruce Guerre-Berthelot	...	Young Jacques
Gregory Forstner	...	Young Enzo
Claude Besson	...	Jacques' Father
Marika Gevaudan	...	Angelica
Jan Rouiller	...	Noireuter
Pierre Semmler	...	Franck (as Peter Semler)
Jacques Lévy	...	Doctor (as Jacques Levy)
Eric Do	...	Japanese Diver
André Germe	...	Philippino Diver (as Andre Germe)
Ronald Teuhi	...	Tahitian Diver
Rosario Campese	...	Waiter
Franco Diogene	...	Receptionist
Tredessa Dalton	...	Carol
Constantin Alexandrov	...	Dolphin Trainer
Pierre-Alain de Garrigues	...	Superintendent
Claude Robin	...	Taxi Driver
Paul Herman	...	Taxi Driver in U.S.A
Nicolas Maltos	...	Diving Coordinator on Platform
Marc Planceon	...	Paramedic
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Luc Besson	...	Blond Diver (uncredited)
Valentina Castellani	...	Lady in elevator (uncredited)
Christian Gazio	...	Plongeur coinçé (uncredited)
Chico Scimone	...	Andre Bonnet (uncredited)

Directed by
Luc Besson

Writing credits
Luc Besson		(story)
Luc Besson		(screenplay) &
Robert Garland		(screenplay) and
Marilyn Goldin		(screenplay) &
Jacques Mayol		(screenplay) &
Marc Perrier		(screenplay)

Produced by
Monty Diamond	....	line producer: New York
Patrice Ledoux	....	producer
Claude Besson	....	executive producer (uncredited)
Luc Besson	....	co-producer (uncredited)
Bernard Grenet	....	line producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Bill Conti		(US version)
Eric Serra		(European version)

Cinematography by
Carlo Varini

Film Editing by
Olivier Mauffroy

Casting by
Nathalie Cheron
Lissa Pillu

Production Design by
Dan Weil

Set Decoration by
Patrick Barthelemy

Costume Design by
Blandine Boyer
Magali Guidasci
Malika Khelfa
Mimi Lempicka
Brigitte Nierhaus
Martine Rapin
Patricia Saalburg

Makeup Department
Michèle Constantinides	....	assistant makeup artist (as Michele Constantinides)
Catherine Crassac	....	hair stylist
Geneviève Peyralade	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Bernard Grenet	....	production manager
Didier Hoarau	....	assistant unit manager
Michel Jullien	....	assistant unit manager
Marc Maurette	....	production manager
Patrick Millet	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stéphane Breton	....	third assistant director
Jérôme Chalou	....	first assistant director
Bertrand Fèvre	....	second assistant director
Anne Guillard	....	third assistant director
Patrick Halpine	....	first assistant director
Yann Michel	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Michel Conche	....	property master
Alain Darthou	....	construction manager
Christian Gazio	....	carpenter
Julie Sfez	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Pierre Befve	....	sound engineer
François Gédigier	....	sound editor
François Groult	....	sound mixer
Gérard Lamps	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gerard Lamps)

Special Effects by
Alain Guillé	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Frederic Moreau	....	optical effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Luc Besson	....	camera operator: underwater unit
Patrick Camboulive	....	still photographer
Irène Champendal	....	first assistant camera (as Irene Champendal)
Stefan Czapsky	....	gaffer: New York
Jean-François Drigeard	....	electrician
François Gentit	....	second assistant camera
Vincent Jeannot	....	first assistant camera
Jean-Pierre Mas	....	key grip
Jacques Monge	....	steadicam operator
Christian Pétron	....	camera operator: underwater unit (as Christian Petron)
Jean-Claude Reux	....	head gaffer

Casting Department
Pat Orseth	....	casting: USA

Editorial Department
Yvan Lucas	....	color timer

Music Department
William Flageollet	....	music mixer
Eric Serra	....	music arranger

Other crew
Abdul Malik Abbott	....	production assistant
Marc Biehler	....	diving coordinator
Elisabeth Chochoy	....	continuity
Quincy Z. Gunderson	....	production assistant
François Laurent	....	optical engineer
Jacques Mayol	....	technical consultant
Monique Pautas	....	production accountant
Patrizia Pierangeli	....	dialogue coach
Marcel Rousseau	....	technical engineer
K.C. Schulberg	....	location manager

Production Companies

• Gaumont (presents)
• Les Films du Loup (executive production)

Distributors

• Gaumont (1988) (France) (theatrical)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Fox Pathé Europa (2000) (France) (DVD)
• Lucernafilm - Beta (1991) (Czechoslovakia) (theatrical)
• Weintraub Entertainment Group (1988) (USA) (theatrical) (cut version)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (Germany)
• CBS/Fox Video (1989) (Belgium) (video)
• CBS/Fox (1989) (France) (VHS)
• Columbia Pictures
• Filmauro Distribuzione
• Filmauro
• Fox Video (1992) (Belgium) (VHS)
• Samuel Goldwyn Films (2000) (USA) (re-release)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD) (director's cut)

Other Companies

• Banker's Trust New York Corporation  thanks
• Creation Express  costume design
• Editions de la Marguerite  music publishing
• Hotel Capo-Taormina  accomodations
• Hotel San-Domenico  accomodations
• The Dolphin Research Center  thanks
• U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Economic Development and Agriculture  thanks
• U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning & Natural Resources  thanks
• U.S. Virgin Islands Film Promotion Office  thanks

Also Known As:

The Big Blue (Philippines: English title) (UK) (USA)
Le grand bleu, version intégrale (France) (director's cut)
Le grand bleu, version longue (France) (director's cut)
Azul profundo (Argentina) (Chile) [es]
Im Rausch der Tiefe (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
A nagy kékség (Hungary) [hu]
Aperanto galazio (Greece) [el]
Derinlik sarhoslugu (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Det stora blå (Sweden) [sv]
El gran azul (Spain) [es]
Imensidão Azul (Brazil) [pt]
Suuri sininen (Finland) [fi]
Suuri sininen 3 h (Finland) (director's cut) [fi]
Veliko plavetnilo (Serbia) [sr]
Vertigem Azul (Portugal) [pt]

Runtime:

168 min (director's cut) | France:132 min (original cut) | USA:118 min (edited version)

Country:

France | USA | Italy

Language:

French | English | Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (edited US version) | Canada:G (Quebec) (edited US version) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) (edited US version) | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:PG | Denmark:11 (director's cut) | Finland:S | France:U | Norway:10 (1989) | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:15 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 (original rating) | USA:PG (original release) (edited for re-rating) | USA:R (director's cut) | West Germany:12 | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Agia Anna, Amorgos, Small Cyclades, Greece

Company:

Gaumont

Trivia:

The most financially successful French film of the 1980s.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Enzo would have very marked lines on his face from "mask squeeze" from going to those depths at the end, when Jacque is holding him.

Quotes:

Enzo: Dont think of Jacques as a human being, he's from another world.
Johanna: Oh yeah? And what world are you from Enzo?
Enzo: Italia!

Movie Connections:

References Diva (1981)

Soundtrack:

MY LADY BLUE

Very real..

For me the grand bleu is something unique...i have never seen a movie were everybody has the same love for the sea,and for their sport... Even if the movie is from 1988...it is still one of a kind!!! Go and see it yourself!! When i lived in France in 1989..everybody was talking about Le Grand Bleu...I still have the music.. And a poster on the toilet..

It remindes me of the good old time.. I have also the movie version long on DVD...it is so beautiful!! You will laugh and cry during Le Grand Bleu. Find out for yourself what your impression is, and you wont be disappointed!