Rescue from Gilligan's Island (1978 TV Movie) User Reviews

The greatest kind of disappointment

[fineanimal · 6/10 · 22 November 2003]

As a youngster and lifelong fan of Gilligan's Island, I still recall my excitement when I first learned that Rescue From Gilligan's Island was going to be shown on television. I also remember my profound disappointment when I finally saw the show: it wasn't particularly funny.

Now, some 25 years later, I found myself purchasing this movie on DVD anyway, for two reasons: To enjoy sweet memories of youth when TV humor was simply good fun and didn't even pretend to be anything more, and because it only cost $5.99.

Well, what can I say? I was disappointed again because, again, it wasn't particularly funny. Yet I am still very glad I now own this movie on DVD. How can that be?

For all the abuse Gilligan's Island has taken over the years from "serious" humorists, the fact remains that the show appeals to everyone's desire for real friendship and camaraderie, without all the drama of real life. The original show was just plain fun to watch. And frankly, so is Rescue From Gilligan's Island, despite its many, many flaws.

I know it is anathema to say so, but this movie would have scored much higher if only it had included a laugh track, as did the original TV series. The laugh track itself creates the illusion of camaraderie with an audience, and that was always part of the appeal of Gilligan's Island. So I found myself pretending to hear the original laugh track every time the cast told a joke (i.e., constantly), and lo--the film was much more palatable!

On the bright side, losing the laugh track made me realize just how good these actors really were, and how great an ensemble they comprised. After all, the original cast never heard the roaring laughter the audience heard as the actors playing the castaways fired one asinine line after another between ludicrous slapstick action sequences. Without a laugh track, for example, the actors portraying Russian spies in this movie behaved beyond reproach; they were simply painful to watch. But then again, so was Wrongway Felman, Harold Hecuba, and other visitors to the island, without a laugh track. It is precisely because this ensemble was so good that they managed to score with such silly humor every time in the finished product. That takes talent (and guts, I suspect). For this reason more than anything else, I truly missed Tina Louise as Ginger: no one could adequately replace a member of such a tight ensemble. Kudos to Judith Baldwin for trying, however. Thurston and Lovely Howell are hilarious characters even without the laugh track.

Overall, as another reviewer observed, the value of this film is that it provides a trip down the most pleasant stretch of memory lane. It would be wrong, however, not to mention the unforgivable production of this DVD. The sound is bad, a few jump cuts are embarrassing to watch, and the video has frequent static bars like you would see on an old, worn videotape. Shame on the production company. Shame on you!

Bottom line: If you don't appreciate the Gilligan's Island TV series you will hate this movie with a capital "H", with good reason. But for those of you who get misty just thinking about Gilligan, the Skipper and company, Rescue From Gilligan's Island will help you feel like a kid again for 90 minutes, with good reason. A cast featuring Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, Bill Murray and other notable comics simply couldn't even come close to pulling off the feat this underrated ensemble pulled off time and time and time again for years, for no better reason than to make all of us feel good for a half hour each week.

Classic Gilligan

[TVholic · 6/10 · 25 February 2002]

By the late '70s, I'd spent many an afternoon watching Gilligan's Island in syndication after school. Each episode was the TV equivalent of a Hostess Twinkie - light, fluffy, undeniably artificial, sweet and sappy enough to make you sick. But come the next day, you wanted another one anyway. Rescue from Gilligan's Island looks like nothing so much as an extended episode from the original series. Depending on how much you liked or hated the series, that can be good or bad. All the old staples were back, from the fast-motion slapstick to the groaners masquerading as punchlines. As soon as I saw the network promo where the Skipper said, "After 15 years, we're finally rescued," I was looking forward to watching this on TV. I missed the original lagoon set, though. The new lagoon looked a lot smaller and darker, not at all inviting. Perhaps the worst part of the movie was seeing everyone back in "civilization" after years of seeing them only on the "island." The message of the movie is true: there's no place like home, which in this case was the island.

Most of the cast was back, looking none the worse for wear. Alan Hale, Jr. could have stepped fresh from the series, as could Dawn Wells, Jim Backus and Natalie Schafer. Russell Johnson looked his age, and Bob Denver added the most years. Judith Baldwin was nowhere near as alluring as Tina Louise. Choosing between Mary Ann and this Ginger would be no contest. At least her leaden delivery and wooden expressions made me appreciate how underrated Tina really was.

The DVD transfer is easily the worst I've ever seen. Where did they get the source material, off a videocassette recorded from a local broadcast? There were numerous flaws in the tape, including a fuzzy, washed out picture, bad dropouts, tracking problems and many jumpy edits where a second or two seemed to be missing. In fact, roughly three minutes of running time are missing here, clocking in at only 92 minutes. Lots of hiss on the audio track. Even the printing on the DVD was bad. It was ragged and looked like somebody used an old inkjet printer to sloppily print the label. The company involved in the DVD mastering got prominent on-screen credit. If it were me, I wouldn't brag about it. I'd call it amateurish, but I've seen amateur-produced DVDs that were much better. But what can you expect for a $5 DVD? At least secondhand copies can be had for less.

Weak sequel movie to the Gilligan's Island series

[Wuchakk · 4/10 · 26 March 2014]

"Rescue from Gilligan's Island" came out 11 and a half years after the series ended. The movie was a huge hit on TV simply due to the show's gazillion of fans, multiplied by a decade of syndicated reruns. Unfortunately, the film doesn't measure up to the zany-but-excellent series, particularly the last two seasons.

For one, at 95 minutes it seems to have a lot of filler. Many of the scenes could've been cut down by about 40%. It also seems rushed at times, like the actors learned their lines an hour before filming; and a lot of the humorous situations/dialogue aren't entirely successful, to put it nicely. Also, Tina Louise refused to return as Ginger, evidently because they didn't offer her enough money (which is funny because she wasn't exactly an in-demand actress at the time; the only significant role I remember her in after Gilligan's Island was in the 1975 film "The Stepford Wives"). The woman they got to replace Tina looks fine but she comes off as an airheaded bimbo and Ginger was never a bimbo. She's a sexy starlet, yes, but also smart.

Most of the cast look pretty good a dozen years later and Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) looks incredible. Surprisingly, it's Gilligan (Bob Denver) who has aged the most, which is strange since he was supposed to be a "boy" of about 19-21 during the original run. As such, he should only be about 30-32 during this movie, but he clearly looks to be in his mid-40s or older (in real life Bob Denver was 29-31 during the series and was 43 at the time of this movie). Still, this isn't a big deal.

BOTTOM LINE: "Rescue from Gilligan's Island" comes across as a lame version of the series with too much filler, but it's worthwhile for fans of the show because, of course, we have to know how they finally got rescued after almost 15 years as castaways. But, as they say, you can never go home again and neither can the castaways; they became their own family on the island, which is one of the reasons the show was so endearing.

GRADE: C

One of the best Reunion Movies

[JoeErnie · 14 May 2004]

Even though Tina Louise is missing from the movie, and the cast looks older, they still pulled off a very convincing movie. Unlike the Andy Griffith reunion where Barney is still deputy, which doesn't make any sense because he had been a Raleigh detective by the end of the original series, or the Dick Van Dyke Reunion where mush of the script doesn't make a bit of sense, especially the part of Rob playing on his computer. Unlike these and other reunions of 60s sitcoms, Rescue from Gilligan's Island makes sense. The castaways had been on the island for 15 years, and any hope of being rescued has long since past, which accounts for the fact that the castaways look much older. The radio has been dead for years, and the barometer doesn't work either, until Gilligan finds a disc on the Lagoon from a Soviet satellite.

The Professor is able to fix the barometer to only find out that a storm is coming, which will wash away the island. Thus, the castaways build a boat by joining all three huts together (why they didn't think of that before, we'll never know), and then are rescued later on. Each person returns to pick up his/her life, but things aren't going very well. Gilligan and the Skipper have to prove that it wasn't the Skipper's fault for the shipwreck, Ginger will not do a nude scene, Mary Anne doesn't love her fiance of 15 years, and the Howells' are being taken for their money. Also, the Professor has become a celebrity, instead of the scientist he wanted. It's a great story-line, much better of any TV reunion movie.

Although Tina Louise is absent, Judith Baldwin's performance is a fair one, convincing enough, although she does look younger than everyone else. The movie lacks in a few places, but it's overall a great movie, and is very much like the series, silly but classic. At the end of it, they're shipwrecked again on the same island, which in one way doesn't make sense because didn't the island get washed away in the storm? But hey, it's like the series, silly to the end.

If this movie has one thing, it's overlong scenes...

[jcaraway3 · 3/10 · 4 October 2010]

This movie must have disappointed legions of fans upon it's 1978 television premiere, over a decade after the original show had been taken off the air. And why? Well, let's have a look. It starts off decent enough, but the scene where Gilligan and his pals escape from the island was overlong and dull. It is immediately followed by another overlong and unfunny scene where the castaways are at their welcome home party. The castaways then go separate ways, which is all well and good, but we don't get too in depth about any of their personal lives. The Professor, Mary-Ann, Ginger, and the Howells only get one scene each of their lives in civilization. The rest of the movie is Gilligan and the Skipper bumbling around trying to prove that they didn't cause the accident that landed them on the island in the first place. This doesn't constitute much of a story. Oh, and there'as some stereotypical Russians who try to get some disk back from Gilligan. In the end (Spoilers) they crash again and end up back on the island, making this movie completely pointless. And then, before I knew it, it was over. I know it's just a stupid sit com, and plots really don't matter, but the worst part is, it was not funny! Not in the slightest.

Speechless, almost.

[tigerized · 2/10 · 29 December 2018]

I was 10 when Gilligan's Island premiered on TV. I loved the show, but didn't get to watch many episodes, as my dad dismissed it as "stupid." So, only having one TV (with a broken channel selector knob and the requisite pair of pliers), I found other modes of entertainment. But I always wondered if the castaways ever got rescued, somehow missing this 1978 Rescue movie.

So 40 years later, I satisfied my curiosity and watched this trainwreck. Er, shipwreck. I tried to accept the television production values of four decades ago, and not let them get in the way of enjoying it. I failed. Even Mr. Ed, and I Dream of Genie were more believable.

Overlooking the same 15 year old outfits and shoes all looking fresh and new, and Bob Denver looking like a middle-aged man still acting like a young goof under an uber-obvious rug, this movie seems like a never-ending group shot of the castaways posing for the cameras, with a little dialog thrown in. The two incompetent Russian heavies sink this embarrassment even lower, making it even harder to watch all the way to the end. The actors (except for MIA Tina Louise) all seeming to be mailing it in one last time, and Alan Hale Jr's brief bits of Oliver Hardy gestures can't save this production from festering dumbness.

OK, so it did alright for NBC when it first aired, summing up the 15 year old saga of the group somehow staying stuck on the island (while other visitors, including celebrities of the time) seemed to have no trouble coming and going at will. For other Gilligan fans, I suppose it was a much needed finale and required viewing, no matter how painful. For me, my curiosity was mostly satisfied when the group concocted a plan to leave, but I just had to stick around another hour for the ending. Dumb decision.

I gave it two stars, because it could be worse. Don't ask me how. Maybe dad was right after all, and I had to get to a ripe old age to appreciate his original assessment. But now I know why we watched better shows like Twilight Zone, Bonanza, Dick Van Dyke, Ed Sullivan, Bugs Bunny, and even Soupy Sales.

But never My Mother the Car. Possibly the worst of the era.

Luke Warm

[artpf · 4/10 · 28 December 2013]

When a decaying Russian satellite crashes on the island, the Professor uses a key component for a barometer. With that device, he learns that a massive wave is going to swamp the island. In desperation, the castaways lash their huts together into one structure in order to have any chance to ride the disaster out.

The wave strikes the island and the hut is swept out to sea. Once there, Gilligan accidents starts a fire trying to cook a meal and nearly burns the floating hut down. Occupied with stopping the fire, the gang fails to notice that the smoke caught the attention of a naval helicopter who summoned a ship to rescue the castaways.

In triumph, they return to Hawaii, only to learn that things have changed over the years and they will have trouble fitting in. To further complicate matters, two Russian spies are after that the key component that Gilligan now wears as necklace.

I loved Gilligan's Island as a kid. This feature falls short on lots of levels. First and foremost, no Tina Louise who really makes the character of Ginger. The new Ginger is absolutely horrible. Then there is the incessant filler to make this a feature film. It's a half hour show expanded by three times with filler material.

Then there is the fact that the actors are just walking through their parts. They lost the spark of the TV show.

But there IS Dawn Welles, who is hot as ever.

Just sit right back....

[zillabob · 7/10 · 25 June 2007]

NBC, out of nowhere in 1978, announced this TV film "Rescue From Gilligan's Island" as a Movie of The Week(which they did so well in the day!). Much was made of the fact that Tina Louise declined to be in the film-a mistake on her part-feeling the Ginger role had 'ruined' her career. Judith Baldwin kind of faked her way in the sultry part, but truly it was Dawn Wells who was still da bomb of the two of them. The story was what everyone had wanted to see. Many of the cast had aged noticeably but once in familiar costumes, they jumped back into the roles easily from the get-go and they kept it with "real time" in that they'd been missing for 15 years. It has the familiar theme song from the start and the Professor finds out grave news-via one of his ingenious devices-they have to leave the island because it's sinking. Gilligan's incompetency in cooking a fish on the wooden raft of huts causes a fire-which attracts the Coast Guard-and gets them rescued. After a rather-highly budgeted location scene that had them return to the the Honolulu harbor they left from-the film descends into familiar territory, on studio sets, with two Russian spies pursuing Gilligan for a missing part (from a Soviet rocket)he's wearing for good luck. One by one the castaways find they can't really connect back into society after the lapse of 15 years and are drawn back together, for...another boat cruise. The film wound up being a ratings smash for NBC, with one of the highest ratings ever for a TV movie, apparently! So much so they commissioned two more very lame,set-bound "sequel" movies-The Castaways of Gilligan's Island, and The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island. The former had them winding up-after another three hour tour-back on the same island(apparently it did not sink) and, within the first 10 minutes rescued again by a condo developer who'd been there already and, puts them in charge of their famous island as a resort getaway. The latter film really was threadbare, and a new low-point for guest stars Martin Landau and Barbara Bain as the "bad guys" who create robots to go head to head with The Globerotters on the island at a sporting event. Jim Backus-who had been suffering the terrible effects of Parkinson's Disease-had to step out and was replaced by his and Mrs Howell's long-lost son. Backus, apparently so cared for his cast mates, and the role that despite his crippling illness found some strength and gave it his all to do a very quick walk-on scene(he could barely walk) and one or two lines that were written in at the last moment. He was obviously visibly ill. It's hard to think that the core of the cast, save for Dawn Wells, Tina Louise and Russell Johnson, have passed on because the show was so immortal even for it's mere 3 seasons and 3 movies.

More of the series with one less of the cast.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 21 July 2022]

No Tina Louise in this one (or the other two TV movies), but everybody else is back. Basically, it's three episodes of the series rolled into one as they deal with another storm, finally managed to make it back to civilization (with great fanfare), and discover that sometimes you can't go home. Judith Baldwin steps into the role of Ginger, and while she's doing her best, well...it just isn't the same. Louise brought many dimensions to the role of the movie star, and here, you only get to see a few of them. She's dumbed down, and one thing Louise's Ginger never was was dumb. She could play dumb to get what you wanted, but there was always that glint in her eye that indicated a working brain on overtime. Baldwin does what she's directed to do so the fault does not lie with her. They could have gotten a real life 70s movie star to play Ginger here, and the results would have been the same.

As for everybody else, they are playing the roles as if they never stopped, and it's a delight to see them. This was a big event when it first aired and a huge ratings success, but other than the ironic twist of the conclusion, there's hardly anything worth praising here outside of the audience's love for the remaining cast members. It's interesting to watch them adapt to civilization as it's changed, especially being haunted by the paparazzi in their every effort to re-adapt, but that isn't as interesting as what went on while they were on the island. Definitely a must for fans, and definitely the best of the three TV movies (and certainly better than the Saturday morning cartoons on different locations), but perhaps a few years too late with its dated style of humor.

Gilligan and friends return

[Tracy_Terry_Moore · 6/10 · 25 July 2009]

Nostalgic albeit silly continuation of the hit TV-series.

Gilligan is still an idiot as he tries to help save the castaways while carrying a metal disc that belongs to 'a faraway country' (let's call it 'Russia'). All the cast members return except Tina Louise (Ginger) who is replaced by Judith Baldwin (Baldwin is better). Our heroes go their separate ways until they gather together once again for a 'reunion cruise', though it would seem a little soon for that (it's a 90-minute flick, folks - let's give them a break). Everybody looks great and performs essentially as charming as ever. A must for 'Gilligan' aficionados.

Not particularly memorable, but's its fun to see the old gang again.

Oh My! It's finally On DVD! (A poor transfer!)

[stalzz64 · 3/10 · 19 January 2005]

Yet another poor tape-to-DVD transfer done 'on the cheap'!! There are several companies selling this 1978 TV film, because Sherwood Schwartz, the 'GILLIGAN' creator obviously doesn't retain the copyright to this Gilligan project! I'm glad to finally see this reunion TV movie on DVD, but damn, the quality is poor! Yes, it's obviously poorly edited, and I dunno what the deal was to get to show this on DVD! They obviously don't care about the quality! OK,.... so it only cost me a dollar!!!! I'm so glad the Gilligan series is finally seeing an 'official' release on DVD!!!! It's an old favorite of mine! I have found several TV episodes/old TV movies/theatrical films for 1 dollar on DVD, and it's cool to have them even if the quality stinks, but....

Again, why must we endure this assembly line garbage DVD quality? I feel badly for the producers and artists of the original works. They got ripped off because somebody didn't think these TV shows/TV Movies/Movies were good enough to retain the copyrights so we could see a decent DVD copy of 'em!!!!

Oh well....

So goes the usual money grubbing in the entertainment business!!!! There is a disturbing trend amongst the 'quickie' DVD manufacturers, and it kinda stinks! They obtain use/rights of old TV shows/movies that have expired copyrights, and then transfer them to DVD's and sell them for next to nothing! I bought it for a dollar brand new!

Oh Ya!

[Flamio · 10/10 · 14 October 2001]

THIS FLICK WAS GREAT IF YOU LOVED THE SHOW AND THE CHARACTERS! 23yrs ago to see them all minus Tina (I don't know how lucky I was) Louise, was just fantastic. Ya, it was a little camp but big deal, so was the show. From seeing the rescue, to seeing what they were doing after being rescued, and to seeing them get shipwrecked again, brought a tear to my heart! A 10 all the way!!!!! What a tight group of friends that I grew up watching! Good clean fun! FLAMIO

Opinion of A Teen Fan

[philippierott · 7/10 · 7 July 2005]

To all the Gilligan's Island Fans out there this is a must see if the 3 seasons of the original t.v. series wasn't enough. This movie however is also a let down after such an irreplaceable classic of such proportions.

One of the main things that caught my attention was the fact that Tina Louise (Ginger) wasn't included in the movie (this was a complete letdown). Although Judith Baldwin was an o.k. look alike (only from certain angles) she tried to hard to be Tina Louise, which really took away from the character. I however will say this it is not easy to replace such a person so good job at doing your best Judith (props to Judith)

Another important aspect as mentioned in another comment is the laugh tracks. These tracks are what help mad Gilligans Island an epic classic which helped in showing the viewers the true comic genius of the classic Gilligans Island.

Another aspect was the way the movies plot was a total letdown. As the castaways try to adjust to the society, their issues are poorly and boringly expressed in what in my opinion are to short and not enough issues to truly show their contempt with society. I however feel the best portrayed was that of the professor (wont tell you how).

I myself find this a good continuation for my fascination with Gilligan's Island after buying the first to seasons and waiting for the third. I see this as a good continuation for my curiosity. Gilligan's Island t.v. series remains untouched (as far as same comic genius is concerned competition wise). I however find this another refreshing clean version of t.v. and movies which gives me hope as a teen in this world that there might be a chance once again for good clean t.v. such of that of Gilligans Island(may it always be remembered).

Folks, you know it ain't Shakespeare-BUT...

[Damonfordham · 3/10 · 23 April 2009]

My friends, I thought "Gilligan's Island" was one of the stupidest shows of all time even as a kid. But back in the 70s, we only had 4 channels and not much else to do after we played and did our homework after school and you were too young to go out. So we didn't have much choice other than to watch tripe like this.

Anyway, I recall watching some of this particular flick back in the 8th grade in 1978. I think I fell asleep around the time Thurston Howell orders some cigars from a man who is supposed to be Fidel Castro. Anyway, this was on a $3.99 DVD set at the grocery store with other public domain comedy films, so I said, "Why Not?" Now I know the answer to that last question. This was about every bit as dumb as the TV show, mixed in with topical 1970s humor about Jimmy Carter, Star Wars, Watergate, the Castro gag mentioned earlier, etc. along with Gilligan and the Skipper's poor man's Laurel and Hardy antics redux. About 20 minutes before the film ends, you can already figure out what's going to happen. You see, the late 70s was no golden age of TV comedy ("Hello Larry," "Sugar Time," and"Blansky's Beauties" anyone?)

HOWEVER, there is one redeeming value of this that kept me from doing the Frisbee thing with this DVD (and from giving it only 1 star). This film did more than any original episode to show the way the characters (and the real actors, in a way) really cared about each other. I was actually touched of how each time the castaways back in civilization ran into those who wanted to exploit them individually, they stood together in each case as a united front. (This concern actually extended to real life as a very sick Jim Backus reprised his role in a later GI film out of friendship for the cast).

So if you want a good movie, this ain't it. But if you want to see an interesting look at what real friendship is all about, this might help.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

[Sargebri · 14 April 2003]

When I heard that this reunion movie was going to be made, I really looked forward to it. However, once you get past the reunion of the characters and the looking at how they changed (gee, Ginger looks and sounds different) you get just a routine chase movie where a couple of Soviet spies chase Gilligan to get a back a computer disc that came off of one of their satelites. This film might have been a great piece of nostalgia, but it comes up a little short once you get reacquainted with the funniest group of castaways ever.

the group splits up and chemistry lost

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 25 April 2015]

A piece of a foreign spy satellite crashes on the island. The Professor uses it for a barometer and forecasts a tsunami. They tie the huts together and ride the wave into the ocean. Gilligan goes swimming with the sharks and accidentally sets the hut on fire. The fire actually attracts the coast guard and the castaways are finally rescued. They try to adjust to their new lives apart in the new world after 15 years on the island. Spies Dimitri and Ivan try to retrieve the satellite piece from around Gilligan's neck.

I wasn't around for the original TV show and never really saw it even in reruns. Although I have seen some clips of the show and I get the general fun chemistry. Tina Louise is once again not in this to play Ginger. Judith Baldwin doesn't have quite the same breathiness. The other casts return and are somewhat faded by the years. The island still has some fun but once the group splits up, the movie loses any last bit of joy. It is fun to see the triumphant return and maybe the movie should work to end the movie at that high point.

A Silly Reunion Movie For The Cast Of A Silly TV Show

[sddavis63 · 5/10 · 22 December 2009]

"Gilligan's Island" is a classic. I love 60's comedy, because it didn't take itself seriously at all - it was just plain silly. "Gilligan's Island" was at the top of the list. I was among those 70's kids who ran home from school day after day to put on the TV and watch the repeats over and over again. It was just good and silly fun. This reunion movie was silly - although not as good as the TV series. It was a fitting thought. One of the problems with the series (as with many of the 60's series) is that there was no closure. It just came to an end. The castaways were just left on the island (just as World War II never ended for Hogan and his heroes!)The movie tried valiantly to overcome that. The professor (of course) figures out a way to build a barometer, and determines that a massive storm is going to cause a tsunami to hit the island. He then figures out a way to lash the huts together and use the tsunami to float the castaways out to the shipping lanes. It works, they get rescued and then we watch them try to readjust to civilization.

The plot is paperthin. It was great to see the cast together and they all seemed to fall easily back into their old roles. (Tina Louise as Ginger was missed, though. Judith Baldwin tried with the role, but she just didn't have it down.) The whole subplot around the Russian agents trying to recover the disk Gilligan had found that allowed the professor to make the barometer was silly and totally unnecessary, but the castaways' trials as they readjusted to civilization was well portrayed and even believable - in a "Gilligan's Island" sort of way. Still, this wasn't anywhere near as funny as the TV series was. It had good and bad moments, and for some reason (as annoying as they can be on all the various 60's series) I really missed the laugh track. In general, it's a movie for those who liked the series and who want to see the cast reunited. Otherwise, something very important seemed to be missing. 5/10

It could have been great

[dpartn · 4/10 · 12 January 2009]

Where to start? First you need to know that a very important aspect was missing when this movie was filmed. Well, several aspects actually... Using a REAL camera to film the movie would have been very helpful. Instead it looks like they used Bob Denver's Betamax video cam he no doubt owned in that era. They also must have assumed that using a mid 1970s cassette tape recorder to record the audio would have enhanced the reality of spotty audio that no doubt would have been the case in reality. Then to make matters worse they seemed to have forgotten to have brought any LIGHTS to film with. The opening sequence looks like they used Bob Denver's Zippo lighter held next to the betamax camera to supply the lighting element. Then the transfer to DVD must have been done by some kid with a DVD recorder from Wal Mart who found the Beta master sitting in the back seat of one of the cast member's cars in the direct sunlight. OK, I could have just said the video, audio and transfer quality suck hideously. No fear of this one ever coming out on Blu-Ray.

The plot is unfortunately as bad as the film quality. For a series that developed such a following and was well in demand you could tell how obviously small the budget was for it.

The film starts out with the threat of a storm wiping the island off the map (what map?) so only then do the castaways get the idea that they can tie the huts together to make a big raft. You do have to wonder for castaways who have not had a working radio in over a decade how they kept up with the times in terms of hair style. all the men seem to have sideburns now and Ginger is doing her best Farrah hair imitation. Mr. Howell seems to have had an eye doctor visit somehow as he has prescription glasses now. Not to mention his clothes seems to fit despite his weight gain. This is true of Skipper also who has put on a few lbs. Not to mention their clothes not only seem to never show 15 years wear, but Skipper seems to be wearing a completely different shade of blue shirts now. the never ending supply of fresh clothes was a mystery when they were on the island after just 6 months. When they are on the ocean in their hut raft they figure using a sail would make them move in one direction. Subsequently everyone offers up their clothes to make a sail. a moment later we see a huge sale made of clothes but not one castaway has lost any clothes despite them saying seconds earlier of how they will be happy to remove their clothes to make a sail. I guess we forgot the episode that never aired where a freighter of clothes destine for Sears Robuck no doubt loses several tons of clothing cargo while passing the island.

The plot once rescued seems absolutely goofy and not goofy good. throw in some nonsense about a pair of Russians chasing Gilligan around because he's wearing a storage disc full of sensitive data around his neck. The plot is wasted on this silly pursuit.

The plot could have been a lot better but we are talking the imagination of writers in the late 70s. Not exactly our finest hour in terms of film history. But it all gores down to budget. had they put in just a couple hundred thousand more the film would have no doubt been worlds better..

One would do well to watch the docudrama made around 2000 with Bob, Russell and Dawn participating in a recreation of how the show evolved. Much better film and though its not really a remake of any kind its still quite interesting to watch.

Okay Reunion Film, But Second Half Was Boring

[jeremycrimsonfox · 6/10 · 1 April 2019]

Gilligan's Island is one of those classic comedies from before I was born. Lasting for three seasons, the show sadly ended without the cast getting off the island (with a fourth season planned, but cancelled due to executive meddling within CBS, whose president at the time decided to renew Gunsmoke and have it take Gilligan's timeslot). However, in 1978, this movie would be released.

Set 15 years after the Minnow's wreck, the film is a reunion movie of sorts, reuniting all but one of the original actors (Ginger was recast), after a piece of a spy satellite from another country falls into a lagoon and Gilligan discovers it, with the Professor using it to find out it is pointing towards an incoming tsunami that will destroy the island, leading to their latest escape plan.

The first half is basically the best, as it is the typical comedy you'd see on the show. However, the movie does take a downfall in the second half, when the cast are rescued and are back in civilization, as Skipper and Gilligan have to meet with the others to sign a paper to prove the former was not responsible for the accident. From here, it gets pretty boring, as we see the castaways trying to re-adjust to civilization, only to see how things have changed in fifteen years, all the while, two spies from said other country are sent to get the piece of satellite from Gilligan, who is wearing it like a necklace as a good luck charm.

It is an okay film, with the first half being good, but the second half really drags this movie down, as it does not have the charm and shows the castaways how better it was on the island than back in civilization. Best watched if you are a fan of classic TV comedies.

Ten Year Old Me Would Have Loved This

[NoDakTatum · 1/10 · 7 October 2023]

I admit it. When I was a kid, I thought the television series "Gilligan's Island" was a laugh riot. When this film, the first of three chronicling what happened to the castaways, came out in 1978, ten year old me was giddy with anticipation. Watching this, as a grown man, was one of the worst experiences of my life, little buddy. You remember the show- seven people are stranded on an uncharted island after a storm wrecks their boat. You have Gilligan (Bob Denver), the lovable, bumbling klutz. His boss is the Skipper (Alan Hale, Jr.). The Howells (Jim Backus and Natalie Schafer) are richer than God. Ginger (Judith Baldwin, after original TV cast member Tina Louise said no) is a famous movie star. The Professor (Russell Johnson) kept the group alive with his weird inventions and expertise turning jungle items into food and shelter. Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) was the farm girl with a heart as big as the great outdoors.

When the film opens, the group has been stranded on the island for fifteen years. A Russian spy satellite has been destroyed in space, and a strange disc drops out of it right into the island's lagoon. The Professor figures out a way to turn the strange disc into a barometer, and forecasts a giant storm and tsunami will wipe out the island. The group lashes their huts together, the storm comes, and the Coast Guard finds the castaways and brings them to Hawaii, and they resettle back in the continental United States. The Skipper's insurance company won't pay for a second boat until he can collect everyone's signature on an affidavit saying the initial shipwreck was not his fault. Two Russian spies (Art LaFleur, Vincent Schiavelli) follow the Skipper and Gilligan as they visit their old friends. The spies need to get the disc back, and Gilligan is wearing it around his neck. The late 1970's is a scary place, as Gilligan and the Skipper find out, and none of the other castaways seem to be doing very well.

I know, I know. I'm not the audience for this gunk, I'm not a kid anymore, and the original show is an icon to sitcom lovers everywhere. I know all that. I also know that it took four people to write this, it runs a little over an hour and a half, and I did not laugh once. I smiled when the Howells would make a remark about being rich, but other than that, nothing. I didn't want a heavy drama about the castaways readjusting to life on their return, but wow, this is so badly written and shot. I won't go into how the cast or crew does, because it's all inept. Don't go into this expecting to feel a wave of nostalgia wash over you, I was distracted by the awful public domain picture and waves of nausea. I found myself pondering the question asked by other children of the '70's and '80's, and unoriginal stand-up comedians everywhere: how did Gilligan survive for so long? How was he not strangled to death within a week of the shipwreck by the other cast members? Stage your own rescue- don't watch this.

NOT AS FUNNY AS THE Original SHOW

[garyldibert · 6/10 · 24 February 2007]

TITLE: RESCUE FROM GILLIGAN'S ISLAND was shown on TV on October 14 1978 and it will take you 95 minutes to watch this movie. Rescue From Gilligan's Island is a two-part television movie that continues the adventures of the shipwrecked castaways from the 1964-1967 TV series Gilligan's Island starring Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., and Jim Backus. The film first aired on NBC October 14 and October 21, 1978. It was directed by Leslie Martinson. It has fallen in the public domain.

SUMMARY: The movie begins when a satellite belonging to the U.S.S.R. experiences technical problems and is almost about to break apart. The scientists on the satellite dispose of a disc containing important information. Seconds later, the satellite blows up. The movie then picks up 15 years after the shipwreck of the S. S. Minnow stranded the crew and passengers on Gilligan's Island. After 15 years, little of their original possessions are left. Even their radio has finally broken down due to age. The metal recording disk from the Soviet satellite is lost and lands in the lagoon. Gilligan finds it and shows it to the professor. Realizing that the unique alloy can be used to make a barometer, the professor quickly realizes that a tidal wave is on the way, which will destroy the island. Quickly the castaways make plans to reinforce one of the huts to take shelter. When the castaways awaken the next morning, they realize that the hut has been swept off the island and is now a makeshift raft. They use clothes and make a sail, and try to make their way to land. In an attempt to make a meal, Gilligan makes a fire, which spreads to the raft. At first, angry with Gilligan for doing another one of his stupid stunts, the castaways are then grateful when the United States Coast Guard spots the smoke and rescues them. After being towed to Hawaii, the castaways are at first confused by modern life. They are informed that the President is now Jimmy Carter, and that they had missed the presidencies of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. They quickly part however, to try to return to life, as they knew it before the shipwreck. However, they agree to go on a cruise for the holidays. At this time, the Soviets discover that Gilligan is still in possession of the recording disk from their satellite. Determined to recover it, they send two spies to try to get it from Gilligan, by any means necessary. The Skipper and Gilligan are next seen hard at work, refurbishing the S. S. Minnow II. However, the insurance company informs them that they will not be able to get a settlement unless their former passengers sign a statement testifying that the Skipper was not responsible for the shipwreck.

QUESTIONS: Who did the skipper find first? Who did the Skipper go to see next? Who was the next person that the Skipper had to find? Who was the final person that the Skipper had to find? Why did the Skipper have to find these people?

MY THOUGHTS: I didn't think that this was as good as the regular show. The movie definitely misses the talent of Tina Louise. She played the role of Ginger far better and she was a lot better to look at also. The comedy part of this movie wasn't that funny either. Therefore, with that in mind I give this picture only 6 star because it wasn't as funny as the original show.

Well, It Was About Time !!

[aesgaard41 · 9/10 · 9 March 2001]

"After fifteen years... we're finally... rescued!" The Skipper choked on the words almost unable to say them as if he couldn't believe it. So do we as this the most successful television movie finally rescues those seven...... well, six anyway, Judith Baldwin had done away with Tina Louise and hypnotized the Castaways to think she was Ginger. Just kidding, Louise had held out till the last minute on doing the movie and then refused to do it. The show had reputedly damaged her career and she had finally gotten it back when this was going to be made. Her absence and Baldwin trying to be like her are the only things wrong with this movie as the castaways realize being rescued means leaving each other and that their time on the island was better than they had thought; this is more of what the movie should have been about. There is too much time spent on the sub-plot of Russian spies, a holdover from some of the episodes, which drags down this movie and a failure to show the celebrity status that would have logically occurred if seven real people had been suddenly rescued after being legally thought deceased. Think of what has happened to the cast of the first "Survivor." I would have figured at least the Skipper and Gilligan would have done commercial endorsements. "Running from cannibals and headhunters on the island, I always made sure I wore my Sprint-fast Air-soled Sneakers !" Gilligan would scream through the brush. Instead, we are subjected to the same cartoon-like humor and comedy that the series had turned into by the end of the series. Very little time is spent exposing the culture shock the castaways have returning to society and then the movie rushes straight into its meandering, obviously dated and clichéd sub-plot of spies and secret microfilm. Another overall drawback on the movie is the limited budget. It was all done rather cheaply with a rather noticeable Hollywood tank being used to float the huts on and a studio back lot being used as civilization. Even with the cast showing their age, and Tina Louise conspicuously absent, the movie is a joy to see but for the nostalgia factor. Maybe you can go home again, but I for one wouldn't mind seeing a big screen version of the series go into updating and expanding upon this movie for the present rather than trying to recreate the series itself!

Silly but fun

[artgutierrez · 7/10 · 17 May 2023]

I just watched this movie complete for the first time in several years. I remember watching bits and pieces of it years ago when it was a re-run on tv. But I had never seen it complete until now.

I have always enjoyed the humor and silliness of the Gilligan's Island tv series. I never took it too seriously. And that was the key to its success. Just enjoy it without overthinking it.

So I really enjoyed Rescue from Gilligan's Island. Yes, it has its flaws (the lack of Tina Louise's involvement is the biggest!). But if you think about it entirely, it really is a great story to tell.

I really enjoyed the way the story incorporates the 7 deadly sins into how each member of the group still feels detached from civilization even after the rescue in their own personal settings. And because of that, it felt so appropriate to end the movie full circle... Right back to living on the same island they called home for 15 years.

Great story, just not executed flawlessly. However, the silliness, the gags, and humor is all still there.

After 15 years on the island ...

[TxMike · 10 August 2020]

The original Gilligan's Island TV series had 30-minute episodes each week. That was just the right length. I was a young college student when the run started, I remember looking forward to each episode and enjoying them.

I suppose naturally enough producers decided to make a 90-minute movie where the professor is able to forecast a big storm, they lash all the huts together, and end up floating again in the Pacific after the storm subsides.

A Coast Guard helicopter spots them, a Coast Guard cutter tows them back to Hawaii, and they receive a great welcome. But ultimately each finds that the 15 years away made it hard for them to readjust, for all different reasons.

When the skipper finally gets his insurance settlement he buys a second boat, the Minnow II, and to celebrate everyone that had been stranded take a celebratory cruise. But then a storm comes up and you can guess it, the only appropriate thing happens ...

I enjoyed this movie even though 90 minutes of over-the-top silliness is a bit much to take. I enjoyed seeing the whole cast but I'd guess that audiences not a fan of the original TV series might not like this too much.

Rescue reunion

[safenoe · 8/10 · 11 May 2022]

I grew up on Gilligan's Island, so I was incredibly excited when the Rescue movie was released before the word reboot became ubiquitous. Wonderful to see the gang back. Even though Tina Louise didn't appear in this and the next two reunion movies, ironically she's the last surviving cast member.

This movie is lots of fun, and it brings back fond memories.