The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island (1981 TV Movie) User Reviews

A failed attempt to resurrect a classic

[The-Sarkologist · 3/10 · 14 September 2012]

I decided to tape this movie because it was Gilligan's Island and I remember watching it heaps when I was a kid. Later I found out that this was the third attempt to resurrect the series from the grave. Gilligan's Island may have been a good series, but sometimes things should just remain dead, as with this.

In the previous movies, the castaways were rescued and then turned the island into a resort. Now they are running the resort under the management of the Howard's (the rich couple) son. One of the cast has been replaced and the wealthy man does not appear until the end of the movie.

This movie is actually quite dull and boring. The Harlem Globetrotters crashland on the island and become welcome guests while a mad scientist is trying to buy the island off the castaways for its rich deposit of supremium (a uranium rip off). The movie culminates in a basketball game between robots and the Harlem Globetrotters in which the Globetrotters manage to win through the use of their funky moves.

The movie is really quite dull. Though it does invoke a couple of laughs (such as the Globetrotters rescuing their basketballs from the wreckages) most of it really falls flat. Though I cannot remember what the characters were like in the original, in this movie they seemed to really over act (especially Ginger, who is supposed to be a movie star). In the end, the series may have originally been good, but the attempted resurrection falls flat on its face.

Strangely fascinating

[mcgee-8 · 8 April 2000]

I've had a strange fascination with this movie since it came out in '81. It's not great cinema, not a great TV movie, not very good by the TV-series' standards. But...

*It is the "last roundup" for the original cast. Jim Backus, Alan Hale and Natalie Schaefer have passed on in the years since, and there seems no clamoring to reunite the surviving members with a new Skipper and Mr/Mrs. Howell. As an admirer of the spirited, surreal comedy of the original series, I found this movie to be a not-too-bad farewell.

*I'm a big hoops fan, and this is one of the rare opportunities to see the Globetrotters on film. (The Globetrotters' cartoons and old film clips are shown occasionally, and ABC televises a Globetrotter game once a year, but that's about it.) They are master ballhandlers and showmen, and they demonstrate that here. (Also, we get to hear "coach" Scatman Crothers sing "Sweet Georgia Brown," which ain't bad.)

*This may be the final joint film appearance of Martin Landau and Barbara Bain before they divorced. In any case, it's fascinating to watch Mr. Landau mug and overact, in the days before he became a "serious," bankable character actor in films.

*Because Jim Backus was ill during the filming, the "Mr. Howell" role is filled mostly by the Howell's son, "Thurston Howell IV" -- played by David Ruprecht, who now hosts "Supermarket Sweep." I don't believe the Howells ever mentioned having a son in all the prior episodes/movies, but there he is, all of a sudden. (Backus does make a cameo at the end, thank goodness.)

*Longtime Laker announcer Chick Hearn's in the film, as the announcer for the "big game" between the Globetrotters and the Robots. He talks and talks and talks...and after a while, his yakking gets somewhat distracting. (The very final scene, the producers cut off Chick's mike while he was still talking!)

The humor's cornball and slight, and the site of the aging Bob Denver as the supposedly child-like Gilligan is laughable. But Ruprecht acquits himself pretty well, as do Russell Johnson and Alan Hale. (Dawn Wells doesn't have much to do, Natalie and Jim are too old -- and minus Tina Louise, the character of Ginger is lifeless.)

It's not as good as "Rescue From Gilligan's Island," but better than "Castaways On Gilligan's Island." For fans of the show (and the Globetrotters), it's worth a watch.

You think you have seen bad made for TV movies?

[longislandjoe · 1/10 · 25 May 2006]

The Harlem Globtrotters crash land on Gilligan's Island. Compared to this, the original series seems almost intelligent.

That said this is truly one of the worst things you could imagine seeing.

This thing should be shown in prison to violent offenders serving life sentences. When they get finished watching this they will ask for the death penalty instead.

If you have anything else to do, and I mean anything, do it besides watching this.

Wow. If you were to teach a class on bad movies, this is the one to show.

Worst Movie of all Time

[jonathanrspalding · 1/10 · 8 September 2015]

I really believe this is the worst movie of all time. I think the reason it does not make the lists of the worst films of all time is not many people have seen it. It may not be the worst movie of all time, but it is the worst one I have ever watched essentially through.

I am a fan of the original show. The goofy satire of life and people in the vein of Get Smart or Green Acres is something I have always enjoyed. Without going into detail as to why, this movie had none of that and was just stupid. The thing with goofy comedy is that it either works or it does not. This was bad.

Finally, the Howell's can't find a son they never mentioned and Tina Louise is Ginger

I enjoyed this movie but don't ask a Gilligan's Island manic what they thought about it

[Pac-Man 256 · 7/10 · 24 December 1998]

I enjoyed this movie. Most true Gilligan's Island fans (which I am) Would say that this is the worst movie. I think that that is just what made this movie interesting. It was different. In this movie there was a different Ginger than in Rescue from and Castaways on. I had trouble telling who Ginger was. You probably won't like this movie if you like B-Ball but don't like Gilligan's Island. There is a B-Ball match at the end. But it is not a real match. The Harlem Globetrotters play against the "New Invinvcibles" who are robots. I give this movie 5 out of 10. The worst movie in the series.... But give it a try

It Almost Worked

[aesgaard41 · 8/10 · 10 March 2001]

I am probably one of the few Gilligan fans who can say that they like this picture, but there are several things wrong with it. Ginger has regressed backward in age so that she looks like her own daughter. Lovely Constance Forslund, an actress who once played Marilyn Monroe, is obviously too young to play the role when she would be better off doing it in a remake. The Howells who once said they never had a son suddenly have one, so either they had lied way back then, or they adopted the oldest kid in the orphanage to avoid parental duties." Oh no, we meant we didn't have a son ON THE ISLAND." This was supposed to set off a new series with the castaways running a resort on their old island, such a series would have allowed them to close all the old plot points of the series and bring back their old guest stars, but instead there is a culture shock as the castaways meet the Harlem Globetrotters. An illogical bet is made just for the team to play and show off their magic on a ridiculous looking court that has to be seen to be believed. Husband and wife team Martin Landau and Barbera Bain play financial rivals of the Howells in order to bilk them out of a valuable new element on the island. The plot as well as the jokes are straight out of the series, as are the Skipper's and Gilligan's wardrobe. Couldn't they have got more new clothes by now ? Still, this movie to end all movies does follow the spirit as well as the craziness of the series. I can only assume the next movie will be called: "Return to Gilligan's Island: Balingkoff's Revenge."

A Buried Treasure

[jedi-jones · 6/10 · 27 January 2021]

The final and most obscure of the Gilligan's Island TV movies gets more right than the other two. While the previous two specials incorporated a lot of melodrama based on realistic situations that often made them feel more like the Brady Bunch than Gilligan's Island, this film goes for broad comedy, cartoonish antics, bold characterizations and sight gags that better capture the tone of the original series.

Sci-fi aficionados may notice that this television film curiously foreshadows elements from more prominent sci-fi movies and shows that came out later:

*The rare element supremium sounds a lot like Avatar's unobtanium and both are used as the MacGuffin in the plot.

*A villain's henchman sneaks venomous spiders into the windows of the heroes' huts to attack them while they're sleeping just as a hired bounty hunter sneaks killer bugs into the window of Padme's bedroom in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

*The villain manipulates Thurston Howell the 4th into doing things he shouldn't do by taunting him that he's chicken. Marty McFly is manipulated the exact same way in the Back to the Future sequels.

*The supremium becomes unstable and destructive over a certain temperature just like the acid does in Superman III.

*George the robot opens the front panel on his torso to retrieve items just like Bender does in Futurama.

Even Better than the Novel!

[randycoates · 13 May 2008]

This movie is incredible! Amazing! It had everything! It is truly shocking that it was a made for TV production, it has epic blockbuster written all over it.

Name it and this movie has it. The Harlem Globetrotters, greedy developers, Gilligan, Mary-Ann, The Professor, The Skipper, the millionaire and his wife, the rest, tourists, basketball in an exotic Caribbean location....... this movie has everything! EVERYTHING! ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING!

You should be grateful, very grateful, that we get entertainment such as this. The world is good.

Bring Your Own Soundtrack

[angeloftheeastbay · 6/10 · 16 July 2023]

The Writer's strike is now joined by the Actors.

Bob Iger CEO of Disney just got a 20+M$/yr 4-year contract and is driving the MAGA crowd crazy and waiting for writers and actors to start loosing their apartments or transitioning back into "real jobs".

Who doesn't 💖 Gilligan's Island?

If you are like me, you may read the title and expect some sort of television producer's effort to get "the gang" together since residuals really was not a thing then and make a few bucks to carry into the later years but its just so much worse than that. Well, these movies are meh at best, but this one is a real doozy and deserves all the previous words typed by Humans who chose to actually finish this thing and type with their Real Fingers these reviews.

I tried my best to grimace through not just the dialogue, but the OMG shark scene - by the way thank you "Batman" 1968 movie for our very first man vs shark onscreen movie scene - and hopefully see what Mary Ann & Ginger might look like after 15+yrs on the island when my brain screamed "ENOUGH! THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD SAVE THIS WOULD BE A NEW SCRIPT!" then, I had an idea ... play a LP while the thing plays!! I chose a fav 1976 Rock Album Ill avoid naming for copyright purposes and it was sorta fun to WATCH the movie and LISTEN to something engaging and audibly pleasant.

My experience went from 4 stars to 6 stars.

>>-SPOILERS BELOW-<<

Ok, ya, Globetrotters "crash" on the island, but actually getting to the island raised my "did they read the script before signing the contract?" alarm. I'm thinking they had a white talent agent from 1901 on this deal.

Ginger needs to share her Island Beauty Secrets - she looks younger and fresher in EVERY movie!

HOLY COW! Peter Baldwin directed?? David Ruprect?

This script is sad, horribly lousy, and thankfully will NEVER get a re-make much less a re-boot ... or will it once the strike ends?

If you like the Globetrotters and Gilligan, this movie is great.

[-Gibbs- · 10/10 · 5 October 1999]

How often can you find the most entertaining sports team and the stars of the all time funniest situation comedy in one place? I only know of one and that's "The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island." I have only seen this TV movie once and I thought it was the funniest thing I'd seen (besides the one where the castaways get rescued). I'd recommend it to anyone that just wants to sit back and relax while enjoying a good move.

Wow !!!

[Mennis65 · 5 May 1999]

This movie was one of the few that are better than the book. I have been a big fan of Gilligan ever since he blew their chances of getting off of the island. Nice to see Thruston Howell the 4th as well as the Globetrotters.

I think this movie should come on tv again...

[jeremy2753 · 10/10 · 2 June 2002]

I think this is a really cool Movie and I think it should come back on tv again so people can see it. I think it will be nice if TV Land Channel should have it on like for a weekend. Thanks for listening and please get it on tv again...

Gilligan's Island's Last Stand?

[safenoe · 8/10 · 21 November 2016]

Now that we live in a post-Brexit and concurrently a Trump presidency, Gilligan's Island needs to be rebooted to deal with the key issues of the day. But until a reboot, we have The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island, the third TV movie.

The Harlem Globetrotters are a joy to watch, and also it was good to see David Ruprecht making an appearance, standing in for Jim Backus, who had Parkinson's Disease at the time, and who thankfully was able to make a final and poignant appearance at the end of the episode.

Anyway, a reboot could be take a more darker and serious tone, just like the Teen Wolf series reboot did.

Best of the three Gilligan's Island Movies (Possible Spoilers)

[alanglais50 · 10/10 · 14 February 2016]

I generally like a lot of the TV reunion movies I've seen but the three Gilligan's Island ones are among the best. However this one stands out compared to the previous two. Rescue from Gilligan's Island and The Castaway's on Gilligan's Island don't do as good a job recapturing the fun of the original series and Judith Baldwin was an inferior Ginger. This movie has it all, from plenty of slapstick bumbling from Gilligan to a Ginger almost as good as Tina Louise. As you can guess from the title this movie features the Harlem Globetrotters. Their plane crashes while on the way to a game and they are forced to stay at the Castaways' resort until the outside world can be alerted. In one scene the gang challenges the globetrotters to a game and get clobbered as you would expect. Meanwhile evil J.J. Pierson tries to swindle the gang out of the island so he can use the supremium on the island to take over the world.

No rating is just garbage

[kmkevinn-64733 · 10 June 2023]

Yes this television movie did not give a rating because the good reason why I did not enjoy is because ever since I started Gilligan's Island the first season and mostly two and three seasons of it and cancel it immediately is because opportunities like this tv movie about a popular basketball team and a island that cannot never go home is just a disappointment because as an adult especially the new generation it's very much made for kids (TV-G) all audiences which to me is boring and puts me to sleep but this television movie puts me to sleep and yes it happens constantly 100% of the minute. What a waste.