Oasis Atoll

*This article is about the settlement seen in the film.
For the type of settlement, see Atoll.*

The **Oasis Atoll**, or **Atoll Oasis**, is an atoll settlement featured prominently in the Waterworld franchise.

The Oasis Atoll is a central set in the 1995 film.

Oasis Atoll is also featured in a wide of related merchandise, such as the novelisation, audio book, the various video games based on the film, and also reappears as the central set in the live action stunt show. Oasis Atoll also appears in artwork of the board game, pinball machine, and trading cards.

## Description

Oasis is a ramshackle atoll constructed from junk and debris found floating on the sea. This includes rusted metals, plastics, and fiberglass. It is surrounded by a ring of high walls and watchtowers for defence. Few firearms are still in a serviceable condition, but the guards have harpoons and water pumps to fend off unwanted intruders. The guards have an unnamed commander simply referred to as "The Enforcer".

The elders have decreed that due to limited space and resources, the atoller population must be kept to a specific number. Drifters are only permitted entry for trade, or impregnation of women so as to avoid inbreeding. The deceased have their bodies 'recycled' into compost to use on the 'organo barge'.

Buildings inside include a town hall where the elders can meet, debate and pass along news to the atollers. There is also a trade building which doubles as a bar, and which is run by Helen. There is also an "organo barge" containing soil, a large tree and plants being grown by the atollers.

Electricity is provided by Old Gregor's windmill which acts as crude wind turbine, and hydro is provided by an aging desalination plant. Gregor's laboratory is inside the tallest tower of the atoll, where he has been secretly building an airship away from prying eyes.

## Inhabitants

* Priam - First among the village elders
* Atoll Banker
* The Enforcer - Chief of security
* Old Gregor - Chief engineer
* Helen - Owns the trading outpost/bar
* Enola - Helen's adopted daughter
* Unnamed atollers

*to be completed*

### New Oasis

* *Main article: New Oasis*

After the atoll is sacked by the Smokers, the survivors regroup on a small gathering of boats they name New Oasis.

## Galleries

### Structures

Oasis Atoll profileFrom aboveThe Mariner's trimaran (foreground) approaching Oasis Atoll (background)The Mariner shows dirt to the guards to gain entranceThe gates of Oasis Atoll openThe Mariner's trimaran enters Oasis AtollThe Organo Barge (Farm)A wider shot of the farmThe Mariner gives a car wingmirror to a young atollerThe electricity-producing windmill can be seen clearly in this shotThe desalination plantThe Mariner trading with chits at Helen's barThe Mariner with plankton cakes at Helen's barThe Mariner captive above the 'recycle bog'The Mariner attempts to escape from the recycling bogSmoker attack jet skis approach OasisThe Smokers encircle OasisGregor's airship escaping his laboratory during the smoker attackHelen and Enola left in Gregor's laboratoryThe Mariner during the smoker attack on OasisThe Mariner's trimaran fleeing the smoker attack on Oasis
### Atoll Elders

Priam, an atoll elder (Zakes Mokae)Priam and another elderPriam in the Atoll meeting hallA female elder in the meeting hall (Rita Zohar)The Atoll Banker (Jack Kehler)The unnamed priest elder (Zitto Kazann)An unnamed elder (Leonardo Cimino)Another unnamed elder (Sab Shimono)Elders offer a daughter to the Mariner
### Atollers

The Enforcer and the Atoll Gatesman at the gateAtollers about to 'recycle' one of their deceasedAtollers stripping meat from a dead hammerhead sharkHelen watches the trimaran dockHelen and Enola in the AtollHelen covers up Enola's tattooA trader in Helen's barA 'hydroholic' at the bar gives the Nord information in exchange for a few sips of hydroThe Mariner buys all of Helen's hydro and plantsOld GregorThe Atoll Gatesman restrains the MarinerThe Gatesman notices the Mariner's gillsGuardsmen rush to defend the atoll during the Smoker attack
## Trivia

* In a scene deleted from the theatrical cut but reinstated for the Ulysses cut, the Smoker Bookkeeper reads out to the Deacon the spoils of the raid on Oasis Atoll. This includes "660 G's of greater grade hydro, 120 K's of assorted edibles including fish and plankton cakes, 60 K's of fish oil for lamp lighting, 44 old-growth grapevines, 10 assorted fruit trees. However, they have zero cigarettes, ammunition storage, go-juice [fuel] or refining capability". The last part angers the Deacon, with him referring to the atollers as 'primitive savages'.

## Writing

* In Peter Rader's first script/pitch in the 1980s, the floating city was named **Calypso**, although little described beyond being like a 'football stadium'.
* In Peter Rader's second revised film script in 1991, it was named **Oasis**, although it was described as a flotilla of ships lashed together instead of what is seen in the film. It also fell to a pirate sacking as it does in the film.

## Film production

The modular floating set was built by crews local to the shooting location in Hawaii. However the eight base floats and counterweights were first constructed by Lockheed Martin, and the junkyard city built up around those. Once built and assembled together, it weighed over 1,000 tons, and was a quarter of a mile in length. The end cost of building it was $22 million.

A common misconception, widely reported in the press at the time of filming, was that the atoll set sunk in a hurricane and had to be rebuilt at further massive cost. Whilst true that the production went massively over budget, mostly due the complications of filming on water, the atoll set never sank. The misconception may have arose because the set for the Bartering Outpost capsized, although this was a small set and was set back upright within a day without any danger to cast or crew.

### Concept artwork

An early concept artwork by Steve Burg for the atoll showing a spiral entrance. This design was not used.Another concept artwork, this one much more similar to the final setConcept artwork of the gates of Oasis AtollConcept artwork of the Organo Barge, the farm of Oasis Atoll. This design is very close to the Organo Barge created on the final set.Concept artwork of atollers stripping a shark carcass for meatConcept artwork of Helen's tavern / trading postOld Gregor in his laboratoryOld Gregor in his laboratoryConcept artwork of Gregor's airship fleeing his laboratory during the smoker attack

### Set construction

Oasis Atoll under construction in Hawaii (early stage)Oasis Atoll under construction in Hawaii (late stage)
### Production gallery

The Mariner's trimaran approaching the Oasis Atoll setThe trimaran on the setProduction still of the lagoonOasis Atoll set at night timeHelicopter dropping stuntmen into the set during the filming of the smoker attack on Oasis
## Sources

* Concept artwork courtesy of The Atoll Instagram page via *The Making of Waterworld*

## See also

* Atoll - The type of settlement
* Atollers - The residents of this type of settlement and their culture
* The Atoll - A fan YouTube channel and Instagram page

## References

1. ↑ Maelstrom: The Odyssey of Waterworld
2. ↑ The Making of Waterworld
3. ↑ Maelstrom: The Odyssey of Waterworld