Lord of the Flies

Director: Peter Brook Peter Brook

Overview

Peter Brooks' big-screen adaptation of William Golding's classic Lord of the Flies adheres closely to the source material. After a plane accident, 30 school-age boys find themselves stranded on an island. The boys decide that the disciplined Ralph (James Aubrey) will be their leader. Jack (Tom Chapin) heads up a group who will hunt and butcher the local population of pigs for food. Also on the island is the mature, intelligent Piggy (Hugh Edwards). Eventually Ralph and Jack become the center of a war for leadership on the island. The story was filmed with less success in 1990.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/16/2013
UPC:	0715515108218
Original Release:	1963
Source:	Criterion Collection
Presentation:	[B&W]
Time:	1:30:00
Sales rank:	4,763

Special Features

New, restored 4K digital film transfer, supervised by Gerald Feil

Uncompressed monaural soundtrack

Audio commentary featuring director Peter Brook and more

Audio recordings of William Golding reading from his novel Lord of the Flies

Deleted scene, with optional commentary and reading by Golding

Interview with Brook from 2008

Collection of behind-the-scenes material

New interview with Feil

Excerpt from Feil's 1972 documentary The Empty Space

Something Queer in the Warehouse, a piece composed of never-before-seen footage

Trailer

PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Geoffrey Macnab#sthash.yxS7tILm.dpuf

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

James Aubrey	Ralph
Tom Chapin	Jack
Hugh Edwards	Piggy
Roger Elwin	Roger
Tom Gaman	Simon
Nicholas Hammond	Actor
David M. Walsh	Actor
Johnny Walsh	Actor
Jerome Willis	Actor
Surtees Twins	Sam & Eric

Technical Credits

Peter Brook

Peter Brook	Director,Editor,Screenwriter
Lewis M. Allen	Producer
Gerald Feil	Cinematographer,Editor
Al Hine	Executive Producer
Tom Hollyman	Cinematographer
Raymond Leppard	Score Composer
Jean-Claude Lubtchansky	Editor

Editorial Reviews

Director Peter Brooks' depiction of William Golding's novel is appropriately dark and dreary; he is able to attain the perfect balance of innocence and hedonism needed to bring this adventure/morality tale to life. The children are played primarily by non-actors, giving the film a much-needed natural feel. Some might view the lack of budget and amateurish acting as a flaw, but when compared to Harry Hook's more polished, higher-budgeted 1990 adaptation, it is clear Brooks' version is truer to the source material. The images Brooks puts forth in his film are as shocking and startling as they were in the novel, in part due to the naiveté of the actors. Piggy's Hugh Edwards physical appearance is just as Golding described him, as is Ralph James Aubry. Creating an accurate film adaptation of a well received novel is no easy task, but Brooks has done a wonderful job of visualizing this classic novel.

All Movie Guide - Laura Abraham