Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies, British adventure-drama film, released in 1963, that was based on the acclaimed allegorical 1954 novel of the same name by Nobel Prize-winning author William Golding.
Set at the onset of an unnamed war, the film opens as a British plane carrying evacuees crashes onto an uninhabited tropical island. The survivors, a handful of schoolboys, are left to their own wits and resources to subsist on the island. Their initial cooperative spirit rapidly degenerates: first into revelry, which causes them to ignore the maintenance of the signal fire they had lighted to attract help, and later into savagery. Ralph (played by James Aubrey), the elected leader of the group, symbolizes order and civilization. He must contend with Jack (Tom Chapin), the chief hunter of the group, whose descent into barbarism challenges Ralph’s civilizing influence. Paranoia ensues among the younger boys, a monstrous beast is envisioned, and one of the boys is killed during a frenzied attack in the dark. The boys split into competing factions that then turn on each other, resulting in the murder of another boy, Piggy (Hugh Edwards). As further savagery is about to commence—with the island’s forest aflame—the boys are suddenly discovered by a party of naval officers.
The cast was largely composed of amateur actors—many of whom appeared in only the one film—and much of the acting was improvised. The lack of polished acting arguably lent naturalness and authenticity to the performances. A colour film version of the story, directed by Harry Hook, was released in 1990.
Production notes and credits
- Studio: Two Arts Ltd.
- Director and writer: Peter Brook
- Producer: Lewis M. Allen
- Music: Raymond Leppard
- Running time: 90 minutes
Cast
- James Aubrey (Ralph)
- Tom Chapin (Jack)
- Hugh Edwards (Piggy)
- Roger Elwin (Roger)