Review of Lord of the Flies (1963) by Johnny T — 03 Aug 2012

Brook's film isn't perfect, but remains the most effective way of visually capturing the essence of Golding's Lord of the Flies. The frightening scenes of these previous ultra-civilized schoolboys losing it and forming marauding bands with pointed wooden sticks as weapons as they savagely shout "Kill the beast," gives the film its maddening impetus. It clearly, in an unsettling way, brings out Darwin's theory of "the survival of the fittest" to its darkest light. Boasting a surprisingly natural cast of amateur actors and directed by radical stage director Peter Brook ("Marat/Sade"), this lowbudget British effort impressively captures much of the novel's back-to-nature symbolism that I found so powerful and fascinating. The young masters representing good and evil, James Aubrey ("Ralph") and Tom Chapin ("Jack"), effectively portray the resolute leaders of the two disparate tribes. Of course, the most haunting part of the soundtrack relies on the memorable schoolboy chants.

VERDICT: "High-Quality Stuff" - [Positive Reaction] This is a rating to a movie I view as very entertaining and well made, and definitely worth paying the full price at a theatre to see or own on DVD. It is not perfect, but it is definitely excellent. (Films that are rated 3.5 or 4 stars).