We open this classic 1963 adaptation of William Golding's novel with a series of photographs underneath the credits. A series of memories, nicely setting the mood of the story - photographs of boy's schools, of the situation at hand in the story, and of plane crashes, disaster. We get, though sometimes unclearly, that a plane has crashed during a war, and that there are presumably boys on board.
With that note, the story becomes suddenly detached. The first acting scene starts with the British boys we inferred before, yet they are completely clean, and perfectly calm, and nothing can be seen of the fact that they've just survived a near brush with death. We see nothing of the remains of the plane, we see nothing of the "scar" that was referenced in the book - we have no idea if these boys are simply on a field trip. A key point for continuity - the tube escape system hinted at in the book, a possibility that the boys might have escaped in their condition. It was supposed to be technology, but we never find out about it - that key point was missed.
So we start off with a break. Coming in to the movie, the first thing you'd notice is a horrible lack of pacing. When dialogue occurs, there are harsh pauses in between camera focuses on each character. Piggy speaks horribly slowly - although that could be attributed as a part of character - and the other characters seem perfectly sedate. It seems that they're simply waiting for a teacher to arrive. No sense of emotion, nothing.
Progressing through the normal parts of the book, the dialogue and action is extremely slow. The camera would focus in on Ralph for a second, wait....then he'd say his line. This rough pacing brought down the entire feel of the movie.
Granted, it was made in 1963. It is a black and white movie, and uses a different kind of cinematography we are used to today. But that is not apparent in movies made earlier in black and white - Hitchcock movies are paced amazingly. This is not an example of a good use of the technology available.
But there were naturally certain redeeming points. The bloodlust in eating the first pig is pictured well, and the second half of the movie is much better, and easier to watch. There is a genuine frisson of tension while Ralph is being chased - although a flash or a glimpse of a possible attacher would make it more so - and the music and sound effects are used amazingly well; although there is one point, on the top of the mountain, when one line of music repeats over, and over, monotonously.
The main problem, aside from the pacing, must have been the lack of a clear point to the tale - in the novel, there was a societal critique, and a perfect image of one's "inner demons". In this movie - it lacks.
Rating: 6/10
With that note, the story becomes suddenly detached. The first acting scene starts with the British boys we inferred before, yet they are completely clean, and perfectly calm, and nothing can be seen of the fact that they've just survived a near brush with death. We see nothing of the remains of the plane, we see nothing of the "scar" that was referenced in the book - we have no idea if these boys are simply on a field trip. A key point for continuity - the tube escape system hinted at in the book, a possibility that the boys might have escaped in their condition. It was supposed to be technology, but we never find out about it - that key point was missed.
So we start off with a break. Coming in to the movie, the first thing you'd notice is a horrible lack of pacing. When dialogue occurs, there are harsh pauses in between camera focuses on each character. Piggy speaks horribly slowly - although that could be attributed as a part of character - and the other characters seem perfectly sedate. It seems that they're simply waiting for a teacher to arrive. No sense of emotion, nothing.
Progressing through the normal parts of the book, the dialogue and action is extremely slow. The camera would focus in on Ralph for a second, wait....then he'd say his line. This rough pacing brought down the entire feel of the movie.
Granted, it was made in 1963. It is a black and white movie, and uses a different kind of cinematography we are used to today. But that is not apparent in movies made earlier in black and white - Hitchcock movies are paced amazingly. This is not an example of a good use of the technology available.
But there were naturally certain redeeming points. The bloodlust in eating the first pig is pictured well, and the second half of the movie is much better, and easier to watch. There is a genuine frisson of tension while Ralph is being chased - although a flash or a glimpse of a possible attacher would make it more so - and the music and sound effects are used amazingly well; although there is one point, on the top of the mountain, when one line of music repeats over, and over, monotonously.
The main problem, aside from the pacing, must have been the lack of a clear point to the tale - in the novel, there was a societal critique, and a perfect image of one's "inner demons". In this movie - it lacks.
Rating: 6/10