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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

directed by Peter Brook
U
K 1963

Lord of the Flies is famed theater director Peter Brook’s daring translation of William Golding’s brilliant novel. The story of 30 English schoolboys stranded on an uncharted island at the start of the “next” war, Lord of the Flies is a seminal film of the New American Cinema and a fascinating anti-Hollywood experiment in location filmmaking. As the cast relived Golding’s frightening fable, Brook found the cinematic “evidence” of the author’s terrifying thesis: there is a beast in us all.

Posters

Theatrical Release: August 13th, 1963 - USA

Reviews                              More Reviews                           DVD Reviews

Incidental Reading (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)

Comparison:

Criterion Collection - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

1) Criterion Collection - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT

 

Box Cover

   

  

Coming to the UK, on Blu-ray, by Criterion in August, 2017:

Distribution Criterion Collection - Spine #43 - Region 0 - NTSC Criterion Collection - Spine # 43  - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:30:36 1:30:48.526
Video 1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 7.65 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s 

1.33:1 - 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 47,684,802,552 bytes

Feature: 27,224,733,696 bytes

Video Bitrate: 35.38 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate:

Bitrate: Blu-ray

Audio English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)  LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit
Commentary and 'reading': Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles English, None English, None
Features

Release Information:
Studio: Criterion

Aspect Ratio:
Original aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Edition Details:

• Audio commentary by director Peter Brook, producer Lewis Allen, director of photography Tom Hollyman, and cameraman/editor Gerald Feil
• Excerpts from the novel, read by author William Golding
• A deleted scene, with a reading by Golding and commentary
• Original theatrical trailer, with commentary
• Production scrapbook, home movies, and outtakes
• Excerpts from Gerald Feil’s 1972 documentary The Empty Space, showing Brook’s methods for creating theater

• Six page liner notes

DVD Release Date: March 14th, 2000

Keep Case
Chapters: 31

Release Information:
Studio: Criterion Collection

 

1.33:1 - 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 47,684,802,552 bytes

Feature: 27,224,733,696 bytes

Video Bitrate: 35.38 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• Audio commentary featuring director Peter Brook, producer Lewis Allen, director of photography Tom Hollyman, and Feil
• Audio recordings of William Golding reading from his novel Lord of the Flies, accompanied by the corresponding scenes from the film
• Deleted scene, with optional commentary and Golding reading (1:57 with commentary or reading)
• Interview with Brook from 2008 (32:32)
• Collection of behind-the-scenes material, including home movies, screen tests, outtakes, and stills (15:37)
• Excerpt from a 1980 episode of The South Bank Show featuring Golding (24:36)
• New interview with Feil (19:36)
• Excerpt from Feil’s 1973 documentary The Empty Space, showcasing Brook’s theater methods (16:32)
• Living “Lord of the Flies,” a piece composed of never-before-seen footage shot by the boy actors during production, with new voice-over by actor Tom Gaman (6:08)
• Trailer (1:54)
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Geoffrey Macnab and an excerpt from Brook’s autobiography The Shifting Poin


Blu-ray Release Date: July 16th, 2013
Transparent
Blu-ray Case
Chapters: 13

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION Criterion Blu-ray - June 2013: the 1080P image jumps to life in all the expected areas - superior contrast, sharper, crisper detail, a smattering of grain and more information in the frame. I founds this a hugely improved film experience from the older, flat DVD or more than a decade ago. The transfer is derived from a restored 4K digital film transfer, supervised by editor and cameraman Gerald Feil, ASC. It gave me a great presentation.

Audio is via a linear PCM mono track at 1152 kbps. It exports a bit of bass while remaining authentically flat. The original score is by Raymond Leppard and seems to benefit from the uncompressed transfer. There are optional English subtitles on the region 'A'-locked Blu-ray disc.

Plenty of supplements on the Criterion Blu-ray including the previous audio commentary featuring director Peter Brook, producer Lewis Allen, director of photography Tom Hollyman. This also includes cameraman and editor Gerald Feil who gives a separate 20-minute interview examining specific scenes from the film and discusses some of the technical obstacles that arose during production. Repeated from the 2000 DVD are the collection of behind-the-scenes material, including home movies, screen tests, outtakes, and stills, as well as audio recordings of William Golding reading from his novel Lord of the Flies, accompanied by the corresponding scenes from the film, a 2-minute deleted scene (with optional commentary or 'reading') and 16-minutes of excerpts from Gerald Feil’s 1972 documentary The Empty Space, showing Brook’s methods for creating theater. New for the Blu-ray (and corresponding Criterion 2013 DVD) is a 1/2 hour interview with Brook from 2008 where he discusses his move from theater to film, his approach to adapting Lord of the Flies and the film's complicated production history. We get a 25-minute excerpt from a November 16th, 1980 episode of The South Bank Show featuring Golding reflecting on his childhood, fighting in world war II and the process of writing Lord of the Flies. Living “Lord of the Flies,” is a 6-minute piece composed of never-before-seen footage shot by the boy actors during production, with new voice-over by actor Tom Gaman. There is also a trailer and liner notes booklet featuring an essay by film critic Geoffrey Macnab and an excerpt from Brook’s autobiography The Shifting Poin.

Nice choice to bring to Blu-ray as I had forgotten so much of the film. The film remains a profound and moving experience and we can strongly recommend the stacked Criterion with the advanced a/v.

***

On the DVD: Criterion does it right. The original print which the transfer was taken is from a 35mm 'answer print', which in turn was made from the original negative. It is very strong with excellent contrast. there are moments when damage shows, but overall better than could possibly be hoped for. Original audio is clean. Excellent subtitles and a host of extras. Beautiful and poignant film given its fair due by the greatest DVD production company in the world. 

Gary W. Tooze


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Criterion Collection - Region 0 - NTSC

 

Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 


 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Screen Captures

 

1) Criterion Collection - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Criterion Collection - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Criterion Collection - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Criterion Collection - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Criterion Collection - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Criterion Collection - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

More Blu-ray Captures


Box Covers

   

  

Coming to the UK, on Blu-ray, by Criterion in August, 2017:

Distribution Criterion Collection - Spine #43 - Region 0 - NTSC Criterion Collection - Spine # 43  - Region 'A' - Blu-ray



 

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Gary Tooze