Word: ralph
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1960-1969
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Golding's careful variation of tone largely explains his success. He combines the simple narration of a boy's adventure story ("Ralph inspected the whole thirty yards carefully and then plunged in"), Biblical phrases which suggest the allegory ("The sow collapsed under them and they were heavy and fulfilled upon her") and brutal statements which leave no doubt about the allegory ("Piggy glanced nervously into hell"). His style features effective personifications -- take "the lagoon attacked them" and "the laughter beat them...
...Hollyman, the director of photography, deserves much of the credit. At the outset, one sees the beautiful aspect of the jungle, sun fills the lagoon, a small boy gazes at a lizard with wonder. Later the film depicts the savagery of the jungle: as Ralph runs from the schoolmates who are trying to kill him, the forest dissolves into a buzzing, gleaming hell. A few frames of Piggy--fat, isolated and sensible--show that he is a very real little boy as well as an allegorical character. Often the film benefits from a significant sequence of shots, as when...
Hugh Edwards' portrayal of Piggy as a plodding unwanted little boy is realistic in every gesture and expression. Despite a few awkward movements, Tom Chapin presents a realistic Jack (the bully who becomes a beast). The part of Ralph--the nice, normal boy -- offers fewer striking characteristics; James Aubrey is, however, a believably nice, normal boy. Although a little of their ad libbing seems forced, the crowd of boys generally reacts realistically...
...final scene of the movie exemplifies both its power and its differences from the book. In Golding's novel, the scene is more complex: Jack sobs, Golding philosophizes. The film version contains a stunning shot of Ralph, having run from his pursuers, stumbling onto a British officer. The camera shows him slowly looking up the officer's high legs to his clean white socks and finally to his clean, white, British cap. Tears run from Ralph's wise eyes while the not-so-wise eyes of a neatly-dressed sailor stare uncomprehendingly...
...RALPH KEEMEYER Mexico City...