Lord of the Flies tonight BBC

Brilliant Film .. showed how clever, sympathetic, and a jolly good egg Piggy was .... I really appreciated it ...

A novel that caused a real stir when it was first published about violence the human condition.

It was also routinely included in GCE Eng Lit syllabuses in the Sixties along with Cider With Rosie and a Clock Work Orange .

Someone once said it could be used in a recruitment campaign for the Conservative Party for public school members.

Golding went on to win a Nobel Prize for Literature years later.

fancyflowers

I have enjoyed episode 1, 'Piggy.' The series so far doesn't adhere to the book: in the book, the boys kept a fire going but they didn't set fire to part of the island.

The acting is superb, and the photography is excellent. In many ways it reminds me of the film 'Walkabout' with Jenny Agutter.

I am looking forward to seeing the rest of it.

I am just re-reading the book and I have realized that the boys did set fire to the trees on the island.

I didn’t read the book at my all girls school but remember seeing the black and white film back in the sixties. I thought it was horrible but then I suppose I was expecting something more like Swallows and Amazons. Silly me!

I’ve never the book. Found the first episode enthralling, though rather strange. I intend continuing to watch it but thanks for the warning everyone.

It’s horrific but completely watchable, helps to analyse behaviours

I read the book at school and I've seen the film, which I found unsettling. I've watched the first episode of the series and I thought all the actors were very good, so I expect this to be as bleak as the book and the film.

I first came across the book when I taught it for O level English literature in the 70s. I think it’s a very interesting study of how circumstances can cause social order to break down and the consequences. I’ve watched two episodes of the current series and am finding it excellent in all respects - location, casting, acting, adherence to the original story. I’m waiting for the ending when the boys finally encounter an adult to see if it lives up to the way in which Golding portrayed it.

I found the book, the film and now the series thought-provoking and interesting, but not harrowing. I am not great at watching violence and upsetting things, but I have seen a lot worse than this. If anyone hasn't seen it or read the book, I would say don't be put off by the way it's being portrayed on this thread - perceptions clearly vary a lot.

A brilliant story but how I loathed having to teach it.

Should read I can deal with harrowing.

As I said in my op, I don't know the story. I just knew it was boys on an island. I will watch it all. No can deal with harrowing.

I remember hating the book at school; I still get flashbacks now (PTSD, if one is alllowed to have that from a book!). I won't watch it; co-incidentally, my grandaughter is studying it this year so it will be on record for her is she chooses to watch it. It is helpful to have read here that it is faithful to the book

Its harrowing, but im enjoying it.

I have enjoyed episode 1, 'Piggy.' The series so far doesn't adhere to the book: in the book, the boys kept a fire going but they didn't set fire to part of the island.

The acting is superb, and the photography is excellent. In many ways it reminds me of the film 'Walkabout' with Jenny Agutter.

I am looking forward to seeing the rest of it.

I didn’t watch it last night, but did watch it at Chichester Festival Theatre in September when one of my old childminded children played Piggy. It is a difficult story to watch and although I’ve never read the book I do remember watching at a school production around 15-18 years ago so was familiar with the story line. The CFT production was brilliant, although I maybe a tad biased 🤪

My definition of harrowing must be very different to most people on here.

I've seen all of it now, and it was so well done. The acting was very good, and the cinematography excellent.

The book is good for GCSE level - not a children's book at all, but a good one to use to explore themes of power and its ability to corrupt, ways of organising societies, how childhood can affect who we become and so on. I was impressed by the way the series engaged with all of those themes without making it too obvious, so it will appeal to a general audience as well as educators.

I will watch it again, I think. Those little'uns were haunting, poor little mites.

Read the book when I was around 12 and thought it was really good, but youngsters aren’t as what? Kind, thoughtful, sentimental, horrified by the idea of children killing as adults are.
Think I would find it too harrowing to read or watch now.

I read the book when I was about 13 I think. It left a big impression on me. It wasn’t a set book at my girls school which would have considered it beyond the pale I think. I’ve watched 2 episodes so far and it is a hard watch but I’ll persevere.

I have read the book and will watch the film.

I’ve started watching it and will continue. I was impressed but my main motivation is that dgs is studying the book for gcse so we can discuss it together

Brilliant book. I loved the original film. Was rather worried at the idea of this new version. Far too often, film producers, etc take wonderful books and then get them re-written for dramatisation - virtually always nowhere as good as the original.

The black and white film was brilliant, kept closely to the book, and the young actors were all so excellent. Do wonder if any of them went on to adult acting. I understand in that version, the young boy playing Piggy really got involved with the 'young uns' on set and would sit with them telling them stories. To such an extent that the producer actually got those filmed and used them in the final cut.

I was rather concerned at what they would do with this wonderful book, but the first episode has put my mind at rest. They are keeping to the book, another group of superb young actors. I am recording it and will most definitely watch until that 'bitter' end. Once again, WELL DONE TO THE BBC.

I'm watching it because one of my grandsons sent in an audition tape for it. He didn't get any further, which was probably just as well as it would have been very difficult to organise the months filming in Malaysia. Piggy is lovely, which is going to make it very difficult to keep watching, but I've been impressed so far. I was surprised how many people commenting on Facebook claim to have been deeply traumatised by the book. It's an unsettling book, but I wouldn't go further than that. There are also a number of people saying it's just children, why isn't it on CBBC. I can only presume they haven't read the book.

petra

MayBee70

I hadn’t realised it was on the BBC. Saw some of the publicity and assumed it would be on a channel I don’t subscribe to. I must watch it if it’s by Jack Thorne. With music by Hans Zimmer. And I do like the way these series are not going straight onto iplayer as it stops me binge watching( and not getting anything done).

All 4 series are on Iplayer now.

Oh no…