William Golding's gorgeous, stirring, menacing, dark and telling masterpiece Lord of the Flies is a natural for film adaptation. Despite a plethora of fine internal monologues (especially from the young mystic Simon), it's packed with external action, a solid plot, beautiful settings, a bunch of terrific set-pieces, and, thanks to the book's status as required high school reading, a sizable audience of filmgoers who are already familiar with the plot. It's so much a part of our popular culture that it's become parodic shorthand, so there's no chance that its terrifically appealing story wouldn't resonate with moviegoers. And it's got something for everyone: elements of comedy, high drama, adventure, action, and even science fiction. So why has it never had a truly successful movie version?
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