Thoughts on the Trial

[Swithun]

I got the Trial for Christmas, the Warner Brothers R2 release which is rather good probably only second to the French release from what I have seen, and it is has to be my favourite Welles film of all time; having said that however that could change since it is only the third of Welles' films I have seen; the other two being Kane and the Stranger.
Firstly it is the most visual stunning of Welles films I have seen; it is beautifully shot round Europe and the scene proceeding the K's meeting with artist and he is being chased by the girls is astonishing especially the part where K runs down the corridor with wooden twined sides where the stark contrasting lighting effects show his mental state well and is also, IMHO, the greatest visual shot in cinema history.
The story, although being almost entirely incomprehensible, works very well; you get the sense of the invisible tyrannical system working omnipresently and creates a very uncomfortable atmosphere for the whole film especially latterly.
The characterisation is generally good although only a few of them get well fleshed since the others are hardly in the film. Anthony Perkins is excellent in portraying the condemned man who slowly cracks and believes he has commited the crime. Just a question was the acting and shots done first and then the speech dubbed over afterwards?; because that was rather weak although didn't detract from the film.
The music specifically written for it was on the whole good and the jazz style music for the chase seens works well but the stroke of genius was using Albinoni's Adagio which fits the story brilliantly; it is very grave and depicts his continual demise but also retains an emotional level due to the fact the scoring isn't too rich.
That's my thoughts; what do you think of the Trial?
Just as side note think what Welles could have done with 1984 or a Brave New World?!!

[Roger Ryan]

Just a question was the acting and shots done first and then the speech dubbed over afterwards?; because that was rather weak although didn't detract from the film.

Yep, as with most of Welles' European productions, virtually the entire dialogue track was post-synched after shooting was complete. I should say that most of Welles' output as a filmmaker features considerable post-synching, including his earlier Hollywood efforts (although it is less detectable with the better resources the major studios offered). Sure it's distracting, but some fans consider this part of Welles' artistry (the disparity between the visual image and the sound coming from it). I'm not one of them, but "The Trial" does benefit a bit from the oddness of the soundtrack, especially when one discovers that Welles himself performs many of the voices (11 of them in the film, I believe). "The Trial" is a wonderfully directed nightmare and while Welles would say he did not really share Kafka's viewpoint, "Lady From Shanghai" and "Touch Of Evil" both feature some of that dark social absurdity that could be labelled "Kafkaesque". Welles certainly didn't want "K" to be self-loathing or behave like a victim which resulted in him changing the ending somewhat. Instead of having "K" be knifed to death by the assassins, Welles has him blown up with dynamite as he taunts the cowardice of the two men. I feel this is a mistep, especially with that odd shot of Perkins reaching for the rock to throw (or is it the dynamite?). Because of the loose, surreal nature of everything that comes before, I think the ending should be very decisive; instead, it feels inconclusive. Overall, "The Trial" is a very fine work and ably demonstrates the kind of quality Welles could deliver without interference in the editing room.

[Shaunfon333]

Being that I just ordered an all region DVD player and also ordered the Studio Canal Trial DVD from Amazon France, I am greatly looking forward to seeing this film again.

This is actually my top Orson Welles film and one I could watch over and over again. It's not exactly Mary Poppins, as far as uplifting sentiment goes, but I like this style of movie. The feel, and noir like atmosphere is brilliant. Anthony Perkins is not one of my favorite actors, but this is just a testament to how much I admire Welles' direction, in that he made a film that is one of my favorites of all time, with an actor I don't much care for. Now that's damn good film making.

[sierra]

I think The Trial is a wonderful picture. Definitely unsettling, but wonderful. I love the hallucinatory and nightmarish quality to it. It says a lot about guilt in a brilliant way. Not guilt over actually having done anything wrong, as K explains to his neighbor, but the guilt that comes with just being alive...as Welles told Perkins about the character he was to play: "He's guilty as hell!" His inherent guilt is what really holds him prisoner of the law. The Gare d'Orsay was a perfect location...and that ending! He dies laughing! Beautiful! I must watch it again...my recollection of details is hazy, I just remember thinking it was brilliant, especially in its depiction of unwarranted feelings of guilt. It was the picture that made me a fan.

[tonyw]

I ran it in class last Tuesday week and I think it has gained over the decades, eapecially now having a post-9/11 context in the suspension of rights and the arrest (and worse!) of U.S. citizens on the most slender pretexts. The WAR ON TERROR and "You're either with us or against us" attitude adds to the nature of the film as an Orwellian warning in many ways.

[Sir Bygber Brown]

I just watched it again on blu ray, for the first time in years. This time I more admired it than loved it. It doesn't fill me with joy like Kane does (i'm funny that way) or excitement like Touch of Evil does. Its very good at being unsettling, and is quite visually stunning, but it ranks more around the fourth or fifth favourite for me.

[duke_mccloud]

great picture, i really started to get into Welles after I saw this. This is just ultra hip and I think it will always remain that way. Dystopian society pieces are always hip if done right and OW nails it IMO. My only major gripe with this is the beginning, I really feel it takes too long to get going, but once it does, namely the scene where he gets out of his seat at the theatre, you feel as if you have taken a hit of LSD and are going on an adventure hosted by Orson Welles. Everything is great about this to me how it literatly sweeps and is like a non stop train it doesnt let up, the end is a little weak I think but otherwise its a classic, I think there are much better directed pieces by Welles but this is a great addition to his canon, and sets the stage for his 60s and 70s work,,, so its a welcome addition, I just wish here in the states we could get a Criterion DVD or something these public domain copies stink but still capture enough I suppose.

[Wellesnet]

Here are Richard Brody's thoughts on "The Trial" in the new issue of The New Yorker:
http://www.newyorker.com/culture/richar ... -the-trial