Two geniuses, Kafka and Welles, give birth to the ultimate "individual vs. state" paranoid fantasy. A nightmarish and mesmerizing trip to the confines of human mind, in its desperate fight beyond hope, against the terrible and insatiable monster of totalitarianism. I, as a law student, feel disgusted and yet fascinated by the bureaucratic chaos, so stylishly displayed by the baroque Orson Welles, and marvelously portrayed by Anthony Perkins. One of the highest points of cinema-literature marriage.
Orson Welles, après avoir entrepris la réalisation du potentiel chef-d'oeuvre international Citizen Kane à un très jeune âge, ne se facilite pas la route vers la gloire en entreprenant de transposer sur grand écran l'absurdité morale et l'immondice humaine sur écran, tels que perçus par mon idole, le mystique et très troublé Franz Kafka. La tâche n'a pas été aussi mal bâclée que je ne le croyais, bien au contraire, mais il me semble que le cinéma n'arrive tout simplement pas à la cheville de la littérature dans de tels cas. Welles, pour illustrer toute la complexité de l'oeuvre, mise beaucoup sur la simultanéité des masses pour illustrer l'absurde. Ce qui, ma foi, est assez efficace comme sensation, mais ne reflète pas du tout le message véhiculé par Franz Kafka et son fameux Joseph K.
Wow, am I dreaming or watching the trial. The marrying of Welle's and Kafka is definitely a good thing. I didn't know I could expect something so up my alley from both of these talented individuals. A talented performance by Perkins. Better than he was in Psycho if you ask me.
Fantastic, with Welles using many references to important artistic movements - Anthony Perkins is superb, and the story's a wonderful paranoia drama. Welles was a fucking genius!
Fascinating film. I was a bit drained after watching it, although I had the same feeling after watching Lynch's Eraserhead. I wouldn't say I love it, but the photography was brilliant, & Anthony Perkins was terrific also. Pretty intriguing film that is worth checking out.
Anthony Perkins is charged with committing a crime he has no knowledge about, and he also cannot be told what he is being charged with. The rest of the movie involves Perkins' character moving through legal circles in order to find out what exactly is going on, encountering all sorts of bizzarre and hostile personalities who do nothing to clarify his situation. We share in the main character's confusion and are flabbergasted at the strangeness of the legal proceedings shown to us. The Trial is a very intriguing film, perfect for those who want to experience Kafka's surreal take on justice.
Orson Welles's oddly overlooked adaptation of Krazy Kafka's black comedy about the impenetrability of law looks gorgeous, feels nightmarish, and seethes with wry existential angst.
Fantastic, with Welles using many references to important artistical movements - Anthony Perkins is superb, and the story's a wonderful paranoia drama. Welles was a fucking genius!
Films don't come better than this. Anthony Perkins is perfect for the role and Orson Welles behind the camera is perfection. Very underrated film noir.
MCT:May 25, 2008
MCT:May 19, 2008
MCT:September 12, 2007
MCT:June 20, 2007
MCT:February 20, 2007
