The Trial (1962)

7/10. Modern. Expressionistic. Avant Garde. Absurdist. Dreamlike. Kafkaesque.

In what Orson Welles called his greatest film, we are presented with Josef K. A clerk played by Anthony Perkins who is arrested for a crime, but not told what the crime is. After attempting to navigate through a nightmarish legal system and meeting many interesting characters along the way. He is finally condemned and executed.

This confusing dreamlike movie forced me to scour the internet for explanations as to what it all meant. Here is the best brief I could find on the novel and subsequent film. I will let you discover this one for yourself.

Something to note about The Trial is the feel of the French New Wave that is apparent. Not sure if this is due to it being filmed in Paris during the New Wave, or if Welles was simply a large influence on the New Wave directors, or if they were on him, or some combination of the above, but it's definitely present.

Also, I imagine the Wachowski's were influenced at least by the novel as there are many elements that are present in the Matrix series.

Altogether it was quite a hard film to digest on a Saturday morning, but I enjoyed the ride.