Pre-Order Criterion Press Release: The Trial (1962) (4k UHD Combo) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

​

A feverishly inspired take on Franz Kafka’s novel, Orson Welles’s The Trial casts Anthony Perkins as the bewildered office drone Josef K., whose arrest for an unspecified crime plunges him into a menacing bureaucratic labyrinth of guilt, corruption, and paranoia. Exiled from Hollywood and creatively unchained, Welles poured his ire at the studio system, McCarthyism, and all forms of totalitarian oppression into this cinematic statement—one of his boldest and most personal, and the film that he himself considered his greatest. Dizzying camera angles, expressionistic lighting, increasingly surreal locations—Welles unleashed the full force of his visual brilliance to convey the nightmarish disorientation of a world gone mad.

FILM INFO​

• France, Italy, Yugoslavia
• 1962
• 118 minutes
• Black & White
• 1.66:1
• English
• Spine #1191
  
  

  4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES​

  • New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
  • One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
  • New audio commentary featuring film historian Joseph McBride
  • Filming “The Trial,” a 1981 documentary about the film’s production
  • Archival interviews with Welles, actor Jeanne Moreau, and director of photography Edmond Richard
  • Trailer
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • PLUS: An essay by author Jonathan Lethem
    
    New cover by Ness Higson
  
  
  September 19, 2023

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. As an Amazon Associate, HTF earns from qualifying purchases. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.

See on Amazon See on Amazon

 

[Robert Crawford]

Recently, some HTF members have been talking about this movie. They were hoping that Criterion would release it on Blu-ray.

 

[mskaye]

Recently, some HTF members have been talking about this movie. They were hoping that Criterion would release it on Blu-ray.

Damn. I already bought the import 4k. I will get the Criterion, just because of the packaging, booklet etc. It will look nice on the shelf next to Kane, Ambersons, Othello, etc....

 

[titch]

Damn. I already bought the import 4k. I will get the Criterion, just because of the packaging, booklet etc. It will look nice on the shelf next to Kane, Ambersons, Othello, etc....

I have the StudioCanal 4K UHD, but it is disappointing - the compression is poor. I hope Criterion can do better!

 

[Angelo Colombus]

I have the StudioCanal 4K UHD, but it is disappointing - the compression is poor. I hope Criterion can do better!

I also have the StudioCanal 4K disc and was a big disappointment. I have high hopes for the Criterion release,

 

[jayembee]

I hadn't gotten around to ordering the StudioCanal release. Then I heard that it wasn't that good. Glad to see it coming from Criterion.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Pre-Order links has been added.

 

[Richard Kaufman]

To whet the appetite:

 

[Angelo Colombus]

I received my Criterion disc and did a a/b comparison to the StudioCanal UK 4k release and happy to report that the Criterion release has a lighter looking image and not the crushed blacks that i viewed on the UK release. Will watch it soon and listen to the commentary by Joseph McBride.

 

[plektret]

I received my Criterion disc and did a a/b comparison to the StudioCanal UK 4k release and happy to report that the Criterion release has a lighter looking image and not the crushed blacks that i viewed on the UK release. Will watch it soon and listen to the commentary by Joseph McBride.

Thanks! I was wondering which version to get.

 

[mskaye]

Thanks! I was wondering which version to get.

On that "other" site, the Criterion blu ray is definitely richer/darker/more crushed than the Studio Canal counterpart.
They didn't compare 4ks just the blu rays...

 

[Angelo Colombus]

When i viewed the UK 4K disc i kinda knew something was not right since i have seen it many times. When i received the Studio Canal 4k disc last year i did a a/b comparison to their 2012 Blu-ray which looked very nice and good detail but on the 4K one certain scenes looked way too dark and you lost some image details. Very happy Criterion did it right on this one.