NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray 4K UHD (September 2023): Criterion have transferred Orson Welles's The Trial to Blu-ray and 4K UHD. It is cited as being from a "New 4K digital restoration". The presentation is prefaced with a text screen that states: "This 4K restoration was produced in 2022 by STUDIOCANAL and the Cinematheque francaise. The image and sound were restored at L'image retrouvee from the 35 mm original camera and sound negatives. This project was supervised by Sophie Boyer and Jean-Pierre Boiget at STUDIOCANAL. The restoration was funded thanks to the patronage of Chanel."

The Blu-ray is available as a stand alone package and the 4K UHD disc has the film and the Blu-ray with the film and special features. We compared The Trial on 4 DVDs to the 2012 Studio Canal Blu-ray HERE. The DVDs were often a mess; PAL speedup, chroma, cropped etc. - and we have compared a few screen grabs with them but the majority of captures are comparing the Criterion Blu-ray with the 11-year-old Studio Canal Blu-ray. We hope to add 4K UHD captures when accessible.

Beside the Criterion 1080P the Studio Canal looks slightly brightened and shows less information in the 1.66:1 frame - mostly on the side edges. The Criterion HD presentation is darker, which certainly suits the tone of the film, and has more texture (the Studio Canal can look a bit glossy by direct comparison.) I have watched the 4K UHD (I just can't get captures yet) and it exemplifies the detail, grain, contrast to another level. This is the absolute best the film has looked on digital.  

NOTE: We have added 66 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Criterion use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. The Trial's audio is authentically flat with consistent dialogue in the uncompressed. The score is credited to Jean Ledrut who mostly composed and/or arranged (music by Tomaso Albinoni) much of the classic-based music most associated with The Trial; Adagio D'Albinoni, Ouverture d'opérette, Air sentimental, Interprété par André Girard, Ouverture d'opérette, Sentimental Slow, Ambiance Kafka etc. It can sound prosaic and haunting. Criterion offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray while the 4K UHD is Region FREE.

The Criterion Blu-ray and 4K UHD offer a new commentary featuring film historian Joseph McBride (author of three books on the director; Orson Welles, Orson Welles, actor and director - An illustrated History of the Movies, and What Ever Happened to Orson Welles?: A Portrait of an Independent Career.) McBride is the absolute go-to commentator for Welles films as he has been studying the great director or 50-years. He states that The Trial is considered Welles most solemn films - dark, difficult and overbearing but in-line with Kafka; darkly farcical that ends in tragedy. He relates that Welles' stated the joy in making the film - his favorite time of his life. The commentary of filled with anecdotes on Welles, facts on the production and a lot about the director's life. It's a must-listen for Welles fans. The rest of the supplements are only available on the Blu-ray; Criterion include the unfinished Filming “The Trial,” an 1.5 hour 1981 documentary about the film’s production directed by Orson Welles. It is described as "In 1981, on November 14th, Orson Welles filmed a discussion at the University of Southern California. This formed the basis of an essay film entitled FILMING THE TRIAL. Unfortunately, this project was never finished. The unedited discussion is all that remained." It is cited as including input from Scott Alexander, Joseph McBride, Todd McCarthy, Myron Meisel, Richard Wilson which is either not there or they are asking the questions. There are also archival Welles-related interviews by/with actor Jeanne Moreau for 1/2 hour, and by director of photography Edmond Richard (Buñuel's The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, That Obscure Object of Desire) for an interesting 23-minutes. Lastly is a restoration trailer and the package has liner notes with an essay by author Jonathan Lethem (The Arrest.)

Orson Welles's The Trial is based on the 1925 posthumously published novel of the same name by Franz Kafka. I only finally got how the Welles narration at the beginning - art by Alexandre Alexeieff and Claire Parker - of Kafka's parable "Before the Law", was used almost word-for-word in Scorsese's After Hours where Paul converses with the bouncer when he is trying to get into Club Berlin. The Trial has some amazing disorienting set designs for the bureaucrat Josef K. to weave through - frequently sought after by women, played by Jeanne Moreau (as Marika Burstner), Romy Schneider (Leni) and Elsa Martinelli (Hilda.) Welles took 1/2 a year to write the screenplay modernized the story, ex. introducing computer technology. Upon its release Welles stated, "Say what you like, but The Trial is the best film I have ever made." Although he later related that Chimes at Midnight was his 'highest achievement'. The Trial is part dark comedy / part tragedy. The Criterion Blu-ray and simultaneously released 4K UHD packages are cinephile gold. Our highest recommendation!

Gary Tooze