Is 'The Trial' a bit of a trial, or is it just me?

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

I've just tried watching 'The Trial'... Like I said in another post, I'll watch anything with Anthony Hopkins in it... but this movie is so dire I had to switch it off before Hopkins made an appearence.



Its terrible, like a humourless stage play with no reality. Or is it just me?



Has anybody else seen this BBC co-Prod? If so, did you like it or loathe it?

[DB7]

Never seen it. Hopkins tends to leave me cold and I can't say I've enjoyed any of his films for over a decade. The Edge was diverting, tosh, but diverting tosh.

[D Cairns]

I haven't watched all of it. There is already a rather good film of The Trial and this one didn't seem to add anything. The decision to set it in the past when Kafka wrote it seemed a step backwards, and typical of the less imaginative aspects of British cinema.



I'd defend it against the "no reality" charge -- the book is extremely dreamlike, and any film that imposed a sense of social realism on it would be missing the point.



What's odd is that it should seem humourless -- both Kafka and Pinter are pretty funny.

[batman]

name='Aaryk Noctivagus']I've just tried watching 'The Trial'... Like I said in another post, I'll watch anything with Anthony Hopkins in it... but this movie is so dire I had to switch it off before Hopkins made an appearence.

Watch the Orson Welles version with Anthony Perkins instead ... it may not be a 'classic' but the design and cinematography are fantastic.



Bats.

[Cheeky Bob]

name='DB7']Never seen it. Hopkins tends to leave me cold and I can't say I've enjoyed any of his films for over a decade.

You should see The World's Fastest Indian, one of the most pleasant surprises I've had in years.



For some reason (crap poster and generally poor marketing, I suspect) it died on its arse in British cinemas, but it's well worth seeking out - its IMDB ratings speak for themselves.

[Lord Brett]

name='Aaryk Noctivagus']I've just tried watching 'The Trial'... Like I said in another post, I'll watch anything with Anthony Hopkins in it... but this movie is so dire I had to switch it off before Hopkins made an appearence.



Its terrible, like a humourless stage play with no reality. Or is it just me?



Has anybody else seen this BBC co-Prod? If so, did you like it or loathe it?

It's one of those I've had on my 'to watch' pile for years, as the DVD was being sold off very cheaply.



I seem to remember that it broke the record for low audience numbers for a new BBC film when first screened on UK TV.

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

name='Lord Brett']I seem to remember that it broke the record for low audience numbers for a new BBC film when first screened on UK TV.

Oh dear... Low Audience can sometimes mean a stonking good movie that has been poorly marketed (as in 'Willard' starring Crispin Glover), however, 'The Trial' is awful.

[Steve Crook]

name='Aaryk Noctivagus']Oh dear... Low Audience can sometimes mean a stonking good movie that has been poorly marketed (as in 'Willard' starring Crispin Glover), however, 'The Trial' is awful.

It can mean that. But poor audience figures don't guarantee a good film



Steve

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

name='Steve Crook']It can mean that. But poor audience figures don't guarantee a good film



Steve

I know... my point was to point out that poor audience doesn't mean the movie will be bad - I was just being tangental about how I was saying it.



Whilst I agree wholeheartedly that it doesn't guarantee the movie will be good... there are some real gems out there which went nowhere sales-wise.

[Carmel]

The Shawshank redemption was a film that died a death at the cinema's but when it was released for home veiwing it was a great success, so dont always count the cinema as a good way to judge a film.

[Steve Crook]

name='Aaryk Noctivagus']I know... my point was to point out that poor audience doesn't mean the movie will be bad - I was just being tangental about how I was saying it.



Whilst I agree wholeheartedly that it doesn't guarantee the movie will be good... there are some real gems out there which went nowhere sales-wise.

All alsations are dogs. But that doesn't mean that all dogs are alsations



Steve

[Ted Holmes]

name='Steve Crook']All alsations are dogs.

If you ever visit Alsace I advise you to keep your mouth shut!



Ted

[Steve Crook]

name='Ted Holmes']If you ever visit Alsace I advise you to keep your mouth shut!



Ted

That's why I used a lower case 'a'



Steve

[Ted Holmes]

name='Steve Crook']That's why I used a lower case 'a'



Steve

I was waiting for that...

[Lord Brett]

name='Ted Holmes']I was waiting for that...

We'd better call them German Shepherds to be on the safe side.

[Cheeky Bob]

name='Lord Brett']We'd better call them German Shepherds to be on the safe side.

Are you saying all German shepherds are dogs? I can think of several Bavarian sheep farmers who might take severe exception to that!

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

name='Steve Crook']All alsations are dogs. But that doesn't mean that all dogs are alsations

Um... Alsatians are not always dogs... I'm sure the Alsation people of Alsace in France would refuse to sell you their Alsatian wine if you told them it was made from crushed dogs!!!



That's just like telling me that all German Shepherds are dogs... and thus upseting agricultural regions of Germany!!!

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

name='Ted Holmes']If you ever visit Alsace I advise you to keep your mouth shut!



Ted

Rats, you beat me to it!

[clitheroekid]

Their bark is worse than their bite....

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

name='clitheroekid']Their bark is worse than their bite....

Ahhh those man-eating trees.