Search - Orson Welles: The Stranger/Orson Welles: On Film/The Trial/Mr. Arkadin on DVD

Hit or Miss for Orson Welles fans

Eric Hofmann | San Diego, CA USA | 04/09/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This boxed set contains 3 movies: The Stranger (1946), Mr. Arkadan (1955) and The Trial (1962).

Like so many no-name companies releasing Orson Welles materials, this release is hit or miss.

The Stranger stars Orson Welles as a Nazi who takes refuge in the United States as a college professor and integrates into American life. His past catches up with him and he is driven to murder. The movie has some classic cinematography, some classic Orson Welles humanism and some haunting visuals.

Movie: 4 stars
Video reproduction: 3 Stars
Audio Reproduction: 4 Stars

Overall, a good reproduction. Not excellent, but watchable and enjoyable. 4 stars, overall.


The Trial stars Anthony Perkins and co-stars Orson Welles. Filmed in Europe, the settings and visuals define a stifling air of alienation and oppression. The police state, as a theoretical construct, has never been brought to the screen better. Anthony Perkins wakes up to find police inspectors going through his room. He finds himself "arrested" in a legal system ground to a stop ruled by beaureaucrats who make up the law as they feel like. My favorite movie by Orson Welles easily. (OK, F for Fake is close).

Movie: 5 Stars
Video Reproduction:4 Stars
Audio Reproduction:4 Stars
This is the best DVD presentation of The Trial I've ever seen, overall 4.5 stars.

Mr. Arkadin...if I hadn't seen this movie before, I would never be able to give a synopsis of it, since this reproduction of the movie is absolutely ghastly...unwatchable. The audio is so poor as to make most of the movie incoherent...like watching a movie underwater.

Movie: 3 Stars (Theatrical version, 3 stars, Orson Welles restoration 4.5 stars)
Video Reproduction: 1 Star
Audio Reproduction: 1 Star

Overall, a poor copy of the highly compromised theatrical version. Awful. 1 Star.

Overall box set...3 stars"