What did you think of the opening sequence, where the parable of the gatekeeper is shown with a simple drawing? Did you agree with the placement: in the book it comes very near the end (2nd last chapter, I think) but here it is placed up front. How do you interpret it?
share......It reminds me of "Citizen Kane's" newsreel early in that film. I
believe later in the film the gatekeeper's parable is still included.
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Yes, that's right - another post has reminded me that the advocate (Welles) relates it to K., as opposed to the priest in the novel.
shareI think, Welles places the parable in front because it, very compressed, symbolizes the whole plot. Given that many viewers will already know the novel or at least its aspects, that has a kind of epic effect as in Brechts plays.
Regarding the interpretation, there are so many layers and aspects. I wouldn't dare to reduce its meaning to one or two sentences.
It works out very well as the first scene of Welles' movie. It essentially reveals the meaning behind the story and gives off the perfect atmosphere, but it is still cloaked in enough allegory and metaphor so as not to give away the meaning to anyone except those really searching for it.
shareThe opening parable introduces the story.
It was done to help the viewer understand the following picture.
The apologue is simple to understand. Also, on the contrary to the novel, the advocate (played by Welles) "reexplains" the apologue to K (this was done to give more power to the law ("And now i'm closing the gate" refers to, once again the end of any hope for K) and more credit to Welles.)
On the french version of the movie(from 1963) a small extract from Le Figaro(french newspaper) preceded the movie (and was shown on screen) introducing the meaning of the story and why K could be accused. (Does this article appear on other versions?)
I don't get it
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I do. Because it sets the mood for the film. It's frightening and absurd. And it constantly is in the back of our mind as we watch the film.
How much is a good nights sleep worth?
I think it's placement at the beginning is fine, however I always thought that it would have been better if Welles had just used a black screen (as if asleep) during the narration. I always found the pin screen thing to be cheesy.
I think the opening sequence is a perfectly stark introduction. Furthermore, since Franz Kafka initially wrote what is in the introduction before the novel "The Trial" in a short story called "Before The Law", it seems to work with Kafka's vision. After all, "The Trial" like Kafka's "The Castle" was an unfinished manuscript edited by Max Brod for publication posthumously.
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