Kafka (1991)

Writer Franz Kafka works during the day at an insurance company where events lead him to discover a mysterious underground society with strange suppressive goals.

Director:

Steven Soderbergh

Writer:

Lem Dobbs

Stars:

Jeremy Irons, Theresa Russell, Joel Grey

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeremy Irons	...	Kafka
Theresa Russell	...	Gabriela
Joel Grey	...	Burgel
Ian Holm	...	Doctor Murnau
Jeroen Krabbé	...	Bizzlebek
Armin Mueller-Stahl	...	Grubach
Alec Guinness	...	The Chief Clerk
Brian Glover	...	Castle Henchman
Keith Allen	...	Assistant Ludwig
Simon McBurney	...	Assistant Oscar
Robert Flemyng	...	The Keeper of the Files
Matyelok Gibbs	...	Concierge
Ion Caramitru	...	Solemn Anarchist
Hilde Van Mieghem	...	Female Anarchist (as Hilde Van Meighem)
Jan Nemejovský	...	Mustachioed Anarchist

Storyline

Kafka, an insurance worker gets embroiled in an underground group after a co-worker is murdered. The underground group is responsible for bombings all over town, attempting to thwart a secret organization that controls the major events in society. He eventually penetrates the secret organization and must confront them.

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Plot Keywords:

secret | worker | writer | co worker | anarchy | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

France USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 November 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Delitti e segreti

Filming Locations:

Barrandov Studios, Prague, Czech Republic

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$1,100,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Baltimore Pictures, Pricel, Renn Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min 92 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Loosely based on Franz Kafka's novel, "The Castle". In it a protagonist, known only as K., struggles to gain access to the mysterious authorities of a castle who govern the village for unknown reasons. Kafka died before finishing the work.

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Quotes

Oscar: [to Kafka] Miss Rossman was here looking for you.
Ludwig: Gabriela.
Oscar: Do you know her?
Franz Kafka: Do you?
Oscar: Well, we saw her naked once.

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Connections

References Goldfinger (1964)

User Reviews

'Why should today be different from any other?' - why should we even have dreams, huh?

Not very accessible film about supposed parts of the life of Franz Kafka with fantastic distinctive music and great photography. I really think Soderbergh is one of few (Welles, Gilliam, Cronenberg, Roeg maybe) who are able to create something like this. He is one of the most versatile directors of our time. Only his third feature (right after 'Sex, Lies & Videotape') and definitely his best besides Traffic. This film is one of the reasons independent filmmaking is the only way to achieve great cinematic creations. Kafka's twilight and absurd world is really portrayed in an excellent way.

The cinematography by Walt Lloyd is absolutely brilliant. The best of all films from the nineties. It was probably inspired by Brazil (1985), The Third Man (1949) and The Trial (1963). I wish this film was 60 minutes longer. If only to give the cast more time to perform completely. The acting isn't uplifting, but definitely not bad. All the actors had better performances in other movies (Theresa Russell in Track 29, Jeremy Irons in Dead Ringers, Jeroen Krabbe in King of the Hill, Ian Holm in Brazil).

10 points out of 10 ;-)