Kafka

1991
PG-13
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

11K

YOUR RATING

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99+ Photos

Dark Comedy Drama Mystery Sci-Fi Thriller

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

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

11K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 2 nominations total

Trivia
Just before going to the Castle, Kafka (Jeremy Irons) ask Bizzlebek (Jeroen Krabbé) to burn his manuscripts if he never came back. Bizzlebek replies "such an extraordinary request". This is in reference of the real request Kafka asked his friend Max Brod before dying. Brod couldn't go with the request, and had Kafka's work published.

Goofs
In Gabriela's house, Inspector Grubach holds a record with a label of the Czech recording company Supraphon. The Supraphon name was first trademarked in 1932, eight years after Kafka's death.

Quotes
Franz Kafka: So, that's who the enemy is. Policemen and file clerks. Law and order, you might say.
Gabriela: You think what we're doing is wrong? What would you suggest, then?
Franz Kafka: Did any of you actually go up to the castle with Edward? You sit around twisting the facts to suit your inbred theories. In my experience the truth is not... that convenient.

Alternate versions
The renewed version of the film was called 'Mr. Kneff' and was screened at the 2024 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Bugsy/Let Him Have It/At Play in the Fields of the Lord/Kafka (1991)

Soundtracks
Eddie's Dead (Main Title)
Composed by Cliff Martinez
(p) & © 1992 Virgin Records America, Inc.
distributed by WEA through arrangement with Atlantic Records.

User reviews56

Review

Featured review

'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 ;-)