What I'm Listening To (This Week)

Lots of great music, old and new, but mostly old. This is what has been playing in my Ipod for a while:

Nova Express, Some Rhythm With Occasional Melody (a CD of my newest songs)

Frank Zappa (various live) and Sheik Yerbouti

Plastic People of the Universe, Egon Bondy's Happy Hearts Club Banned

Yohimbe Brothers, Front End Lifter

Tom Ze, Com Defeito de Fabricacao

Tar Babies (with Tortoise's Dan Bitney!), Honey Bubble

Love, Peace and Poetry: Turkish Psychedelic Music

Pentangle (first album) and Reflection

Slint, Spiderland

DNA, A Taste of DNA

Death Ambient, live bootleg

Musty Butlers, Live at the Globe (private pressing)

Bogus Pomp Reopens the Ritz

I may complain a lot about the city I live in but I am blessed with the fact that Bogus Pomp, a Frank Zappa tribute band, lives and plays locally.

  Last night was the inaugural reopening (of many reopenings) of the Ritz Theatre in Ybor City. This was Ybor's one-time XXX theatre; it was that way when I first came to Tampa when I was 9. Since then it's opened and closed, changed names, closed down on account of drug dealing, opened as the Rubb, closed, opened, became a pool hall and now once again (and let's not fuck it up this time) it is the Ritz once again. Beautifully painted and cleaned, it's come a long way from its heavy metal mosh pit days of the early 90's. I saw Smashing Pumpkins in this theatre (paid $8 for what was historically one of the worst bands I've ever seen, one of the worst concerts I've ever attended); years later I saw Superchunk with Man or Astroman there and then years after, Yo La Tengo.

  Last night's show was not well attended. Don't know if the Bogus Pomp fanbase is mostly in St. Pete (just across the water) but there was about a third of the people that usually show up. Of course the usual faces were there, including ourselves, but it was just a scattering of folks. That's unfortunate since the band played what was one of the best "acoustic" sets I've ever heard them play. Just for the record, I've been seeing Bogus Pomp in concert since 1998. So in ten years, seeing them on average, two or three times a year, I've seen them at least 25 times which makes them the one band I have seen the most in concert.

  The first set was a quiet "acoustic" set of all instrumentals of music mostly from Absolutely Free and We're Only In it for the Money. They were so wonderfully played, so passionately rendered that same as I've felt listening to orchestral work from Frank Zappa I felt the same emotion. They played one of the best versions ever of "Theme from Burnt Weeny Sandwich" and a great "Holiday in Berlin". They closed the first set with a tender version of "Sofa No. 2". Those who would write off Frank Zappa as a "novelty" act because of "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" and "Valley Girl" have never listened the beautiful melodies he was capable of composing. His last album, Civilization: Phase III was his best album ever.

  The "electric" portion of the show was mostly instrumental. No new variations, but still great stuff: "Dog Meat", "Black Napkins", "Zoot Allures". They teased the beginning of "Let's All Move to Cleveland" (which, without the medley portion makes it a little flaccid). Jerry Outlaw dedicated "Watermelon in Easter Hay" to a friend in Japan; when that song plays, everything seems perfect in the world...

 They played a truncated "The Little House I Used To In..." which went smoothly into "King Kong". David Pate, possibly the world's greatest living saxophonist, as always, got the most fan fare.

  By the time the show was over almost everyone had left. Was it something they said?

"Uncle Meat Variations" from Zappaween, a couple of years ago...

The Fall

There are too many movies that usually skip this town so I was fortunate when Tarsem's The Fall played at Tampa Theatre. My suggestion would be to ignore most of the reviews. Apparently, knowing how to watch a film and interpret it is not a prerequisite to being a film critic. Brains are often optional. The local birdcage liner said The Fall had images and scenes for their own sake and there was little plot to follow. That's if you're an idiot, of course. The short of the story is that a stuntman is injured while making a silent film (the film takes place around 1910) (or did he attempt suicide?) and while he sits in a hospital recuperating he recalls a fantastical faerie tale to a young immigrant girl who steals medicine for him and in return he tells the story...the lines between reality and fantasy soon blur. Oh and there is a performance of the Ketjak Monkey Chant.

This second film by Tarsem (his follow up to The Cell!) plays out in the imaginary realm of a child's mind, much in the way that Pan's Labyrinth worked. This is a subtle and quieter work than The Cell, with no big name stars to distract from its phantasmagorical substance. Like a film that Derek Jarman never made or League of Extraordinary Gentlemen as filmed by Sergei Parajanov (which is the first thing that came to mind when I first saw the trailer), with gorgeous art design and stage-like characterization. The plateaus and scenery (also recalling The Arabian Nights and The Cantebury Tales by Pasolini) are exquisite and warm the eyes and warm the soul with its rich colors. The costumes and the action add to the gorgeous landscapes; this film was shot on location in several different countries: Egypt, South Africa, Romania, China among others. It is haunting but satisfying. Artistic to a fault; this is what an "art film" looks like, so beautiful to look at. Film is art, it should be beautiful.

Music of the World: What's in Your Ipod?

The most interesting discoveries made in the last few years have been made while listening to music from all over the world. Best of all is tying together the similarities between ethnological songs from different countries that are nowhere near each other. For instance how music from Spain sounds like slowed down Moroccan tunes. How Klezmer can be traced to Greek music and especially how Mariachi songs move to a polka beat. How jazz came from gospel and plantation traditionals. How the blues originated in Africa and how booty bass music still retains a lot of tribal bump. Russian-Asian zither music can be heard in African kalimba music.
Music comes from inside of us, no matter what part of the world we're in. Much in the same way that our religious mythologies evolve out of our subconscious mind, the music arrives much in the same way as if by a genetic universal communication device. What is the magic that is rock music that ties in to ancient ragas? Were the Master Musicians of Jajouka magicians? Hear what's in my Ipod...


How about the primordial sounds of a 2,000 year old rock band?


Anoushka Shankar


Zakir Hussein


Music for 18 Musicians


Tortoise, Remixed:


Tinariwen BBC Folk Festival 2005

Adrian Belew Power Trio at Skipper's

This concert experience began for me this past Wednesday when I was hosting Step Outside, the Strange and Beautiful music program on WMNF 88.5fm. At the last minute I was alerted that legendary guitar hero Jerry Outlaw would be coming in to talk about the Adrian Belew Power Trio show at Skipper's Smokehouse where his band would be the opener.

Being intimidated by the thought of doing an interview I felt a bit nervous. I'm glad now that it was Jerry who was my first interview. He is a very, very nice guy; intelligent, witty and an incredible musician. He is very humble about his playing and the interview went well (live) and even though I was programming, juggling CD's and answering the phones while trying to keep Jerry entertained, the program went smoothly. And what an opener his band was, playing several great originals as well as some great (GREAT!) versions of songs by Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa ("Dog Breath" and "Black Napkins") as well as a note-for-note version of "Miles Beyond" by the Mahavishnu Orchestra (off the air Jerry told me they would have played "Birds of Fire" but didn't have their violin player).
Friday night came around and as usual the ABPT put on an incredible show. Backed by Julie and Eric Slick, Adrian Belew played from a catalog of music that extends back to the early 80's when he began with King Crimson. He played a lot of new songs from his Sides albums as well as music from Lone Rhino and Op Zop Too Wah. As always, either with King Crimson or solo, he was energetic, friendly, amazing. He was discovered by Frank Zappa in the late 70's and was hired on as a "stunt guitarist" in Zappa's band at the time before he was stolen by David Bowie and then later joined the Talking Heads. From there he formed his own band that opened for League of Gentlemen where he met Robert Fripp and together they formed Discipline which immediately became a revamped version of King Crimson.

Ade played only three King Crimson songs at Skipper's: "Dinosaur" (which I always think of as a Beatles song), "Three of a Perfect Pair" (which sounds almost as good as the King Crimson Double Trio version) and "Thela Hun Ginjeet". "Neurotica" was on the list but was not played. Perhaps because the vocal pre-records were not triggering correctly. Maybe Ade is saving other Crim songs for the King Crimson 40th anniversary concerts coming up in August.
Great crowd overall. Just a few basement dwellers, too few to distract. Lots of friends to meet and greet, great local talent in the crowd and pretty, pretty girls.

Highlights included:

"Ampersand"; an amazing extended jam version of "Beat Box Guitar"; Adrian solo, playing The Beatles' "Within You, Without You"; "Thela" even with a late entry pre-record; also great were "Big Electric Cat" and "Of Bow and Drum".

Portishead: P3

Not the happiest of music. What were you expecting? It's Portishead. The long awaited third album, appropriately titled Third, is already lining up to be the best album of the year. Along some other great albums which have come out (NIN Ghosts, Radiohead's In Rainbows, etc.) it has already established itself as "classic". Portishead is the sort of group who can pull that off. This was a triumphant resurrection, with a delivery that would have had The Stone Roses crying in their pants. 

  At once mysterious, melancholic and entirely smoky and moody, Portishead has always been a futuristic band with a firm grip on a retro sound. 21st century noir, always looking back (torchsong, primitive electronics, turntable-ism, Krautrock, et al.) but pointing forward with a sound and style that is often outside of any genre.

  A lot of reviews have mentioned that Third is of "our times" which is really a shame since I always consider Portishead's music a thing of the future (see previous blog entry) and I don't think that in five or ten years the album will sound dated or represent anything since it already exists in its own era. The music exists in a limbo that is neither here nor there.

  It is true that some of the songs reflect contemporary themes ("Silence", "Machine Gun", "Threads") but isn't making any statement. The music is as great if not better than their two previous albums, an updated sound for the group. A brave and often uncommercial sound that's just making the kids go wild. The smart kids, at least. The adventurous and the faithful.

  Their set at Coachella 2008 was one of the most anticipated performances of the year and they will soon be touring in England. 

  Chances of seeing them where I am currently located: zero. At least there is video footage to enjoy.

  For me, "Silence" is the greatest song they've ever written and pays homage to every great Krautrock band: Kraftwerk, Faust and especially Can (its beat is reminiscent of Can's live version of "Spoon"). So far, along with Radiohead's In Rainbows, it's the one album that's been getting the most play.

Idioteque: Radiohead Report from the Front

In 1998 some time, I'd stumbled onto a used copy of Radiohead's OK Computer. Having heard so much about it I sampled it at a used record store and thought how odd it was, this pop band who'd scored a hit with "Creep" had released this album filled with electronic experimentation (and some truly terrific songs). It wasn't until they released Kid A that I stood up and took notice. "Oh, they're that kind of a pop band... paving the way for the future of popular music." My thoughts on OK Computer, perhaps at the time, were that this was music of the future and I just wasn't ready to listen to it. It took several years (and Kid A, Amnesiac and Hail to the Thief) for me to back track to that important album. Kid A was the equivalent of U2's Achtung Baby. Everybody everywhere says that they hated this album, even some of my beast friends, but it sold really well. It even earned Radiohead a Grammy. This was some sort of hybrid rock music filtered through drum machines, modulations and electronica. And it was terrific. And it didn't sound like Britpop. Was this the beginning of the death of Britpop? Finally and thankfully, yes! Not having considered myself a fan, I'm glad the music pissed off a lot of fans. I've heard people tell me that they love everything Radiohead did up to Kid A. I say I love that and everything after that (and really, they should have returned to the fold by now since the new album In Rainbows harkens back to everything before OK Computer). Like Achtung Baby had split the camps, so did Kid A. But the trip so far has been pretty damn terrific. Maybe those older fans left to make way for the new ones.

I put Radiohead in the category of a handful of bands from the 90's that to me actually matter; that have a place along side of innovative bands like Tortoise, Wilco, Portishead and Stereolab; musicians like Beck, Goldfrapp and Air. Bands who've combined electronics with organic combo playing. I listen to Radiohead, not because they make feel-good music (they don't, really) but the music and musicians are always challenging.

The Tampa show was exceptional. For a city that usually hosts rowdy concerts with ill-mannered attendees, this was a nice and almost mellow show. You're always going to have talkers during the soft songs. It is obvious at this point that they have compromised the show because they've stopped listening to the music. Sometimes the music doesn't exist until it is given ears. This show was not as sweaty and intense as when I saw them at Bonnaroo two years ago, but then nothing can really compare to a Bonnaroo performance.

The Setlist:

all I need
there there
lucky bangers and mash (Thom Yorke drumming)
15 step
nude
pyramid song
optimistic
arpeggio
the national anthem
idioteque
you and whose army
reckoner
everything in its right place
airbag
bodysnatchers
videotape

encore

the gloaming

the tourist
just
faust arp
exit music

encore 2

the bends
house of cards

Keeping Up

  Too many things going on at the moment to report properly. I stopped writing one book and decided to edit another. I didn't plan on touching this new (old) manuscript for some time but here I am head first into the editing process. This is the worst part about writing. If I could write it and throw it away and never have to edit it would be great.

  In the past week I took in episodes of The Sopranos, the Robert Ginty film The Exterminator and most recently Walker, directed by Alex Cox.

  Walker is the story of William Walker, American expat who went to Nicaragua to instill democracy and wound up becoming a dictator who eventually pushed to reinstate slavery in the region. He also had ambitions of taking over the regional countries in the area until he really fucked up and got himself executed. In the hands of Alex Cox (Repo Man, Sid and Nancy, etc.) the film is a violent and sometimes comedic ode to American imperialism while underlining the facts yet somehow making Walker a likable character who's weak and flawed. The actors in the film are a who's-who of Cox's usual cast of players: Miguel Sandoval, Dick Rude, Joe Strummer, Sy Richardson, etc. Walker sometimes plays like a more serious version of Straight To Hell which was Cox's previous movie. The film disassembles itself by the last reel and turns into a strange parody much the way Blazing Saddles ended. There are plenty of sight gags and some inside jokes and the Joe Strummer soundtrack is one of the best of any Cox film. Mr. Strummer (RIP) also shows up uncredited as the character Faucet. I never understood why The Clash was so popular (or even considered "punk") but Strummer's solo career has always been overlooked. And he was a fun actor.

Best of all on this Criterion release are the extras, including a documentary of the making of the film which sometimes reminded me of The Burden of Dreams, the documentary about Werner Herzog's making of Fitzcarraldo. At times Walker reminds a little bit of a Herzog film, noticeably Aguire, der Zorn Gottes or Cobra Verde. Since Alex Cox has proven he can direct any genre, the film never feels historically inaccurate, however sporadically hysterical. The ensemble cast reminds me that this is very much an Alex Cox film (without whom, we'd have no Robert Rodriguez, Quinten or Alex De La Iglesia). After this film, its many poor reviews and anti-American/Reagan tone, Cox was blacklisted from Hollywood and wouldn't make another film until Highway Patrolman (which was filmed in Mexico in Spanish). In the 90's he set about making a wide range of films, all done in his own anarchistic style, experimental yet never straying from the tone he set for himself with his first film, Repo Man. His tone remains intact even when directing different genres (Death and the Compass, the surreal Three Business and one of my favorites: Revenger's Tragedy (which works as science fiction and historical recreation, strangely enough). As far as contemporaries I can only name Jim Jarmausch (who starred in Straight To Hell) for being as stubborn as Cox in his determination to make his films his own way. As far as his influences? I can think of three directors that influenced Cox: Sergio Corbucci, Sam Peckinpah and Louis Bunuel.

  Next up: The Exterminator. 

This film was one of those sleazy "grindhouse" pictures from the 80's that made me feel dirty and guilty after watching it recently. But it had all the great elements (cliches) of revenge movies made in the 80's. Let's see the check list:

• Vietnam vet coming to New York in the early 80's
• black buddy that saved him in 'Nam
• working in a meat packing factory frequented by the mob
• black buddy is crippled after attack by local thugs
• prostitute mutilated in sleazy sex dive, rescued by hero
• hero puts gangster through meat grinder
• hero uses flamethrower to get revenge on gang members
• this movie stars Christopher George

  What more does one need for a sleazy revenge classic from the 80's? Sure, it's not Rolling Thunder nor Death Wish 2 (or 3) but it is that one movie that spawned an equally sleazy sequel starring Mario Van Peebles. Those were the days and a lot of the footage of Manhattan from that period in history shows it. I think there's a Target or a musical theatre now where this film was shot in Times Square. Although not the greatest of films, I found myself nostalgic for this time in NYC (I was living there when this film was released). I wish they still made them like this.

Chancer

For weeks now we've taken in episodes of the British drama, Chancer. This was one of Clive Owen's earliest roles for British television as a rogue investor who is asked to bail out a failing car manufacturing company. It begins with his character (Stephen Crane) advising his boss to invest in this company through the advise of his girlfriend, who works in stock trading. Of course it doesn't go as he wanted (or does it?) and one complication leads to another, and layer after layer of challenges and the plot soon thickens. There are subplots involving other characters but it all ties in with the grand story. There are affairs, double- crossings, cheatings, characters left stranded and a few ironic chuckles. The dialogue between Clive Owen and his boss' character (played by Leslie Philips of the Harry Potter films) is brilliant everyone is sharp tongued, quick-witted and you don't know who is going to get conned next, you don't know what quick scheme Stephen Crane will devise to bail someone out of some situation (that he probably started or got them into in the first place).

  Clive Owen looks like a teenager in this role and his charm and humor make him a favorable character. With director Mike Hodges (the original and still superior Get Carter) he made Croupier, a cruel but enjoyable extension of his Chancer character and later I'll Sleep When I'm Dead which gave him broader exposure in the states... and now he's a household name soon to be starring in Sin City 2.

  I was trying to imagine Chancer remade in the U.S. as a character drama set in the 80's but it wouldn't be as good as this. The writing is amazingly "on" and the plot always leaves you guessing as to what con he's going to pull next, yet caring about whom he's stepped on to get results. It could have been a great movie but so much would have had to be cut out it would have paled. Currently available to rent from Greencine on a six disk set.

Brian Eno Special on Step Outside

I have had only a few days to prepare for this show. I hope to highlight his collaborations, his production of albums and bands (Bowie's Heroes, Talking Heads, Devo, No New York, etc.). Nevertheless it is always an honor to honor one of my musical heroes.

Mutant Action!

After many years I have finally tracked down a great looking version of the Spanish film Accion Mutante. What I expected to be a minor sci-fi cult thing turned out to be a well-thought out satire with great special effects, hilarious dialogue and gross-out violence.

  Directed by second-time director Alex De La Iglesia and produced by Pedro Almodovar this movie prefigures the films of Robert Rodriguez and several of the Mexican/Spanish directors of the late 90's. It also bares resemblance to such films as City of Lost Children and Delicatessen, with a post-apocalyptic mise en scene not unlike Blade Runner or Robocop.

  We begin with the leader of the Mutante group getting out of jail and joining up with his band of crippled rejects to pull another job. The plot involves the kidnapping the daughter of a wealthy baron and collect a 100,000,000 Ecus ransom. The mutant band take a spaceship to a distant planet and while en route a lot of the members die. The leader of the band is left with the kidnapped to survive on an arid and violent planet when the spaceship crash lands. Hilarity ensues. So does violence and bad taste (one of the mutants is a set of siamesse twins; one of them dies so the other must continue to drag his now-taxidermised brother along). Of course the kidnapped develops Stockholm syndrome and becomes attached to her captor which creates further complications when the ransom is eventually delivered. Not only did Accion Mutante bring those movies to mind but also Bad Taste and The Hills Have Eyes (and maybe even Ice Pirates?).

  This is an exercise in bad taste, but it can be embraced as the film contains great special effects, gore, insults and humor that wouldn't be out of place in a Terry Gilliam film or a film by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. At times it reminded me of the Russian film Kin-Dza-Dza. It contains the humor and satire that became De La Iglesia's MO in later films like Muertos de Risa and Crimen Ferpecto. Although I enjoy all of his films, I wish he would attempt another wild sci-fi film like this one.

  

  The DVD is available in a Pal Region 2 DVD, available from Xploited Cinema (see link) for $28.95 and comes in with a widescreen picture, making-of doc (which includes interviews with Almodovar) and several trailers to various Spanish and American films.

Leonora Carrington and Ernst Fuchs

Two incredible surrealists  from the 20th century, both still living and working.

  British ex-patriot Leonora Carrington (born 1917) was influenced by the art (and friendship) of Max Ernst and Pablo Picasso, now lives in Mexico where she is widely known. From her earliest work in the 30's she was familiar enough with Surrealism to apply her hand to it, apply what she'd learned to the canvas. The result were paintings that were comical (and somewhat cartoonish), haunting and personal. Like Frida Kahlo with a more fantastic but less political design. Carrington's paintings remind me of the books by Anna Kavan, with their desolate landscapes and surreal mutations. She has inspired a myriad of artists, from "low-brow" painters to film makers like Alexandro Jodorowsky and writer/artist Roland Topor.

  I came across the work of Ernst Fuchs while I was reading about H.R. Giger. It is apparent that Mr. Fuchs was a great influence on the Swiss painter by the explicit corporeal designs and landscapes (Alex Grey has been influenced, respectfully almost plagiarized Fuchs work). The similarities are there, in the faces and intimacies that Giger would translate into his biomechanical paintings and structures (including the designs for the unseen Dune and Alien).

Celebrating 40 Years- King Crimson!

I'm sad to say that I won't be making this show (I think). Although it's only a 12 hour drive from here, I have other plans that week...
Like seeing King Crimson in NYC at the Nokia Theatre in Times Square! Unfortunately we found out about the Nashville show too late and bought the NYC tickets first. But it's okay. By the time we see them they should have their trainwrecks recovered and hopefully they would have perfected what it is that they are perfect at. My mind wonders about the new material, if any. How will the older stuff will sound like. Will they play "Red" or "Indiscipline"? Or, now having two drummers will they dust off "B'Boom/THRAK" or "The Talking Drum/Lark's Tongues in Aspic, Part 2"?
I am desperately anticipating...but expecting nothing. It's been seven years since I last saw Crimson play. I think I predicted this. Everything is right with the universe when King Crimson reunites.

Holy Moses! R.I.P. Charlton Heston

Well, it was his time to return from whence he came. Charlton Heston passed away yesterday and I want to give him an honorable mention. The first film I saw him in was not The Ten Commandments, but Earthquake. The year was 1974 and I experienced this in Sensurround-- that meant that during the quaking scenes the theatre shook and shivered as if you were experiencing it right there. My mom said the experience gave her a headache. For me, Earthquake was my favorite disaster movie after The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno (technically the second film I ever saw). Often times Earthquake is regarded with irreverent contempt. It was an overlong, bloated all-star disaster that actually won an Oscar for Best Sound. But I loved it. Still enjoy it and I could possibly write about it all day. Later in his career, Charlton Heston starred in another disaster pic, Airport '75.

  But let us never forget his greatest achievements: The Ten Commandments, Touch of Evil, Ben Hur, Planet of the Apes (and by that I mean Planet of the Fucking Apes!!), Omega Man, Julius Caesar, etc. Somewhere in there are several of my favorite films of all time. And some of the greatest films of all time.

  Regarding Mr. Heston: I have almost gotten into bar brawls with people, defending his involvement with the NRA. I never really gave a shit what his affiliations were, I just enjoyed his films. I don't think an actor's personal life should impact how we view his art. I mean, Chuck Berry may enjoy peeing on white women, but it doesn't mean I hate his music.

  I want to kneel and praise the King of Disaster Films! He has passed, thus ending the era of all the Master Actors. The era of gentlemen, heroes and holy paladins!

"I've played three presidents, three saints and two geniuses-- that's probably enough for any man."

"It's been quite a ride. I've loved every minute of it."

--Charlton Heston

Kafka Films!

In this what I hope will be one of several posts where I list films influenced or based on the work of a writer. I will begin with Franz Kafka, whose work has been subconsciously influencial on a lot of science fiction and metafiction films. Next I hope to explore the influence of William S. Burroughs, Philip K. Dick and J.G. Ballard on films by David Cronenberg, Terry Gilliam, The Coen Brothers and others.

Franz Kafka, born July 1883 in Prague was one of the most influential writers of the 20th (and 21st) century. Not quite a science fiction or horror writer, but perhaps writing Magical Realism, his stories can be adapted to both of the previously mentioned genres and that other unknown, unnameable story type. His most popular books include The Metamorphosis, The Trial and The Castle. Although David Lynch has yet to direct a version of The Metamorphosis, those other two books of Kafka's have been adapted in one way or another on film, which is the topic of this blog.

In 1962 Orson Welles directed a cold, comical and almost precise adaptation of The Trial.

(It was also made into a made-for-tv film starring Kyle Maclachlan and Anthony Hopkins, currently unavailable on DVD).

  The Welles version is stripped down to Kafka's basics. It comes off like a minimalist stage play, filmed in tight quarters and desolate locations. This cold monochromatic atmosphere best captures the tale of Joseph K. and his arrest and prosecution for a crime that goes unnamed. This film is a great example of low-budget, high concept movie making.

This will be a small list, not just on movies based on Kafka's work (or life in the case of Kafka) but movies influenced and embodying his writings.

  Next up: Brazil. Never has there been such a blatant homage to the paranoia and neurosis of a Kafka epic. In Terry Gilliam's film we have a lead character that resembles many of Kafka's heroes, a deteriorated and corrupted society, a dysfunctional bureaucracy and a bleak ending. At least Gilliam was kind enough to give us an ending, where most Kafka novels  end abruptly without a proper conclusion. In fact what Gilliam experienced during the filming of Brazil is akin to what any Kafka protagonist would suffer to see his vision through.

Dark City, from 1997, also maintains a secretive and mysterious vibe when a character wakes up one day and doesn't remember who he is and finds a trio of pursuers after him. The setting is dark and bleak, a more surreal Blade Runner. Nothing is as it seems. There is a secret society called The Strangers (could have easily been the title of a Kafka story) that wishes to understand why they cannot influence this lone man when they have control over the city and its people. In the end the lead character overthrows them and saves the "city". Before The Matrix (which in some ways shows influences of Kafka), there was Dark City.

Although David Lynch's The Grandmother and The Alphabet have a thematic relation to Kafka, I think it would be David Lynch who could ever do justice to The Metamorphosis. But since he hasn't and probably never will film it, I want to submit Eraserhead into the sweepstakes of Kafka-inspired (though not directly), best representing the surreal and sublime atmosphere of his work.

  This bleak and gray film works best if experienced as a dream, even a Jungian vision; the explorations inside the wasteland that is Henry Spencer's deteriorated mind. The creature in the film, that is to say the baby in the movie, is a manifestation of inner fears and paranoia and I can imagine that had Franz Kafka lived in a different period and country, this is the kind of story he would have written. Perhaps if Kafka had had access to LSD, Eraserhead is what his version of The Metamorphosis would have been like.

La Cite des Enfants Perdus (City of Lost Children) is just bleak and dystopian enough (though beautiful) to qualify an entry into Kafka films. It has darkness, grime and suffering children to make it a distorted and surreal children's story with disturbing elements. A blighted ambience imbues this film, which at times has a sepia tone. This gives it a morose and soiled atmosphere where the characters exist. The kind of landscape that may have inspired Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys, which also bears a close resemblance to this Jean-Pierre Jeunet film.

12 Monkeys is another Kafka-realized film. Directed by Terry Gilliam it descends from the line of two of his previous films, Time Bandits and Brazil, 12 Monkeys coming off as a spiritual sequel to both of those films. Bleak and dystopian, Kafka is best represented (in 12 Monkeys) by the futuristic bureaucratic society falling apart at the seams and the covert group that dictates the mission that Bruce Willis' character must complete. Along the way he sees his own death, meets some crazies, falls in love, spends time in an asylum. But as it always was with Kafka, the hero never wins and the needs of the one are drowned out by the needs of the many.

  Also of interest are Kafka by Steve Sodeberg, Das Schloss by Michael Haneke (also made in 1968 by Rudolf Noelte). Any suggestions would be welcomed.