Franz Kafka

[traumlied]

I guess it was mentioned in some places, but Kafka seems quite an influence on some Thomas Ligotti works.

And what about Arthur Machen?

 

[EemeliJ]

There's a mention of Machen at least in this interview. Not sure whether Machen had any influence on Tom's writing though. Then again, I haven't really given it thought. I like the term "degenerate incarnation of Sherlock Holmes tales". Somewhat relevant; I do sometimes like to sum Ligotti and his stories as sort of "nightmarish Kafka". But there's so much more to his tales, of course...

Ligotti: The first story I read that is usually classed as a specimen of weird fiction was Arthur Machen’s “The Great God Pan.” I didn’t fully understand the story, but I felt immediately captivated by it. There was a real whiff of evil behind the events of the narrative. I then read other stories by Machen — “The White People,” The Three Imposters—and sensed that I had found a world where I belonged: a kind of degenerate incarnation of the Sherlock Holmes tales I loved so much. Immediately after reading Machen, I read Lovecraft and recognized the resemblance between the two authors, no doubt because Lovecraft was influenced by Machen. I was never enamored of the Weird Tales writers. There was nothing distinctive in their style, and their plots were embarrassingly conventional. Lovecraft wrote in one of his letters that he felt that writing for Weird Tales had a detrimental effect on the style of his later stories, and I think he was right.

 

[hopfrog]

This reminds me that I need to re-read "The Great God Pan" as part of preparation for the new novelette that I am writing. I've never thought of the Kafka connection and am intrigued about it. Not quite sure I fully understand what makes a tale Kafkaesque, and how that translates into Tom's work. Something to investigate.

 

[EemeliJ]

I feel that there are occasions with each of these authors—Ligotti, Kafka, Machen—in which their stories portray a similar kind of "transformation". Machen's The Three Impostors – or tranformations has such passages; mutation of landscape, or the rather unfortunate metamorphosis in the White Powder novella. Of Tom's work, I especially think of "The Shadow, the Darkness"—a transformation, a change or possibly a 'waking-up' of sorts, in more ways than one.

I haven't visited my copy of Kafka's collected tales for few years now, and am mostly drawn to his "Metamorphosis". I'm currently reading Amerika, and it feels different somehow, compared to the short stories and The Trial.

 

[MagnusTC]

I like your idea about transformations Eemilij! When I think back on Kafka's Amerika, the strange ending about the Nature Theatre of Oklahoma could also be seen as a kind of metamorphosis, perhaps even comparable to some of Machen's stories such as The Great Return (vision vs. collective hallucination)!?

 

[Sand]

Machen certainly is an influence on some of TL's stories. In fact, I was supposed to contribute an essay on Machen and Ligotti to the Dagon special issue on TL, but failed because I was too daunted. I do recall Tom telling me in correspondence that "The Medusa" resulted from, or was pervaded by, a reading of Machen and Cioran.

 

[sundog]

I feel that there are occasions with each of these authors—Ligotti, Kafka, Machen—in which their stories portray a similar kind of "transformation". Machen's The Three Impostors – or tranformations has such passages; mutation of landscape, or the rather unfortunate metamorphosis in the White Powder novella. Of Tom's work, I especially think of "The Shadow, the Darkness"—a transformation, a change or possibly a 'waking-up' of sorts, in more ways than one.

I haven't visited my copy of Kafka's collected tales for few years now, and am mostly drawn to his "Metamorphosis". I'm currently reading Amerika, and it feels different somehow, compared to the short stories and The Trial.

And let's not forget the transformation scene which takes place at the "culmination of every harlequinade". In more ways than one this brings to mind the metamorphosis that Gregor Samsa undergoes.

 

[MagnusTC]

Welles' 1962 film adaptation of The Trial has some quite Ligottian passages through dark corridors and abandoned buildings, and a scary scene with small kids with empty looking eyes, laughing insanely. It's a brilliant film, except perhaps for the ending which has always seemed to me a bit far out.

 

[Derek]

Michael Cisco (recently eulogised by Jeff VanderMeer as 'The Amerikan Kafka') has just finished blogging on the complete series of Kafka's Zurau Aphorisms.

Zurau Aphorisms

A bit too intense to read in one sitting, but well worth dipping into.

 

[bendk]

A couple of new books out on Kafka. A new translation of The Metamorphosis by Susan Bernofsky. It has an insightful nine page Introduction: The Beetle and the Fly by David Cronenberg, where he talks about aging and his famous film.

Susan Bernofsky writes a fine Afterword: The Death of a Salesman.

I haven't read the Cantor book yet.

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2014/01/kafka_books_susan_bernofsky_translation_of_the_metamorphosis_and_jay_cantor.html


And a Youtube vid that I like. David Foster Wallace on Franz Kafka.
(I can't remember if I have posted this before)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=SzEO0qFFzwI

 

[xylokopos]

An Imperial Message

The Emperor--so they say--has sent a message, directly from his death bed, to you alone, his pathetic subject, a tiny shadow which has taken refuge at the furthest distance from the imperial sun. He ordered the herald to kneel down beside his bed and whispered the message in his ear. He thought it was so important that he had the herald speak it back to him. He confirmed the accuracy of verbal message by nodding his head. And in front of the entire crowd of those witnessing his death--all the obstructing walls have been broken down, and all the great ones of his empire are standing in a circle on the broad and high soaring flights of stairs--in front of all of them he dispatched his herald. The messenger started off at once, a powerful, tireless man. Sticking one arm out and then another, he makes his way through the crowd. If he runs into resistance, he points to his breast where there is a sign of the sun. So he moves forwards easily, unlike anyone else. But the crowd is so huge; its dwelling places are infinite. If there were an open field, how he would fly along, and soon you would hear the marvelous pounding of his fist on your door. But instead of that, how futile are all his efforts. He is still forcing his way through the private rooms of the innermost palace. Never will he win his way through. And if he did manage that, nothing would have been achieved. He would have to fight his way down the steps, and, if he managed to do that, nothing would have been achieved. He would have to stride through the courtyards, and after the courtyards through the second palace encircling the first, and, then again, through stairs and courtyards, and then, once again, a palace, and so on for thousands of years. And if he finally burst through the outermost door--but that can never, never happen--the royal capital city, the centre of the world, is still there in front of him, piled high and full of sediment. No one pushes his way through here, certainly not someone with a message from a dead man. But you sit at your window and dream of that message when evening comes.​

Selected Shorter Writings by Franz Kafka, tr. Ian Johnston

 

[miguel1984]

Even though the Orson Welles' version is a masterpiece, I also happen to love this 1994 version of The Trial, starring Kyle MacLachlan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQafXHKPWu0

 

[Ascrobius]

If you get a chance, this documentary is fascinating.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMjmF-qSZ0M

 

[miguel1984]

Thanks; I will definitely check it out.

 

[miguel1984]

Steven Soderbergh said he was going to edit a new version of Kafka (1991); here is the original:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_MmwyazJBk

 

[miguel1984]

Oh, I would also recommend Introducing Kafka by David Zane Mairowitz and the great Robert Crumb, if only for the illustrations.

 

[ChildofOldLeech]

- Soderbergh's Kafka was one of the most formative films of my adolescence , so I would be overjoyed to see him release a director's cut; of course, at this point, just having the movie out on dvd would be great too.

 

[miguel1984]

Here is Soderbergh talking about the new version of Kafka in an interview with Vulture (http://www.vulture.com/2013/01/steven-soderbergh-in-conversation.html):

Question: I once asked Tarantino if he would change anything in any of his films. He said, “No. It wouldn’t be in the film if I didn’t want it there.” That doesn’t sound like something you would say.

Answer: Well, I’m remaking—it’s been a long process—but I’m overhauling Kafka completely. It’s funny—wrapping a movie 22 years later! But the rights had reverted back to me and Paul Rassam, an executive producer, and he said, “I know you were never really happy with it. Do you want to go back in and play around?” We shot some inserts while we were doing Side Effects. I’m also dubbing the whole thing into German so the accent issue goes away. And Lem (Lem Dobbs, the screenwriter) and I have been working on recalibrating some of the dialogue and the storytelling. So it’s a completely different movie. The idea is to put them both out on disc. But for the most part, I’m a believer in your first impulse being the right one. And I certainly think that most of the seventies directors who have gone back in and tinkered with their movies have made them worse.

 

[Sad Marsh Ghost]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niIf080qSfE

 

[paeng]

Essay: Looking for Kafka | Weird Fiction Review