Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life (1993) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life ( 1993 ) 23min While trying to decide what Gregor Samsa wakes up as, Kafka's constantly being interrupted by knife-selling strangers, party noise, girls, fancy dress costumes, and other strange, dreamlike... See full summary » Director: a list of 49 titles created 23 Oct 2011 a list of 36 titles created 15 Oct 2012 a list of 22 titles created 8 months ago a list of 29 titles created 4 months ago a list of 41 images created 4 days ago Title: Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life (1993) 7.4/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin.

Won 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins. See more awards » Photos Eight years ago, Gavin artistic son of an Scots/Italian ice-cream dynasty, turned his back on Glasgow and moved south to London to make his name illustrating children's books. Now, ... See full summary » Director: Stefan Schwartz Small-time crooner find himself on the receiving end of the threatening attentions of a gangster, whose wife has fallen for the singer's Sinatra-like aura. Director: Peter Capaldi Nikolai, a mortician, and Osip, an actor playing Christ in a play, are brothers in love with the same woman. Anna, a state scientist and said woman, is in love with both brothers and ... See full summary » Director: Guy Maddin The Cricklewood Greats (TV Movie 2012) Comedy The presenter recalls his boyhood heroes from the Cricklewood film studios,assisted by Tim Dempsey,founder of the Cricklewood Appreciation Society. The studio was established by failed ...

See full summary » Director: Peter Capaldi Edit Storyline While trying to decide what Gregor Samsa wakes up as, Kafka's constantly being interrupted by knife-selling strangers, party noise, girls, fancy dress costumes, and other strange, dreamlike visions. Written by Kathy Li 29 November 1995 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Mia yperohi zoi See more » Company Credits Elaine Collins (Miss Cicely) is the wife of writer and director Peter Capaldi . See more » Quotes A fascinating and unique film from the BBC which received much critical buzz in England, though relatively little attention stateside. 'Tis a pity, as the colonists would get a kick out of it. 5 of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes A Tribute to Doctor Who | BAFTA Home Heritage Features A Tribute to Doctor Who A Tribute to Doctor Who Share We paid tribute to everyone's favourite time-travelling alien after half a century of extraordinary adventures.

BBC Worldwide images "Hello, I'm the Doctor..." BAFTA / Marc HobermanFor fifty years, the two-hearted Time Lord has been battling Daleks, thwarting Cybermen and taking audiences on a multitude of adventures through time and space. Through the ingenious method of regeneration - when the Doctor becomes too old or wounded, he transforms into a new physical form – various actors have been able to play the same role, allowing the show to remain as consistently popular today as when it first began. To mark a half century or Doctor who, we put together fifty facts about Doctor Who and BAFTA. So sit back, relax, and read more facts than you can shake a sonic screwdriver at… 1. William Hartnell was the first actor to play Doctor Who. Throughout his career Hartnell appeared in many successful British films, including a small but crucial role as a pub owner in Carol Reed’s Odd Man Out (1947), which won the first ever BAFTA for British Film. 2. Canadian film and television producer Sydney Newman and is considered one of the key creators of Doctor Who.

Newman was Head of Drama at the BBC between 1962-1967, when key dramas such as Cathy Come Home (1966), The Forsyte Saga (1967) - and of course, Doctor Who - were produced. In 1968 BAFTA awarded Newman the Desmond Davis Award for his contribution to British television. 3. Verity Lambert was the original producer of the series, and was responsible for introducing the first Dalek storyline The Dalek (1963-1964), written by Terry Nation. Lambert went on to produce shows such as Rumpole of the Bailey (1978-1992) and Jonathan Creek (1997- ). She was nominated for six BAFTAs, winning twice. The photo below shows Lambert in 1970 being presented with the Drama Series Award for W. Somerset Maugham (1969-1970) from Earl Mountbatten of Burma, no less! BAFTA 4. The first ever episode of Doctor Who, An Unearthly Child, was directed by Waris Hussein when he was just 24 years old.

Hussein would work with producer Lambert again on W. Somerset Maugham and Edward & Mrs. Simpson (1978), the latter which he won a BAFTA for along with writer Andrew Brown in 1979. In 1994 he was BAFTA-nominated for an episode of Screen Two (1985-2002) called The Clothes in the Wardrobe. 5. The show’s theme music was written by Australian composer Ron Grainer, and given its iconic electronic arrangement by Delia Derbyshire, who worked at the BBC’s Radiophonic Workshop. Grainer would go on to be BAFTA-nominated in 1981 for his music on Flickers (1980), Shelley (1979-1983) and Tales of The Unexpected (1979-1988). Derbyshire’s life was recently explored in Absolute Genius with Dick & Dom (2013), a series which has been nominated for a Children’s BAFTA Award. 6. The iconic design of the Daleks was created by Raymond Cusick, who was a production designer on Doctor Who on over 40 episodes.

He would go on to work on shows such as Z Cars (1962-1975) and The Duchess of Duke Street (1976-1977). In his career he was nominated for three BAFTAs for design. BAFTA7. The first people to ever voice the Daleks were Peter Hawkins and David Graham. Other notable Dalek-voice actors include Roy Skelton and, more recently, Nicholas Briggs. Hawkins and Skelton would both go on to voice the slightly less threatening Zippy from Rainbow (1972-1992), a show which won a BAFTA in 1975. Graham currently voices Grandpa Pig in Peppa Pig (2004 - ), a show which has won four BAFTAs. Here is a Dalek patrolling the stage at the BAFTA Television Awards in 2006! 8. Louis Marks wrote Planet of the Giants (1964), the first storyline of the second series.

Marks continued writing and producing television for over forty years, and was BAFTA-nominated three times in his career for Silas Marner (1985), Middlemarch (1994) and Screen Two (1985-2002). 9. Patrick Troughton was the second actor to play Doctor Who. In 2013, 9 lost episodes of Doctor Who - all with Troughton - were discovered in a TV station in Nigeria. Did you know that one of Troughton’s first ever screen appearances was in Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet (1948)? It was the second film to win the BAFTA for Best Film. 10. Jon Pertwee was the third actor to play the Doctor, making his debut in the first ever episode broadcast in colour, Spearhead from Space (1970). He played the Doctor during the tenth anniversary episode The Three Doctors (1973), which also starred Hartnell and Troughton. Later in his career, Pertwee famously played the titular character in Worzel Gummidge (1979-1981) which was nominated for seven BAFTAs. 11.

One of the Doctor’s most famous companions is Sarah Jane Smith, who was played by Elisabeth Sladen and appeared for the first time alongside Pertwee in The Time Warrior (1973). She reprised her role in The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007-2011), which was nominated for 12 BAFTA Children’s Awards. This photo of Sladen was taken at the BAFTA Children's Awards in 2007. 12. The fourth Doctor was played by Tom Baker, who remains the longest running actor to play the part. He appeared in classic stories such as Genesis of the Daleks (1975) and the Douglas Adams-penned City of Death (1979). In recent years, his unmistakable voice was heard narrating Little Britain (2003-2006); the comedy series won 4 BAFTAs. 13. The series was BAFTA-nominated for the first time in 1977 while Tom Baker was the Doctor. Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (1976-1977) was announced as the Rediffusion Star Awards: Harlequin - Drama/Light winner.

In 1978, it was nominated for a second time; this time All Star Record Breakers (1977) won the award. 14. Peter Davison played the fifth Doctor. One of his most famous episodes was the twentieth anniversary special The Five Doctors (1983), which saw Troughton and Pertwee return to the role. His early breakthrough as an actor came in the drama series Love for Lydia (1977), which was nominated for six BAFTAs. His daughter Georgia Moffett starred in The Doctor’s Daughter (2008) opposite the tenth Doctor David Tennant (who she is now married to!). 15. The Daleks recently made BAFTA Social Media history, as our first ever Vine at the BAFTA Television Awards in 2013! 16. Colin Baker (no relation to Tom) was the sixth actor to play the Doctor. Prior to Doctor Who, Baker appeared in programmes such as The Brothers (1974-1976) and the BAFTA-winning The Citadel (1983). One of Baker’s most famous stories was Revelation of the Daleks (1985).

It was directed by Graeme Harper, who would return to direct more recent episodes of Doctor Who, and won a BAFTA Cymru award for the episode Doomsday (2006). 17.Sylvester McCoy replaced Colin Baker as the seventh Doctor, and was the last actor to play him in a full television series until Christopher Eccleston in 2005. Most recently, McCoy has been seen as Radagast in the BAFTA-nominated The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012). 18. Paul McGann played the Doctor in the 1996 television film Doctor Who. The actor first gained prominence playing Percy Toplis in The Monocled Mutineer (1986), a performance which saw him nominated for a BAFTA in 1987. He recently reprised his role as the Doctor in the mini-episode The Night of the Doctor (2013). 19. After 17 years off television screens - bar McGann’s appearance – Doctor Who returned in 2005, with Christopher Eccleston becoming the ninth Doctor.

Eccleston has had a long and successful stage and screen career, and has been nominated for two BAFTAs for his performances in Our Friends in the North (1996) The Second Coming (2003). More recently, he starred as John Lennon in Lennon Naked; listen to him discuss the role. 20. Russell T. Davies was the lead writer on Doctor Who from 2005-2009. Prior to this, he had worked on shows such as Children’s Ward (1989-2000) and Queer as Folk (1999-2000). Davies also created the Doctor Who spin-off show Torchwood (2006- ). In his career he’s been nominated for 11 BAFTAs, winning three times, including the Dennis Potter Award in 2006. Read our interview with Davies on BAFTA Guru and watch him answer our Big Questions below. 21. Phil Collinson and Julie Gardner were the producers for the series’ return in 2005.

Before working on Doctor Who, Gardner produced the BAFTA-nominated Othello (2001) and has recently worked on Da Vinci's Demons (2013). Collinson has gone onto produce Coronation Street (1960- ); watch him discuss the soap with BAFTA on its 50th anniversary. 22. Another crucial figure in Doctor Who's return was Jane Tranter, who was Controller of BBC Fiction when the series relaunched. She discussed her experience working on the show with BAFTA in 2008, which you can watch on BAFTA Guru. In 2009, Tranter was honoured with the Alan Clarke Award at the BAFTA Television Awards, which was presented to her by David Tennant. Speaking of which... 23. David Tennant was the tenth Doctor, and is the longest-running actor to play the part since the series’ return in 2005. Having starred in the Davies-penned Casanova (2005), he was cast as the actor to succeed Eccleston. Tennant went on to play Hamlet and Richard II on stage, and recently starred in Broadchurch (2013 - ).

Listen to him discuss his role as the DI Alec Hardy in our podcast. BAFTA / Chris Jackson24. Billie Piper starred as the Doctor’s companion Rose opposite Eccleston and David Tennant. The role was her major breakthrough as an actress, and she has since gone on to star in Secret Diary of a Call Girl (2007-2011) and will soon be seen in Penny Dreadful. Here she is with Tennant and Davies at the BAFTA Television Awards in 2006. 25. Noel Clarke played Mickey Smith, Rose’s unfortunate boyfriend that she leaves behind as she goes time-travelling with the Doctor. The writer, director and producer was voted the public’s Rising Star at the BAFTA Film Awards in 2009. Read his advice for those starting out on BAFTA Guru. 26. 2006 was a big year for Doctor Who, as it won its first BAFTA! It was awarded the Drama Series Award, with Russell T. Davies, Julie Gardner and Phil Collinson collecting the award. 27.

Not content with winning its first BAFTA in 2006, Doctor Who also took home the Audience Award ahead of programmes such as The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing, cementing its return as one of the most popular programmes on British television. 28. Murray Gold has written the music for Doctor Who since 2005. An established composer who has been nominated for six BAFTAs, he gave a BAFTA masterclass on his musical work in 2012 - watch it below. 29. One of the key people responsible for the look of the new era of Doctor Who is Production Designer Michael Pickwoad. Pickwoad has a longstanding history with Doctor Who, as his father William Mervyn had a lead role in The War Machines (1966) starring alongside William Hartnell. Read more about Pickwoad's experience working on the series in our interview on BAFTA Guru. 30. Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a Doctor Who special, which made an annual return to our screens in 2005. In the 2007 special The Voyage of the Damned, Russell Tovey starred as Midshipman Alonso Frame aboard the space cruiser Titanic.

He returned to the role in The End of Time: Part Two (2010). Watch him offer advice for actors starting out in his Big Questions interview. BAFTA / Richard Kendal31. Also appearing in The Voyage of the Damned was pop star Kylie Minogue, one of the shows more surprising guest stars (other notable examples include John Cleese, Honor Blackman and Ken Dodd!). Here's Kylie at the BAFTA Film Awards in 2009. 32. Another important Christmas guest star was Catherine Tate in the Runaway Bride in 2006. It introduced her character Donna Noble (who appeared briefly at the end of Doomsday). Tate would return to play the Doctor's companion after Martha (Freeman Agyeman). Tate has been BAFTA-nominated seven times in her career. BAFTA / Philip Tull33. Donna's lovable grandfather Wilfred was played by Bernard Cribbins.

Most recognised for his performance in The Railway Children (1970) - as well as narrating The Wombles (1973-1975) - Cribbins was honoured with the Special Award at the BAFTA Children's Awards in 2009. 34. One final Christmas episode-related Doctor Who fact! In the 2008 special The Next Doctor, David Morrissey played Jackson Lake, mistakenly believing that he is The Doctor. Morrissey has been nominated for two BAFTAs, and currently stars as The Governor in The Walking Dead. Find out how he started his acting career in our recent BAFTA Guru interview. 35. One of the Doctor's most notorious enemies is the renegade Time Lord The Master, who was first played by Roger Delgado in 1971 opposite Jon Pertwee. More recently, BAFTA-winning actors Derek Jacobi and John Simm have played the part. Listen to Simm discuss his recent work on The Village podcast on BAFTA Guru. 36.

In 2009, BAFTA held Inside the World of Doctor Who, a special event in front of 2,000 Who fans exploring the secrets behind the series featuring Cybermen, Oods and more! View photos from the event. 37. A final shout-out to the Daleks - not content with becoming our first ever Vine, they also couldn't stop themselves from photobombing all over the BAFTA Television Awards red carpet in 2013! See all the despicable evidence on our Television Tumblr. 38. Towards the end of their time working on Doctor Who, BAFTA welcomed Russell T. Davies and Julie Gardner to talk about their experience working on the show together. Speaking to Caitlin Moran, they discussed their remarkable journey bringing the show to a new generation. 39. One of the most popular episodes in recent years was Blink (2007), featuring terrifying killer statues. It starred Carey Mulligan, who would go on to win a BAFTA in 2010 for her performance in An Education (2009). Steven Moffat was awarded a BAFTA for writing the episode. Speaking of Moffat... 40. Steven Moffat replaced Russell T.

Davies as the series' lead writer in 2009, a role he continues to hold today. He won his first BAFTA in 1991 for Press Gang (1989-1993), and has since won four more. Read our interview with Moffat on BAFTA Guru, and watch his Big Questions with his wife and Sherlock producer Sue Vertue. 41. Matt Smith became the eleventh Doctor in 2010, and - at 28 years old - the youngest. He is the first actor to have been BAFTA-nominated for playing The Doctor. Often seen sporting a bow tie and the occasional fez, he will be vacating the TARDIS at the end of 2013. BAFTA/ Michael Kovak42. Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), was Matt Smith's first companion as the Doctor. She remained his biggest mystery to solve until her secrets were revealed in 2012 (no spoilers here!). Gillan recently attended BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Awards, and will next be seen in Guardian of the Galaxy (2014). 43.

Jenna Coleman is the Doctor's latest companion, starring as the enigmatic Clara. At the BAFTA Television Awards in 2013, she reassured the Doctor that a BAFTA mask won't steal your face! 44. A fan favourite in recent years has been the Doctor's wife River Song, played by Alex Kingston. Kingston was nominated for a BAFTA in 1997 for her performance as Moll Flanders in The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders (1996). 45. In 2010, the BBC released Doctor Who: The Adventure Games, a series of free downloadable computer games which were designed by Charles Cecil (who'd previously worked on Broken Sword). Listen to Cecil describe the experience of transforming Doctor Who into a game. 46. Doctor Who provides a great opportunity for young actors to make a name for themselves. in 2007, Gugu Mbatha-Raw played Tish Jones in four episodes. She has since gone to star in Larry Crowne (2011) and Touch (2012). Watch her answer her Big Questions on BAFTA Guru. BAFTA Cymru/ Huw John47.

At the BAFTA Cymru Awards in 2013, former Doctor Who producer Julie Gardner received the TLWS Siân Phillips Award for her outstanding contribution to television. Russell T. Davies was at hand to present her with the award. 48. John Hurt was dramatically introduced as The Doctor earlier this year in The Name of the Doctor, with his secrets set to be revealed in the fiftieth anniversary episode the Day of the Doctor. Hurt has been awarded four BAFTAs and nominated eight times. Watch him receive his Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award in 2012. 49. The identity of the twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi was revealed on the 4 August 2013 in a one-off BBC programme Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor. Prior to this, Capaldi's most famous role was as Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It (2005 - ), which he won his second BAFTA for in 2010. He was awarded his first BAFTA with Ruth Kenley-Letts in 1994 for their short film Franz Kafka's It's A Wonderful Life (1993). See all of Calpaldi's BAFTA wins and nominations.

50. And finally...Who can forget this magical moment at the BAFTA Television Awards in 2012 when the Doctor and Sherlock Holmes (Matt Smith and Benedict Cumberbatch) took to the stage to present Steven Moffat with his Special Award? Here's to the next 50 years of Doctor Who and BAFTA! Can you think of any more Doctor Who and BAFTA-related facts? let us know in the comments section below! Share Peter Capaldi: The next Time Lord - BBC News BBC News Peter Capaldi: The next Time Lord 4 August 2013 Close share panel Image caption Peter Capaldi is a lifelong fan of Doctor Who Peter Capaldi has been named as the 12th actor to take on the lead role in BBC series Doctor Who. At 55 - the same age as William Hartnell when he was cast as the first Time Lord in 1963 - he has an impressive list of credits to his name on both film and TV. The Glasgow-born star is the first Oscar winner to play the part after winning the Academy Award for best live action short film in 1994 for Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life.

He became a household name thanks to his performance as foul-mouthed spin-doctor Malcolm Tucker in BBC series The Thick of It. That role saw him win a Bafta TV award for best male performance in a comedy role in 2010, and he was nominated for the same award in 2006, 2008 and 2013. His performance as Tucker in 2009 spin-off film In The Loop also saw him nominated for acting honours at the British Independent Film Awards, as well as London, Los Angeles and New York film critics' awards. Image caption Capaldi won a Bafta for his role as spin-doctor Malcolm Tucker in The Thick Of It Capaldi attended the Glasgow School of Art and it was while studying there that he landed his breakout role in the 1983 drama Local Hero directed by Bill Forsyth and starring Burt Lancaster. Early roles in TV series Minder and Hollywood film Dangerous Liaisons led to a string of parts on shows such as Prime Suspect, the Crow Road and Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. More recently he appeared in Skins, The Devil's Whore, Torchwood: Children of Earth and BBC mini-series The Nativity.

Capaldi has also written several TV shows, including a documentary about 500 years of Scottish portrait painting broadcast on BBC Four and Cricklewood Greats - a spoof about the heyday of the British film industry. He also wrote 1993 film Soft Top Hard Shoulder - which was nominated for a Scottish film Bafta - as well as writing and directing the 2001 gangster film, Strictly Sinatra. Capaldi's stage credits include Professor Marcus in The Ladykillers at the Liverpool Playhouse, which later transferred to the Gielgud Theatre in the West End. A lifelong fan of Doctor Who, landing the role of the Time Lord is a dream come true for Capaldi. He even wrote a letter to the Radio Times when he was a teenager in 1973, praising the magazine for its Doctor Who special celebrating the show's 10th anniversary. Image caption Peter Capaldi's letter to the Radio Times in 1973 praising its Doctor Who coverage The Doctor Who casting comes after a busy year for the actor, who was seen on the big screen in zombie film World War Z and in BBC Two drama series The Hour, for which he was also Bafta nominated.

He is currently filming new BBC One drama series The Musketeers, in which he plays Cardinal Richelieu and which will air next year. He will also appear in the forthcoming Julian Assange film The Fifth Estate as Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger and Disney's Maleficent - a take on the Sleeping Beauty tale, starring Angelina Jolie. Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 17 January 2017 8:34 AM, PST NEWS 17 out of 18 people found the following review useful: What if Kafka was the main character of It's a Wonderful Life? from England 21 December 2003 A slip of the tongue by actor Peter Capaldi's wife inspired him to write and make this Oscar winning gem. Richard E. Grant gives wonderful performance as the tortured Franz Kafka who struggles with the opening line of 'Metamorphosis' amid the distractions of his dark and sinister rooming house. Disturbances include a girls party, a lady trying to deliver a giant insect costume' and a psychotic knife sharpener, (another marvellous performance by Ken Stott),who has lost his little friend.

The black and white cutaway sequences showing his various inspirations for Gregor transformations are hilarious. The final scene, where the story strands are tied up and all the characters brought together in a twisted version of the finale of 'It's a Wonderful Life' is funny and moving at the same time. The perfect Christmas film for the slightly odd. Was the above review useful to you? 13 out of 14 people found the following review useful: Monty Python meets Orson Welles over the body of Franz Kafka with spectacular results! from Tucson AZ 7 April 2003 Franz Kafka is probably still spinning over this one almost ten years after the fact. There are echos of suspense in this one, but mostly it resembles Python at its full-bore, full throttle best. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, the costumer here also did costumes for The Python series. Too many moments to pick anything out, but it is absolutely wonderful. The incredibly serious among you will probably gnash teeth and pound thy breasts over the violation of Kafka, but the sufficiently twisted will love this!

This won the Academy Award for Live-Action Short (in a tie with Trevor, he noted for accuracy's sake) and it's good to see this in print and available. Most highly recommended. Was the above review useful to you? 10 out of 12 people found the following review useful: This Is The Reason Short Films Exist from United States 5 January 2007 Franz Kafka sits in his apartment trying to write "The Metamorphosis", but is bothered by a man selling knives and hacksaws, women throwing a party and a lady selling gag gifts. This, mixed with a twisted version of the Frank Capra film this movie is named after, makes for an interesting time. One reviewer summarized this film as "Monty Python meets Orson Welles over the body of Franz Kafka with spectacular results!" I can see that. The Monty Python is the oddball humor, and the Franz Kafka is the main plot. But the Orson Welles really stands out, too, and maybe would not have if I had not read the review.

The scenes in this film rely heavily on odd camera shots, many of them from under the floorboards or up stairs, giving the "larger than life" look Welles had in "Citizen Kane" when the cameraman sat in dug out hole. (Try it yourself, taking someone's photograph from a seated position while they stand -- gigantic!) The main character (Kafka) is played beautifully by Richard E. Grant. I obviously never met Kafka personally, but Grant portrays him as a paranoid and idiosyncratic, eccentric germophobe. Yeah, I think that pretty much captures the idea (have you read Kafka's "The Trial"?). Grant is known from other projects, but this might well be his master performance. The secondary characters are also nice... the salesman is great and the woman at the party is perfect for the role. And we need not forget the man playing Gregor Samsa... nice acting and fine singing! The way the footage for the Samsa parts was made to look very old (1920s) was a nice touch, giving off a comedic Charlie Chaplinesque quality. If you can find this in your local video store, pick it up.

As a short film, even if you don't like it, the movie will be over before you realize it. But I'd bet dollars to doughnuts you'll love it as much as me. This one really takes the original idea and runs with it... to Oscar gold. Was the above review useful to you? 5 out of 5 people found the following review useful: Clever cross-bred pastiche from Exeter, England 9 September 2000 As its name suggests, this short film cross-breeds Kafka with Capra. Kafka is pestered by neighbours, children, and the sinister Woland the Knifeman (who suspects Kakfa of killing his pet beetle). This is a delightful dark comedy pastiche, Richard E Grant performing at his nervy best in a sinister but ultimately heartwarming film. Was the above review useful to you? 7 out of 9 people found the following review useful: Brilliant from Dixie, USA 10 February 2002 When I saw this, I was intrigued. I was pleasantly suprised at it's dark, yet light style of wit. It will make you tense, then you will laugh. To describe it is really to give a lot away.

Just check it out if you get a chance. Was the above review useful to you? 5 out of 6 people found the following review useful: A fascinating short film Author: DFWcrtic 24 July 1999 A fascinating and unique film from the BBC which received much critical buzz in England, though relatively little attention stateside. 'Tis a pity, as the colonists would get a kick out of it. Was the above review useful to you? 2 out of 3 people found the following review useful: A phenomenal flight of imagination on Kafka's creative process from São Paulo, Brazil 19 August 2013 Inventive and artistic, this beautiful flight of imagination is one of the greatest ideas ever composed and translated into a delightful cinematic experience. Matching together the creative genius of Franz Kafka with the positive outcomes of Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" the short tells the difficult process of creating a novel, not in the sense of being something to be read but something to be felt and comprehended by readers of different generations, the greatest testament an artist can give to humanity. And believe it or not, one exact word can make a complete difference in a writing work.

This strenuous mind exercise coming from a writer is the problematic basis for this amazing short film. Peter Capaldi imagines the conception of the now famed masterpiece "The Metamorphosis" with Kafka (played by Richard E. Grant) having a terrible writer's block in the very first sentence, the classical "As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect". But here, he doesn't know what Gregor is about to be transformed not only because of his block but that also relates with distractions around him, with his loud neighbors celebrating a Christmas party and interrupting visitors who appear from time to time. What he least expects is that those individuals and the strange situations they're involved may be of help for his book. The mixture of elements, although strange and sometimes a little inadequate, is a good one. We have Kafka writing Gregor's story, then there's few glimpses of Gregor being transformed into multiple things before his final destination. Opressively, dramatic and spooky moments mixed with some strange humor, very characteristic in the works of the Polish writer.

Later on the cheerful and bright conclusion borrowed from Capra's release comes along with a certain moral of the story that was a little off-suiting for this movie. It's one way of seeing things and it might work best with those who know little about the life and work of Franz Kafka, commonly known for sad and darker stories. I only disagree with the treatment given to the main character played as if being a soft version of Ebenezer Scrooge, far from the timid and repressed view given of Kafka in biographies. But Mr. Grant was good, just as effective as the mysterious man played by Ken Stott. And it's good to know that it all paid off, this Burtonesque film was agraciated with the Oscar as Best Short - Live Action, tied with "Trevor" and one Bafta. And who could have imagined that the hilarious performer of Malcolm Tucker is not only a great actor but also a talented writer and director. This is a solid proof. 9/10 Was the above review useful to you?

Capaldi's take on the Christmas classic 26 October 2015 *** This review may contain spoilers *** "Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life" is a 22-minute short film from 20 years ago that won an Academy Award (tied with another film) and BAFTA Award. The title gives away the action pretty much already. This is very much influenced by the black-and-white James Stewart Christmas classic mixed with a kafkaesque take and finally Peter Capaldi's unique take on comedy. If you have seen some of his works, such as "In the Loop", you will know what I mean. Capaldi is mostly an actor, so it's a bit strange that his greatest achievement in terms of awards comes for a film he wrote and directed. He is mostly known recently for playing Doctor Who, which elevated his popularity a lot again. Anyway, this work here did not really convince me. I did not find it a too interesting or memorable effort, even if the mix-up of these 2 characters was certainly an interesting idea. All in all, not recommended. Was the above review useful to you?

1 out of 2 people found the following review useful: He Could Have Been A Pair Of Ragged Claws. from Deming, New Mexico, USA 17 November 2011 *** This review may contain spoilers *** Franz Kafka sits alone in his room at his writing desk, trying in desperation to begin a story. He begins writing and reciting to himself, "Gregor Samsa awoke one morning to find himself transformed into a gigantic --", and then he stops, stumped. "A gigantic WHAT?" Kafka's gaze drifts about the dismal room and light on a bowl of fruit. Cut to an imaginary scene of Gregor Samsa waking up, completely covered by a sheet, struggling to free himself, only to reveal a giant -- BANANA. That's the opening scene, and to me it's the most shocking and amusing. You won't find much of Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" in here.

It seems to provide only a kind of spine or notochord because, after Kafka loses the thread of the narrative, along with some other things, and is ridden by guilt over having squashed the cockroach that inspired him, he's given Christmas presents from the girls downstairs, every present being a jar of insects, ranging from cockroaches to maggots. Christmas bells begin ringing and the camera glides to the window where it is snowing. Yes, it's a wonderful life after all. To prove it, the final shot is of Gregor Samsa, now a beetle, lying on his back in bed and avidly singing "Ah, sweet mystery of life at last I've found thee" -- the whole first verse. I don't know exactly what to make of this 25-minute production. It had me wondering if someone had smoked one of those bananas we saw. It's rarely funny, mostly intense, and has a couple of absurd lines in it. "Is this a real conversation or an imaginary one?", asks the lady downstairs. We also get to meet a character who has a tiny beetle friend and seems to have lost it, until it's found again as one of the Christmas presents, recalling Thomas Mitchell and the missing money.

All in all, it's confusing but in a most innovative way, as if someone had dumped haphazardly into a cocktail shaker Franz Kafka, George Bailey, Monty Python, and stray limbs and membrae of Eugene Ionescu. After a violent agitation, this is what came out. I don't think all that many people will laugh, but I don't think they'll be able to stop watching it either. Was the above review useful to you? 1 out of 3 people found the following review useful: Capra and Kafka from United Kingdom 4 August 2013 Written and directed by Peter Capaldi, better known as an actor but had aspiration to be a writer and director This short film (jointly) won an Oscar for the best short film category. Richard E Grant takes the title role as Franz Kafka trying to write the opening line of 'Metamorphosis' in his dark room whilst being disturbed by strange and sinister people. Grant who has in the past given uneven acting performances gives an inspired acting display. The black and white film is of course surreal and comic, almost Pythonesque. As the tile of the film implies it splices Kafka with Frank Capra! Was the above review useful to you?

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Question: Who wrote and directed the Bafta Award winning short film "Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life" (1993)?
Answer: Peter Capaldi