YouTube-ing the Crap Out of "The Metamorphosis"
Ah, YouTube, the shrine of all that is holy and conscious.
I like to call it the hub of pop culture because you can literally find anything and everything there. On second thought, it's not even just about pop culture, but culture in general. You can literally find everything there.
Can we find Gregor Samsa among the ruins?
Let's find out.
"ALL I NEED" - Radiohead
This song is pretty much about being invisible. Although Gregor Samsa was very much not invisible, he dealt with similar themes of alienation and longing for human presence---"I am all the days that you choose to ignore." The lyrics very much deal with a one-sided relationship, of being a visible presence in another's life but not given enough credit for it, if at all---"I'm in the middle of your picture... I am a moth, who just wants to share your light." Note the use of 'want', indicating longing, and being unable to fulfill that longing. This song is a lament, a cry to be noticed and appreciated, just like how Samsa feels separate from the rest of his family and longs to be human again, so he can be appreciated, and not thought of as a vermin. The change is unnatural, and yet oddly enough the characters in the book treat the transformation as a mere disgusting occurence instead of a horrible catastrophe---"it's all wrong, it's all right." For example, instead of trying to find a cure or driving Samsa away, they try to accept his change and keep waiting for him to "transform back". This video also uses scenes from "Microcosmos", which fits the book perfectly.
THE METAMORPHOSIS BY FRANZ KAFKA PLOT SUMMARY
Short and cheesy, comes with a warning label.
The Metamorphosis - XBudd
Basically a reading with some animations. A lot of these videos focus on Samsa waking up to discover himself as a giant insect and (unintentionally) scaring his family. I don't think those are the only key themes, but hey, O Great Culture Hub has spoken. Or maybe I'm not looking hard enough.
The Metamorphosis of Mr Samsa
Similar to William Kentridge, animation with a little bit of fine arts mixed in. Take note of her use of perspective. I think that's also one of the key points in the book, the differences in perspective, both physically (as an insect Gregor Samsa had greater mobility and is abl to view it from many angles, albeit always keeping his head close to the surface) and non-physically (Samsa's human perspective in an insect body).
Metamorphosis - BTEC Performing Arts at Mark Rutherford
What's the difference between BTEC HND and just BTEC? It's just a compilation of pictures and not the actual play itself, but it's better than nothing. I love the colour scheme.
Kafka: Metamorphosis (Royal Opera House)
Our lecturer showed this to us a few weeks ago. My favourite one so far: it brilliantly illustrates the atmosphere of panic and horror. Also, kudos to whoever played Gregor---you have to be born with animalistic traits to reach that level of physical understanding, both of the human body and of the insect body and movements. However, again, this video only shows the part where the "outsiders" see Gregor as a monster for the first time.
Metarmorphosis, by Saburo Teshigawara
Also very, very beautiful. The routine combines fluid and robotic movements, silence and noise, and silhouette to create an avant garde interpretation of the book.
Metamorphosis trailer
Not bad, but again, focuses too much on Chapter One and not much everywhere else.
Video Promocional Obra: Metamorphosis.mpg
Not so much Kafka's metamorphosis but literally a metamorphosis. Or a literal metamorphosis. Whichever.
Schnizlertanz-Die Verwandlung
Very expressive as well, though I think it's much too lyrical and needs a little bit more twitchiness. You're being a goddamn insect, act like it.
Metamorphosis Immersive Kafka - Full Movie
Again, playing on perspective and warping space---techniques I'm interested in, to use in my film.
Also, apparently someone made a movie out of it!
Where I End and You Begin - Radiohead
Interesting technique---stop motion grotesque figures, with permanently gruesome faces, shooting drugs into each other? This video is fucked up and that's why I like it. It keeps reminding me of Kafka somehow, so I'll just put it here.
Metamorphosis by Paris Kain
Technically a whole different ball game than Kafka's Metamorphosis, but I stumbled upon this video whilst using that key word and I really like it. It's powerful, and yet I can definitely see dark and twisted potentials. Saved!
A Metamorfose - Franz Kafka
A 2007 film written and directed by Frederico Beja. This really is beautiful. Again, I love how they use a human doing insect-like things to attach that lost humanity into the character. Were they to depict Gregor Samsa as an insect, it would sever the connection between the main character and the viewers.
And that's all for today, folks, my eyes are killing me!