Insect (Hmyz) by Jan Svankmajer
Animated/Featured movie of Jan Svankmajer inspired by the Capek brothers play Pictures from the Insects Life and the Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka.
A pub in a small town. Pub is closed, the chairs upturned on tables. On a coat-stand hang various insect costumes: a crêpe-paper skirt, cardboard butterfly-wings, and gleaming black and iridescent beetleshells. The six amateur thespians at the table are: the Director, Rose, William, Mr. Forrest, Nettle, Miss Jilly. Tramp is at home, laid up with sciatica. Mrs. Dung-Beetle and Mayfly have not yet turned up. During the rehearsal the amateur actors own life stories interweave with those of the characters by Capeks.
The Insect Play is a misanthropic play. My screenplay only extends this misanthropy, as man is more like an insect and this civilization is more like an anthill. One should also remember the message of blind The Metamorphosis by F. Kafka.
Jan Svankmajer, director