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While this is certainly not one of Polanski's finest, it is admittedly a damn funny effort. As a warning, don't expect any real substance to this film. It's ridiculous and trivial, but there are laughs throughout. "What?" fills the gap for those who get a kick out of 70's porn plots, but get bored during the sex scenes. This being said, know that it can easily offend. Expect a movie that will get giggles out of a rape scene. It is a no holds barred comedy that breaks ground that "Happiness" will sweep in to master.

Polanski combines his psychedelic absurdity of "The Magic Christian" with the stark strangeness that he would later delve into in "The Tenant." It is a valiant attempt to create a surreal sexual comedy. For most films, the lack of any depth to the characters will turn away even the most devoted viewer; but "What?" creates entertaining caricatures that bobble and bump into one another, with surprisingly charming results. It is difficult to say whether this is a good film or not, albeit it is shot beautifully, and leaves the viewer with many a chortle, but compared to the brilliance of his other films it seems a bit empty. The film can be best likened to a scarred and matted alley cat that loves to come and visit. It is rough on the edges and not nice to the touch, but the affection it gives leaves the soft spots all the more appealing.

While the British were playing the psychedelic numbers game with "The Prisoner," 1967 brought the Japanese Seijun Suzuki's "Branded to Kill." This story of a hit-man reduced to a number leads a cold killer through a surreal journey to his humanity. As the movie reveals emotions to the main character, he is struggling with his past, and is pitted against the mysterious #1.

This movie, outside of being visually stunning, is exceptional in how it explores emotions versus purpose. It beautifully juxtaposes the drive for a career, its duty and its devastation, against the desire for love and the weakness of human nature. "Branded to Kill" meshes the beauty of the film noir shadows with a surrealism laid on the foundations of Luis Bunuel. This hardboiled tail meshes dark shots with cut outs and overlays, as if a the Yakuza were shot by Man Ray.

Thankfully most of Suzuki's films have been released on video. Now he may achieve the respect and notoriety that he has earned.

Conceptually brilliant, the African queen, matching Bogey vs. Hepburn thrown together as victims of circumstance going against all odds, while managing to handle each other. What went wrong. Humphrey, known for being the tough guy with a soft spot for a beautiful woman ends up playing a backwoods dope with a soft spot in the brain. Hepburn, always respected for playing the sensible but emotionally deep woman ends up coming across as a two dimensional character infringing her beliefs while refusing to uphold them. There wasn't a moment when I believed these characters were real. Their lame adventures were implausible helped along by luck and `The Grace of God.' The only way that you could believe in their `Romance' was because of their absolute loneliness and inability to be tolerated by any other human beings. This movie is so hammy that you end up hoping that they are going to die. What is seemingly going to be a gritty look at human nature ends up looking like the Wild Safari ride. The only things redeemable about this movie are some great shots as Bogart is dragging along the African Queen through the marsh and some cool underwater opticals. Perhaps I have been skewed by the brilliance of Apocalypse Now, but this movie is only good enough to get through.