Girl Friday

A true goth classic. Abbott and Costello meet the original Dracula - Bela Lugosi and the original Wolfman - Lon Chaney Jnr. Glen Strange plays Frankenstein's monster faithfully and Vincent Price makes a brief addition to the film as the voice of the Invisible Man. The film has one other gimmick and that is a female mad doctor. A very nice touch.

There are some wonderful albeit short animation sequences particularly as Dracula changes between a bat and himself. The comic playoff between Abbott and Costello is comedic genius. Abbott although short, fat and stupid has two women after him while Costello relies on his rejects.

If you're not sure if it's comedy or horror call it goth.

In my books this film is a successful, later film noir in colour. All the elements of the old 1940's film noir are there. Private Detective Jake Gittes thinks he has a run of the mill adultery investigation on his hands when Mrs Mulray the wife of a Water Company executive hires him. The case quickly turns to set ups, conspiracy and murder.

Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunnaway play this movie perfectly. A private detective needs to be played as street smart and cool. The street wise must ooze from him without being overplayed and ruining his cool. Jack Nicholson is almost a natural and Faye Dunnaway compliments him beautifully wealthy woman with a dark secret.

This film is a true classic and perhaps it is Roman Polanski's own dark experiences that have him pulling off a film noir in the seventies.

Halliday and Chiquita meet while both chasing Fiske. She's after him for breaking their engagement and taking $2000 and he's after him for an army payroll robbery that his superior officer has blamed on him. The superior officer is chasing Halliday and the Inspector General becomes involved. A great chase with a climatic finish. Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer are brilliant and you can see the sparks fly.