Another Hole in the Head Film Festival Review: “The Big Kitty”
By: Joseph Perry (Twitter - Uphill Both Ways Podcast)
Film noir meets screwball comedy with a side trip to the alleged spirit world in the Australian feature film The Big Kitty, a labor of love project 11 years in the making from the husband-and-wife directing team of artists Tom Alberts (who wrote the screenplay) and Lisa Barmby. With cast and crew names in the opening credits that include Willy Cashin, Ava Goodwun, Tony Curtins, and Katherine Heartburn, you can guess that you are in for an amusing time with this one, and you would be right.
Alberts stars as private detective Guy Boyman, who is always on the case, if a bit off the wall. Barmby stars as Princess Yukova Illinaditch, Russian royalty whose precious feline named Cat is stolen during a blackout at a nightclub. She hires Boyman to solve the mystery.
Puns, double entendres, a running gag about turnips, and sight gags including the titular feline changing sizes rule the comedy day. The noir elements are on fine display as well, and considering that Alberts and Barmby shot the black-and-white film and made all of the props and costumes — which are wonderfully authentic and occasionally quite hilarious (wait until you get a load of some of the princess’ hats) — they have captured the feel of 1940s Hollywood quite charmingly.
Alberts and Barmby play multiple roles in the film, with a cast of around 70 — many of them artist friends of the couple — rounding things out. The performances range from very good indeed to delightfully over the top.
The Big Kitty shows great affection for the Hollywood of yesteryear, and the cast and crew obviously have a blast sending that era up, as well. This is a fun slice of truly independent cinema with a heart as big as its seemingly endless supply of bon mots, quips, and plays on words.
The Big Kitty screens as part of the Another Hole in the Head Film Festival, which runs online from December 11–27, 2020. For more information about the festival, visit https://www.ahith.com/.
Joseph Perry is one of the hosts of When It Was Cool’s exclusive Uphill Both Ways podcast (whenitwascool.com/up-hill-both-ways-podcast/) and Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror: The Classic Era podcast (decadesofhorror.com/category/classicera/). He also writes for the film websites Diabolique Magazine (diaboliquemagazine.com), Gruesome Magazine (gruesomemagazine.com), The Scariest Things (scariesthings.com), Ghastly Grinning (ghastlygrinning.com), and Horror Fuel (horrorfuel.com), and film magazines Phantom of the Movies’ VideoScope (videoscopemag.com) and Drive-In Asylum (etsy.com/shop/GroovyDoom).
If you found this article interesting consider becoming a Patreon supporter. That is how When It Was Cool keeps our website and podcasts online, plus you get lots of bonus content including extra and extended podcasts, articles, digital comics, ebooks, and much more. Check out our Patreon Page to see what's up!
If you don't want to use Patreon but still want to support When It Was Cool then how about a one time $5 PayPal donation? Thank you!
