The Knack (1965 Richard Lester)

If any further proof was needed that Lester had seen and was inspired by Louis Malle's crazy and influential Zazie dans le Métro (1960), this film is surely it, particularly in its chase scene. It is dazzling, extremely funny (especially in the cutaways of 'normal' British people commenting on unrelated matters, some of which are actually Tony Gibbs cleverly overlaying pre-recorded sound on clips which look like people saying the lines) and actually quite frightening in the critical scene where ingénue Rita Tushingham is submissed by cool ladykiller Ray Brooks, while Michael Crawford and Donal Donnelly stand on helpless.

'Rape' scene is also really funny and the whole thing is fucking brilliantly edited by the genius Tony Gibbs, who uses all the tricks (many lined up by Lester, obviously, e.g. chase moment with multiple doors). Weirdly - or perhaps not so weirdly - there's even foreshadowing of some of the editing effects from Performance, to come later (1969). Q says it's the most fun she's seen in editing. Also loved the white room and the bed that as it's being pushed magically becomes white! (This whole scene led to a Monkees version of the same thing.)

Lots and lots of location London also fun.

Great score by John Barry, seriously good black and white photography from David Watkin, very funny screenplay by Charles Wood, based - believe it or not - on a play, by experimental theatre writer Ann Jellicoe.

Strange that the MGM release is not anamorphic.

Those end credits sure look like acid tabs to me.