Customer Reviews

The Pink Panther Strikes Again [VHS]

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is my all time favorite Pink Panther film. I think that I like it the best of the series as is dwells so totally on Herbert Lom's madness, which is, of course, entirely caused by Clouseau. The opening scene of the film sets the pace, with the brilliant slapstick 'Dreyfus in the lake' segment (I am particularly fond of the role of the rake in that scene.)

The characterizations of Dreyfus and Clouseau are totally wonderful in this film. Watching Dreyfus descend into total madness is one of the all time greatest comic performances. Sellers as Clouseau is wonderful playing off of Lom, in such great segments as the 'hallucinatory dentist' and the 'hunchback and the bomber' scenes. This film is much less subtle than my other favorite from the series "A Shot in the Dark", but what it loses in subtlety, it gains in situational humor unrivalled in any other comedy ("Does your dog bite?"..."No."..."I thought you said your dog did not bite."..."That is not my dog.") Only Sellers could make these scenes work, and work they do, brilliantly so.

There are so many great scenes and lines that I couldn't possibly list them. Some of the best lines ever written for a comedy are in this film. To go with the brilliance of the script, the excellent direction from Blake Edwards, the always entertaining animated credits, the beautiful sets, the acting from everyone, led, of course, by Sellers and Lom, is letter perfect.

The DVD is an excellent transfer, and very pleasant to watch. The only real options are language and subtitle related, though there is an original trailer. I would have loved to have seen some outtakes as extras. Reportedly the cast frequently broke up laughing during the filming of this movie, and there is no wonder, given how funny the material is.

I first saw this in the theater when I was a kid. I loved it so much then that I went back several more times, and never tired of it. Now, almost thirty years later, I still never tire of this film. If you haven't seen "The Pink Panther Strikes Again", by all means do so at once. If you have, it's time to get reacquainted with a brilliant old friend!

This is by far the best of the Pink Panther series of movies. Sellers is a comedic genius and the funniest Clousseau scenes are in this film. I saw this on the big screen while in grade school and vividly remember my friend and I bowled over in tears laughing so hard. This is the movie with such memorable scenes as: "Does your dog bite?...No....(dog bites Clousseau)...I thought you said your doig does not bite?....That is not my dog" and the famous "Blemish? But that's a priceless Steinway!...Not anymore" as well as Clousseau's visit to the Octoberfest where two assailants both miss Clousseau and kill each other in the bathroom. Every supporting actor (the guys who played President Gerald Ford and Henry Kissinger were superb) was believable and set up the scenes so well for the bumbling Clousseau. If you only get one of the Sellers' Pink Panther movies, this is THE ONE to have because I believe you will tearfully laugh every time you watch it.

The inimitable Peter Sellers strikes again as Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau, in this fourth installment of the classic "Pink Panther" series, "The Pink Panther Strikes Again," directed by Blake Edwards. Given the fact that the assessment of comedy is intrinsically subjective, this film is arguably laugh for laugh and sight gag for sight gag the funniest of the five (followed closely by the second of the series, the hilarious farce, "A Shot In The Dark). In this one, former Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Herbert Lom) is about to be released from the mental hospital-- in which he has resided since being driven crazy by Clouseau-- when on the very afternoon of his hearing he is visited by none other than Clouseau himself, who has come to speak on behalf of his former boss. Suffice to say that by the time Clouseau is through "helping," he is driven from the premises by the relapsed, raving madman, Dreyfus. And it's only the beginning of the inept French Inspector's antics that, before it is over, will include a trip to the Ocktoberfest, encounters with a dozen hit-men from around the world, a beautiful Russian spy named Olga (Lesley-Anne Down), a surprise Egyptian spy (who will remain nameless) and a one-man assault on a castle. As Laurel and Hardy proved so many times before, for every action there is a reaction; a theorem of which proof is unequivocally provided here by the relationship between Sellers and Lom. This was the film in which Edwards and his stars not only further devised, but honed to perfection, their foolproof formula for laughs: After the "first wave" of hilarity provided by Sellers, it is followed up-- in just enough instances to be totally effective-- by Lom's reaction to 1.) Sellers directly (as in the first, classic scene at the mental hospital), or 2.) Lom's reaction to Seller's antics as they are related to him by a third party. It's a one-two punch that never fails and which, in effect, derives twice the fun from a single gag. And it's brilliant. But at the end of the day, it must be noted that there is one element above all else that accounts for the success of this film, and that, of course, is the Man himself, Peter Sellers. Sellers must be regarded as-- if not "the," then at least one of the-- funniest actors ever to grace the silver screen. There was no end to the ways he could make you laugh; from the subtlest expression-- an eye averted or perhaps the slight raising of an eyebrow-- to the broadest slapstick, it was all within his personal domain, and he was the Master. Physically, practically all he had to do to get a laugh was show up; consider the scene in which he arrives at the hospital to visit Dreyfus: As he saunters across the lawn of the vast grounds surrounding the buildings, a croquet mallet and ball lying to one side catches his eye; there is just the slightest hesitation in his step, the subtlest change of expression in his eyes and the merest inclination of the head. And there, in that briefest of moments upon the screen, you know-- beyond the shadow of a doubt-- what is about to transpire. And you're right; a moment later Clouseau has the mallet in his hand and his foot on the ball, and even as it's happening-- just as you knew it would in that split second before it did-- he has you on the floor laughing. That was the gift-- and the genius-- of Peter Sellers. Was every film he made a classic? A great film? Of course not; but you would be hard put to find a single performance of his, even in a bad film (Like 1970's "There's A Girl In My Soup"), that did not embody that unique spark that defined him. It was certainly alive in his portrayal of Clouseau (possibly the definitive Seller's character), and in retrospect, what a shame it seems that there were only five "Panther" movies ever made. But so it is, and shall ever be. The supporting cast includes Burt Kwouk (as the ever faithful and attacking manservant, Cato), Andre Maranne (Francois), Colin Blakely (Alec Drummond), Leonard Rossiter (Inspector Quinlan), Richard Vernon (Dr. Fassbender), Briony McRoberts (Margo) and Michael Robbins (Jarvis). A funny movie that showcases one of Cinema's truly unique and funny actors, "The Pink Panther Strikes Again" is a side-splitting, fun movie you can watch over and over and never grow tired of. The best of the series, it stands as a glowing tribute to the comedic genius of Peter Sellers.

Dreyfus, Clouseau's old boss, has gone mad and wants to destroy the world with his X-ray machine in this movie. Our only hope is the incompetent chiefinspector, Jaques Clouseau, played by the comic genious Peter Sellers (1925-1980, died of a heart attack). Are you looking for the best classical Clouseau-scenes? This one includes the non-biting dog (really?), the inspector as a tooth-pulling dentist in disguise, and his attempt to get over a moat! As in the other Pink Panther films, this too hasn't got a really credible and reliable story, but that's just a part of all the fun. Watch it over and over again, and notice all the funny details and mistakes Clouseau makes. This is the best Pink Panther movie, no doubt about it! You MUST get this one in your collection!

It should really come as no surprise to anyone that my favorite of the Pink Panther movies is the 1976 laugh-out-loud fest THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN. I am a big fan of the James Bond movies and here we have the Pink Panther at its most James Bond-ish with a madman holding the world to ransom from his atop his remote secret lair. I am also a huge Lesley-Anne Down fan (see my review of 1981's SPHINX) and she appears here as a Russian secret agent.
There really is no unfunny sequences in this movie and Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau is in top form.
Returning as Clouseau's tortured superior Dreyfus is the always excellent Herbert Lom who, after having failed to eliminate Clouseau himself decides to kidnap a scientist, build a super weapon and have the rest of the world send their best assassins to kill the hapless Inspector. Of course things do not go according to plan for the villain and through luck, timing and happenstance a myriad of agents fail as the oblivious Clouseau wanders through the scenes.
One of my favorite scenes is the attempt by Clouseau to interrogate the staff of an English manor following the kidnapping of the professor. Just check out a couple of the exchanges, all handled expertly by Sellars.
Shawk: I'm Shawk trhe gardener
Clouseau: And what is it that you do?
Shawk: I'm the gardener!
Clouseau: Why didn't you say that in the first place?
Shawk: I did
Clouseau: Look, don't try to get funny with me!
LATER IN THE SCENE
Clouseau: Look, what was your name?
Shawk: Shawk
Couseau: The cook!
Shawk: The gardener
Clouseau: Arrrr.....now we are getting somewhere!

(After smashing a piano in a vain attempt to kill a bee)
Housekeeper: But that was a priceless Steinway.
Clouseau: Not anymore!

It's pure classic Pink Panther humor, and it's even more heightened by the very funny physical humor that Sellars mastered better than anyone (check out the scene on the parrallel bars for example) Overall this movie is very easy to recommend. If you want a couple of hours of some of the best comedy evern committed to celluloid you should pick this up.

Though the film has nothing to do with the Pink Panther diamond, the cartoon panther had become synonymous with the comedy series by this point. Thus the fourth Inspector Clouseau comedy was named THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN. Though it's a little over-the-top at times - particularly during the end - it's one of the very funniest entries in the series, ranking right behind the original THE PINK PANTHER as far as overall quality. The plot involves ex-Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Herbert Lom) going completely mad and retreating to a European castle, where he kidnaps a brilliant scientist (Robert Vernon) and his daughter (Briony McRoberts) and creates a ray gun which makes objects invisible. Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers), now promoted to the rank of Chief Inspector, sets out to stop Dreyfus, while being pursued by assassins from governments worldwide who want Clouseau dead after Dreyfus makes a demand: "Give me Clouseau, and we can all sleep happily."

The script, by director Blake Edwards and Frank Waldman (who wrote all the PINK PANTHER films of the 1970s), is a non-stop laugh riot, one hilarious moment after another, brought to life by outrageously funny performances from Peter Sellers and Herbert Lom. Perhaps the funniest moments come during the wonderful animated title sequences, which spoof hits from JAWS to the 1960s BATMAN TV series. Henry Mancini contributes another great score, while Tom Jones contributes the end song, "Come To Me".

THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN is at times brilliant and always outrageously funny. If you're looking to be completely entertained AND laugh your socks off, look no further than this film. This was the final great entry in the PINK PANTHER series; the subsequent film, REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER, proved to be less-than-stellar. It also marked Peter Sellers final appearance in the series, though he was resurrected through stock footage for 1982's TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER.

I saw this movie at 13 when it was released during the holidays in 1976 (its big competition was Dino De Laurentis' KING KONG), and I think the Panther won. I absolutely loved it: they pulled out all the stops with this one.

From Chief Inspector Dreyfus's relapse in the opening scene (it was great to see Herbert Lom giving such an inspired comic performance this time out: he's wonderful!) to the animated homage to movies in the titles to the wacky James Bond ending, THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN was and remains my favorite Panther movie. A SHOT IN THE DARK is also great, but STRIKES AGAIN is where I found the biggest belly laughs.

If you're a Panther fan, you've probably seen the recent bio pic, THE LIFE & DEATH OF PETER SELLERS (Geoffery Rush deservedly won a Golden Globe for his performance). I've read the book on which it's based (the original 1000-plus page British version, no less) and MR. STRANGELOVE by Ed Sikov, along with several biographies of Stanley Kubrick.

Obviously, Mr. Sellers had issues. I'd always wondered why there had been a ten-year gap between the first two films (1964's THE PINK PANTHER and 1965's A SHOT IN THE DARK) and the rest (starting with 1975's RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER). It's unfortunate that Sellers had so little regard for what was probably his most popular character, and that he put poor Blake Edwards through such a volatile process every time, but at least a couple genuine comedy classics came together.

DR. STRANGELOVE is Sellers's greatest performance, but Inspector Clouseau is his funniest.

All the scenes work and this is the Panther film I recommend to everyone.

Lesley Ann Down is stunning as the Russian agent, and look fast for Blake Edwards in a cameo in the gay bar (he's wearing sunglasses and checking out Clouseau--who, typically, can't quite figure out where he's at at first).

I even bought the soundtrack album and remember Tom Jones singing "Come To Me" at the Oscars that year. (If I remember correctly, the Best Song went to "You Light Up My Life").

I've seen the trailer for the upcoming movie with Steve Martin as Clouseau...but he, or no one else for that matter, will ever nail it like Peter Sellers.

Unlike the other Panther films, which still mix in some of director Blake Edwards' skillful subtle comedy ala "Breakfast at Tiffany's," this Panther outing is strictly high caliber slapstick. The plot, which is far-fetched, exists simply as a framework to get star Peter Sellers out of one comic situation and into another. This is not a bad thing - some of the funniest comedies are the ones that have the skimpiest storytelling. I've seen all the Panther films many times, and this is the one that I always laugh the loudest at. It's hard not to enjoy Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau and how he unintentionally outwits his former superior Dreyfus (Herbert Lom). The DVD release contains both the widescreen and fullscreen versions of the film (though no real extras)and is a step up from the old VHS release. It's always nice to have this choice on a single disc. I honestly don't know what extras could be included as most of the outtakes were unfortunately recycled in the inferior "Trail of the Pink Panther." I recommend this DVD to anyone who enjoys a slapstick approach to comedy.

I agree with a few of the other reviewers -- this is the best of the series in terms of comedic moments. From the opening scene the laughs never stop. If you only watch one Clouseau movie, this is the one to get.

This was the first Panther film I was old enough to remember seeing on the big screen, and it is without a doubt the funniest and most entertaining. I have to say I have never seen the appeal of the first one.For me, the first Panther film merits about 3 stars, and Return and Shot in the Dark were about the same. This one kicks, and is just right. We also get to see a hot-looking Lesley Anne Down. This film does not waste any time and is full of what Clouseau does best. There are plenty of gag-destructive sequences to make you laugh out loud(best scene is where he is trying to penetrate the Chateau), and Dreyfuss(Herbert Lom) is in rare form here. The opening credits are some of the best as well that is a parody of different films like Sound of Music, Dracula, King Kong, and Singin in the Rain! Excellent in every way and definitely the best in the series.Don't waste your time with REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER and those other ridiculous sequels(CURSE OF, ON THE TRAIL OF)