The Pink Panther was by far one of the best comedies that nowadays is completely underrated. It was a clever look at some of the best acting of comedy legend, Peter Sellers, and one of the first films to establish the dry, goofy comedy that uses the best of it's artistic limitations. First, a little background...
Blake Edwards was pretty well known as a film director due to his work on Breakfast at Tiffany's, so Edwards and Maurice Richlin got together to create an improvised, sharp wit comedy about a stolen diamond, and the hilarity that ensues. Together, they created The Pink Panther, which reminds one that the title seems to be a parody of The Maltese Falcon. The film's story takes place in the mountains, where a thief, known as The Phantom, is lurking on the Princess Dala, who possesses the diamond. This thief is no more than a clean, slick, and charismatic man who's name is Sir Charles Lytton. However, a bumbling inspector is on the case to snatch the thief, and maybe solve one of the greatest mysteries of all his life. Yes, you guessed correctly, it's the lovable Inspector Clouseau . Others who are Included in the mystery are Charles Lytton's nephew and Simone, the wife of Clouseau.
Most people who think of The Pink Panther, think of the animated show. Which actually, is quite incredible by itself. One of the things with The Pink Panther franchise, is that people seem to love the sequels to this series, than the original that started it all. Pink Panther was never originally going to spawn sequels, it was just an original idea. The film, however became a cult hit somehow at the end of the sixties. Strange enough as it is, Peter Sellers would not star in another Panther film until 1975! Ten years after Pink Panther and A Shot in the Dark came out! To be honest, I love the work Sellers does on the sequels, but I feel the first two films of this series were his signature work. Without the 1963 Panther, there wouldn't be any cartoon character of the kind, nor would there be any Clouseau at all. Maybe people should be grateful for this film because it inspired other comedians, including those of Monty Python.
There is a reason for all this disliking of the film. People have a tendency to have particular tastes for comedy. Most people prefer goofiness and lewdness. Then there is the group of people who appreciate dry, witty comedy. This type of comedy is appreciated by few. So, that's basically the reason why people don't care much for this film. It truly is a comedic masterpiece. All the scenes are timed rightly, and just the art direction, acting, music, and cartoon character really is what brings out this movie's full potential. I highly recommend this movie to dry comedy lovers. I know it's one of the best out there than what they have now.
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| Additional VHS Tape options | Edition | Discs | Price | New from | Used from |
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VHS Tape
March 2, 1994 "Please retry" | — | — |
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| $11.00 | $2.49 |
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VHS Tape
July 8, 1997 "Please retry" | — | 1 |
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| — | $2.36 |
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Top reviews from other countries
KOMIKMAN
Un diamant brut !
Reviewed in France on November 26, 2016
KOMIKMAN
Reviewed in France on November 26, 2016
Une édition spéciale aux petits oignons : deux disques sous fourreau cartonné ciré (L'un pour le film au format cinémascope 2.35:1 panoramique 16/9 en français et anglais 5.1 Dolby Digital avec sous-titres français, anglais et néerlandais et l'autre pour les bonus très nombreux (5 documentaires sur le film mais aussi Peter Sellers ; des commentaires audio, des pistes musicales, une galerie photo et 6 dessins animés de la série La Panthère Rose)). Un premier opus réussi qui, même s'il n'est pas le meilleur de la série, est intéressant à voir pour l'esquisse du personnage créé par Edwards et Sellers qui prendra véritablement son essor dans le second film avec l'apparition du commissaire Dreyfus et Kato.
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