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»The Pink Panther Thread«


Originally a set of movies, the ›pink panther‹ eventually spun off into a cartoon series as well.

The premise is this: There is a famous diamond called The Pink Panther Diamond ♣ - a diamond that has a small defect which, if viewed from the right angle, makes you see a pink panther. As with all famous diamonds, there are many attempts to steal this one.

The very first movie in the series was »The Pink Panther« ( 1963 ) directed by Blake Edwards ♣. It focused on the theft of the pink panther diamond, and comic relief was provided by ›Peter Sellers‹ as Inspector Clouseau, an incompetent, slightly-megalomaniacal French police officer assigned to capture the thief and recover said diamond. The film was a big hit.

Originally the slapstick comic-relief guy, the role of the Inspector became so adored, that subsequent movies were released with the Inspector as the main character, assigned to various cases. The intricacy of the plots of these movies is, er, debatable, but they are certainly slap-stick comedy at one of it's high points.

Another character that gained fame through this movie was the pink panther itself. As an opening sequence to the first movie created by Friz Freleng ♣, also seen in the closing credits, it was intended as an enhancement to the theme of the movie. The toon became so popular that separate comic series were started. As with every "famous" movie, the pink panther gained a near-cult following.

The trademark music accompanying the opening credits by Henry Mancini ♣ has also gone down in history as one of the most popular movie (and, subsequently, television) themes ever.

The second movie in the series was »A Shot in the Dark« ( 1964 ), which featured the inimitable Peter Sellers ♣ as Clouseau, as the main focus. He is mistakenly assigned to a case, falls for the chief suspect, and general chaos reigns. In this movie, his superior, Chief Inspector Dreyfus (played by ›Herbert Lom‹ ) is introduced. He is a whole story unto himself, hating every minute of Clouseau's existence and, in this movie, literally going insane with his antics and plotting his murder. Clouseau's famous assistant Cato (played by ›Burt Kwouk‹ ) is also introduced - part of his job requirement is to attempt to kill Clouseau, so that the latter can practice his "expert karate" self-defence manouevres.

In the same year ( 1964 ), the animated short film »The Pink Phink« won an Academy Award. This was intended for the theatre, but moved on to the television and spawned quite a few series and mini-stories, like the pink panther's family.

In 1968 , Bud Yorkin ♣ directed a movie »Inspector Clouseau« starring Alan Arkin ♣. Since it neither involves Edwards nor Sellers, it is generally not considered a part of the pink panther series, but it made a significant contribution in that the opening credits involved the elusive pink panther and a bumbling caricature of the Inspector seeking it in vain, and enduring various mishaps ACME style. This was the first animated version of the inspector, which came on The Pink Panther Show ♣ on TV.

In 1974 , the next movie with Edwards and Sellers came out - »The Return of the Pink Panther«. This was originally intended to be a tv release, but the sponsors felt that the movies suited the character better. This movie's Inspector adopted some of the characteristics of the 1968 character. This was also the first time that the Inspector's french english-accent became heavily pronounced, and continued since as a part of the character's humour. Earlier, all the main characters in the movie spoke in the accent that was native to the actors themselves, although they were all playing French citizens in France. Clouseau spoke English with a French accent, but many a time as seen in the earlier movies slipped into Sellers' natural English accent. This movie again returned to the plot of the original 1963 »The Pink Panther«.

1976 saw the next installment »The Pink Panther Strikes Again«, which focused more on how CI Dreyfus is insanely hateful of Clouseau and comically goes to the lengths of taking over the world, in order to have Clouseau dead. It does not feature the pink panther diamond, and instead continues where the 1974 movie left off.

In 1978 came »Revenge of the Pink Panther«, a seemingly more serious movie with a relatively stronger plot involving the mafia and everyone thinking that Clouseau is dead, which gives him the advantage of "working incognito". This movie was not considered in the same class as the previous movies. Peter Sellers' role is as good as ever, but the whole movie bordered on silly rather than good comedy.

Peter Sellers died on July 24, 1980 , of a cardiac arrest. On a side note, the song "In the mood" was played at his funeral, by his request. It appears he said that it was a wonderfully inappropriate -- hence wonderfully appropriate -- song for solemn occasions.


In 1982 , a new movie »Trail of the Pink Panther« was released, starring clips of Peter Sellers from the previous movies, as well as unused footage. Clouseau is assigned to an investigation, and disappears halfway through. Early scenes in the movie are mainly unused clips. As per the story, a journalist takes up his trail and talks to people involved with Clouseau in various phases of his career, setting the stage for classic flashbacks of beloved scenes from the earlier movies. It ends with them concluding that Clouseau must be alive, and the ending scene is a silhouetted Clouseau (apparentely played by an uncredited ›Roger Moore‹ ) getting pooped on by a seagull.

In 1983 , »Curse of the Pink Panther« was released with a new lead actor assigned to finding Clouseau. It has many classic cameo appearances of past characters. The movie ends with Clouseau being found, only he has undergone plastic surgery and looks like Roger Moore. The film was considered an overall failure, and it was declared foolish to continue the classic series without Sellers.

In 1993 , an attempt was made at resurrecting the series with »Son of the Pink Panther«, starring ›Roberto Benigni‹ (remember »Life is Beautiful«?) as Clouseau's illegitimate son, in search of his father's legacy. This was the final nail in the coffin, and all future movies slated for continuing the series were cancelled.

The cartoon ran successfully on tv for about the same time as the movies survived. They however got dragging as well, and all pink panther media eventually came to a full stop. Reruns of all these, however, was one of the things in my childhood that I saw very few times (twice, if I recall correctly) but impacted me the most. Yes, oh yes.. keep going

In 2006 , a movie »The Pink Panther« is slated to be released, not to continue the series but rather as a prequel to the first movie in 1963 . ›Steve Martin‹ plays Clouseau, and also co-wrote the screenplay. ›Kevin Kline‹ plays Chief Inspector Dreyfus, and the female lead (arch-villainess, I think) is ›Beyonce Knowles‹ What the...?. Clouseau has to investigate the murder of a soccer coach, and is also searching for the pink panther diamond.

Phew.. I wonder if it will go down as comparatively unpopular as the 1968 »Inspector Clouseau« because it doesn't involve Blake Edwards. Fans are reacting the same way as they did when ›Daniel Craig‹ was announced as the new ›James Bond‹ . But it's something everyone's definitely looking forward to. Thumb Up

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posted by ryder
  All your base are belong to us


in-my-opinion.org -> Entertainment & Sports -> Entertainment & Art (Assorted topics) -> The Pink Panther Thread



I haven't watched any Pink Panther movies, but I do like Mancini's theme song to »A Shot in the Dark«, which I heard on the first album of the jazz group Naked City. They do a lot of covers like that.



posted by MindSlave
  "Rasta don't work for no CIA..."
-Bob Marley



Wow, ryder, that is an excellent and exhaustive report on the Pink Panther movies! Thumb Up

I actually grew up with those movies, since my parents loved them to death. A lot of the jokes went over my head as a kid, but even a kid understands that it's funny when the detective accidentally vacuums up a parrot while snooping around a suspect's room.

I didn't realize that »A Shot in the Dark« came out after »The Pink Panther«. A Shot in the Dark was supposed to be a prequel, wasn't it?

It's kind of funny that they're coming out with a new one in 2006. I wouldn't imagine that Steve Martin could do justice to Peter Sellers.


posted by Tiefling
  

think pink


Tiefling:
I didn't realize that » A Shot in the Dark « came out after »The Pink Panther«. A Shot in the Dark was supposed to be a prequel, wasn't it?

»A Shot in the Dark« was actually the first movie featuring the Inspector as the central character - »The Pink Panther« was the very first movie of the pink panther series but Peter Sellers was just a "side character" to provide comic relief. It was owing to his popularity in that small role that subsequent movies focused on him. Thumb Up
Tiefling:
I wouldn't imagine that Steve Martin could do justice to Peter Sellers.

I know.. he looks weird on that poster too. But I guess we can only wait for the movie and then decide. Have your read Future Shock ♣ by Alvin Toffler ♣ ? He'd probably say we were being retardedly resistant to change!
Tiefling:
I actually grew up with those movies, since my parents loved them to death. A lot of the jokes went over my head as a kid

Have you seen them recently, again? You simply can't stop laughing! Except for some scenes of course, where sometimes you genuinely feel sorry for the character.. until you realise the character doesn't think it's as mortifying as we do, and all the fun comes back.. Yes, oh yes.. keep going

Incidentally, it's odd to realize just how much I detest the colour 'pink', and abhor any feminine connotations of the same, and yet how much I adore that panther.


posted by ryder
  





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