The Pink Panther Film Collection (The Pink Panther / A Shot in the Dark / Strikes Again / Revenge of / Trail of)
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Movie Reviews of The Pink Panther Film Collection (The Pink Panther / A Shot in the Dark / Strikes Again / Revenge of / Trail of)
Movie Review: Decent package, but missing essential material!
Summary: 3 Stars
I was very excited when I heard they were releasing a Pink Panther collection on DVD. So much so that I held off on buying any of the currently available individual DVD titles. The day the set arrived I raced home to watch... and disappointment struck.
In the first place, the set does NOT contain RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER; one of the best/funniest in the series (in my opinion). I now understand this was because of legal/copyright issues, but still a major disappointment. If you buy this set, you will need to go out and purchase Return separately to have all the Sellers' renditions of the film.
Secondly, the other (non-Sellers) films in the series are not included. I wasn't too disappointed about this because Peter Sellers is, in my opinion, what made the Pink Panther series so great, but the other films are pretty decent as well (and this is supposed to be a Pink Panther collection, not necessarily a Peter Sellers collection). Son of the Pink Panther was a box office dud, but one of my personal favorite non-Sellers' Clouseau movies. Roberto Benigni, who played Clouseau's son was just great! And the movie, in general, had the feel of one of the older Panther films. It also featured the brilliant Herbert Lom (Chief Inspector Dreyfus) and Burt Kwouk (Cato Fong); both a pleasant surprise! Curse of the Pink Panther is also not included in this set, which had a brilliant soundtrack.
Thirdly, the extra features are duds! And there's only slight mention in the commentary of Alan Arkin's film, Inspector Clouseau, and absolutely no mention of Steve Martin's upcoming rendition.
I think a nice added feature would have been to maybe include a new soundtrack featuring music not included on previously released soundtracks of the films (along with the classics). For example, none of the previous soundtracks include the spectacular song Meglio Stasera, sung by the beautiful Fran Jeffries in the first film. And some of the great music from Shot In The Dark that was never included on albums. It would have been nice to have all these.
But, we are left with only a mediocre collection of Pink Panther movies and no real advantage over buying the titles separately, except that you might save a buck or two.
I give this package 3 generous stars since it's not an ideal package and could have been MUCH better. But, it's still the Pink Panther and the DVD's are very good quality. Definitely an upgrade from the VHS copies. It comes in a very attractive, well-protected package and does include a few extra features. So, it's not bad, but certainly not perfect. Fans will be disappointed that Return of the Pink Panther is not included and none of the non-Sellers Panther movies are included either, so it's not a complete set by any means. Perhaps one day the movie studios will work out their differences and create a new (deluxe) Panther collection with ALL the movies and some better extras. For example, I know there are outtakes from the films (I've seen them on TV Bloopers shows). Those would have been a nice addition to the DVD's. For now, it's all we've got and it's not too terrible. 3 Stars. Enjoy! :)
NOTE: See my review concerning the first Pink Panther movie too on Amazon.com
Movie Review: Minor Disappointment
Summary: 3 Stars
The issue of this Pink Panther DVD compendium is rather disappointing for a few important reasons. I knew that RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER would probably not be included for legal reasons, but I did expect to have CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER and SON OF THE PINK PANTHER included.
THE PINK PANTHER is a film richly textured with well defined characters, plot, dialogue, production design and location photography. Niven, Sellers and Wagner give very fine performances, which seem to remain fresh and vibrant to this day. Images of the Cortina ski lodge, the costume ball, the wild car chase and especially the animated Pink Panther are part of the iconic cinematic contribution from this film and Henry Mancini's theme and score are equally audibly iconic and indelible as well. This is an eternally endearing film and introduces Inspector Clouseau as Peter Sellers established that character for all future generations to come.
A SHOT IN THE DARK is a great example of sophisticated slapstick (screenplay by Blake Edwards and William Peter Blatty based on plays by Harry Kurnitz and Marcel Achard). A SHOT IN THE DARK has Herbert Lom as Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus and Burt Kwouk as Kato, which THE PINK PANTHER did not. A SHOT IN THE DARK focuses on Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau. It is really more character based and driven than THE PINK PANTHER. In many ways A SHOT IN THE DARK is much funnier. It really defines the character of Clouseau a good-natured inspector who just cannot see the forest for the trees. George Sanders is once again brilliant in another similar role, the type that he perfected throughout his career. This time he is the very sardonic yet stately Benjamin Ballon one of Clouseau's suspects. The cast also includes Elke Sommer (the most obvious suspect to the audience), Tracy Reed, Graham Stark and Martin Benson. The opening shot (shots in the dark) and the nudist colony scenes are great examples of Blake Edwards' direction at his best. Production designer Michael Stringer and cinematographer Christopher Challis visually replicate the idea of shots and murder taking place in the dark or at least in places where passions run uncontrollable. A SHOT IN THE DARK has a much different look than the invigorating and opulent images found in THE PINK PANTHER. Henry Mancini once again delivers a very good score. A SHOT IN THE DARK's main title theme is very good but has been greatly overshadowed by THE PINK PANTHER theme. But can you blame it? A SHOT IN THE DARK is somehow in a league of its own yet it spawned all the great supporting characters found in the subsequent films which we all came to love and couldn't get enough of. A SHOT IN THE DARK was the foundation for what was to come and made the world of Inspector Clouseau so enduring and endearing yet there is something very different and special about this one film. It is somehow etched in a time that can never be replicated. To really enjoy it try to place yourself back in that time. A SHOT IN THE DARK is a true gem.
THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN is a bit of a dichotomy. It starts off extremely humorous with a base in some form of reality. However, as the film progresses, its drifts into the world of the surreal with Herbert Lom really coming into his own in this film. He is outrageously funny and steals this film. Mancini's theme and score is once again on target. This is a fun outing in all.
THE REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER is an entry I was never really fond of, even though it was Peter Sellers' last actual portrayal of Inspector Clouseau. It started out excellent but slowly deteriorated into mundane and silly slapstick. By the time it reached Hong Kong it seemed forced. Even Henry Mancini's score seems a little tired in this one. THE REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER remains a weak entry in the series for me.
Despite the fact that the first 30 minutes of TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER were made up from unused footage and the like of Peter Sellers as Clouseau, these sequences are some of the funniest and most outrageously humorous from the PINK PANTHER series. The remainder of the film follows reporter Marie Jouvet (Joanna Lumley) as she sets a trail to find the whereabouts of the missing Inspector Clouseau. During these scenes we are treated to highlights from the previous films in the PINK PANTHER series and the feeling is one of endearing nostalgia. David Niven as Sir Charles Litton, Burt Kwouk as Cato, Capucine as Lady Simone Litton, Robert Loggia as Bruno Langois, Graham Stark as Hercule Lajoy and Andr? Maranne as Sergeant Francois Duval are all present. Eventually Joanna Lumley meets Clouseau's father innovatively played by Richard Mulligan in a very memorable comic setting at the Clouseau estate. Perhaps this film was assembled to keep the PINK PANTHER series alive, yet it is sort of a guilty pleasure for me. In the final analysis and most importantly, the driving force in the entire film is Herbert Lom as Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus. His brilliantly perfected performance with neurotic moments of strife and glee in reaction to the inept Clouseau, present or not, is the singular cohesive element that keeps this film afloat and perhaps is why PINK PANTHER series survived as long as it did.
The material on the disk containing extras is rather sparse, evasive and fleeting. The commentary on the series was poorly structured and not well thought out. 1968's INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU with Alan Akin as Clouseau is scarcely mentioned and SON OF THE PINK PANTHER is written off as a failure. I was looking for more critical and artistic dialogue on these two films in particular. My recommendation for this release is rather tenuous.
Movie Review: Fun, but the first film is SERIOUSLY overrated
Summary: 4 Stars
I was dissapointed there was no Return, and Trail is indeed pretty lackluster. Surprisingly, I also found the first film dreadfully, dreadfully boring - far too little screen time for Peter Sellers. David Niven may be the dullest man on earth in this film. The others, though, are utterly brilliant (especially A Shot In The Dark), and once you make it past the snooze-fest that is the first film, you'll have yourself a lot of fun - even with Trail.Movie Review: Good, except...
Summary: 3 Stars
The DVD's are very good. But, one major problem, this isn't a complete set. It is missing one of the best films of the series "The Return of the Pink Panther". Apparently this has something to do with studio copyrights and what not, but I felt a little jipped since this is not mentioned at all. Otherwise a good set.Movie Review: "You have reh-ceived a bimp on the head"
Summary: 5 Stars
The Pink Panther Film Collection is a great set with one small problem: It is missing "Return of the Pink Panther" yet includes "Trail of the Pink Panther"
"The Pink Panther" 4/4 stars
"A Shot in the Dark" 4/4 stars
"Return of the Pink Panther" 3.5/4 stars
"The Pink Panther Strikes Again" 4/4 stars
"Revenge of the Pink Panther" 3.5/4 stars
"Trail of the Pink Panther" 1/4 stars