The Unknown Peter Sellers
by David Leaf, John Scheinfeld
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: David Frost, David Lodge, Fred Applegate, Richard Lester, Shirley MacLaineDirector: David Leaf, John Scheinfeld
Producer: David Leaf
Writer: David Leaf
Producer: John Scheinfeld
Writer: John Scheinfeld
Producer: Iris Frederick
Producer: Larry Adler
Producer: Mark Andrew
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 52 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2000-09-05
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Winstar
Movie Reviews of The Unknown Peter Sellers
Movie Review: Beyond the Pink Panther
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Unknown Peter Sellers" is a fascinating documentary about the great comedic actor. This film is produced, written, and directed by John Scheinfeld and David Leaf. The filmmakers incorporate clips from Sellers' film and television work, as well as interviews with a number of individuals: biographer and film critic Alexander Walker, Sellers' "Being There" co-star Shirley MacLaine, Monty Python's Michael Palin, director Richard Lester, and more. MacLaine's memories of Sellers are particularly mesmerizing.
The documentary provides a general overview on the brilliant Seller's personal life and career. The film covers his family background, his extensive career in radio comedy, his television work, and the ups and downs of his career in theatrical films. We get insight into how Sellers developed the character of Inspector Clouseau, and learn what happened behind-the-scenes of his triple role in the classic "Dr. Strangelove." Also covered are Sellers' TV commercials and his artistic triumph in "Being There."
As the title indicates, this documentary emphasizes Sellers' lesser-known artistic achievements. The filmmakers cover television programs and films that I had never heard of, and include a sampling of clips from this remarkable body of "unknown" work. This material includes such oddities as a 1964 TV film, written by Rod Serling, entitled "Carol for Another Christmas." The narrator notes that this film aired once and "vanished"; included is a fascinating clip showing Sellers in character as a frighteningly intense cult leader.
The DVD includes some intriguing special features. I especially enjoyed Sellers' TV commercials for Barclay's Bank and TWA Airlines; in these ads the versatile Sellers gets to play some colorful characters, such as a hilarious Italian swinger. There is also a fun behind-the-scenes featurette about the making of the TWA ads. Another extra is an engrossing 1971 TV interview with Sellers. He talks about working on TV, the characters he portrayed in his radio career, and more. This interview offers a funny and touching view of Sellers; it's especially fun to watch him clowning and causing the interviewer to laugh. The DVD also includes a filmography of Sellers' work.
I have admired Sellers' work since I was a child, and this superb documentary left me admiring this great talent even more. He truly was a one-of-a-kind performing artist whose best work remains as entertaining and as relevant as ever. This documentary is the perfect companion to the award-winning biographical drama "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers," in which Geoffrey Rush brilliantly plays Sellers.
Summary of The Unknown Peter Sellers
A fresh look at the remarkable artistry of Peter Sellers that includes clips, rare memorabilia and contemporary interviews with his co-stars, friends and family. DVD includes: Interactive Menus, Scene Access, Filmography, Never Before Seen Television IntMost of the moviegoing public is familiar with Peter Sellers's classic roles in films such as Dr. Strangelove, The Pink Panther, Lolita, and A Shot in the Dark. However, plenty of examples exist of his earlier work that rarely see the light of day. The Unknown Peter Sellers traces the comic actor from his days entertaining RAF troops during World War?II to the triumphs of his latter-day movie career. Sellers helped create the genre-breaking, anarchic radio comedy The Goon Show, as well as the equally off-the-wall BBC TV series A Show Called Fred. More obscure, however, are several films directed by or starring Sellers, ones that have only been seen by a handful of people. The tantalizing clips from Sellers's early career show his flair for physical comedy, one that owes much to silent stars such as Buster Keaton and Stan Laurel, and Monty Python's Michael Palin discusses Sellers's influence on his own 1960s TV series. Also included are snippets of Sellers teaming with director Richard Lester with the plotless, surreal short The Running, Jumping and Standing Still Movie, which was instrumental in Lester's selection for the Beatles' Hard Day's Night movie.
Despite his phenomenal success as a versatile, inventive comic actor, Sellers's life was fraught with trouble, and The Unknown Peter Sellers doesn't gloss over any of it. This is essential viewing for fans of Peter Sellers, teasing the audience with glimpses of his early career and the films many may still never see. --Jerry Renshaw
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