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Now, anyone reading that is over the age of 35 will know this already, but for those of you who were raised on Vin Diesel films (my condolences), The Pink Panther movies are not the idiotic, gutter-humor, fart-joke, pot-head fests of today. What they ARE, however, are some of the funniest pieces of smart slapstick and examples of brilliantly ridiculous character acting ever put to film. Having said that, I’m just going to get this out of the way right now... While the original The Pink Panther series of films from the 60s and 70s are absolutely hilarious, and in every way, shape and form worth adding into any film buff’s movie collection, it must be said that this, the original, is not the best of the bunch. But to work your way through A Shot in the Dark, Inspector Clouseau, and the rest of the six true sequels (we aren’t waste our time with the pretenders from the 80s and 90s, nor the “remakes” from this last decade) you have to start somewhere…so let me introduce you all to the infamous Inspector Clouseau and the film series he so deftly stole from its original star… With the success of his film Breakfast at Tiffany’s a couple of years before, director Blake Edwards had a pretty packed schedule; turning out four films in just over a year. And while most things that the director touched turned to gold, it was The Pink Panther (1963) that would arguably hold on to the most success and become a true staying power. The film, which Edwards co-wrote, was planned as the kick-off of a series from its inception, and a sequel was already in the works before it ever hit theatre screens. But, this planned series of crime-caper flicks was supposed to follow the exploits of The Phantom, a jewel thief played by David Niven, as he outsmarted one bumbling policeman after another during his daring and extravagant career. What no one counted on was Peter Sellers. Using his ability to assume all manner of ridiculous accents to find fame on a British comedy radio show called The Goon Show, it wasn’t long before the talented war-veteran found his way into movies. In films such as The Millionairess and The Ladykillers, Sellers delighted audiences with his impeccable comedic timing, but when his role in the Bob Hope/Bing Crosby film The Road to Hong Kong called for the actor to revisit his hilarious accent abilities as an East Indian doctor, it became obvious where filmmakers needed to lead the star. When cast as the horribly inept French police inspector Jacques Clouseau, Seller’s fame expanded and he became an immediate star worldwide, and in the process managed to literally steal the show…forcing writer/director Edwards to rework the already-begun sequel so that it would continue the story of Seller’s Inspector instead of Niven’s The Phantom. Consequently, the films that would follow, being centered on Inspector Clouseau, were able to capitalize much more on the dynamic humor and irrepressible force of nature that was Sellers’ acting style. When viewed as a whole, this leaves The Pink Panther feeling a little flat, and Sellers fans wanting more. But with a simple twist of viewpoint, this film becomes ever-so-enjoyable in a whole new way when seen as what it originally was…a David Niven vehicle. As the slick and debonair master thief, Niven is the polar opposite of Seller’s inept Frenchman. All polish and purposeful intent, Niven brings a sort of brash confidence and arrogant surety to his role that makes it impossible not to like The Phantom…even if just a little; and for much of the movie we actually are rooting for him to escape with his coveted Pink Panther Diamond in tow. I am sure that the actor could have carried the film series as was originally planned, but the facial ticks, physical gaffs and hilarious put-on French accent (that not even the French speaking characters can understand!) of Inspector Clouseau are what really make this franchise worth watching over and over. And now it will be easier than ever to revisit this wonderful film (and hopefully soon its superior sequels) thanks to its release on Blu-ray. While others often denounce the need for new entertainment formats, I am usually content in knowing that for every time we do, it is another chance to reintroduce older classics to a new audience. Knowing that the Playstation 3 crowd now has easy and instant access to 45 year old, but still every bit as hilarious, comedies is great comfort in a generation subjected to some of the worst, soulless humor of all time. Even better is the knowledge that this new technology and format offers a chance for studios to pack these releases with great extra features which manage to both please existing fans of a film and educate new ones on a simpler and purer time of film making. With the release of The Pink Panther, Fox did not pass up this chance. The film looks fantastic; clean, clear bright and worthy of your high definition home entertainment system. The sound is even better, featuring a DTS-HD Master Audio track that has this film sounding better than its first day on the big screen could have hoped for. But the fantastic collection of special features and bonus materials is the real reason to jump right up and grab this release. There are three new high definition inclusions that are exclusive to this release, adding to several featurettes which have been ported over from the 2003 Pink Panther DVD Box Set. All together, the bonus materials feel full and well rounded; and while I would have loved more content featuring cast members, so many of them have passed on that it is apparent the studio has done what it could to entertain us while paying respects to those who made it all possible. The previously released “The Pink Panther Story” featurette takes us on a half hour trip down memory lane and exposes casting changes, studio politics, the joys AND trials of working with Seller’s personality, and the inspiration for the sequels. Also making a return appearance here is “Beyond the Feline: The Cartoon Phenomenon”, which obviously deals with the animated cartoon character who first appeared in the opening titles of The Pink Panther and would go on to enjoy a television series of his own. I can’t say I’ve ever been a very big fan of this material, but the ten minutes or so spent exploring it here was interesting enough. “The Coolest Cat in Cortina: Robert Wagner” is fairly self explanatory I would think. One of the last surviving cast members, and still one of the classiest guys in Hollywood, this is a nice chance to reminisce about cast and crew and get an insiders look at what it was like to work with the heavyweights of the time. Interesting side note…Wagner went blind for a month while filming The Pink Panther due to a bathtub scene which featured toxic bubbles! This brand new featurette is a fun sit-down and stands apart from the other new inclusions which are obviously tossed on here for the sake of content. Both remaining high def extras deal with jewels; one looking into the world of diamonds and the other into the world of real life jewel thief Bill Mason. It’s funny how everything was classier in the past…even our criminals. Wrapping up the extra goodies is an audio commentary by Blake Edwards, but to be honest the man is such a dry and unskilled speaker I couldn’t make it through. So I suppose this is where I should throw in the obligatory, “buy it, you’ll love it” or “run far, far away” summary…but this is a special case altogether. As I’ve stated before, this film is not the best of the series…unfortunately, it is the FIRST. What this means dear movie fans is that if you do not buy this disc…you will not even have a chance to buy the others. Studios respond to cash flow, so as much as it pains me to say it: You will have to buy this one for the admittedly funnier sequels to ever see the light of the Blu-ray day. Of course, this film is actually quite funny and while it comes from a different place than its sequels, it is still a place worth visiting. -aaron-
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