R4
MGM Entertainment
6 DVD set
Includes: The Pink Panther (1964), A Shot In The
Dark (1964), The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976), Revenge of the Pink Panther
(1978), and Trail of the Pink Panther (1982).
Director
Blake Edwards
Cast and Crew
The Pink Panther stars David Niven, Peter Sellars, Robert
Wagner, Capucine, Brenda DeBanzie, Colin Gordon, and Fran Jeffries. Music by
Henry Mancini, and written by Maurice Richlin and Blake Edwards. Produced by
Martin Jurow and directed by Blake Edwards.
A Shot In the Dark stars Peter Sellars, Elke Sommer, George Sanders, and Herbert Lom.
Music by Henry Mancini, and written by Blake Edwards and William Peter Blatty.
Produced and directed by Blake Edwards.
The Pink Panther Strikes Again stars Peter Sellars, Herbert Lom, Colin
Blakely, Leonard Rossiter, and Lesley-Anne Down. Music by Henry Mancini, and
written by Frank Waldman and Blake Edwards. Produced and directed by Blake
Edwards.
Revenge of the Pink Panther stars Peter Sellars, Herbert Lom, Robert Webber, and Dyan Cannon. Music
by Henry Mancini, and written by Frank Waldman, Ron Clark, and Blake Edwards.
Produced and directed by Blake Edwards.
Trail of the Pink Panther stars Peter Sellars, David Niven, Herbert Lom, Richard Mulligan, Joanne
Lumley, Capucine, Robert Loggia, Harvey Korman, and Burt Kwouk. Music by Henry
Mancini, and written by Frank Waldman, Tom Waldman, Blake Edwards, and Geoffrey
Edwards. Produced by Blake Edwards and Tony Adams, and directed by Blake
Edwards.
DVD Extras
Audio commentary - Director Blake Edwards
Photo gallery (Shots in the Dark)
Collectable Booklet
Illustrated Box
Animated menus
Documentaries
The Pink Panther Story documentary.
Vintage 1978 Special That's Panthertainment
Behind the Feline Cartoon Phenomenon Featurette
The Unknown Peter Sellers
The Commercial Peter Sellers with Making Of
Five 'Pink Panther' cartoons and one 'Inspector Clouseau' cartoon.
3 vintage TWA commercials starring Sellers as 3 unique characters
Behind-the-scenes featurette on the 3 TWA commercials hosted by Sellers
Peter Sellers was considered a comedic genius, a madman who combined a
strange and quirky sense of humour with an even stranger life. His comedy was
quite unique and always divided the critics, he was loathed and loved
simultaneously by vast numbers of people. His most memorable figure was that of
Inspector Clousseau in the Pink Panther films. This set includes the major Pink
Panther films but is missing the Return of the Pink Panther.
Disc 1: "The Pink Panther"
This is the classic first film which it which Sellers steals the show.
While the action focuses on David Niven as Sir Charles it is really Inspector
Clousseau who takes centre stage and begins his career The story centres on Sir Charles (David
Niven) who is rumored to be a notorious cat burglar. He sets in motion a plan
to steak the Pink Panther, the world's largest diamond which is owned by
Princess Dala whom he is attempting to seduce. Inspector Clouseau (Peter
Sellers) investigates not aware that his own wife (Capucine) is conspiring with
Sir Charles. Edwards' trademark slapstick style is a little dated and awkward
but Sellers is amazing.
7/10
Disc 2: "A Shot in the Dark"
This is considered by many to be the very best Inspector Clouseau film. It is a
classic comedy which has the bumbling Inspector investigating a series of
murders at a mansion owned by George Sanders. The maid Maria (Elke Sommer) is
suspected, and Clouseau falls for her charms despite the landslide of evidence
against her. This is the first Pink Panther film to be built around Inspector
Clouseau and is truly hilarious.
9/10
Disc 3: "The Pink Panther Strikes
Again"
This is considered a fairly uneven comedy. It has some great moments but
some of the humor really doesn’t work. Dreyfus (Herbert Lom) mentally ill after
working with Clouseau for many years, escapes from a mental institution and in
an act of overkill, builds a doomsday device in order to destroy one man-
Jacques Clouseau. From this bizarre storyline a truly incredible series of over
the top episodes unfold, while the film is average, there are many gags which
have are considered Sellers best so it is worth the effort.
6/10
Disc 4: "Revenge of the Pink Panther"
Millionaire crime boss Philipe Douvier (Webber) is about to be phased
out of a crime syndicate and to save his skin he vows to do something
significant to get his boss' attention. He decides to kill Clouseau who has
inexplicably thwarted their efforts for years. They think they have succeeded
in killing Clouseau, so he teams with the company's boss' former secretary Dyan
Cannon to catch the bad guys in
This is really considered the worst in the Pink Panther series. It
really doesn’t live up to the humour of the earlier films. The film relies
primarily on Clouseau in disguise, it has been suggested this was to the fact
that Sellers was extremely ill suffering from a heart condition.
5/10
Disc 5: "Trail of the Pink
Panther"
This film is a strange experience. Seller had been dead for some two
years when Blake Edwards decided to use unseen footage of Clouseau from
previous films. While the Inspector Clouseau sections are funny, they are only
a minor aspect of the film (20% or so) and hence the rest is terrible.
1/10
Video Quality
A lot of work had gone into reproducing these films in widescreen and in
the best possible form. All five films have been carefully touched-up and have
been shown a lot of care and attention. The first four films are quite superb
with excellent contrast, powerful colours and clear images. When I consider how
these were shown on video or TV in the past it is like watching different
films. The Trail of the Pink Panther
has problems, ranging from dirt and damage to some distortion, but since it is
the least likeable film I am not too perturbed and it is the best that could be
done with the available copies.
Audio Quality
The sound is reasonable, with good music and clear voices but not a lot
of “surround action” in any of the films. There is some ambient sound and the
music creates a good mood. There is some subwoofer use in the action scenes.
Extras
Collectable Booklet
Illustrated Box
Animated menus
Audio commentary - Director Blake Edwards for The
Pink Panther (1st Film) only, Edwards is about 80 now so the
commentary is pretty lame. The optional subtitle trivia track with god knows how many facts and references about
the films is a bit more interesting.
Photo gallery (Shots in the Dark)
Documentaries
The Pink Panther
Story (29 minutes) is a
documentary on the entire movie series.
Behind The Feline
(11 minutes) is a look
at the origins of the animated character that graced the movie credits, as well
as animated shorts and TV series.
Cartoon Theater offers up the following six
animated Pink Panther shorts The Pink Phink (Academy Award winner), Pink, Plunk, Plink, Psychedelic Pink,
Pinkfinger,
The Great
DeGaulle Stone Operation and The Ant And The Aardvark
Vintage 1978 Special That's Panthertainment a look at the series focused on the rather
extravagant launch of Revenge of the
Pink Panther.
The Unknown Peter Sellers (51 minutes) Good documentary with lots of
interviews and background on his life.
The Commercial Peter Sellers with Making Of
Behind-the-scenes featurette on the 3 TWA commercials hosted by Sellers