Pink Panther
The Pink Panther refers to:- A series of films, most of which feature Peter Sellers as the bumbling French policeman Jacques Clouseau
- The diamond depicted in the first film (although fans over the years have perceived Inspector Clouseau to be the Pink Panther, as evidenced by the titles of the sequels).
- A series of animated short films spun off after use in the titles of the films
- The cartoon character of the Pink Panther itself, seen in both the feature films' credits and the short films
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2 External Links 3 Cartoons |
Films
The films initially starred Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau and were directed by Blake Edwards. The popular theme music is by Henry Mancini. The Pink Panther of the title is, in the first film, a diamond supposedly containing a flaw which forms the image of a pink panther. The diamond was stolen in the first film. The diamond is never subsequently referred to in the series, but the name stuck because of the distinctive animated character of a pink panther seen in the first film only in the opening credits.
Thus far, nine official films have been made, all but two having "Pink Panther" in the title. The films are as follows:
- The Pink Panther (1963)
- A Shot In The Dark (1964)
- Inspector Clouseau (1968) (stars Alan Arkin as Clouseau, and not directed by Edwards)
- ''The Return Of The Pink Panther'\' (1974) (with Sellers and Edwards back)
- The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
- Revenge Of The Pink Panther (1978)
- Trail of the Pink Panther (1982) (features the now deceased Peter Sellers by using clips from previous films)
- Curse Of The Pink Panther (1983) (in which Clouseau has conveniently gone missing and returns in the form of an uncredited Roger Moore)
- Son Of The Pink Panther (1993) (starring Roberto Benigni as Inspector Clouseau Jr.)
A new film, called The Pink Panther, starring Steve Martin as Inspector Clouseau and directed and produced by Ivan Reitman, is scheduled to enter production in Spring 2004 for release in 2005. The film is intended to be a prequel to the original 1963 film.
Characters
Inspector Jacques Clouseau
A bumbling simpleton who believes himself to be a detective genius. Inexplicably speaks in English with a ludicrous French accent, while other characters in the films speak English in whatever accent is normal for the actor playing the part.
Sheer luck or clumsiness usually saves him. For example, in one film, assassins from all over the world are sent to kill him; Clouseau bends down to tie his shoelace, falls over, etc, at just the right moment to ensure that the killers' attempts eliminate one another.
Played by Peter Sellers, Alan Arkin, and Roger Moore
Played by Herbert Lom
Played by Burt Kwouk.
In the early series of Pink Panther cartoons, the Panther generally remained silent, speaking only in two theatrical shorts. In a later series of cartoons the Panther starred with his sons Pinky, Panky, and Punky. A third series of cartoons had the Pink Panther speaking with the voice of Matt Frewer (of Max Headroom fame).
The Pink Panther Page [1]Chief Inspector Dreyfus
Clouseau's superior, who is eventually driven insane by his intolerance for Clouseau's stupidity. One film ends with him strait-jacketed in a padded cell writing "Kill Clouseau" on the wall with his feet. He attempts to take over the world for the sole purpose of guaranteeing the death of Clouseau.Kato
Clouseau's manservant, and an expert in martial arts. It's unclear whether he believes Clouseau is a great detective or merely humours him. It is a running joke that he is required to attack Clouseau when he least expects it, to keep Clouseau's combat skills and vigilance sharp. One memorable scene has Clouseau stealthily search the entire apartment on returning from grocery shopping; upon not finding Kato, he opens the refrigerator for a snack. The location of Kato is left to the reader's imagination.External Links
Cartoons
The Pink Panther animated shorts were directed by Friz Freleng. Originally they were created for the opening of the Blake Edwards series of films, but they were soon spun off in their own series, sometimes with the animated version of Clouseau as foil. The cartoon series was initially produced for theatrical release, and the 1964 animated short film The Pink Phink won the Academy Award for Animated Short Film (Freleng's third Oscar). The series eventually moved to television, with several Saturday morning cartoon series (including one called The Think Pink Panther Show) producing a number of additional Pink Panther cartoons. It also added episodes starring other characters including The Ant and the Aardvark, the Tijuana Toads (aka the Texas Toads) and Mr. Jaws and Catfish. (aka Misterjaw).