This is topic "The Pink Panther Film Collection" in forum The Afterlife at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 08-12-2003, 07:43 AM:
 
In Denmark, MGM has just released this box with five feature films and one extra material disc, which I ordered without hesitation. Today it arrived, getting one big minus from start: The original PP film no 3 "Return of the PP" (1975, co-starring Christopher Plummer and with the magnificent Acme Pool Service stunt) is not there. In stead, as disc no 5, they include the horrible "Trail of PP" made from old clips after Sellers' dead. [Mad]

Did they do so to You out there in the world ?

p.
 
Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 08-12-2003, 09:34 AM:
 
Per,

Here in the US, MGM does not have the video rights to "Return of the Pink Panther". It's with a company called Artisan Entertainment.
 
Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 08-12-2003, 12:39 PM:
 
Spooky - It was a United Artists thing from the start like all the others. -That must be the explanation, thanks.
 
Posted by William Leland III (Member # 1400) on 08-12-2003, 01:44 PM:
 
"Return of the Pink Panther" is the only one worth watching IMO. When I saw it I was like 10 and I loved it. Thought it was the funniest movie I have ever seen.

It can still hold it's own against the likes of Austin Powers and Naked Guns movies.
 
Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 08-12-2003, 02:17 PM:
 
quote:
It was a United Artists thing from the start like all the others
No it wasn't! Return was produced by a different company than the other films in the series. Hence the different home video distributors as Bill explained.

[ 08-12-2003, 11:51 PM: Message edited by: Michael Coate ]
 
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 08-12-2003, 06:54 PM:
 
While "Return" is arguably a great one, I have to disagree. "A Shot In The Dark", the original movie that sent Inspector Cleauseau (sic) on his rampant ways. If you have not seen it, then you are the anti-christ.

Dave
 
Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 08-12-2003, 07:22 PM:
 
quote:
"A Shot In The Dark" , original movie
My favorite one is like Dave said is "A Shot in the Dark". The second in the famous series. The only Panthers that count are the Peter Sellers ones. [thumbsup]
 
Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 08-12-2003, 08:19 PM:
 
And the PINK PANTHER was shot in large-format Technirama to boot!

BTW, RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER was an ITC production distributed theatrically (U.S./Canada) by United Artists. I was able to pick this up for around 10 bucks to complete my Peter Sellers collection.
 
Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 08-13-2003, 11:13 AM:
 
ITC mark on my VHS too - Yep. What I meant from start was that UA distributed around here for theatrical showings. Sorry for confusion. -The next and biggest question is, when somebody will send it out over here on dvd - the fabulous number 3.

Its possible that the old ones were best --then...
But watching them again today, both DLP1 and Shot have lost much, i think.

-------------------------

Does Your doeg bite ??
 
Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 08-13-2003, 11:56 AM:
 
Mancini Stamp to be unveiled

A commemorative stamp saluting TV and Film music composer Henry Mancini will be unveiled Aug 16th during the Henry Mancini Musicale in Los Angeles. "The Late Late Show's Craing Kilborn will host. Mr Mancini composed many TV themes, hit songs and film scores. Among his credits are "THe Pink Panther" and "Peter Gunn". The Mancini stamp, which the U.S. Postal Service will issue next spring, features a painting by artist Victor Stabin.

from TelevisionWeek Aug 11th 2003
TVweek.com
 
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 08-15-2003, 12:39 PM:
 
The information I had, from American Movie Classics, is wrong then. I had been led to believe that "Shot" was the first one.

Why were the two released so close together with just four months apart? Were they produced at the same time? Anyone know?

Dave
 
Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 08-15-2003, 01:23 PM:
 
The first PP was planned as a "David Niven crime comedy" with Clouseau being a supporting caracter, played by Peter Ustinov and with Ava Gardner as Madame Clouseau. Gardner dropped the role in good time, but Ustinow went a couple of days before shooting was to start in Rome. Someone on the team recommended Sellers, who said yes with almost no warning - and almost took over the whole production.
A Shot in the Dark was not planned as a PP sequel at all, but a production all of its own. Sellers had second thoughts - didn't like the story and wanted out of it, but turned to Edwards, asking him to direct. The two of them got the idea, that Shot might be rescuable, if rewritten and with Clouseau written in in stead of original police-figure. That's what they did - Sellers still didn't like it - not even the finished picture, and Sellers and Edwards fought so much on the way, that they would not work again together.
And that, little ones is a true story - as a matter of fact told by Mr Edwards himself on the Box's extra disc [Cool]

p.
 
Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 08-15-2003, 01:44 PM:
 
Didn't they work together again on the Party which was several years after the Panthers?
 
Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 08-15-2003, 01:57 PM:
 
quote:
Why were the two [The Pink Panther and A Shot In The Dark] released so close together with just four months apart?
I believe The Pink Panther has a 1963 copyright and may have been released in other parts of the world before getting released in the U.S., so that four month difference may only represent how the films got released in the U.S.

quote:
Sellers and Edwards fought so much [during A Shot In The Dark], that they would not work again together.
This is obviously untrue (unless I'm misunderstanding your comment) since they went on to work together on three additional Pink Panther movies plus The Party as mentioned in the previous post.
 
Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 08-15-2003, 02:09 PM:
 
I remember seeing Edwards' Larry King interview (well, actually reading the transcript), and he spoke fondly of Sellers, though he did say he was extremely hard to work with. Also, Edwards mentioned the outtakes were hilarious (I believe he was referring to the PP and SITD) and that he had them. It's shame they were put on the DVDs as an extra.
 
Posted by William Leland III (Member # 1400) on 08-15-2003, 04:23 PM:
 
Dave after reading the reviews about "A Shot In The Dark", I have very low expectations about it. With quotes like this

"this movie was absolutely one of the worse comedies I've seen in quite some time"

"It wasn't funny and was also poorly done"

and " only a person like the anti-christ would like this movie"

I enjoy British comedies and if the library has "A Shot in the Dark" I will pick it up.

ps. last review is not real
 
Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 08-15-2003, 05:23 PM:
 
Edwards and Sellers found each other again, thank God - they both admitted, they needed the money - and did they make money !!
The Party and 3 more PP's, that were extremely succesful.

I don't see why, but many hard-core fans consider "Shot" to be the best Clouseau. It must be one more matter of the indisputeable taste. I find it nearby boring, same as I think, when seen today, both PP1 and "Shot" have problems with dead periods, where the newer Panthers keep up very fine.

And then in between, Blake Edwards found time to make his big beauty: The Great Race in 1965. The best slapstick comedy since Laurel & Hardy and with Mancini in top-form.

p.
 
Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 08-18-2003, 09:55 AM:
 
If you look at Peter Sellers's filmography from after "Dr Strangelove...". You will see a few titles that were Great to many awful ones. He was a hot property after "Strangelove" and after "Return of the Pink Panther".

Peter Sellers's Blake Edwards films *

Blake Edward's filmography is very hot to very cold too. After the Pink Panther and Shot in the Dark. His next film is one of my favorite films, The Great Race in 1965. His next major hit was not until 1975 with the Return of the Pink Panther. He had a minor hit with "The Party" in 1968. He had major problems with Paramount with his film "Darling Lili" and final cut problems with MGM on "Wild Rovers". So he left the states for a few years.
And MGM sued him around 1982-83 over his budget of "Trail of the Pink Panther". (MGM claimed his production company BEE, of using money from "Victor/Victoria" budget)
One story has it that Peter Sellers wanted to direct "Revenge" or a story he was working on.
quote:
I don't see why, but many hard-core fans consider "Shot" to be the best Clouseau.
It may be how a person likes slapstick comedy. I like it, but a former girlfriend did not like it at all. And I have friends that love that kind of humor in film. [thumbsup]
 
Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 08-18-2003, 12:11 PM:
 
quote:
His next film is one of my favorite films, The Great Race in 1965
The Great Race is one of my favorites, as well, and probably my favorite Edwards film. The movie is perhaps a bit too long in the running time department but nonetheless a very entertaining movie. The Great Race has often been compared with two other epic comedies produced in the same era -- It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines -- and I have to say I feel The Great Race is the best of the bunch (though I suspect I have the minority view on that).

quote:
Blake Edward's filmography is very hot to very cold too.

* Great Race--1965
What Did You Do in the War Daddy?--1966
Gunn--1967
Party, The--1968*
Darling Lili--1970
Wild Rovers--1971
Carey Treatment--1972
Tamirind Seed, The--1972
Return of the Pink Panther--1975*
Pink Panther Strikes Again--1976*
Revenge of the Pink Panther--1978*
10--1979
S.O.B.--1981
Victor/Victoria--1982
Trail of the Pink Panther--1983*
Curse of the Pink Panther--1983
Edwards didn't retire after Curse Of The Pink Panther (though perhaps he should have). What about post-1983 films? Were they so bad they're not worth mentioning? (Don't answer that!)

The Man Who Loved Women (1983)
Micki + Maude (1984)
A Fine Mess (1986)
That's Life! (1986)
Blind Date (1987)
Sunset (1988)
Skin Deep (1989)
Switch (1991)
Son Of The Pink Panther (1993)

quote:
And final cut problems with MGM on "Wild Rovers".
Wasn't that experience the basis for S.O.B.?
 
Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 08-18-2003, 12:40 PM:
 
Michael

I put the years in which he and Peter Sellers worked together and the release of "Trail", so that is why I did not include the films after 1983.

It was mainly his adventures at and with Paramount more than with MGM. Which was his story for S.O.B.
Blake made a very large budgeted film called "Darling Lili" at Paramount (somewhat of a musical set in WW1) The film in SOB is called "Night Wind" (somewhat of a musical also). The head of Paramount at that time was Robert Evans (Robert Vaughn part), Shelley Winters plays Super Agent to the stars Sue Mengers. The head of MGM at that time was James Aubrey was nicknamed the Smiling Cobra from when head was the head of CBS. Edwards had problems with "Wild Rovers" (1971) over final cut. MGM released the film at 106 minutes. Later a directors cut got released that ran 136 minutes. Aubrey also had problems with Sam Peckinpah with the film "Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid" (1973). MGM again release a cut version (106 minutes). The full directors cut ran 122 minutes. But most S.O.B. is jabbing at Paramount during the Evans era. I have an acticle from The Post showing that.

[ 08-18-2003, 01:58 PM: Message edited by: Bill Gabel ]
 
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 08-18-2003, 03:30 PM:
 
I don't consider myself a hardcore anything fan, but I do consider "Shot" the best film in the series of cleusau related films, while the others are good to great. I think it is a matter of taste.

For instance, there are plenty of films I love that most people hate to death, such as WaterWorld, or Dark Star, or even APEX. I just have a very quirky love of films that do not have great mass appeal. And "shot" fits my bill just fine.

Dave
 
Posted by David Rigby (Member # 1301) on 08-19-2003, 10:36 AM:
 
On a completely un-Pink Panther subject, but definitely a Peter Sellers one, I was fortunate enough to be able to stop by and see The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes while in Paris last week. This was a new reissue print in the original English with French subtitles (luckily for me). I'd forgotten just how laugh-out-loud funny the first half of that movie is before it settles into something a little more Holmes-ish! Cute little basement cinema too - mercifully air conditioned and a fine way to spend an afternoon escaping the 40+ degree heat. Image wasn't all that sharp on the print though - but I think the subtitles were printed on so perhaps there was a little loss on the interneg or something...Great to see Peter Sellers on top form in 35mm.

David
 
Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 08-19-2003, 11:01 AM:
 
quote:
But definitely a Peter Sellers one, I was fortunate enough to be able to stop by and see "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes" while in Paris last week.
quote:
Great to see Peter Sellers in top form in 35mm.
Peter Sellers was not in the 1970 Billy Wilder film "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes". The stars in that film were Robert Stephens, Colin Blakely, Christoper Lee, Stanley Holloway.

Was it maybe the film "Murder By Death" that you saw???
 
Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 08-28-2003, 06:54 AM:
 
My favorite in the series is "The Pink Panther Strikes Again", in which Herbert Lom creates a destructive ray.
"Does you dog bite?"
Herbert Lom really glued all these movies together. He's a strong, effective heavy, BRILLIANT work as a straight man, for example watch him in "Strikes Again" in the scene talking on the bench with Sellers, plus he's a brilliant comic who never misses when there's a gag given to him.

His routine doing Clouseau's eulogy in "Revenge of the Pink Panther" was incredible piece of sustained comedy. I saw a theater CRYING & IN PAIN with laughter while that thing ran.

Herbert Lom is extraordinary.
 
Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 08-31-2003, 05:14 PM:
 
quote:
The Great Race has often been compared with two other epic comedies produced in the same era -- It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines -- and I have to say I feel The Great Race is the best of the bunch (though I suspect I have the minority view on that).
Michael:

Don't feel alone. I'm on that wagon too, although I don' t find "Great Race" one minute too long. First time, I saw that blue slide in start "For Mr Laurel and Mr Hardy" - I thought, someone was thinking big about their own work, but no: A warm and heart-felt celebration of those two old guy's work it is, all the way. And Mr Mancini was never better - except from Victor/Victoria, that is...
We had a single 70mm print of "Great Race" running in Denmark from the premiere - I have no count of how many times, I have been running it, but it was a very dear guest at least once a year in those three 70mm houses, I have been booking. About 1990 it began fading, but still nice to look at and great, great sound ! (Even one trailer print was in 70mm !) When Warner (DK) became new leadership mid-ninetees, their last 70mm prints were donated to the danish film museum, who later gave them away to Norway. I hope, the norwegians are more grateful to this present. The films were "Great Race", "Camelot"(The [bs] edited version - one or two werses cut from every song to make room for an extra show pr. day, which was not needed at all, alas) , "Cheyenne Autumn" (6-7 minutes missing, but still impressing) and "Battle of the Bulge" (Ultra-Pan.)

On a Copenhagen visit, I once actually in one night saw first "Race" - in 70mm on a 50 foot screen, and later "Mad World" in a totally worn-out 35 mono at a small plex. Guess, which one won...

p.

quote:
"Push the Button, Max"
(Fate, Professor)
 
Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 09-02-2003, 10:35 AM:
 
Per

We had a late show for friends of "The Great Race" in 70MM, back in 1990 at the Chinese Theatre main house. It had only slightly faded and still had a great soundtrack on it. The next night we ran an IB of "Airport" in 4 Track mag Stereo.
 
Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 09-02-2003, 02:48 PM:
 
Getting some of those 70mm prints into proper cold storage vaults would greatly extend their life. Obviously, new prints would be the best option. [Smile]
 
Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 09-02-2003, 06:08 PM:
 
Is it true, what I mean to remember, that AIRPORT had only a very narrow 70mm release, although filmed in original ToddAO ? We never got a single 70 print over here - not even 35mag, and for reissue 'round 1980, only very few prints were send in circulation - showing up to be put together from what was left of the premiere prints. That film definitely never got a fair chance i Denmark !

p.
 




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