No prob.
So... a quick ranking...
THE PINK PANTHER -- a classic, like a Hitchcock film with less gloom and more humor. I LOVE David Niven in this. The only parts of the movie I don't like... whatta ya know, were added after-the-fact because someone decided there should be more Peter Sellers. AUGH!!! Basically, last gasp of an earlier era. Wonderful and classy. (By the way, it took me decades to figure out that ski resort is the SAME one seen in the film
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY.) Oh yeah-- and-- insane as this will sound-- my favorite part of the film has nothing to do with the rest of the movie. It's when-- instead of an "intermission", Blake Edwards throws in a MUSIC VIDEO. For no damn reason. Totally stops the film for 3 minutes. And I love, love, LOVE that song!!! (So, WHY isn't it on any version of the soundtrack album? It's on MINE, now... God bless computers.)
A SHOT IN THE DARK -- my favorite of the series. Why don't I have a copy of this in my collection??? George Sanders is so deadpan. Herbert Lom is so... not. (heh)
THE RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER -- this is the "
BACK INTO HELL" of the series. Sellers & Edwards' careers were both on the skids, so they put their differences aside and made a TERRIBLE movie. And it put them both back on top. WTF??? It's too long, it's slow and dull, the plot is INDECIPHERABLE in spots (I've seen it multiple times, trust me on that). And the complete change in Sellers' performance and accent between films is inexplicable, and annoying as hell. Of course, the earlier films were before he had his heart attack, DIED, and was ressurected minutes later. So that might be connected. I like Christopher Plummer, but he's no David Niven. And to this day, I'm stilll not sure if his girlfriend in this is supposed to be Clouseau's EX-WIFE (and if she is, WHY does NOBODY mention it?) or some other woman he's dallying with.
THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN -- the previous film was a hit, so they made another one EVEN WORSE. Good God, I hate this film. I know, I know, many don't.
REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER -- I was worried after doing a terrible film followed by an even worse one, this one would be the pits. Shockingly... it wasn't. How did this happen? Probably my 3rd-fave of the series. I love the complex plot developments, like Robert Webber hiring a team of killers to attack the guy he hired to kill Cliouseau, just for a demonstration. And then, after such a big build-up, Clouseau dispatching the guy, WITHOUT even realizing he was in his apartment. And later, the redo of then then-current film "
THE GAUNTLET", where the transvestite steals Clouseau's clothes & car, and drives straight into a Mafia ambush that blows up the car. Instant result? Dreyfus is cured and released from the asylum. But before he goes, he has a run-in with Clouseau (still alive) who the cops think is a crazy transvestite. He escapes and goes home, only to find out Cato has turned his apartment into a high-priced brothel. THAT QUICKLY. And for a BRIEF instant, you can see Clouseau considering taking Cato up on his offer...!!! (Which I feel leads to the plot twist 2 films later.) The "funeral" scene is just funny as hell, when Dreyfus reads the euology. Now... once things move to Hong Kong, the whole picture FALLS APART. But for 2/3rds of it, it was incredible. Oh, and Dyan Cannon-- WOW!!!!!
TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER -- A travesty, an insult, and too awful to sit through. Joanna Lumley as the reporter is the ONLY good thing in here at all. I could not believe the "tag" at the end, for the NEXT film. WERE THEY NUTS?
?
CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER -- Okay, this one was a SHOCK. Why? it was ACTUALLY FUNNY. In fact, if you cut the long, long scene with Harvey Korman OUT of the film, it would be nearly perfect. (I wanted to KILL the director for having that sequence in there-- it's UNSPEAKABLY awful.) Apart from all the cameos (David Niven, Robert Wagner, etc. etc.) the plot of this thing is amazing, and very clever. I especially loved the bit where the killer from "
REVENGE" comes back and finally gets a "big scene". But my favorite bit in the whole film was the cab driver. Killers try to kill Ted Wass, and the cabbie yells out,
"Holy SHIT, man, somebody's trying to KILL you!" "I thought you didn't speak English!!" "Don't you know French cab drivers are notoriously unreliable?" A chase ensures, and for half of it, the cab flips over on its roof-- and continues to out-pace the pursuing car, despite sliding along the road on its roof. F***ING HILARIOUS!!! The ending relies almost entirely on surprise-- it's not really that funny, apart from the simple absurdity of WHO they cast to play Clouseau (IN DISGUISE). Overall, a great way to end the series. But really-- what nerve to have Joanna Lumley in 2 films in a row, playing different parts?
You know what I can never figure? WHY didn't Blake Edwards EVER do a sequel starring David Niven-- or-- more recently-- Robert Wagner?? (It was set up right there at the end of the 1st movie!)
By the way, I've seen "
ROMANCE" once, but, didn't care for it much... and the more recent thing, FORGET IT. No interest.
