Review of The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) by Claude C — 20 Apr 2004

[u]One word:[/u] Goofy.

[u]Plot:[/u] The world class theif, the Phantom, is blamed for stealing the precious and famous Pink Panther diamond. The bumbling but effective Inspector Clouseau is sent to track down the Phantom and the diamond.

[u]Who will like it:[/u] slapstick comedy fans, people who like goofy movies.

[u]My thoughts:[/u] The film is a classic comedy, but to me, wasn't as good as I remembered it. I had originally seen it in the theaters when I was 6 years old, and I remember thinking that it was the best movie. That was until the next Pink Panther film came out after a year or so. And so on until the next one.

I recently purchased the dvd mainly because I thought my son would like it, like I did when I was his age. The film is a showcase of the brilliant Peter Sellers and his slapstick. My main hang-up with the film is that the scenes with Sellers are spread out and you find yourself waiting until his next scene. What you get in between are mostly unfunny scenes that move the plot along, but that is not what you want to see. You want to see what Sellers does next. And his scenes are funny and brilliant and, dare I say, classic. But even though the film is uneven in the comedy, his scenes are worth seeing. For me anyway. My son thought that the funny scenes were ok, but he found them quiet and they didn't really keep his attention long. And maybe the main difference of the films that were made in the 70's compared to todays is the confidence those 70's film had in their cast to entertain rather than having flashy, fast, and loud scenes. Instead of information overload, this film uses quiet and sly humor that doesn't beat you over the head. The humor is goofy but not stupid.

Another great thing about the movie is the music. Who can forget that Pink Panther theme, not to mention the animated title, which my son thought was the best part, by the way.

[u]Bottom line:[/u] If you are not already brainwashed by todays entertainment standards, you will enjoy it. If you are, then you may have trouble enjoying it, but as I get older, I think that is what the definition of a classic is. It's appreciating what is, but having the knowledge of what came before. It's like comparing the original Star Wars film to a more modern film like The.

Matrix. Star Wars may pale in comparison in the technical aspect, but Star Wars has the distinction of being first. To some people, that may not be enough, but to others its the originality and charm of what came first and not what they have seen first.