Every Monday we will take the opportunity to glance both at what is upcoming in pop culture, as well as peer back at some of the biggest names, films, and fads that have dominated the headlines from years past. One week we may look at celebrity power couples from decades ago, another week we may look at some of the biggest toy crazes that the nation has known.
This week we start a series detailing our love (or hatred) of classic movies characters. We start this week with everyone's favorite bumbling detective, Jacques Clouseau.
Clouseau, of course, is the protagonist of the Pink Panther films. A creation of Blake Edwards, and more prominently, Peter Sellers.
For what it's worth, I regard Sellers as possibly the funniest man to ever have walked the earth. While I'm quite sure many would offer counter claims, I'm equally sure I'm not the only one to feel this way. In the same vein, Clouseau is undoubtedly Sellers' most enduring character. Many feel his performance in "Dr. Strangelove" as a host of memorable characters, is his best performance, and one can hardly argue, however, Clouseau is his most repeated and imitated performance.
Here is a collector's insight into the Pink Panther series:
"The Pink Panther"
1963
Ironically, it was never intended for Clouseau to be such a star. Edwards intended the star of his "Pink Panther" films (named after a diamond which appears in roughly half of the movies to date), to be Sir David Niven, who played the jewel thief "The Phantom" in the 1963 original. Sellers played Clouseau, the idiot French detective who serves as the Phantom's bumbling antagonist. Seller's natural comedy and charisma stole the show away from Niven, and changed the tone of the entire series.
"A Shot in the Dark"
1964
Sellers began to develop his character into the over-the-top idiot that he eventually became. Enter Seller's ridiculous accent, and the beginnings of the trademark physical humor, as well as the introduction of a memorable supporting cast including Herbert Lom and Burt Kwouk.
"Return of the Pink Panther"
1975
After 10 years away from the series, and an ill-advised Alan Arkin reboot, Sellers and Edwards return with a vengeance. "Return" again focuses on the theft of the diamond, and gives even more air time to Sellers and Kwouk and their wacky antics.
"The Pink Panther Strikes Again"
1976
In my opinion, this is easily the best and most humorous of the "Panther" films. It features a comically absurd plot and a resolution which was hilarious in its finality. In fact, this movie so altered the canon of the series, that the next "Panther" film was forced to completely ignore the movie and revert back to "Return". Herbert Lom and Burt Kwouk are at their best in this film, and Sellers uses his mastery of physical comedy to perfection. His interrogation of the Castle staff remains some of the funniest stuff ever captured on camera.
"Revenge of the Pink Panther"
1978
While "Revenge" had to ignore the previous installment of the series to maintain any kind of continuity with the series, it still remains one of the better movies of the bunch, this would unfortunately by the last "Pink Panther" film for Sellers, as he would pass away due to a heart attack in 1980.
"Trail of the Pink Panther"
1982
Edwards filmed this as a tribute to Sellers, using unused clips from previous "Panther" films. It follows the story of a female reporter who searches for Clouseau and the diamond when both go missing suspiciously. While meant as a tribute to Sellers, without him the film falls flat on its face, and marks the beginning of dark days for the "Panther" series.
"Curse of the Pink Panther"
1983
In an attempted re-boot with Ted Wass as a new bumbling detective, Edwards tested the waters without Sellers, featuring Clouseau only in a cameo as a "disfigured" Roger Moore. The film was a disaster, however, Moore is quite funny in his limited scenes.
"Son of the Pink Panther"
1993
A decade later, Edwards tried again to revive the series without Sellers, this time with Roberto Benigni as Clousea's illegitimate son. As before, without Sellers neither critics nor audiences payed much attention, and rightfully so. This would mark Edwards' last foray into the series as it would later be rebooted without him.
"The Pink Panther" and "The Pink Panther 2"
2006 and 2009
Recently, Steve Martin was cast as Clouseau in a modern take on the "Panther" franchise. Martin has become a similar master of physical comedy, and his casting as Clouseau seemed natural for a reboot of the franchise. The reboot proved to be a relative success, due to Martin's considerable appeal and talent, as well as new target audience and therefore themes. Gone are Clouseau's bed-hopping ways. Gone is the over the top insanity of Dreyfuss, and the transgender criminals of Clouseau's past. The series undoubtedly has been dumbed down for a younger generation, and will most likely stay there permanently. While Martin is a passable Clouseau, and does not insult the series as previous incarnations have done, it is no small thing that Edwards commented that Sellers was the one and only Jacques Clouseau.
For those that have merely seen Martin's adaptation of the series, I encourage you to investigate the originals. The non-Sellers adaptations can be dismissed and ignored, however, the '63 original, "Shot in the Dark", "Return", Strikes Again", and "Revenge" are all worthy additions to a netflix queue (or for that matter a DVD collection), though if you doubt your ability to get through all 5, the first two can be passed over with little problem, and one can jump right into "Return" and "Strikes Again". If you find yourself watching "Strikes Again" and cannot seem to crack a smile, I implore you to visit the doctor and diagnose what happened to your sense of humor.
With all that said, we leave you to the rest of your Monday, be sure to check in tomorrow for something completely different.
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