The Pink Panther on Blu-ray Disc Review
By Rachel Cericola
The Film
Remember when
The Pink Panther was funny?
We love Steve Martin, but his reincarnation of the bumbling Inspector Clouseau pales in comparison to the late, great Peter Sellers. Whether you're a fan of the current or the classic, this movie was the ship that launched numerous sequels, as well as the 2006 revival.
The only flaw
of The Pink Panther is that Sellers isn't the main focus. However, that was quickly remedied in the multiple sequels. Instead, the Pink Panther is really the star here. Not the cartoon, but the diamond. It belongs to Princess Dala (Claudia Cardinale), who takes her beloved heirloom on vacation, where it catches the eye of Charles (David Niven), a thief that also goes by the name "The Phantom."
Unfortunately, his nephew (Robert Wagner) and mistress (Capucine), who is also Clouseau's wife, want the jewel as well.
Without a doubt,
The Pink Panther is a classic. Still, this one doesn't have the slapstick that was such a standout from the rest of the series. Without that, as well as Burt Kwouk's Cato and Herbert Lom's Chief Inspector Dreyfus, it doesn’t stand up to the test of time as well as some of the sequels.
The Picture
This disc delivers the original 2.20:1 aspect ratio, which does show a few signs of age. There's a tad bit of grain, and while the color is rich, sometimes it's also a bit too bold. All of that can be forgiven. However, there's a bit flicker in a few spots. It's annoying, but fleeting. Also, while most of the movie does include decent dark levels, there are moments where it's a bit too dark -- most notably during the opening.
The Sound
Fox gave the classic a DTS-HD 5.1 track, which is a nice homage to Henry Mancini's famous score. Aside from that, your surrounds aren't going to get much of a workout. The dialogue is delivered nicely, though, sounding very clear. However, in a few spots, we were doing a double-take, because it seemed like the words weren’t quite matching the picture on-screen.
The Extras
True fans will appreciate all of the extras, including the Blake Edwards commentary and a 30-minute featurette on the ups and downs of the
Pink Panther series. However, the most fun is watching Robert Wagner reminisce (in "The Coolest Cat in Cortina") and gush about his experience and former castmates.
Final Thoughts
It's hard not to endorse the greatness that was Peter Sellers. Despite signs of its age,
The Pink Panther is given a decent update on Blu-ray and is worthy of a spot in anyone's collection.
Where to Buy:
Product Details
- Actors: David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner, Capucine, Brenda De Banzie, Colin Gordon, Fran Jeffries
- Director: Blake Edwards
- Audio/Languages: DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio (English), Mono (English), DTS 5.1 (Spanish, French, Portuguese)
- Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Cantonese, Mandarin, Thai
- Aspect Ratio: 2.20:1
- Region: A
- Number of Discs: 1
- Rating: NR
- Studio: 20th Century Fox
- Blu-ray Disc Release Date: January 27, 2009
- Run Time: 115 minutes
- List Price: $34.98
- Extras:
- Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Blake Edwards
- The Pink Panther Story
- Beyond the Feline: The Cartoon Phenomenon
- The Coolest Cat in Cortina: Robert Wagner
- The Tip-Toe Life of a Cat Burglar: A Conversation with Former Jewel Thief Bill Mason
- Diamonds: Beyond the Sparkle
