The Pink Panther is arguably the most famous cartoon pantomimist ever. And he's unquestionably the pinkest.
Now the "Pink Panther" cartoons are on DVD for the first time, along with the few remaining "Pink Panther" movies that had not yet been released on shiny (but not pink) discs.
"The Pink Panther Classic Cartoon Collection" (MGM, 1964-1980, not rated, $69.96, five discs). That wise-guy animated feline with the sophisticated cigarette holder (in the first series of cartoons), has tripped up a variety of characters with his pranks and movie spoofs — ever since he first set foot on the silver screen in the main-title sequence of the 1964 classic film "The Pink Panther."
The cartoon character was such an immediate hit that he got his own franchise right away, with more than 60 big-screen animated shorts produced from 1964-69, and these are by far the best of the series.
Then, from 1971-77, another amiable 30 shorts were produced for theaters, and finally, from 1978-80, more were made for television — the latter being the cheapest and weakest of the series (obviously made more quickly and with fewer resources).
Collected here are no less than 124
cartoons, organized chronologically from the first, "The Pink Phink" — which won the best animated-short Oscar — through 1980's "Supermarket Pink." And some of these — especially among the first 60-something — are very funny.
Trivia Note: Watch for the only two cartoons in which the Pink Panther speaks — "Sink Pink" and "Pink Ice," both on the first disc.
Extras: Full frame, 124 cartoons, main-title sequences from five "Pink Panther" films, new/vintage making-of featurettes, optional English subtitles, chapters. (Also available in three smaller single-disc sets, with 27 cartoons each, $14.94.)
"Trail of the Pink Panther" (MGM, 1982, PG, $14.94). Peter Sellers' outtakes from earlier "Panther" films were reconstructed after his death for this odd, disjointed outing, which does have some amusing moments. Reporter Joanna Lumley (more recently of TV's "Absolutely Fabulous") searches for missing Inspector Clouseau and encounters series regulars Herbert Lom, Burt Kwouk and Graham Stark, along with stars of the first "Panther" film, David Niven, Capucine and Robert Wagner.
Extras: Widescreen, trailers, language and subtitle options (English, French, Spanish), chapters.
"Curse of the Pink Panther" (MGM, 1983, PG, $14.94). This one was filmed at the same time as "Trail," an attempt to set up a new bumbling detective, played by Ted Wass (of TV's "Soap"). He's amusing, but the film never quite comes together, despite the presence of all the "Panther" regulars from "Trail."
Extras: Widescreen, trailers, language and subtitle options (English, French, Spanish), chapters.
"Son of the Pink Panther" (MGM, 1993, PG, $14.94). Roberto Benigni would go on to win Oscars for "Life Is Beautiful," and he's an adept physical-comedy actor. But he's at sea in this unfortunate attempt to revive the series. Claudia Cardinale, who was in the original "Pink Panther" film, and series regulars Lom, Kwouk and Stark are also on hand.
Extras: Widescreen, trailers, language and subtitle options (English, French, Spanish), chapters.
NOTE: All of the "Pink Panther" movies in the official series are now on individual DVDs for the first time, and five of the earliest titles starring Sellers are also available in a box set (which includes six "Pink Panther" cartoons), $69.96. Also recently released was "Inspector Clouseau," which was made outside the official series, with Alan Arkin in the title role.
E-mail: hicks@desnews.com