The Pink Panther Strikes Again

source: The Pink Panther Strikes Again

Trailer—The Pink Panther Strikes Again

The Pink Panther Strikes Again

My Take: Sellers is still strong in this sillier, but just as hilarious, offering. This is one of my favorite entries in the "Pink Panther" series of films. Peter Sellers is always in his most hilarious as clumsy Inspector Clouseau. Herbert Lom, Lesley Ann-Down and Burt Kwouk give superb supporting roles. And Blake Edwards makes everything hilarious as it should. This one ranks one of the best. It features one of Clouseau's clumsiest, the wonderfully hilarious karate sequence between Cato and Clouseau and a wonderfully exhibited comedy plot, about Clouseau's former Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfuss cracking up and finds a sinister way to find Clouseau and uses a large laser to threaten the world to give away Clouseau. Though not A SHOT IN THE DARK, this is one of the funnier outings in the entertaining, if totally uneven PINK PANTHER series. Rating: ***1/2 out of 5.

One of the funniest films in the "Pink Panther" series: the best parts (the Poirot-style interrogation, Clouseau's attempts to enter the castle, the laughing gas, "does your dog bite?", "it was hard in the Resistance but not as hard as it is now", etc.) are hilarious, there is considerable cleverness in many of the elaborately staged gags, and although there are dry stretches, they are fewer than in the other series entries. Peter Sellers is in good form, and Herbert Lom is every bit his equal in laugh-getting. The cinephilic animated credits sequence is wonderful. *** out of 4.

This fifth "Pink Panther" entry is a practically plotless collection of gags. Such comedies are always inevitably uneven, and this one is no exception. It contains at least one scene than never fails to bring tears of laughter to my eyes (the interrogation at the house of the kidnapped scientist, with Sellers at his best) and a wonderful animated title sequence, and it remains generally amusing throughout. But it does have its share of lulls, too, and some overly predictable sight gags that aren't likely to impress even the kids. Sometimes this is a very funny film, but it misses the mark now and then, as well.

For my money, The Pink Panther Strike Again is the funniest of all the Pink Panther movies. Peter Sellers is back as the clueless Inspector Clouseau. Herbert Lom is hysterical as Chief Inspector Dreyfus who has finally gone mad and kidnaps a scientist in order to construct a death ray. Clouseau's slow motion kung fu battle with Cato rates as one of the funniest slap stick bits of the 1970s. There are good comedy performances all around, and a cameo from Omar Sharif as the Egyptian assassin. The cross dressing butler, Jarvis, does a great job with "Until You Love Me," (voiced by Julie Andrews, who was married to Blake Edwards at the time). There hasn't been comedy like this in years. Peter Sellers makes the others look second rate by comparison.

THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN really shouldn't be all that good, given that the series had been running for a long time by this point and there was nothing new to add to already well-established characters. However, it turns out to be a real delight and a highlight of the series so far, and that's down to the humour, which is funnier and more ferocious than ever. This is a pure slapstick delight, with Clouseau even dumber than before and undergoing continued and continuous falls, hazards, fights and generally amusing behaviour. Herbert Lom is the perfect foil for our hapless hero, while wide-ranging plot covers plenty of ground, the highlight being the sequences in which Clouseau is stalked by assassins even more accident-prone than he is.

I think "Strikes Again" is the most accomplished of the series. Clouseau's attempts to enter the castle are just impossible to describe: so hilarious I still laugh whenever I recall the scenes. Not to mention the short conversations with the hotel owner (including the now classic "That is not my dog"), and many many others. This movie's probably the best Peter Seller performance, I think. This guy was such a genius: his accent, his acting and his expressions are all unique and still alive. I can't understand why anyone would want to make new Pink Panther movies now that Peter Sellers is gone.

Of the Pink Panther series of films, this is the best with the possible exception of the original. Clouseau and Cato outdo themselves in the hide and seek game they play in each film. In this one however they have learnt from the mishaps in previous films and set the tone for a truly hilarious turning of events. The visit to the Oktoberfest takes a real comic view of the Cold War but Clouseau's inspection of the Fassbender house is even better. Throughout the film the storyline twists and turns and together with the background tunes combine terrifically -- see Sellers assault on Mondschein castle! The lunatic Dreyfuss is at his craziest from start to finish, how did he get his eye to twitch so much? The Inspector's love interest played by the very sexy Lesley Ann Down adds a further dimension to the plot with James Bond overtones. A film you can watch again and again.