The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 14, 2018

The character of The Pink Panther was created to give the Inspector Clouseau movies a special lift during the main titles, establishing a silly, cartoon mood to help the audience get settled into the viewing experience to come. The big cat’s popularity was noted by the suits in charge, soon featured in a series of theatrical shorts that attempted to turn a lark into a legend. It worked, with director Friz Freleng and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises masterminding 124 shorts over a 14-year-long period, with the first 20 selections collected on “The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1 (1964- 1966),” detailing the producers attempt to establish the mood of the endeavors and The Pink Panther’s endless appetite for mischief.

Unlike most animated endeavors from DePatie-Freleng, “The Pink Panther” series was somewhat reluctant to add voice actors to the mix, keeping the shorts mostly silent, focusing on physical comedy and sight gags to inspire laughs. There’s not much one can do with a pink cat that stands upright and appreciates a good crime, so most of the shorts follow a formula where the star of the show does battle with more hostile opponents, including diamond thieves, a mosquito, and a big game hunter. The Pink Panther is ostensibly the hero of the franchise, but he’s not a noble creature, often living to make a mess of The Little Man, who pops up in the shorts with the most regularity, giving the cool cat someone to play with as the filmmakers scramble to fill six minutes of screen time. Also interesting is how many of these stories involve The Pink Panther looking for somewhere to sleep, perhaps reflecting the charged work atmosphere at DePatie-Freleng.

Episodes

“The Pink Phink” (6:47)

The Little Man attempts to get a little house painting done with his favorite color: blue. The Pink Panther has other plans, trying to cover the same area with his namesake color: pink. A war of technique and hues breaks out.

“Pink Pajamas” (6:19)

Ready for bedtime, The Pink Panther has difficulty finding a place to crash for the night, eventually sneaking into The Little Man’s house, trying to make himself comfortable as the homeowner calls in a friend to help get rid of the pest.

“We Give Pink Stamps” (7:01)

As the overnight janitor at Gambles Department Store, The Little Man is confronted with The Pink Panther, who’s taken up residence for the night, with plans to get into a much sales floor mischief as possible.

“Dial ‘P’ For Pink” (6:31)

A burglar is determined to steal a safe from a private residence, unaware that The Pink Panther is residing inside, thwarting the thief’s many attempts to crack open the steel box and loot the potential fortune inside.

“Sink Pink” (6:21)

Hunter Tex B’wana (Paul Frees) is determined to kill as many animals as possible to impress his daughter, Nora. Building a “Nora’s Ark” to entice the animal kingdom into one place, the Hunter grows frustrated when he can’t easily collect The Pink Panther (Rich Little).

“Pickled Pink” (6:22)

A drunk (Mel Blanc) takes pity on The Pink Panther, offering him shelter in his home, which turns into a mission of secrecy as the new pals try to avoid detection from the drunk’s easily angered wife.

“Pinkfinger” (6:15)

Desiring a chance to become a secret agent, The Pink Panther reads up on the subject, using his newfound knowledge to capture an elusive criminal mastermind trying to make his escape on the Orient Express.

“Shocking Pink” (6:43)

Trying to enjoy a relaxing afternoon, The Pink Panther is harassed by a narrator who pressures him into home improvement projects, each offering disaster for a big cat who simply wants to nap.

“Pink Ice” (6:17)

Diamond thieves Deveraux and Hoskins (both voiced by Rich Little) are after The Pink Panther’s enormous jewels, triggering a violent battle between diamond companies.

“The Pink Tail Fly” (6:17)

After a long night in front of the television, The Pink Panther tries to go to sleep, only to be interrupted by an especially large mosquito who’s determined to ruin bedtime.

“Pink Panzer” (5:50)

The Pink Panther is greeted by his neighbor, Harry (Paul Frees), inspiring a battle of wills between the pair as they scheme to retrieve gardening and home improvement items from each other.

“An Ounce of Pink” (6:02)

Enjoying an evening stroll, The Pink Panther comes across a talking scale on the street, who flatters the pedestrian, inspiring him to take the machine home, where he can’t get it to shut up.

“Reel Pink” (6:17)

Looking to have an enjoyable afternoon of fishing, The Pink Panther purchases some very active worms who aren’t exactly interested in becoming a meal for aquatic creatures.

“Bully for Pink” (6:02)

In Mexico, The Pink Panther aspires to become a matador, joining other aspiring bullfighters to try his luck against El Toro, a large, ferocious bull who’s determined to kill his cape-waving adversary.

“Pink Punch” (6:27)

Going into business for himself, The Pink Panther introduces his new beverage line, Pink Punch. However, a green asterisk on his sign goes rogue, interrupting the commercial.

“Pink Pistons” (6:02)

The Pink Panther is going car shopping, coming into contact with vehicles that offer strange, borderline harmful features. Taking his selection home, The Pink Panther finds his pink automobile taking on a life of its own.

“Vitamin Pink” (6:25)

Rechristening himself “Dr. Phink,” The Pink Panther sets up shop in a small town, trying to sell his Vitamin Pink tonic to the depressed, sickly local men.

“The Pink Blueprint” (6:25)

The Little Man is building a simple home for himself, but The Pink Panther has other plans, masterminding a more advanced dwelling for himself, taking over the problematic construction project.

“Pink, Plunk, Pink” (6:24)

Practicing to become a concert violinist, The Pink Panther’s effort to participate in a major concert are rejected by the orchestra, requiring some sneaky behavior to join the musicians and the conductor, The Little Man.

“Smile Pretty, Say Pink” (6:09)

The Little Man is paying a visit to Pinkstone National Park to take some pictures, finding his touring interests thwarted by The Pink Panther, who makes life and art difficult for the photographer.

The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "The Pink Panther" falls in line with previous Kino Lorber Animation releases, offering an aged but clear look at the production's low-budget achievements. Detail is acceptable, providing a study of minimalist artistry and technique, giving the viewer a chance to examine backgrounds as well as character movement. Colors are appealing, with lively primaries to accentuate the cartoon mood, while pinks are bright to help present the titular character. Delineation is acceptable, never really challenged in full. Source is in satisfactory shape, with some periodic scratches and speckling.

The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix provides the animated basics for "The Pink Panther," which is mostly a silent series of shorts, only occasionally introducing trained voice artists to help jazz up the productions. Music tends to lead the way, with agreeable instrumentation, bringing Henry Mancini's iconic theme to life, along with additional scoring mischief. Sound effects are also strong, retaining cartoon emphasis. While most shorts have no significant signs of age, "We Give Pink Stamps," "Shocking Pink," "Pink Punch," and "Pink, Plunk, Plink" have issues with muffling and hiss, with a noticeable downgrade in overall sonic quality.

The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentaries feature filmmaker Greg Ford ("The Pink Phink," "Pickled Pink," and "Pink, Plunk, Plink"), historian Jerry Beck ("The Pink Phink," "Dial 'P' for Pink," "Shocking Pink," "The Pink Tail Fly," "Pink Panzer," and "Pink Punch"), cartoon writer William Hohauser ("Pink Pajamas"), author Mark Arnold ("Dial 'P' for Pink," "Pinkfinger," and "The Pink Blueprint"), and storyman Bob Kurtz ("Dial 'P' for Pink," "Shocking Pink," "The Pink Tail Fly," and "An Ounce of Pink").

The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Pink Panther" shorts that tend to work the best are ones that involve surreal cartoon touches, giving the character room to play when making a mess out of someone else's big plans. A few experimental offerings (including "Pink Punch," where the cat does battle with an asterisk) limp to a conclusion, but the majority of these offering offer big fun with limited dialogue, showcasing some interesting visual storytelling ideas and compelling cartoon escalation. He's gone from movie star to insulation pitchman, but The Pink Panther is most at home in these brief shots of tomfoolery.