The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 2 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 5, 2018

Last January, Kino Lorber released “The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1 (1964-1966), which explored the debut of the titular character, showcasing how he was developed and his antics refined by the creative forces at Depatie-Freleng. In “Volume 2 (1966-1968),” focus remains on the Pink Panther and his extreme habit of pursuing trouble whenever he can find it. While Depatie-Freleng (and director Hawley Pratt) mostly stay true to the proven animated formula of bop-bang-boom cartoonery, this round of “Pink Panther” shorts takes some time to swim around in the warm waters of the counterculture, with a few selections trying out psychedelic visuals and stories that concern the Pink Panther battling the limits of reality, giving the mischievous cat a few acid trips to go with his daily diet of destruction and easily triggered irritability.

“Volume 2” moves Pink Panther into the late 1960s, where the character is faced with a growing audience. Producers attempt to find a way to make the icon cool for kiddies, with the aptly named “Psychedelic Pink” whisking the curious cat into a book store adventure that messes with time and space while still making room for slapstick. It’s easily the most interesting short of the bunch, but the rest provide consistent entertainment, watching Pink Panther and his survival instincts do battle with animals and Little Man, the hapless victim/antagonist who pops up intermittently to give the cat a more defined opponent. Risk isn’t big here, but there are a few creative detours that are most welcome.

Shorts:

“Pink-A-Boo” (6:14)
Trying to enjoy a nice day at home, the Pink Panther’s afternoon is ruined by a meddlesome mouse who’s looking to throw a party for his friends inside the walls.

“Genie with the Light Pink Fur” (6:07)
While walking one day, Pink Panther comes across a lamp on the ground, with the genie inside offering him a chance to join the team. Becoming a genie, Pink Panther quickly realizes how difficult it is to stay out of harm’s way.

“Super Pink” (5:58)
Inspired by his favorite comic book, Pink Panther suits up to become a superhero, soon learning what it really takes to save the public from numerous disasters.

“Rock A Bye Pinky” (6:08)
Little Man is out in the woods with his dog for a camping trip, but his snoring is impossible to deal with, keeping Pink Panther awake. While he tries to snap Little Man out of slumber through violence, the dog manages to protect his master, only to be blamed for knocking the camper out of dreamland.

“Pinknic” (6:09)
Deep in snow country, Pink Panther is trying to stay warm and well-fed, soon finding himself trapped inside a cabin he shares with a particularly hungry mouse.

“Pink Panic” (6:01)
On a stormy night, Pink Panther enters the town of Dead Dog, looking for shelter. Finding a spot at the local hotel, Pink Panther is soon haunted by the spirits that already reside in the building.

“Pink Posies” (6:11)
Working on his garden, the Little Man prepares the soil for yellow posies, only learn that the flower is a problem for the Pink Panther, who insists on using the land to plant pink posies. Gunfights ensue.

“Pink of the Litter” (6:01)
Working to clean up his town, Pink Panther sweeps up an enormous pile of garbage, but he doesn’t have anywhere to put it, battling against Little Man and nature to dispose of his unwanted collection of rubbish.

“In the Pink” (6:13)
Worried about weight gain, Pink Panther decides to join a local gym, competing for exercise space with Little Man.

“Jet Pink” (6:03)
Walking past an airfield, Pink Panther suddenly aspires to be a world-famous pilot, hopping inside a nearby X-13 jet to test his endurance with speed, immediately losing control of the airplane.

“Pink Paradise” (6:11)
Arriving on a seemingly deserted island, Pink Panther learns he’s not alone, with Little Man and his dog also inhabiting the area, aggressively defending their territory.

“Pinto Pink” (6:05)
On the road as a hitchhiker, Pink Panther gets the wild idea to travel by horseback, only he has incredible trouble trying to ride the animal, who delights in thwarting such plans.

“Congratulations It’s Pink” (6:12)
Arriving at a park for the special picnic, Little Man and his family deal with the Pink Panther, who’s looking to steal their food, ending up with their infant instead.

“Prefabricated Pink” (6:11)
Taking a job as a construction worker, Pink Panther doesn’t know what he’s doing, making life difficult for Little Man, who experiences numerous accidents while on the job.

“The Hand Is Pinker Than the Eye” (6:15)
On a cold day, Pink Panther decides to break into a house owned by Zammo the Magician, who’s left for the evening. Trying to navigate the illusions that litter the house, Pink Panther is stymied by the magician’s malicious rabbit.

“Pink Outs” (6:14)
12 short cartoons follow Pink Panther on surreal and slapstick adventures.

“Sky Blue Pink” (6:11)
Hoping to participate in the local kite day, Pink Panther has difficulty getting his creation in the air, disrupting Little Man’s afternoon of work and leisure.

“Pinkadilly Circus”(6:02)
After pulling a tack out of the Pink Panther’s foot, Little Man is besieged by the animal’s gratitude, eventually using Pink Panther’s ferocity to combat his mean wife.

“Psychedelic Pink” (6:17)
Drawn into a strange book shop, Pink Panther enters a literary realm where he deals with the bending of reality and challenges from Little Man.

“Come On In! The Water’s Pink” (6:04)
Taking a trip to Bicep Beach, Pink Panther tries to compete with the local musclemen, enjoying his day while a rival attempts to sabotage the cat’s fun.

The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation picks up where "Volume 1" left off, offering an agreeable look at the aged cartoon shorts. Colors lead the charge, delivering pleasing primaries to secure the animated realm of the character, who tends to work around solid blocks of color. Pink is emphasized, of course (with varying hotness), but bold reds and blues emerge in backdrops. Pure whites for the Little Man contrast nicely with his black hair and features. Detail is acceptable, and while softness is encountered, it doesn't cripple views of the artistic effort, finding textured backgrounds and character design intact. Delineation is satisfactory. Age is detected throughout, with mild scratches and speckling, and mild judder is periodically encountered.

The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix offers a largely consistent assembly of shorts, managing the merging of cartoon antics and scoring needs. Music handles well, with pleasing definition to provide comedic rhythm, preserving jazzy moods. Sound effects retain a louder presence, with all types of bonks and booms accounted for, detailing the path of destruction Pink Panther tends to create. The short "Pink Outs" retains a laugh track. "Super Pink," "Pink Paradise," "Sky Blue Pink," and "Psychedelic Pink" arrive with some wear and tear, contributing a more muddled, hiss-laden sound.

The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentaries feature Mark Arnold ("Genie with the Light Pink Fur," "Pink Posies," "Jet Pink," and "Pink Outs"), Jerry Beck ("Super Pink" and "Pink Outs" with Art Leonardi), Greg Ford ("Pink Panic" and "Prefabricated Pink"), and William Hohauser ("The Hand Is Pinker Than the Eye").

• "From Page to Screen: 'In the Pink'" (5:29, SD) compares the finished animated production to storyboards, which detail cartoon shenanigans.

• "From Page to Screen: 'The Pink Blueprint'" (6:26, SD) is a second look at the "Pink Panther" creative process. Interestingly, the short used here has a laugh track.

• TV Version: "Pink Outs" (5:45, SD) details how the shorts contained within the original 1967 effort were repurposed for 1969's "The Pink Panther Show," which added different music and voiceover for the broadcast presentation.

The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 2 (1966-1968)" is another sizable chunk of cartoon craziness, but Kino Lorber remains committed to a slower roll-out of the shorts, with this second release only representing 1/3 of the way through the "Pink Panther" library. There's a long road ahead for fans of the character, finding this disc showcasing compelling changes in creative direction, almost experimental in design, while still tending to all the madcap antics people expect from the brand name.