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List Price: $14.94 | | Label: Sony Pictures
Salesrank: 3760
Released: June 13, 2006 |
| Our Price: $2.70 |
| Used Price: $0.34 |
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MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
French Inspector Jacques Clouseau is called in to solve the mysterious death of a soccer coach and find the missing Pink Panther diamond.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: PG
Release Date: 4-SEP-2007
Media Type: DVD
Description of The Pink Panther (Special Edition):
If anyone could step into the huge shoes of comedic genius left by Peter Sellers as bumbling French policeman Jacques Clouseau, it's Steve Martin. Sellers made Clouseau a true icon of character and comedy in five Pink Panther movies in the '60s and '70s; Martin has arguably already attained Sellers' rank as an entertainment talent, so it only makes sense that he became Clouseau's heir apparent for the inevitable screen resurrection. This updated story of the priceless eponymous diamond purloined under mysterious circumstance and pursued with Keystone Cop-like antics by Clouseau is a frivolous yet winning pastiche of physical gags and riffs on Clouseau's hilariously impenetrable accent. A famous French football coach (Jason Statham in cameo mode) is wearing the stone, set as an engagement ring for his pop star fiance (Beyonce Knowles). But before a packed stadium crowd of thousands, the ring disappears from his finger as he falls dead from a poisoned dart. The wisp of a plot is secondary to the pratfalls of Martin's prim, prissy, and utterly inept Clouseau. He's brought onto the case by France's top cop (a drolly sophisticated Kevin Kline) who wants Clouseau to fail in a scheme to make himself a national hero. Even in a world where jokes about Viagra, flatulence and other familiar sophomoric subjects are required, Martin makes his Clouseau singularly memorable. You'll be fully expecting Clouseau to shatter priceless antiques, mangle his pronunciations (hamburger, anyone?), and prevail in the end, but Martin carries it off, giving homage to Sellers at the same time that he remakes the character in his own image as a comic master. --Ted Fry
The Pink Panther (Special Edition) Reviews:
A Decent Remake 
2009-11-10 - While most remakes fall flat for either being too different or just ripping off the original, this one is unique in that is different enough to be its own. Steve Martin does an excellent job, admirably taking over for the great Peter Sellers. The accent is his own and is very different from Sellers. Though I do like some of the references to the older films like Clouseau and the globe and the trouble his accent can get him into. Instead of manserveant Cato (we live in PC times, though Jackie Chan was considered), we get fellow lawman Ponton, played by Jean Reno, who is a good substitute character. Beyonce is also very good in this, proving, like Queen Latifah, that SOME singers can act. The only character who doesn't get any justice is Chief Inspector Dreyfuss. Though Kevin Kline does a fine job in the role, they've heavily changed how the character was. Instead of going increasingly insane and wanting to kill Clouseau with a passion, all this version does is try and show him up and humiliate him. Though seeing as how this and its sequel are marketed more towards kids than the originals (though plenty of innuendo abound in both), today's parents might find Dreyfuss' deteriorating mental state a little disturbing for their kids. The gags are quite funny, though Clouseau inspecting the room for spies gets and the fart joke is tedious (aren't they all). Christophe Beck does quite well with Mancini's classic theme though I do think its a little over used. While Mancini mainly used it during suspense scenes, Beck seems to use it whenever he pleases.
Trying a bit to hard... 
2009-11-02 - Im not really a fan of Steve Martin and I think thats why I didnt loved this movie. It was good and Id recommend watching it but it could've been better. It was almost as if they tried too hard to make it funny and the end result was a bit corny, but its worth a watch. I found myself laughing intensely at some scenes
Too funny
2009-09-12 - If you need a laugh, please watch this movie. Steve Martin does a good job as the lead character.
Tickles me 
2009-07-13 - There are two things that you should know:
1) I rarely buy movies since I usually watch a movie once but this one I purchased after seeing it the first time.
2) I rarely laugh out loud -- I tend to be a silent chuckler and I laughed harder through this movie than any other one I can think of.
I told my daughter when I am old and gray and sitting in the nursing home, please bring this movie and watch it with me -- I will need it at that point! I have never seen the Peter Seller's version so just evaluated this on what was before me versus what I expected. This movie is hilarious. Steve Martin is wonderful and can make me laugh just by looking at the camera. There are two scenes in particular that tickled my funny bone -- the "SmartCar scene" and the "Hamburger scene". Both of these are just clean, hilarious fun. Not high-brow entertainment but they kept me smiling many days after viewing.
Well worth the time and money.
Actually, It Isn't Bad
2009-06-19 -
The original Peter Sellers "Pink Panther" episodes were before my time. So, I really can't make a comparison here.
But that said, this movie is certainly good for a few laughs and there are enough serious elements to prevent it from becoming an utter farce. (Not to mention a sub plot on corruption as well as deception.)
A murder takes place at a soccer match in France. Chief Inspector Kline sees this as a chance to win a public service award that he has been nominated for several times, but never actually won. His plot is to put the bumbling Clouseau on the case. (He feels that Clouseau will bumble along, accomplish nothing, and buy time for Kline to uncover the murder.)
While Clouseau certainly bumbles throughout the story, we see that he is not exactly an utter idiot either. For one thing, Beyonce's boyfriend was the murder victim at the soccer match. And a jealous x boyfriend is a major suspect. But Clouseau knows that this is just a little too obvious.
I don't want to say too much and possibly ruin the movie for those of you who haven't seen it. But at about the 2/3 point, the movie stops being funny. And while we may have been laughing at Clouseau's bumbling throughout the movie, we are moved into deep sympathy for him when he is framed and hounded by the corrupt Kline.
Granted, we may understand Kline's frustration at his repeated coming close to a coveted award, but never actually getting it. But his actions against Clouseau were not only cruel, but they were illegal as well. (Arranging for him to have a suitcase full of weapons at the airport.)
But here the movie gets interesting. Through a number of seemingly bad clues he obtained throughout the movie, Clouseau is able to find out what is really going on. This leads to a climactic chase and final confrontation where we are cheering for the detective we once laughed at.
(So, first we were laughing at Clouseau; then we were moved into sympathy for him; and finally, we are cheering him on. GREAT!)
To top it off, it is virtually impossible not to enjoy it when Clouseau's corrupt boss gets a major comeuppance. We may have seen Clouseau as a bumbler for sometime, but in one of the last scenes, we can certainly smile and give a sarcastic: "Oops."
I'm sure many Peter Sellers fans will be reluctant to accept Steve Martin in the role. But that said, the movie is not bad.
I've seen Steve Martin in a few roles, and I consider this one of his best.
