A Cool Pink Panther DVD Collection
In honor of the 40th anniversary of THE PINK PANTHER franchise, and with Steve Martin's Inspector Clouseau just around the corner along with a new animated look for the sleek panther, the April 6, 2004 DVD release of THE PINK PANTHER COLLECTION (MGM Home Ent., $69.96) couldnt be more welcome. In addition to five of the six Peter Sellers films that comprise the UA package on this six-disc set - THE PINK PANTHER, A SHOT IN THE DARK, THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN, REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER and TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER - there's a treasure trove of extras on the bonus disc:
"The Pink Panther Story" doc with all kinds of background and info from director Blake Edwards, producer Walter Mirisch and various historians; "Behind the Feline: The Cartoon Phenomenon," an equally informative doc on the history of the cartoon franchise spawned from the animated main title sequence by DePatie-Freleng, featuring reminiscences from Panther creator David DePatie; and a collection of award-winning cartoons, including "The Pink Phink," "Pink, Plunk, Plink," "Psychedelic Pink," "Pinkfinger," "The Ant and the Aardvark" and "The Great De Gaulle Stone Operation."