BS: New Pink Panther movie?

Subject: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 07:55 PM

I have viewed a few clips from the forthcoming Pink Panther remake with Steve Martin. It looks to me like it's going to be an absolute turkey. I mean seriously unfunny. Anybody else care to make a prediction?

Their idea of replacing the hapless Kato (long-suffering Japanese assistant who is required to endure sudden unexpected attacks from his employer and to launch same)...replacing Kato with a calm, efficient, masterful fellow who beats Clouseau to the punch every time...is just not funny. Well, it's a teeny bit funny once. After that? Forget it.

What were they thinking of? You cannot generate lengthy and hilarious slapstick fight scenes and destroy a lot of props and scenery with fights that don't even get past the first punch, for God's sake!

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:00 PM

We agree.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: artbrooks
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:02 PM

For one thing, IMHO, anything with Steve Martin is destined to be an absolute turkey. As a general rule, I tend to think that most remakes fail to match the original, but Martin plays all of his characters as moronic buffoons, and Peter Sellers' Inspector Clouseau was a genuinely funny individual.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:03 PM

I never thought that the originals were very funny either. I tried watching them a few years ago and felt that they did not hold up over time.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:07 PM

What I loved about the original Clouseau was his sumblime arrogance, even in the face of total disaster...coupled with his genuine and ardent desire to heriocally do his duty, please people, solve the crime, and be a brilliant sleuth. He was at once both pompous and genuinely tragic. You couldn't help but sympathize with him.

I don't think the Steve Martin Clouseau is going to be easy to sympathize with.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Cluin
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:17 PM

Peter Sellers could pull it off because he made you believe in the innocence and naivte of his character.

Steve Martin's forte lies elsewhere. His comedy is too tongue-in-cheek for Clouseau, I think. He was great in the remake of "Father of the Bride", though. And in "Parenthood". And in "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid".

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:21 PM

That's exactly it, Cluin. It was Clouseau's complete innocence that made him so lovable. He was a totally sincere man with absolutely not one grain of good judgement or correct timing.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:25 PM

And Sellers was wonderful at playing such hapless yet sincere individuals, like Chauncy Butler in "Being There" or the Indian actor in "The Party".

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Cluin
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:26 PM

I agree, LH.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Cluin
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:26 PM

You bastard.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:30 PM

I don't know what you mean? My familial legitimacy is beyond question. I am a direct descendent of the Duke of Wellington and am a fifth cousin of Penelople Rutledge of Twillingsgate. My antecedents are of only the finest British stock. You wound me, sir.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Cluin
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:34 PM

I agree.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:46 PM

It sounds like a dreadful idea. The idea of making a new Clouseau movie in itself sounds silly. A bit like setting out to make a new Marx Brothers movie.

But as for picking Steve Martin to play the Inspector, that's just stupid. You might as well use William Shatner.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Anonny Mouse
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:48 PM

Frankly, I like Steve Martin and don't think anything he's in is going to be a turkey...surely some were (like "Pennies from Heaven"--yech). However, I too saw some clips from the new Panther "epic". Steve is no Peter Sellers. Far too broad a comic, and I agree-I think the new "Panther" will likely tank.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 08:49 PM

WHOA!

What an idea.......

If we could knock 85 lbs off him...and get some plastic surgery...and see if he can master the accent...

Hmmm. I think this is workable. I really do.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 11:34 PM

The problem with resurrecting a character who's closely identified with a specific actor is that if the moviemaker casts someone who's style is too different from the role's former portrayer he gets accused of blasphemy, but if he casts someone too similar he gets accused of pandering and lack of imagination. Any of the Monty Python gang would have been closer to Peter Sellers' Clouseau than Steve Martin, but it would have invited criticism from a different quarter.

I question why they'd choose to resurrect Clouseau in the first place. Why not have a new Inspector who is Clouseau's successor? Then they'd be able to duck the comparisons with Sellers entirely.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Kaleea
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 11:57 PM

how 'bout Son of Pink Panther?

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: JennieG
Date: 05 Feb 06 - 11:59 PM

"A berm? Were you expecting a berm?"

Love that line!

Sellers was wonderful in the role, he excelled at playing the simple person without toppling over into playing him as a simpleton.

Is the new movie using the original Henry Mancini music?

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 06 Feb 06 - 12:05 AM

Yes, I think it is. That won't save it.

I called up Shatner, and asked about McGrath's idea. He laughed. "Naw....let Steve Martin make an ass of himself. Then let it sit for a bit...say...five years. Then I'll do it. Only I'll cast it in a futuristic setting, in the year 2025."

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Beer
Date: 06 Feb 06 - 07:20 AM

No one could ever replace Peter Sellers. Including Robin Williams or anyone else. Peter Sellers was Peter Sellers a truly great in his own right.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Peter T.
Date: 06 Feb 06 - 07:42 AM

Actually, John Cleese is perhaps the only person who could have done it. Basil Fawlty is the same kind of dangerous innocent, though far too manic for Inspector Clouseau. But he might have brought a different kind of derangement to the part.

I saw the Panther films some time ago, and after the first two they are seriously downhill.

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 06 Feb 06 - 01:05 PM

That's true. The first two were the best. People kept going to the sequels merely because they enjoyed seeing an old friend again. That's what usually happens with such character parts. They overdid the stuff about his increasingly deranged police boss, the chief inspector, and it just got ridiculous after awhile. They should have gone for entirely new characters for Clouseau to tangle with instead.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 06 Feb 06 - 02:15 PM

I think Steve Martin will be as fondly remembered as Alan Arkin's version of Clousseau.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Beer
Date: 06 Feb 06 - 03:24 PM

Anyone recall a movie that Peter Sellers commits suicide by sticking his arms into a potato bag and slices his wrists?

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Cluin
Date: 06 Feb 06 - 05:57 PM

Lotsa yuks there.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: gnu
Date: 06 Feb 06 - 08:14 PM

Does your dog bite?

The new telephone book is here!

I rest my case.

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Cluin
Date: 06 Feb 06 - 08:26 PM

"Does your dog bite?" was from The Pink Panther Strikes Again, not one of the original 2 movies. They were ALL great!

Subject: RE: BS: New Pink Panther movie?
From: Cluin
Date: 06 Feb 06 - 08:29 PM

By the way, Herbert Lom was also a genius in his performance.