MovieChat Forums > A Shot in the Dark (1965) Discussion > IS THIS THE FIRST ONE?

IS THIS THE FIRST ONE?

posted 19 years ago by beds_on_fire
7 replies | jump to latest

or is the pink panther first?

Bond, James Bond

[–] transman66 19 years ago

The Pink Panther came first, A Shot In The Dark was released 6 months later. I think the best way to watch The Pink Panther is to make sure you have the remote control in hand to fast forward through most of the movie, just watch the Peter Sellers scenes (there weren't many) you should be able to watch it in about 30 minutes. After that watch A Shot In The Dark to see a really great movie. Then watch Return of the PP (1975), PP Strikes Again (1976), Revenge of the PP (1978), skip Trail of the PP (1982), watch Curse of the PP (1983), and finally skip Son of the PP (1993). Also try to find the 1968 film with Alan Arkin. Enjoy!!!!

[–] Ultimate007 19 years ago

if you're gonna skip Trail and Son, you may as well skip Curse and 1968's Inspector Clouseau, as well!

i think i object to the idea of fast worwarding through The Pink Panther to get to Sellers' scenes, though... sure there are a few dull scenes, but the story is still quite fascinating... i would have been very interested in a series of Niven films about the Phantom if it had taken off as planned... (though i wouldn't have wanted to trade my Panther films for it!)

therapeuticpink.proboards102.com

[–] Al_Truist80 18 years ago

A Shot in the Dark was completed first but released later, after the success of The Pink Panther. See the Trivia section.

[–] superstitions 18 years ago

A Shot in the Dark was NOT completed first. It was however filming was started before The Pink Panther was released. The Trivia is not correct on this one. Listen to the commentary by Blake Edwards on the Pink Panther DVD for more on this.

[–] night_is_silent 18 years ago

I just read the trivia entry that Chris referred to. Everything I've ever read or heard about The Pink Panther and A Shot in the Dark leads me to agree that the entry is just plain wrong.

[–] ScrambledMess 18 years ago

Yes, it is wrong. I tried to change it but for some reason they just don't accept it.

[–] BijouBob8mm 15 years ago

That SHOT IN THE DARK was filmed prior to THE PINK PANTHER is an old cinematic myth that's been debunked. Blake Edwards, who directed both, should certainly know which one he made first. (And it wasn't SHOT IN THE DARK.)

Following the paper trail....

A SHOT IN THE DARK starting filming in September of 1963, the very same month THE PINK PANTHER was previewed in Hollywood. (Not to be confused with PANTHER's official premiere in March '64.) In addition to studio records, issues of "Daily Variety" and "The Hollywood Reporter" at the time also document SHOT's production information. (Going beyond the starting and stopping dates of each production, also check the dates each script was registered and/or when each completed film was submitted for copyright.) In short, the records show that SHOT IN THE DARK was not made prior to THE PINK PANTHER.

Blake Edwards and Maurice Richlin wrote the PINK PANTHER screenplay in July of 1962, and it was to start production that November until casting changes pushed the start date back to January of 1963. (Also keep in mind that Peter Ustinov was slated to have been Clouseau in THE PINK PANTHER, and Sellers was only brought on board after Ustinov dropped out. Had Sellers already played the part in SHOT, he would not have taken a back seat to Ustinov, there would have been more focus on Clouseau in PANTHER, and we would have seen Inspector Dreyfus and Kato worked into the screenplay, as well.) THE PINK PANTHER had finished filming and sat on the shelf for months before its release, as David DePatie and Friz Freleng kicked around various ideas for the animated titles and the studio planned its marketing campaign for such a unique hybrid of humor and heist.

A SHOT IN THE DARK was originally planned to be a film version of the popular stage play of the same name, to star Peter Sellers. (A play that had nothing to do with either Clouseau or the Pink Panther diamond.) Sellers wasn't happy with how things were going, and Blake Edwards was brought in to keep Sellers on board. Only after Edwards became involved was it decided to rework the property into a vehicle for the Clouseau character.