The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection - Volume 1 ... Guide

Have you picked up Volume 1? Which classic Pink Panther short is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

Audiences loved him more than the movie. By 1964, the silent feline had his own theatrical short, The Pink Phink , which promptly won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

The Panther rarely makes a sound. He doesn't need to. The comedy is purely visual and perfectly synced to Mancini’s swinging score. You watch his eyes dart around a room, see a sly smirk cross his pink lips, and you know a Rube Goldberg-esque disaster is about to befall the Little Man. The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection - Volume 1 ...

Volume 1 captures this lightning-in-a-bottle era, collecting the first 18 theatrical shorts from 1964 to 1966. This isn't the watered-down, Saturday-morning version many of us remember from the 80s; this is the original theatrical Pink Panther, uncut and unapologetically clever. For those keeping score at home, this collection (typically released via Kino Lorber or MGM HD) is a treasure trove. You get the shorts exactly as they were shown in cinemas, complete with the iconic brass-and-bongo intro.

There are certain sounds that are immediately recognizable regardless of your age or where you grew up. The drip of a faucet. The ring of a telephone. And, of course, the sultry, staccato saxophone notes of Henry Mancini’s The Pink Panther Theme . Have you picked up Volume 1

Just be warned: After watching it, you will find yourself walking into a room, hearing four low bass notes in your head, and feeling a sudden urge to paint everything pink.

It is also remarkably sophisticated. There is no violence for violence's sake. The Panther isn't malicious; he is merely opportunistic. If your ladder collapses or your floor tilts, it is because you were trying to trap him first. He is the coolest cat in the room, walking away unscathed as the chaos unfolds behind him. The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection – Volume 1 is a perfect "rainy day" purchase. It is safe for kids (the slapstick is classic and bloodless), but the jazz score and minimalist animation will appeal more to adults who appreciate art history. Audiences loved him more than the movie

★★★★½ (Deducted half a point because 18 shorts fly by way too fast)