Pink Panther

[Mr. Big]

Anyone have opinions on the "Pink Panther" shorts? Or the DePatie-Freleng cartoons in general?

I love the '60s Panther shorts. Nice layouts, great timing, and funny moments, courtesy of John Dunn, who wrote most of them. The best ones were directed by Hawley Pratt, although there were good ones from Friz Freleng and Art Davis, too. Unfortunately it really went downhill in the '70s. Hawley Pratt retired and Art Davis left the studio, leaving Gerry Chiniquy to direct the majority of the '70s shorts.

Chiniquy was a capable director, having done some good "Inspector" and "Ant & Aardvark" shorts, but he was arguably the weakest director DFE had, and Panthers really suffered when he became the frequently used director in the final years. The animation also suffered, too. DFE's shorts were always low-budget and limited, but the animation still looked better than whatever was on Saturday Morning in the 1960s. By the mid-70s, however, they looked just like Saturday Morning shows that was given big screen release.

But collectively I still admire the DFE studios and their best outputs. They also deserve kudos for being the last studio to make theatrical cartoons, lasting all the way up to 1979. The only other theatrical studio to make it into the seventies was Walter Lantz, who finally shut down in 1972.

I like some of their other series, too. "Inspector", "Ant & Aardvark", "Tijuana Toads", and "Blue Racer" (at least the ones directed by Art Davis) in particular.

[Avaitor]

I'm not too familiar with the Pink Pnather/DFE shorts, but I've liked what I've seen of them.

Agree on there being nice layouts, even if the designs and animation aren't as appealing, and the timing is pretty good overall in all I've seen.

Any particular favorites to recommend?

[Mr. Big]

Any particular favorites to recommend?

Here are some that stands out for me.

The Pink Phink - first one in the series.
Dial "P" for Pink
Bully for Pink
Pink, Plunk, Plink (complete with Henry Mancini's cameo)
Pink A Boo
Sky Blue Pink
Psychedelic Pink (a take on the hippie lifestyle)
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Pink
The Pink Package Plot
Extinct Pink
Pink Campaign (one of the few late '70s short that I enjoy)
The Pink Pro (ditto)

As far as the Inspector is concerned, the ones written by John Dunn are the best. "Great DeGaulle Stone Operation", "Plastered in Paris", "That's No Lady - That's Notre Dame", "Sicque! Sicque! Sicque!", "Transylvania Mania", etc. The Jim Ryan-penned ones I would personally avoid, although "London Derriere" is okay.

As for others...

Hurts and Flowers (Roland & Rattfink)
Hasty But Tasty (Ant & Aardvark)
Technology, Phooey (Ant & Aardvark)
Dune Bug (Ant & Aardvark)
Odd Ant Out (Ant & Aardvark)
Don't Hustle an Ant with Muscle (Ant & Aardvark)
Scratch a Tiger (Ant & Aardvark)
Science Friction (Ant & Aardvark)
Tijuana Toads (the pilot short)
A Pair of Greenbacks (Toads)
Go For Croak (Toads)
The Froggy Froggy Duo (Toads)
Hop and Chop (Toads)
Never on Thirsty (Toads)
Snake in the Gracias (Toads)
Mud Squad (Toads)
Support Your Local Serpent (Blue Racer)
Camera Bug (Blue Racer)
The Boa Friend (Blue Racer)
Apache on the County Seat (Hoot Kloot)

[Avaitor]

Haha, that's a lot.

Thanks though. I'll get onto watching some of these later.

[Mr. Big]

Thought I'd link this. This is one of the early Pink Panther cartoons Freleng directed. In the beginning they had other characters speak before deciding to keep the cartoons pantomime.

Anyway, this one has Mel Blanc doing voices.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN3TINolJhM

[Angus]

Lots of great ones in the Classic collection on Netflix, yeah Mel Blanc would occasionally voice. Great late night viewing on Cartoon Network.

[Daikun]

R.I.P. David DePatie