Pink Panther tops US box office ( Steve Martin Makes Inspector Clouseau his own )

BBC ^ | 02/13/2006 | BBC NEWS

[SirLinksalot]

Pink Panther tops US box office

A new version of The Pink Panther starring Steve Martin has topped the North American box office chart.

The comedy made $21.7m (£12.4m) in its opening weekend, with Martin reprising Peter Sellers' 1963 role as the bungling Inspector Jacques Clouseau.

Horror film Final Destination 3 was second with $20.1m (£11.5m), box office tracker Exhibitor Relations said.

It was followed by two more new films - animated movie Curious George at three and Harrison Ford thriller Firewall.

The Pink Panther, which co-stars singer Beyonce Knowles, topped the US chart despite poor reviews.

NORTH AMERICA BOX OFFICE

1. The Pink Panther

2. Final Destination 3

3. Curious George

4. Firewall

5. When a Stranger Calls

Source: Exhibitor Relations

It is a prequel to Peter Sellers' original movie of the same name, which spawned three sequels in the 1970s.

Another horror movie which topped last week's chart, When a Stranger Calls, fell to fifth place.

Outside North America, Steven Spielberg's thriller Munich lost its place at the top of the international box office chart to Les Bronzes 3: Amis Pour La Vie, Hollywood Reporter said.

The French movie is the third in a series of comedies about a group of friends on holiday.

[AZRepublican]

I love Steve, but he is NO Peter Sellers.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

I see the "blockbuster" Brokeback Mountain isn't even in the top five. And seeing the rest of the list elsewhere reveals that the other "important" films of the year, "Munich," "Good Night and Good Luck", "Capote" and "Transamerica" are likewise nowhere to be seen.

Meanwhile, former leading man, turned Bush-basher and Polanski apologist, Harrison Ford's latest flick is underperforming, coming in third to a remake and a horror sequel.

[pikachu]

My favorite of the series is still 'A Shot in the Dark'. Maria Gambrella is innocent!

[madtier1]

steve was ok as a stand-up comic in the late 70's but as an actor he is not too good...

my opinion, that is

[Charles Martel]

Up 'til now, every review I've seen of this film has been extremely negative. This article must be from the bearded-Spock universe.

[SirLinksalot]

Here is the USA TODAY's review of the movie. As long as you are willing to forget Peter Sellers and give the franchise a fresh new start ( like the James Bond series, where people gave Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan a chance without comparing them to Sean Connery), I think it just might work...

-------------------------------------------------

Martin bumbles into fun

By Mike Clark, USA TODAY

The Pink Panther * * * out of four Stars:

Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, Beyonce Knowles, Jean Reno, Emily Mortimer, Clive Owen (unbilled)

Director: Shawn Levy

Distributor: Columbia

Rating: PG for occasional crude and suggestive humor and language

Running time: 1 hour, 33 minutes Opens today nationwide

Think of his two recent Cheaper by the Dozens atop two Father of the Brides— or quadruple-barreled pabulum. Then pile on Bringing Down the House plus the outright atrocity that was Sgt. Bilko. And you know what?

It's tough to see much red about a new version of The Pink Panther when the mostly ill-used titan Steve Martin is finally back in substantial form, taking on Peter Sellers' most "owned" role. At the very least, it's no desecration to see Martin take a flying leap (multiple, actually) at playing French police Inspector Jacques Clouseau, from director Blake Edwards' revered Panther series. (Related story: Beyonce is pretty in 'Pink')

There, I said it.

A French soccer coach gets murdered publicly here as a "Pink Panther" diamond is stolen. But, as ever, the casualties that matter are all Clouseau victims: logic, the English language and antagonized police chief Charles Dreyfus.

Transforming Clouseau's perennial nemesis into a more urbane smoothie, Kevin Kline delivers like a pro — though his performance is dwarfed by memories of Herbert Lom, who originated the role, and his degrading descents into foamy lips and straitjackets. Highest marks in the foil department go to Jean Reno as a stolidly confused Clouseau colleague and Emily Mortimer (perfectly adorable) as a dizzy morale-booster. The movie's ringer is Beyoncé Knowles as one of the zillion suspects. As with Fran Jeffries in the first Panther pic, Knowles' big number is good for some chanteuse-y hot-cha!

But her benumbed performance isn't helped by a self-conscious tendency to laugh affectionately at Clouseau's antics.

The script, co-written by its star, is often clever. But the big questions are Martin vs. Sellers and (this Pink's director) Shawn Levy vs. Edwards. Forget the second matchup: It's no contest. Edwards brought a widescreen distinction (both in décor and actor movement) that is cavernously missing in this entry. Some of screen history's most violent sight gags played off Edwards' visual elegance (kind of like Jerry Lewis mandating that much of his own slapstick be done in a tux).

But even if you give Sellers the edge in facial expressions, Martin is his equal in mangled verbiage. Martin's mouthings probably aren't for everyone. But I suspect the same people who'll resist them would have panned the original films. (Some of us took names.)

Though retreading screen traditions is among current movies' most odious practices, the newly clawed Panther makes me guffaw — though I won't go to the mat defending it. Except on one count: Take away 1999's Bowfinger, and this is the first prototypical Martin comedy in years.

[SirLinksalot]

Up 'til now, every review I've seen of this film has been extremely negative. This article must be from the bearded-Spock universe.

Actually there are more positive ratings than negative ratings for this movie.

Go to this site :

http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=pinkpanther05.htm

64% of those who reviewed the film gave it a rating of A or B and above. 23% gave it an F.

I suspect it is because most of those who saw the film compared it to Peter Seller's matchless portrayal of Clouseau ( this is very much the same as every portrayl of the King in any Broadway remake of the Kign and I. Every one who plays the King gets to be compared with Yul Bryner ).

However as I said, every generation has to portray a character in its own fresh new way. Sean Connery can't be James Bond forever. Hence, we've gotta give men like Roger Moore and then Pierce Brosnan after him a chance ( and they did justice to the role of Bond ). In this sense, I believe Steve Martin really has made Clouseau his own for this current generation.

[hattend]

So, did the reviewer like it or not? I don't think he even knows.

[SirLinksalot]

So, did the reviewer like it or not? I don't think he even knows.

If you're talking about the USA TODAY review, obviously the answer is "YES". He gave it 3 stars.

[linda_22003]

Has anyone here seen it? The previews on TV are toe-curling, they're so horrible.

[GAB-1955]

I had the pleasure of seeing the Martin remake this weekend. Steve Martin is not Peter Sellers, but he provides his Inspector Clouseau with a bumbling dignity that is reminiscent of Sellers, but is not his. It is funny. Kevin Kline also does well as his supervisor -- but Beyonce Knowles should not act. Ever.

[Xenalyte]

every generation has to portray a character in its own fresh new way.

There's no "has to" about it. This generation could perhaps try something original, instead of tired and tiring remakes.

[SirLinksalot]

This generation could perhaps try something original, instead of tired and tiring remakes.

Well, if I follow your reasoning, this means that we should not remake King Kong, not do James Bond, not do Pride and Prejudice, etc. not have artists do their own rendition of classic old songs ????

[Xenalyte]

Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Remakes are proof that you don't have original ideas.

[camle]

definitly should not have made King Kong. Peter Jackson should have made "The Hobbit" to crown his successful LOTR trilogy.

I do hope he's doing just that now.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Personally, I think they cast this movie backwards. After "a Fish Called Wanda," I would think that Kevin Kline would have been an incredible Clousseau.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Well, if I follow your reasoning, this means that we should not remake King Kong

Other than a chance fo "better" special effects, there was, in fact, no reason to remake King Kong.

It was remade in the 60s, the 70s and now 2005. How many remakes of it do we need?

[Behind Liberal Lines]

but Beyonce Knowles should not act. Ever

I actually thought she did an OK job in the Austin Powers -Goldmember movie. She was no Meryl Streep, but was no worse than ninety percent of the other actresses out there.

[snarks_when_bored]

The inimitable Peter Sellers:

"I am from the telephone company. There is something the matter with your phone."