True, there is no “Kato” character but Jean Reno’s character is meant to fill that void. The preview shows Clouseau informing his new partner (Gendarme Ponton, Reno’s character) to expect surprise attacks to keep him on his toes. Clouseau then tries to give Ponton a Judo chop to the neck, which Ponton counters with a punch to the face.
FACT: One good Steve Martin movie is worth the entire Pink Panther franchise combined.
The worst that he can do is make something on par with the originals, IMO.
You know, I made a mistake and bought the Pink Panther box. It really was kinda painful in many ways and I discovered, yet again, that some fond memories of movies and tv shows are better left as memories. Sellers is very, very good, of course. But the movies suck. Not the least bit coherent, clumsy direction and awkward scripts. They really are just loose narratives to set up Sellers’ gags.
And Beyoncé… Well, it isn’t as if Edwards didn’t bring in starlets / models without acting skills, just to have some eye candy on the screen. Capucine, Dyan Cannon and Lesley-Anne Down aren’t exactly known for their stellar performances.
As for Martin. Yeah, he’s made a bunch of crap. He’s made some good stuff too. I wish he’d turn to darker parts. He was excellent as the villain in “The Spanish Prisoner”.
I like Steve Martin a lot. I really liked him in All of Me. I think he might do well…and I found the original Pink Panther to be pretty boring (but I watched it as an adult, years after it came out, maybe that’s why it never charmed me).
I hear they’re threatning to do a remake of this.
Just as an aside there is no Kato in the original Pink Panther, either. He was added as comic relief in the SECOND Inspector Clouseau movie, A Shot in the Dark, which is the film that is REALLY responsible for most of the ‘classic’ Panther style, including the obsessed (to the point of homicide) Commissioner/Chief Inspector Dreyfus, Kato/Cato, and Clouseau’s penchant for bizarre disguises.
Also let us not forget that the first non-Sellers Inspector Clouseau film was in 1968, and called, oddly enough, Inspector Clouseau, with Alan Arkin in the role of the Inspector, and Bud Yorkin directing. Didn;t go over very well.
That probably had a lot to do with the fact that Arkin sucks.
The last time he did a good movie?
Novocaine (2001)
Good movies he’s done since L.A. Story?
Housesitter
Leap of Faith
Spanish Prisoner
Bowfinger
Joe Gould’s Secret
And I’m very much looking forward to Shop Girl, which he wrote based on his own novel.
Beyonce is at least as talented as Cappucine.
As has been mentioned already (to those who rediscovered the original Pink Panther only to find out it wasn’t very good) the Pink Panther movie that is the Pink Panther movie is actually the first sequel, A Shot in The Dark.
shudder *Threatening * is a good word. The scene where he first gets her in him, the two-body thing, where he’s shuffling up the sidewalk - that was pure genius.
I watched the trailer for this on the Apple site. Ho … ly … shit. The original Sellers movies were no masterpieces, but this just looks to be an ordeal.
Not only that, it’s going to be a vehicle for Wanda Sykes in the Lily Tomlin role. The Steve Martin role doesn’t seem to have been cast yet. I can’t think of anyone who could really save it so they might as well go all out and get Robin Williams or Jim Carrey. If you’re going to stage a trainwreck you might as well get the biggest trains.
Won’t somebody think of the children?
which in turn is a remake of Bedtime Story (1964), starring David Niven and Brando. What goes around comes around.
This update is to announce one thing:
The release date for this film, which had previously been set for August, has been moved back to February.
Any idea who will take the Richard Benjamin role? He was hilarious, IMO.
(And versatile. I once saw him do Shakespeare in the Park).
“Backinbowl?”
“Backinbowl.”
“Backinbowl?”
“Backinbowl!!”
Usually not a good sign when they push a film so far back.
Richard Libertini was in All of Me, I have no idea who you saw doing Shakespeare in the park.
You misspelled cappucino, but yeah, a cup of coffee is about right.
Not only that, but stuff released that early in the year is usually garbage.