Genre/Atmosphere

The pink panthers frivolity in the title sequence is captured through the sound, the lighting and the. The music is important in The Return of the Pink Panther as the theme music is extremely well-known and has been used in the likes of Charlie's Angels. Now-a-days when we hear the music we can just visualise the bad sneaking around impersonations.


The idea of the chase after the pink panther is translated in a rather literal sense. In this opening, we see the detective chasing after an actual pink panther, much like in the film he chases after the jewel named "The Pink Panther". To create the humour and the action, the director uses sound. The tone is created by using the Pink Panther music in the background but we can still hear the tap dancing of the pink panther as he shows off. When peoples names come up the music changes slightly to sound more theatre-ish. It is still the same tune, the sound is just more elaborate.


This is very clearly a comedy film. And that is quickly established in this opening sequence. The pink panter has fun goofing around, including dressing up in numerous get-ups, such as Charlie Chaplin, Mickey Mouse, Frankenstein and A Cowboy. This is effective as the characters he dresses up as are comedic icons. As well as just establishing an amusing feel to the movie, the pink panther dressing as these characters also helps us to understand something else about the movie. We watch the detective brush past these characters numerous times without him even noticing that is it the pink panther. This is humourous to the audience as we are in the know and he is not. It also helps us to understand that the detective may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, without actually meeting the real detective. And we pre-conceive the idea that the detective cannot see what is in front of his nose, foreshadowing what is to come in the film. And we know that he will have trouble in the film to find the pink panther diamond.


The sound also helps to accompany the visuals in creating the comedy effect. This is done in several incidences something as simple as the noise accompanying the pink panther as he tip toes across the screen.


Also as there is no dialogue in the title sequence, there is more focus on what is actually going on and every noise has more effect. We are not distracted by trying to listen to what characters are saying and we can appreciate just how well a mood can be conveyed without anything being said. Even the music that plays during the entire sequence has no lyrics to it.


The atmosphere has also been created through the lighting. All of the lighting is pink, due to the title of the Pink Panther. It helps to establish as it is not a serious tone that the director is aiming for as pink is fun and not used to highlight serious tones but rather a lighter one. As there are a lot of examples when lighting is used there is an excessive amount of pink but it works for this movie as it is the Pink Panther and the movie doesn't take itself too seriously.

Preparation

To analyse the opening title sequence of a movie, I have chosen the Return of the Pink Panther as my subject of choice. This particular opening title sequence starts with a pink panther appearing in the midst of bright pink stage lights. The pink panther then produces a pink cane and a pink top hat and starts a grand charade and performance including provocative and flamboyant dancing. The names of the people involved in the film appear in extravagant lights, not dissimilar from what you might find at a well-hyped Broadway show, further creating the atmosphere of the pink panther, that he is a spectacular, show-offy, arrogant, cool character. The pink panther then gets involved in a chase with a dim-witted detective, leading him on an amusing cat-and-mouse pursuit.

This sequence fits into the film as it shows the character of the pink panther. The pink panther in the title sequence is an actual panther (animal) whereas the one in the movie is a diamond. But the pink panther in the title sequence is like that of the diamond thief in the movie, that he is showy with his work and that he leads the detective on a false trail. He is also a very smooth character.  It also shows the main storyline in a brief yet thoroughly entertaining way that makes the audience get involved at an early stage and sets the mood for the movie.

It appealed to me because I find the title sequence very amusing and it is fun to watch and therefore fun to study. I also like the way it relates to the movie and even if it were to be seen on its own I think that it still tells a good story. The way it tells the story of the mischievous pink panther out-witting the daft detective is very humorous.