'The Pink Panther' "Pink is Many a Splintered Thing" (1968)
Opening thoughts: 'Pink is a Many Splintered Thing' is the fifty third Pink Panther cartoon and is another very good cartoon. A few previous cartoons did disappoint, namely 'Shocking Pink', 'Reel Pink' and 'Pink Valiant', but there were also some truly great ones including 'Pinkadilly Circus' from the 1968 batch. 'Pink is a Many Splintered Thing' is not one of the best Pink Panther cartoons, but it is still very good none the less, another very solid effort in a pretty strong batch of cartoons up to this stage, and was actually very close to great because of its many good things being so good.
Bad things: Admittedly the story is one with not many surprises and it is very slight.
Did think too that the ending is rather strange, thought so when younger and my feelings are the same.
Good things: However, everything else works really well. The animation is colourful and carefully if simply drawn. The jazzy orchestration in the music is still a treat to listen to, and the theme tune still hasn't lost its infectious classic status no matter how many times you hear it.
Moreover, the gags are great and never less than amusing, the gags with the bees are the most effective. The pacing doesn't lull in any way, and while the supporting characters are well-characterised and appealing Pink steals the show, funny and cool and you sympathise with him too, not in a while has he been the butt of the joke when for a long time he's been the crafty one.
Closing thoughts: In summation, very well done, fun and entertaining.
8/10.
