The Pink Panther to me is one of animation's most iconic characters. DePatie-Freleng Enterprises' output was very hit and miss, or at least post-1970 it was, especially the later theatrical series. With hits such as Pink Panther and the Ant and the Aardvark, and duds such as Crazylegs Crane. For me, The Pink Panther on the whole was the studio's best theatrical series, though The Inspector and Ant and the Aardvark ones come close. It did become very variable from the mid-70s onwards, but the 60s-early 70s output contained some of the studio's best work.
1966's 'The Pink Blueprint', the eighteenth Pink Panther cartoon, is another thoroughly enjoyable effort. It is not one of the best Pink Panther outings, and not as good as classics like 'The Pink Phink' and 'The Pink Tail Fly', and there is one major annoyance that should have been excised. It is still a lot of fun though and a good representation of why Pink is wholly deserving of his iconic status and why his theatrical series is the most highly regarded and best known of DePatie-Freleng Enterprises' theatrical series. Which is true of most of the series' early cartoons.
It is predictable at times, with nothing really being new.
A bigger problem though is the canned laughter track, that was always annoying, over-used and pointless in all the small handful of cartoons it featured in in the series and it is all of those things here to distracting effect.
Otherwise, there is much to enjoy. 'The Pink Blueprint' does have some very funny gags, there's a lot of them and a lot of outsmarting and it all works. The ending especially is great. They do help let the cartoon go at a good pace despite a story that could have easily make it do otherwise. The animation style is simple but clean and carefully and beautifully coloured.
Both Pink and the construction worker are well drawn too. The music is fittingly orchestrated and matches the gags and action very nicely, it is also catchy. The theme tune is still infectious even for a theme tune that is as iconic and oft-heard as it is, there are theme tunes around that are so good that they can't get annoying and that is the case with that for the Pink Panther. Pink is cool and funny, and the construction worker works well with him without outshining him.
Overall, an entertaining Pink Panther cartoon but not one of the best or among my favourites from him. 8/10.
1966's 'The Pink Blueprint', the eighteenth Pink Panther cartoon, is another thoroughly enjoyable effort. It is not one of the best Pink Panther outings, and not as good as classics like 'The Pink Phink' and 'The Pink Tail Fly', and there is one major annoyance that should have been excised. It is still a lot of fun though and a good representation of why Pink is wholly deserving of his iconic status and why his theatrical series is the most highly regarded and best known of DePatie-Freleng Enterprises' theatrical series. Which is true of most of the series' early cartoons.
It is predictable at times, with nothing really being new.
A bigger problem though is the canned laughter track, that was always annoying, over-used and pointless in all the small handful of cartoons it featured in in the series and it is all of those things here to distracting effect.
Otherwise, there is much to enjoy. 'The Pink Blueprint' does have some very funny gags, there's a lot of them and a lot of outsmarting and it all works. The ending especially is great. They do help let the cartoon go at a good pace despite a story that could have easily make it do otherwise. The animation style is simple but clean and carefully and beautifully coloured.
Both Pink and the construction worker are well drawn too. The music is fittingly orchestrated and matches the gags and action very nicely, it is also catchy. The theme tune is still infectious even for a theme tune that is as iconic and oft-heard as it is, there are theme tunes around that are so good that they can't get annoying and that is the case with that for the Pink Panther. Pink is cool and funny, and the construction worker works well with him without outshining him.
Overall, an entertaining Pink Panther cartoon but not one of the best or among my favourites from him. 8/10.
