Psychedelic Pink - The Pink Panther

Psychedelic Pink - Pink Panther

I did not grow up on Pink Panther. Maybe because Nickelodeon aired more Looney Tunes or maybe because I gravitated towards Looney Tunes. I only started watching the Pink Panther cartoons when they began airing them on Toon in with Me on MeTV. I first saw this cartoon when they first aired it on Toon in with Me.

The cartoon often features a subdued laugh track that was commonly added for television in the 60s. I grew up on Scooby-Doo and sitcoms so that doesn't bother me but others might find it bothersome. The Pink Panther YouTube channel features both the laugh track free version and the version with canned laughter. The Psychedelic Pink featured in one of the compilations has no laugh track. The stand alone short has a laugh track. The short works better without the laugh track. 

I think this is one of the best because the distorted reality of the Pink Panther is further distorted by psychedelia.

Plot

The Pink Panther gets hypnotized to enter the Bizarre Book Shop. There he gets recommended a saucy book by the Little Man. Then the usual Pink Panther hijinks ensue until the twist ending.

The Writer

Jim Ryan wrote this short. He wrote for many projects through out his career including Pink Panther cartoons and the Scooby-Doo franchise. He wrote Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf and Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers.

The Director

Hawley Pratt was the co-creator of the Pink Panther. If you like Looney Tunes or Pink Panther cartoons, you have probably seen the work of Pratt. He worked with Friz Freleng at Warner Bros Studios and later at the DePatie-Freleng Enterprises.

Aesthetics

The cartoon drew inspiration from the psychedelic art movement. The style reflects the the colors, the lettering and patterns scene in the art style. If this style speaks to you, I would point you towards the work of artists like Gary Grimshaw, Wes Wilson and Bonnie McClean. 

The events of the story also embrace the title. The plot moves along like free association. Out of the way things happen but nothing feels out of place. The fact that the book the panther is trying to read is a dirty book is really funny.