GA Russell Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 Blake Edwards died yesterday. Although best known for his movies, he made this contribution to dramatic fiction: He was the first modern writer who created a private eye who got along swell with the police. Prior to him, there was usually friction between the private detective and the police. His first work in this regard was Richard Diamond on the radio with Dick Powell. He later took the same idea to television with Peter Gunn. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blake_Edwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 G'bye Blake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 Eugh. Another one whose work I always found to be horribly overrated. I'm a HUGE Peter Sellers fan, and I NEVER liked any of the "Pink Panther" films. I'm a huge Truman Capote AND Audrey Hepburn fan, and I HATE what Edwards did to "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Never saw a single Edwards film that I liked. I found him crude in the extreme. Rest in Peace, though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 Once again Al is alone on some island. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Kart Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 There are scenes in "A Shot in the Dark" that never fail to make me laugh, at times to the point of tears -- especially Clouseau in the English country house, the sequence that begins with him on the parallel bars, after which he quizzes everyone while becoming entangled in a suit of armor. And leave us not forget the genius of Herbert Lom as Inspector Dreyfus. Farewell, Mr. Edwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFrank Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 This is Terry Gibbs orchestra with Henry Mancini and Steve Allen. The year is 1983. "Peter Gunn" is the music with "solo's" by Pete Candoli, Conte Candoli, Carl Fontana, Jerome Richardson, and Plas Johnson. Pete did the series and the original theme with Henry Mancini years before. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dechpnavTyA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 Once again Al is alone on some island. Evidently... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 There are scenes in "A Shot in the Dark" that never fail to make me laugh, at times to the point of tears -- especially Clouseau in the English country house, the sequence that begins with him on the parallel bars, after which he quizzes everyone while becoming entangled in a suit of armor. And leave us not forget the genius of Herbert Lom as Inspector Dreyfus. Farewell, Mr. Edwards. Again, I'm a huge Sellers fan, yet the Clouseau movies have always left me cold. Part of it, I think, is that Sellers was such a brilliant verbal comedian (the guy got his start in RADIO for Christ's sake), but his physical comedy just wasn't that funny. And as the Pink Panther series dragged on, the films relied more and more on pratfalls and silly fight scenes. I mean, how many times can one watch Inspector Clouseau trip over something or drop the thing he was holding? And Herbert Lom was very funny, but the joke of Dreyfus getting more and more obsessed with getting rid of Clouseau got old REALLY fast... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 There are scenes in "A Shot in the Dark" that never fail to make me laugh, at times to the point of tears -- especially Clouseau in the English country house, the sequence that begins with him on the parallel bars, after which he quizzes everyone while becoming entangled in a suit of armor. And leave us not forget the genius of Herbert Lom as Inspector Dreyfus. Farewell, Mr. Edwards. I think a good bit of the credit for the success of A Shot In The Dark is William Peter Blatty's screenplay, it's airtight. I like many of Blake's films. He had a hit or miss career, the good ones usually being quite memorable and the bad ones quite dreadful. But I think there are some gems to be found in his filmography. Operation Petticoat Experiment in Terror Days Of Wine And Roses A Shot In The Dark The Party The Return Of The Pink Panther plus several that are at least moderately amusing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 'The Party" is a masterpiece. Worthy of Buster Keaton's best films. Also have very strong feelings for the qualities of 'Days of Wine and Roses'. Thank you, Blake Edwards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupe Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 I consider "The Party" to be one of the three greatest comedies of all times that I had the chance to see. It's still physically painful for me to watch it. On the other side, "The days of wine and roses" is a masterpiece, the kind of movie that stopped being produced in the last 30 years. A devastating look on alcoholism inside an amazing film atmosphere and photography. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejp626 Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 Tati-inspired or not, I hated The Party. But the first two Pink Panther films are ace. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Goren. Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 I didnt know he was married to Julie Andrews. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyJazz Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 Eugh. Another one whose work I always found to be horribly overrated. I'm a HUGE Peter Sellers fan, and I NEVER liked any of the "Pink Panther" films. I'm a huge Truman Capote AND Audrey Hepburn fan, and I HATE what Edwards did to "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Never saw a single Edwards film that I liked. I found him crude in the extreme. Rest in Peace, though... Crude, sure. Try his underrated "S.O.B.". I recall laughing pretty hard in the movie theater when that one came out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmonahan Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 This is Terry Gibbs orchestra with Henry Mancini and Steve Allen. The year is 1983. "Peter Gunn" is the music with "solo's" by Pete Candoli, Conte Candoli, Carl Fontana, Jerome Richardson, and Plas Johnson. Pete did the series and the original theme with Henry Mancini years before. Listening and watching this, I'm reminded again--as if I need reminding--of what an incredibly brilliant trombonist Carl Fontana was. I'm with MartyJazz on "SOB." I think it's one of Edwards's best films. RIP. gregmo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted December 17, 2010 Report Share Posted December 17, 2010 Blake Edwards died yesterday. Although best known for his movies, he made this contribution to dramatic fiction: He was the first modern writer who created a private eye who got along swell with the police. Prior to him, there was usually friction between the private detective and the police. His first work in this regard was Richard Diamond on the radio with Dick Powell. He later took the same idea to television with Peter Gunn. http://en.wikipedia....i/Blake_Edwards The Richard Diamond series is regularly aired on XM's Old Time Radio station, and the writing that Edwards did for that show is amazing -- just funny, fast paced, and top-notch all the way. I always try to catch it when it comes on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stereojack Posted December 18, 2010 Report Share Posted December 18, 2010 Edwards was inconsistent - "Experiment in Terror" and "Days of Wine and Roses" are top notch. Some of the later comedies are forgettable. We should always be thankful that he gave Henry Mancini the opportunity to write so much great music! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted December 18, 2010 Report Share Posted December 18, 2010 We should always be thankful that he gave Henry Mancini the opportunity to write so much great music! Damn straight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Kart Posted December 18, 2010 Report Share Posted December 18, 2010 That Fontana solo is ridiculous! Notice the trumpeter behind him digging it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.