Category One: Music

The music in this short 3 minute opening for "The Pink Panther" is used to create a comical tone and atmosphere with the repetitive tune through out the scene and the use of dynamics also adds a mysterious edge to it.

The music opens with the piano playing the main tune, then a saxophone joins the piano as the credits appear on the screen, now with the sax. playing the main tune. String intruments are then used to create a tango feel to the scene along with castanets and piano, the tempo is also slowed down and the tune is slightly altered to make it a tango.

The main sound is the soundtrack because there is no talking, only mime. The music helps to emphasise the emotions on the characters faces. Such as when Inspector Clouseau steps on what he thinks is a burning emeber, his facial expression changes to one that looks like he thinks he is outsmarting the flame. but it changes to shock when his foot falls through the ground. The music slows down in anticipation of the inspector's fall, building a comical suspense as opposed to in a horror or thriller film the volume builds up gradually and the pace quickens. The music is also used as the characters voices and emotions, an example would be when the music changes to a tango to show the love interest in the film, this shows how the  inspector feels about the love interest.

Because there is no talking in this scene the opening also relies on diegetic sound, such as the click of a gun, and the rustling of paper in the breeze. This is to add a more realistic touch to the scene because the opening is a cartoon, and with only music the opening would appear almost dull, and unreal.
The "Pink Panther Theme" helps show us (the viewer) the different personalities of the characters, Inspector Clouseau and the Pink Panther. The music shows us that the pink panther is sneaky and cunning. I said earlier that the music gives a mysterious feeling, it also gives the panther a feeling of cleverness, because you are seeing it continually outsmarting the inspector the music adds to that. The inspector however, is portrayed as a clumsy and stupid character. This is shown to the audience by having the saxophone slide off the end of some of their notes whenever he stumbles or falls.

 The "Pink Panther Theme" is a world famous song, used as school orchestra pieces and even ballet dances, just think if it wasn't for the music in this film, it would have never existed. Henry Macini wrote this theme for the 1963 film of "The Pink Panther" and it was released as a single by RCA Records in 1964, it reached the Top 10 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart and won three Grammy Awards. I think this theme is world famous because it was used in the opening and closing credits for all the films of "The Pink Panther" except  for "A Shot in the Dark" and "Inspector Clouseau". So the use of the theme became popular around the world for teens and others who watched it.