Sherlock’s Classics: Film Review – The Party (1968)

THE PARTY (1968/PG):

Due to a clerical error a bumbling and accident prone Indian film extra ends up being invited to an exclusive Hollywood party instead of being fired.

Following their hugely successful ‘Inspector Clouseau’ collaboration on ‘The Pink Panther’ (1963) and ‘A Shot in the Dark’ (1964), legendary director and co-writer Blake Edwards reteamed with comic great Peter Sellers to create this side-splitting, laugh-out-loud kaleidoscope of gags and Valentine the visual literacy to the early days of cinema.

There’s so much to relish here. Peter Sellers genius for improvisation is given full free reign here by the keen-eyed Edwards, and as a result they have created some of the greatest moments in cinema.

The ‘Toilet roll’ sequence, the classic ‘Gunga Din’ movie parody and the ‘Birdie-Num-Nums’ piece are just a few moments of inspired slapstick lunacy and anarchic comedy, and few films, if any, have surpassed its unique blend of big screen comic magic since.

Also starring the beautiful Claudine Longet and ‘The Love Boat’ star Gavin MacLeod, for audiences tired of being shackled with big budget boredom, glossy overrated sci-fi epics and over-bloated dramas with contrived plot devices, Blake Edwards and Peter Sellers have created the perfect anecdote of madness and mayhem, brilliantly balancing, treading and surpassing the fine line of high drama to achieve hysterically outrageous humour that life offers, and needs.                     

Blu-Ray and DVD Special Features include:

‘Inside the Party’ Featurette. 

‘The Party Revolution’ Featurette.

Filmmaker Profiles:

‘Blake Edwards Profile’ Featurette.

‘Ken Wales Profile’ Featurette. 

‘Walter Mirisch Profile’ Featurette. 

Original Theatrical Trailer.

Vintage Interviews with Peter Sellers.

Stars: ****

A MUST!