The Pink Panther (1964) Original MGM Motion Picture Soundtrack [2xCD]

Quartet Records, in collaboration with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Sony Music and the Henry Mancini Estate, present the premiere release of the original film tracks of Henry Mancini’s Academy Award-nominated, iconic score for the no-less-iconic Blake Edwards film THE PINK PANTHER (1964), celebrating its 60th anniversary.

A cornerstone of sophisticated heist comedy and romance, and a classic that began a saga about the clumsiest policeman in history: Inspector Clouseau, brilliantly played by Peter Sellers, who would reprise the role for four more films before his passing. In addition to Sellers, THE PINK PANTHER stars David Niven, Capucine, Robert Wagner and Claudia Cardinale. The film was shot on luxurious locations in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, with some sequences shot in Rome, Paris and Los Angeles.

Henry Mancini had previously composed several acclaimed scores for Blake Edwards, including BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S, DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES and the TV series PETER GUNN. The theme he created for the animated main titles of THE PINK PANTHER immediately became a classic—one of the most famous pieces in the history of cinema and popular music culture. Mancini went on to write a fantastic catalog of melodies—all refined with his redoubtable good taste—and an exciting underscore that has remained unreleased for sixty years. Together with Johnny Mercer, he wrote another of his great songs, “It Had Better Be Tonight (Meglio Stasera),” which appears on this CD in its original version, performed by Fran Jeffries.

This double CD presents in the first disc the actual film score from the original master recordings with the original session at the Samuel Goldwyn Studios in 1963, preserved in mint condition and originally recorded in mono. It also includes some alternate versions and unused music.

The second disc contains the remastered album Mancini recorded for RCA with new arrangements of the more commercial tracks.

Carefully produced, restored and mastered by Chris Malone, the package includes a 24-page booklet with extensive liner notes by film music writer Jeff Bond.