The Party (The Party (2 DVDs))

Member Name: adambrown400

Product:	The Party (2 DVDs)
Date:	04/05/09 (87 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great movie!

Disadvantages: None!

The Party is perhaps possibly my favourite film of all time. I can't say how many times I've seen it, but every time I do watch it, theres something more to enjoy. In fact, it's a film I will never tire of because its so clever in its execution.

Made by legendary comedy director Blake Edwards, The Party is a film that could only have been made in the 60's. Its Beatles, Its Monkees, its psychedelic, its Hippies and The Haight-Ashbury all rolled into one film. Don't let that put you off though, as the film is as fresh and as funny today as it was back in 1968.

The basic gist of The Party revolves around accident prone Hrundi V. Bakshi (Peter Sellers) who, after blowing up the set of the recent movie he was an extra in, is accidentally invited to the producer's house for a dinner party. Instead of Hrundi's name being written on the firing list, he's added to the guest list and when he arrives at the party, things start to go wrong.

Sellers' career at this point couldn't get any higher. Embraced by the Americans and given free reign on films like Dr. Strangelove, The Pink Panther and Casino Royale - he literally had the world at his fingertips. Unfortunately for Sellers, this was his last decent film for almost ten years until his comeback in 'Return of the Pink Panther' (again directed by Edwards). The film is simple slapstick through and through, not a huge amount of plot - but one sketch after another showing Sellers' creative genius.

He battles with a lost shoe, manages to get his chicken dinner in a woman's wig, destroys a toilet and fills the house with bubbles after washing an elephant. It truly is a masterclass in comic timing, and one that I've really never seen bettered.

Sellers really had the full package. Starting his career in stand up and doing funny voices on the Goon Show, he showed a talent for mimicry. When Ealing and The Boulting Brothers showed interest, he became a black and white English comedy stalwart in films like Two Way Stretch, The Ladykillers and I'm Alright Jack. He broke America in a way no other English comedy actor has managed before (except his idol Alec Guinness) in films like The Party. He was a great mimic, a great dramatic actor and had perfect comedy timing. The Party is a showcase for his amazing talent.

That said, Edwards too had a hand in creating the canvas for Sellers' craft. After initially saying he would never work with Sellers again after A Shot In the Dark, he found the creative process of making The Party much easier. Sellers had started to get a bit of a reputation in Hollywood as a troublemaker, in particular his antics on the set of Casino Royale. Edwards' knack of capturing and nurturing Sellers' talent is why The Party works. Take for instance, the long slow build up to how Sellers destroys the toilet and flooding the upstairs bathroom for instance. The film is also deliberately paced very slowly to begin with, leading a cacophony of destruction in the last twenty minutes or so.

Burt Bacharach's swinging soundtrack also adds hugely to the overall film, with a cool funky melody that you'll be singing way after the film has ended.

Some may be put off by the fact that Sellers is playing an Indian in this film, and that this is somehow racist. It is in fact quite a measured performance, although he is incredibly accident prone, there are no obvious racial undertones or anything that could be considered 'bad taste'. There certainly are no Indian jokes or any mention of race, in fact, when Hrundi talks about Hindustani language and culture it is respected by the hip youngsters at the party. Apparently Sellers was a big fan of the Apu trilogy at the time and there was talk of him making a film with Satyajit Ray.

Claudine Longet, an aspiring actress is also at the Party and she plays Sellers' romantic interest. She might be considered to be a bit of a weak link in the film, but doesn't come across too badly. In fact there is one actor who does do very well at attempting to upstage Sellers on the slapstick front. Steve Franken, who plays the drunk butler, also manages to destroy dinner.

The Party is an amazing film. Everyone I've watched it with has enjoyed it. It's not rude, depend on sex gags, or just have people walking into lamp posts to get cheap laughs like many modern Hollywood comedies. Its just two geniuses at work.

The special edition of the Party is well worth getting. This two disc version contains 'Inside the Party' a documentary about the making of the film. Vintage interviews with Sellers, photo galleries and theatrical trailers also form part of the set. Its available now from Play.com for £5.99. Bargain!

Summary: A fantastic movie!