Henry Mancini — The Pink Panther

There’s just something about the early 1960s high society aesthetic, at least how it’s portrayed in movies of the time, that speaks to me. Modern, hip, glamorous and sleek, it’s a big part of the fun of watching The Pink Panther, early James Bond flicks, and other films from this time. A few years later, things started getting weird, heavy and psychedelic in movies and music. Not that there isn’t plenty of great art from the late ’60s. The cars, clothes, interiors, the jokes, the actors, and of course the music, all make this one of my favorite movies.

The Pink Panther was released in 1963. I got this soundtrack only a few years ago. I’ve always loved Henry Mancini’s score and “The Pink Panther Theme” has to be one of the swingingest jams ever. You probably have heard so much that you don’t even pay attention to it now. But you should. It’s a tiny music masterpiece, full of perfect punctuations as it steadily builds the layers of orchestration, and then sneaks off into the distance, but ends with one last exclamation point. Tears the roof off in less than three minutes!