Plot: What’s it about?
The famous Pink Panther has been stolen again, the world’s largest and most famous diamond, rogued by some criminal element. The diamond was on showcase in Lugash, an Arabian nation that is friendly, but lacks the needed detective powers to recover the jewel. The heist was elaborate and executed to perfection, which leads authorities to believe it was someone familiar with the diamond. Someone like Sir Charles Litton (Christopher Plummer), who has been known to steal this very diamond in the past. The Lugash police call in Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers), based on his experience in a previous case with the jewel. At the same time, Litton ventures to Lugash himself, to clear his name and capture the real crook. But once Clouseau is on the case, will any justice be served, even by mistake?
Just in time for the theatrical release of The Pink Panther remake, Universal spins up this re-release of The Return of the Pink Panther. If you own Artisan’s release, you’ll want to trade up to this one, as the transfer is much improved. No extras, no fanfare, but at least the movie looks better this time around, right? I didn’t care for this movie when it first saw it some years back, but I thought perhaps the passage of time could change that. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. I like The Pink Panther and of course, A Shot in the Dark, but The Return of the Pink Panther is too over the top and cartoonish. I liked the humor of the first two films more, as the laughs were more than just silliness. But if you’re a Pink Panther nut and want to collect the entire series, then you’ll want to check out this new version from Universal.
Video: How does it look?
The Return of the Pink Panther is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a welcome step up from Artisan’s transfer, first and foremost because this time we have anamorphic enhancement. This builds detail to a higher level and provides a crisper overall presence. The print looks clean to these eyes, with minimal debris or grain, which also helps enhance the visuals. The image is still not pristine nor overly refined, but this is a very much improved presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
Just like the disc itself, the soundtrack here is no bells, no whistles, just a passable treatment. You know, the kind where you don’t complain, but you’re not impressed. The soundtrack is basic, but does what it needs to do, just not in remarkable fashion. The music is clean, but has no presence to speak of, while sound effects are thin, though that is expected in this case. No worries with dialogue, which I found to be clear and never lost in the shuffle of the other elements. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, should you have a need for those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes no bonus materials.
