My Take: Nothing more but guest stars and reused footage to substitute for laughs.
Peter Sellers has always been famous for comedy roles that would shape the ineptitude and clumsiness of comedians to come. It all started with "The Pink Panther", in 1962 and directed by Blake Edwards. His role their inspired sequels, with some even outdoing the original. Although Sellers had played other roles, his role as inept Inspector Closeau is one of his most memorable. The power of that role pushed director Blake Edwards to do another "Panther" film, a couple of years after Sellers' death. It was "Trail of the Pink Panther".
"Trail"'s story involves the robbery of the Pink Panther diamond in Lugash (once again), but that remains unsolved even after this film ends, for the real plot is the disappearance of clumsy Inspector Closeau. Wait a minute, how can Sellers play Closeau if he passed away a couple of years ago? Simple (for Edwards), throw in deleted and archive footage from other "Panther" films, place new footage from "Pink Panther" film returnees David Niven (dubbed, due to his voice lossage), Capucine, Burt Kwouk, Herbert Lom and others and poof! We have "Trail of the Pink Panther", all set and ready to be released.
Frankly, the film works on some bits because we love "The Pink Panther", and seeing those laughs again reminds us of them. But the entire film is a rather convoluted mess, mainly for the spliced in footage. What is the movie about really? Closeau or the Pink Panther? As if it mattered much. The film just lags a bit it recycles (literally) every laugh in the film.
What Edwards has done here is not a film, it's just a fast way to watch the entire "Panther" series. It should have been called "The "Pink Panther" series in 96 minutes." (with additional footage).
Rating: ** out of 5.
Peter Sellers has always been famous for comedy roles that would shape the ineptitude and clumsiness of comedians to come. It all started with "The Pink Panther", in 1962 and directed by Blake Edwards. His role their inspired sequels, with some even outdoing the original. Although Sellers had played other roles, his role as inept Inspector Closeau is one of his most memorable. The power of that role pushed director Blake Edwards to do another "Panther" film, a couple of years after Sellers' death. It was "Trail of the Pink Panther".
"Trail"'s story involves the robbery of the Pink Panther diamond in Lugash (once again), but that remains unsolved even after this film ends, for the real plot is the disappearance of clumsy Inspector Closeau. Wait a minute, how can Sellers play Closeau if he passed away a couple of years ago? Simple (for Edwards), throw in deleted and archive footage from other "Panther" films, place new footage from "Pink Panther" film returnees David Niven (dubbed, due to his voice lossage), Capucine, Burt Kwouk, Herbert Lom and others and poof! We have "Trail of the Pink Panther", all set and ready to be released.
Frankly, the film works on some bits because we love "The Pink Panther", and seeing those laughs again reminds us of them. But the entire film is a rather convoluted mess, mainly for the spliced in footage. What is the movie about really? Closeau or the Pink Panther? As if it mattered much. The film just lags a bit it recycles (literally) every laugh in the film.
What Edwards has done here is not a film, it's just a fast way to watch the entire "Panther" series. It should have been called "The "Pink Panther" series in 96 minutes." (with additional footage).
Rating: ** out of 5.