Continuing box office success brought Peter Sellers back for Revenge of the Pink Panther which ended up being his last outing as Clouseau, due to his death in 1980, aged 50. Sadly, this entry has only a few laughs here and there and seems largely uninspired. It has a lot of the same trappings of the earlier films, but it feels like those involved – even Sellers – are simply going through the motions. Clouseau is trying to break up a drug ring, he just does it with a lot less panache than the earlier films. The best part is the Hong Kong climax of the film, set to Henry Mancini’s wonderful “Hong Kong Fireworks” composition. If nothing else watching The Pink Panther Collection will make you realize just how important Henry Mancini’s music was to the success of these films.
Of the sequels, the 4k of Revenge of the Pink Panther is the best looking. While there are a few brief shots with some scratches, details are strong throughout, offering a crisp look to the proceedings. Grain is present but never distracting. If anything, it helps create a filmic appearance. Colors are vibrant and skin tones look natural. Whites are clean and blacks are inky. Fans should be very pleased with the overall appearance of this release.
Like the other Pink Panther 4K releases, Kino offers a DTS-HD MA 2.0 and 5.1 audio track. Both are well balanced, though the 5.1 track offers a slightly fuller listening experience. Dialogue is clean, clear and concise on both mixes.
English SDH subtitles are included.
The following extras are available:
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
- Audio Commentary with Film Historian William Patrick Maynard
DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):
- Audio Commentary with Film Historian William Patrick Maynard
- Two Theatrical Trailers (3:04)
- Five TV Spots (1:57)
- Five Radio Spots (2:21)
[rwp-review id=”0″]
