Some movie executives deserve to burn in movie Hell for their actions. This is DEFINITELY the case with those who chose to make this film and the followup, THE CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER. In THE CURSE, it's really just a movie clip film--with outtakes and clips from Peter Sellers' other Panther films. In the case of this film, it's bringing in a plucky female cop and having her interview all the living characters they could muster from the previous films and stitch that into a new movie! To make matters worse, David Niven (who starred in the very first Panther movie) is back despite the fact that he's almost dead! In fact, he was so weak and sickly that his voice needed to be dubbed! This is a sad and pathetic way to continue a series--just let it die, fellas!

I genuinely wanted to like this film. I love the Pink Panther movies, and the animated TV series, but this was really quite shameless. Not to imagine quite strange, not only in its idea which is a rather bad one admittedly but in its execution.

It is supposedly a tribute to the late Peter Sellers. I admit it his presence in this film as Inspector Clousseau actually saves this movie from being any worse than it was, but he deserved much better than this. Herbert Lom is sort of fun too, and Henry Mancini's original music is marvellous. However that is the only praise I can give.

Blake Edwards is talented but I found it difficult to believe he directed this, it didn't feel like his style of directing. The film looks rather dated too, while the plot is a shambles and the sight gags and script are really quite poor even for a Pink Panther film. In regard to the latter reason, the outtakes are unremarkable at best and the new footage is dismally unfunny. Also, the pace is pedestrian, despite people saying that the 1963 Pink Panther movie is the dullest entry, and I have heard people say that, I think this entry is the dullest. Other than Sellers and Lom, the other acting is rather poor. Joanna Lumley grates, Robert Loggia is wasted and David Niven's voice is dubbed terribly. I understand Niven was ill, but really they either should've used his real voice or not used him at all.

All in all, a shameless mess. 3/10 Bethany Cox

I'm not sure why this film was made. The death of Peter Sellers should have put a kibosh on this project. But I'm supposing that Blake Edwards wanted to hyrdrofrack all that was left of the Pink Panther franchise.

So with outtakes and previously seen footage from previous films we get a story involving the alleged death of Inspector Clousseau. TV reporter Joanna Lumley is hot on the trail of the story when Clousseau's plane goes missing.

In her capacity as TV journalist Lumley meets various and sundry folks from the previous films. Including a dying David Niven. With Rich Little dubbing Niven's voice it was painful to watch.

I'd let this one go by if one is a fan of Peter Sellers or David Niven.