‘A Shot in the Dark (1964)’ Blu-ray Review
Stars: Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom, Elke Sommer, George Sanders, Tracy Reed, Graham Stark, André Maranne, Burt Kwouk | Written by Blake Edwards, William Peter Blatty | Directed by Blake Edwards
Following the rousing success of Blake Edwards’ The Pink Panther, starring Peter Sellers and David Niven, a sequel was inevitable. Edwards duly brought back Sellers’ gloriously bumbling Inspector Clouseau for another off-the-wall escapade – this time under the title A Shot in the Dark. Now more than 60 years old, A Shot in the Dark remains a bona fide comedy classic. The film has recently received a new 4K scan from the original 35mm camera negative, and Kino Lorber have put that restoration to excellent use, releasing the film on Blu-ray complete with a selection of bonus features.
Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers) is accidentally assigned to a high-profile murder case at a wealthy estate, the fuddled French detective immediately falls head over heels — when not falling out of windows and into ponds! — for the prime suspect, beautiful parlor maid Maria Gambrelli (Elke Sommer). There’s no lengths Clouseau won’t go to in championing Maria as innocent, from disobeying his ferociously furious boss Dreyfus (Herbert Lom) to disrobing at a nudist colony. But when more and more murders occur, will the Inspector himself stay alive long enough to solve the baffling case?
It’s a rare thing for a sequel to outshine the original, but A Shot in the Dark is one of those exceptions. In many ways, it’s a stronger film than The Pink Panther, largely because Peter Sellers is finally given free rein. Here, he’s allowed to fully inhabit Inspector Clouseau for the entire brisk 100-minute runtime, unleashing his comic genius without restraint.
Of course, Sellers doesn’t carry the film alone. A great performance still needs a solid story to support it, and A Shot in the Dark delivers, along with a first-rate supporting cast. Herbert Lom, Elke Sommer, George Sanders, Tracy Reed, Graham Stark, André Maranne, and Burt Kwouk all play their part, creating the perfect comic ecosystem for Sellers’ brilliance to thrive.
Kino Lorber presents A Shot in the Dark on Blu-ray in 1080p, framed in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Audio options include an English 5.1 surround track alongside a lossless English 2.0 mix, with English subtitles available for the deaf and hard of hearing.
This brand-new HD master is sourced from a 4K scan of the original 35mm camera negative, and the results are impressive. Watching the film in high definition from this restoration is a genuine pleasure: the image is crisp and clean, detail is strong, and the colours positively leap off the screen. To say I was impressed by the quality of this release would be an understatement. And it’s not just the presentation that shines. Alongside the gorgeous picture quality, Kino Lorber have packed the disc with a solid selection of bonus features. Here’s what’s included on this Blu-ray:
Special Features:
- Audio commentary by Jason Simos of The Peter Sellers Appreciation Society
- Back to the Start – Origin of The Pink Panther with Walter Mirisch: Featurette
- Blake Edwards and Julie Andrews on The Dick Cavett Show
- Five Theatrical Trailers
The audio commentary and featurette are both terrific additions, but my personal highlight has to be the appearance of Blake Edwards and Julie Andrews on The Dick Cavett Show. I’ve always had a soft spot for those classic Cavett interviews, so seeing it included here feels like a real treat. And Kino Lorber didn’t stop there – the Blu-ray also comes with a reversible insert featuring two different pieces of artwork. As someone who loves the design on display, that alone feels like a bonus worth celebrating.
***** 5/5
Peter Sellers’ turn as Inspector Clouseau remains a masterclass in comic brilliance, and being able to experience A Shot in the Dark in such pristine picture quality is an absolute joy. If you’re a fan of the film and have been making do with an old DVD, this Blu-ray is more than worthy of an upgrade – grab your copy on Amazon now.
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