The Inspector Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Inspector Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 30, 2016

A creation from DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, “The Inspector” (which ran from 1965-69) picks up where the main title sequence of “The Pink Panther” and its first sequel, “A Shot in the Dark,” left off, rethinking abstract animated ideas into a short film series that ran before feature films, but eventually found its audience on television. Although it never identifies the lead character, “The Inspector” is basically “The Inspector Clouseau Show,” offering a slightly brighter take on law enforcement shenanigans. The cartoon universe is a terrific fit for Clouseau, who offers his wit, patience, and gift for pratfalls to the program, which spends 34 episodes recycling the same jokes, but also achieves a significant amount of laughs and entertainment value, with the producers giving their creation a healthy dose of impish behavior and broad disasters.

In the heart of France, The Inspector (voiced by Pat Harrington, Jr.) is a man of the law, trying his best to keep Paris free from criminal interests of all shapes and sizes. His boss is The Commissioner (Paul Frees), a loud man prone to fits of rage who shows little patience for The Inspector’s unusual way of business. Also joining the fight is Deux-Deux, The Inspector’s Spanish partner who’s never warmed up to his French home, often mistaking “si” for “oui.” Every day brings a new adventure for the casually globetrotting group, interacting with and pursuing the world’s top criminals, with The Inspector leading the charge, determined to vanquish evil and boost his own ego.

There’s a casual bravado to The Inspector, with the production imagining the character as an indefatigable force of justice, sent out into the world (sometimes reluctantly) to collect crooks who’ve managed to escape prison or are simply up to no good. He’s diminutive but professional, trying to remain one step ahead of his criminal assignments, often with help from Deux-Deux, who only seems to join the fight when absolutely necessary. Thankfully, it’s a rough couple of years for this version of Paris, with prison escapes apparently a common sight, always keeping The Inspector busy with arrests-gone-wrong, encountering such supervillains at The Blotch, an ink-man who locks himself inside the Louvre, squishing around famous paintings, avoiding detection. Crooks also arrive in the form of a three-headed man (tying the show to “A Shot in the Dark”), a cigar-chomping clam, and a bird, matching animated elasticity with creative freedom to take these short-bursts of madcap energy wherever they need to go.

Artistry is exposed throughout “The Inspector,” with lovely budget animation establishing elaborate backdrops and locations, showcasing effort where other productions would turn and run. Granted, these are six-minute-long offerings of slapstick, but the show is easy on the eyes, with real style poking through all the corner-cutting. And the voice acting couldn’t be better, finding Harrington, Jr. a perfect Inspector, emphasizing silliness while keeping the character aware of his limitations, working well with writing that makes The Inspector a complete punching bag. There’s real character amongst all the criminal shenanigans, making the series enjoyable on more than a simple level of periodic laughs.

Episodes

Disc 1

“The Great DeGaulle Stone Operation” (7:14)

The Inspector is tasked with the protection of a large diamond, which is promptly stolen by a three-headed thief.

“Reux, Reux, Reux Your Boat” (6:20)

The Inspector and Deux-Deux attempt to board a ship where the wanted smuggler Captain Clamity and his partner, Crab Louie, are up to no good.

“Napoleon Blown-Aparte” (6:05) *Contains laugh track

A mad bomber has escaped from prison, putting The Inspector and The Commissioner on the case, trying to avoid various explosives along the way.

“Cirrhosis of the Louvre” (6:11)

Art thief The Blotch has threatened to destroy The Louvre, putting The Inspector and Deux-Deux on overnight security watch.

“Plastered in Paris” (6:12)

Assigned to capture mobile criminal X, The Inspector and Deux-Deux visit Africa and the Mt. Kilimanjaro to apprehend the elusive villain.

“Cock-A-Doodle Deux Deux” (6:09)

Madame Poule Bon’s enormous diamond, the Plymouth Rock, has been stolen, putting The Inspector on the case, tracking clues to the strange household of the Chicken Plucker.

“Ape Suzette” (6:16) *Contains laugh track

The Inspector and Deux-Deux are on the trail of a criminal gang embedded in Paris, discovering their true power when faced with a gorilla enforcer.

“The Pique Poquette of Paris” (6:24)

Pickpocket Spider Pierre is on the loose, with The Inspector fouling up every trap set, wasting Deux-Deux’s money in the process.

“Sicque! Sicque! Sicque!” (6:15) *Contains laugh track

Exploring a mad scientist’s home, Deux-Deux accidentally drinks a serum that transforms him into a monster, confusing The Inspector, who’s trying to both help and run away from his partner.

“That’s No Lady -- That’s Notre Dame!” (6:15)

A purse-snatcher is causing trouble in a Parisian hotel, inspiring The Inspector to go undercover as a woman to catch his man, tempting The Commissioner, who thinks he’s met The Inspector’s sister.

“Unsafe and Seine” (6:13)

The Inspector’s life is in danger, off to meet a secret agent with Deux-Deux, only the pair can’t quite find the person they’re looking for, dodging assassination attempts along the way.

“Toulouse La Trick” (6:10)

Escorting criminal Toulouse La Moose to prison, The Inspector is subjected to various challenges and disasters as they cross the French countryside.

“Sacre Bleu Cross” (6:10)

Hassan the Assassin has escaped from prison on Friday the 13th, leaving superstitious Deux-Deux on edge as he backs up The Inspector during a capture attempt.

“Le Quiet Squad” (6:09)

A crimewave has overtaken Paris, stressing The Commissioner to a point of complete exhaustion. Trying to preserve the healing powers of silence, The Inspector works overtime to quiet all noise pollution.

“Bomb Voyage” (6:09) *Contains laugh track

Rumors of flying saucers over Paris urge The Inspector into action, joining Deux-Deux on a trip into outer space on a rocket manned by monkeys, trying to find the source of all alien mischief.

“Le Pig-Al Patrol” (6:07)

A motorcycle gang has been terrorizing the French countryside, with The Inspector commencing a mobile chase with the leader, using a cab, car, and scooter to reach a mountaintop hideout and catch his man.

“Le Bowser Bagger” (6:09)

The Parisian police force is experimenting with dogs to help capture criminals, putting The Inspector in charge of an especially rambunctious canine who tears through the city chasing after a wily crook.

Disc 2

“Le Escape Goat” (6:07)

Criminal Louie Le Finke escapes from prison due to The Inspector’s incompetence. Sensing The Commissioner is in trouble, The Inspector shadows his boss, thwarting assassination attempts.

“Le Cop on the Rocks” (6:11)

Strolling through Paris, The Inspector encounter a bank robber dressed just like him, finding himself quickly arrested for the crime. Now in prison, The Inspector navigates his fellow inmates and executes escape attempts to reclaim his life.

“Crow De Guerre” (6:01)

Hoping to trap a jewel thief, The Inspector identifies a shifty crow as the suspect, embarking on a chase to catch the bird.

“Canadian Can-Can” (6:08)

Selected to participate in an exchange program with Canada, The Inspector is sent to the Great White North to apprehend crook Two-Faced Harry.

“Tour De Farce” (6:06)

Mack La Truck is sentenced to a high security prison at Devil’s Island. Mistaking the drop-off point, The Inspector is left alone with the brute on a deserted island without a weapon.

“The Shooting of Caribou Lou” (6:05)

Back in Canada, The Inspector is trapped in a remote cabin with criminal Caribou Lou.

“London Derriere” (6:15)

Pursuing a jewel thief around the globe, The Inspector teams up with Scotland Yard to catch his man, experiencing strict law enforcement requirements in London.

“Les Miserobots” (6:06)

The Inspector loses his job to a crime-fighting robot, motivating him to destroy the machine through elaborate revenge tactics.

“Transylvania Mania” (6:08)

Assigned to a case, The Inspector gets lost during his journey, arriving at the castle of a mad scientist who needs a brain to help power his latest creation.

“Bear De Guerre” (6:05)

On a hunting trip, The Inspector comes across an ornery bear who’s determined to protect his woodland home.

“Cherche Le Phantom” (6:05)

The Inspector and Deux-Deux are ordered to visit a local opera house, tasked with finding evidence of a phantom haunting the theater.

“Le Great Dane Robbery” (6:10)

A government code book has been stolen, with The Inspector using his special skills to infiltrate a criminal compound protected by dogs.

“Le Ball and Chain Gang” (6:14)

A criminal couple argues over hidden loot, forcing The Inspector to use his skills of stealth to sneak in and make his arrests.

“La Feet’s Defeat” (6:06)

Muddy La Feet has escaped from prison, holing up inside his countryside safe house. Arriving to infiltrate the house, The Inspector and Deux-Deux discover a series of challenges delaying their arrival.

“French Freud” (6:09)

Turning to a psychologist to help clear his head, The Inspector realizes he’s being targeted for assassination.

“Pierre and Cottage Cheese” (6:06)

Chasing after Dirty Pierre Le Punk, The Inspector confers with police robot Charlie for tips on how to apprehend the crook.

“Carte Blanched” (6:08)

The Inspector is harassed by a voiceover antagonist who’s convinced the cop that he’s responsible for the theft of a grocery store cart.

The Inspector Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation brings the low-fi charms of "The Inspector" to life with splendid colors, offering bolder reds and blues to match the Parisian atmosphere of the program, while primaries in general are brightly defined, retaining their cartoon purpose. Detail is useful, providing viewers with a chance to study the animation process as layers of work are easily spotted, offering texture to craftsmanship. Delineation is ideal. Source encounters speckling along the way, but no overt damage.

The Inspector Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA handles positively for the most part, supplying requisite energy to the animated offerings, leading with pronounced scoring, including a crisp main title theme. Dialogue exchanges retain their exaggeration, coming through with idea timing and clarity. Sound effects are on the sharp side, fulfilling offerings of controlled chaos. However, quality isn't consistent, finding select episodes a little worse for wear. "Plastered in Paris," "Sicque! Sicque! Sicque!," "That's No Lady -- That's Notre Dame!," "Bomb Voyage," "Le Bowser Bagger," "Le Escape Goat," "Canadian Can-Can," "Le Great Dane Robbery," and "Cart Blanched" all take noticeable dives in clarity, sounding muffled with periodic pops.

The Inspector Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc 1

• Commentaries are offered on "Cock-A-Doodle Deux Deux" (with Jerry Beck), "The Great DeGaulle Stone Operation" (with Greg Ford and archival audio featuring Fritz Freleng), "Cirrhosis of the Louvre" (with Mark Arnold), and "Sicque! Sicque! Sicque!" (with Mark Arnold).

• "Goodbye, Warner Bros. Hello, DePatie-Freleng" (16:59, HD) turns to author Jerry Beck, who shares the origin story of the respected animation studio behind multiples cult titles, including "The Inspector." Interviews with employees and historians are provided, helping to identify various creative types within the DePatie-Freleng studio, and the saga of the opening titles for "The Pink Panther" are recalled, which jumpstarted production on "The Inspector" and inspired similar cinematic work throughout the 1960s.

• "Of Aardvarks, Ants, Inspectors, and Cranes" (17:10, HD) returns to Beck, the experts, and the employees to dissect each creative endeavor from DePatie-Freleng, highlighting personal favorites, animation style, and voice work achievements.

Disc 2

• Commentaries are offered on "Canadian Can-Can" (with Greg Ford) and "Carte Blanched" (also with Ford).

The Inspector Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If there's a downside to "The Inspector," it's the rate of plot recycling found throughout the show, which basically reheats three stories to inspire all the misadventures. It's not a series built for binge watching, creating unintentional horror with the aforementioned stunning frequency of prison breaks in Paris. "The Inspector" is meant for month-long breaks between six-minute episodes, counting on a degree of memory loss as the next mission arrives, pitting the titular lawman against some of the weirdest baddies the animation realm has ever seen.