Inspector Blunder: More "Pink Panther" Ripoff or Something Else?

Alright, alright, settle down folks, moviebuffmarc here, back from a VHS dust-off session. Just watched "Inspector Blunder" (1980). Yeah, never heard of it either until recently. The plot? Green-as-grass detective has to babysit a rich girl reporter who basically just asked to get whacked by challenging a mob boss on TV. Think a REALLY green Clouseau meets a slightly less annoying Paris Hilton type. Okay, so on the surface it's a total "Pink Panther" clone, right? Dumb detective stumbles into success despite himself. But here's my theory: it's actually going for something slightly cleverer. Remember that scene where Blunder is fumbling with his gun and almost shoots the cat? On the surface, it's slapstick. But what if it's actually a send-up OF the Clouseau trope? Like, a commentary on how ridiculous those kinds of characters are? The director is unknown so I have no clue what he was going for.. It almost feels like a proto-Naked Gun, but not quite as polished. It's got that late 70s/early 80s "anything goes" vibe, you know? And the rich girl, Brenda (played by whatsername) – is she really just a spoiled brat, or is she playing a part? The way she manipulates Blunder... I dunno, there's something there. Maybe I'm reading too much into this low-budget flick, but I think there's a layer of satire hiding beneath the pratfalls and bad wigs. The scene in the restaurant where Blunder thinks everyone is trying to kill him and is running around yelling is very slap stick, but like, so over the top that it feels purposely bad. I'm not saying it's high art but it's an interesting watch. Bottom line: Don't go in expecting pure comedy gold. But if you're a completist like me who likes digging up obscure films and pondering what the filmmakers might have been thinking, “Inspector Blunder” offers some food for thought. Or maybe I just need to lay off the grape soda. Anyway, hit me with your thoughts! Am I crazy, or is there something more to this than meets the eye? moviebuffmarc, over and out!