The epic Beverly Hills Cop saga

[Paul McCartney]

Terrible franchise, with each entry getting worse as it goes along. For those of you unfamiliar with the underlying concept of the BEVERLY HILLS COP movies, it is about a horrible black man who goes into hotels/shops/clubs and yells at the attendant who works there.

Eddie Murphy is probably the least funny major comedian I know of, and BHC was supposedly his raw, edgy career highlight. The first 20 minutes of BHC is just Murphy yelling and laughing. They instruct him to laugh approximately every 45 seconds, because apparently Eddie Murphy laughing is a joke in itself.

The first BHC is the best and is still a disaster. The "love" interest is one of the worst in film history (who?), the villains are pathetic (the tough violent henchman looks like an investment advisor), and exotic zany "Beverly Hills" apparently consists of a lot of warehouses with crates in them for Eddie to break into. A millionaire's playground! And his salt-of-the-earth friend who gets killed at the beginning, thus neccessitating Murphy's revenge, is an annoying asshole.

The other 2 movies are the same, but worse.

Anyway, if you enjoy seeing shop assistants get yelled at, this is the franchise for you!

MIDNIGHT RUN is a near-masterpiece though. The eternal paradox of Martin Brest.

[Hans Gruber's EYE CONDITION!]

I would rather talk about Midnight Run. What a beautiful BREST!

Have you seen this one?

[Richard Dickson]

Any more sig in this thread and it'll be crab fishing in Alaska.

[Jake]

You don't frequent the B-Action Movie Thread much, do you Dickson?

[Keith F]

You're getting progressively worse at this, McCartney. I know you think you're taking on a sacred cow, and you can't wait for the shocked reactions, but truth is I'm the only one left on the boards who appreciates the first BHC movie. It's funny. Intentionally, which I know you have a problem with.

Come on, you can do better than this.

Now come the parade of "I like BHC 2 better than the first one." I do not, cannot understand this. My brain doesn't allow for this.

EDIT: If you never found Murphy funny, even in his Delirious/Comedian days, then who or what DO you find funny?

Also, Lisa Eilbacher as Jenny Summers is not supposed to function as a "love interest", so I don't understand your complaint there.

[ElCapitanAmerica]

Originally Posted by Keith F

but truth is I'm the only one left on the boards who appreciates the first BHC movie.

You're not alone ... although I haven't seen this movie in ages. Should put it on rewatch list.

[Mac]

I enjoy Eddie Murphy in films like Coming to America and Trading Places, but in this film, he comes off like your retarded cousin who thinks he's funny. I don't know, his character was just very annoying.

[Dave Jarvie]

hmm
I liked the first one. I think I would have liked it more if I hadn't seen every parody of it X1000 before I actually saw the flick.

Maybe i'll go find the other 2.......

[Keith F]

Originally Posted by Dave Jarvie

hmm
I liked the first one. I think I would have liked it more if I hadn't seen every parody of it X1000 before I actually saw the flick.

Maybe i'll go find the other 2.......

Don't bother. BHC 2 and 3 are proof that God hates sequels.

[Paul McCartney]

Originally Posted by Keith F

You're getting progressively worse at this, McCartney. I know you think you're taking on a sacred cow, and you can't wait for the shocked reactions, but truth is I'm the only one left on the boards who appreciates the first BHC movie. It's funny. Intentionally, which I know you have a problem with.

I hope it's not a sacred cow. I'm hoping a lot of people revisit this shitpile and sit stone-faced through it.

The opening, endless comedy monologue is essentially Eddie Murphy yelling about how he wants $5000 dollars. There's no twist to it, no joke. Just yelling. The whole movie is like that. They set up the fish-out-of-water premise, and then 50% of the action is devoted to Murphy breaking to warehouses, which he could have done in Detroit. It's just such a weird, waste of a movie.

Originally Posted by Keith F

Also, Lisa Eilbacher as Jenny Summers is not supposed to function as a "love interest", so I don't understand your complaint there.

If Axel had been white, and not a scary uncouth black guy, she would have been a love interest. She must be a hangover from when the script was tailored for Rourke or Stallone. The actress is terrible and the character is almost literally nothing. Whenever I see BHC, I'm always surprised to be reminded that she's even in it, and has second billing.

When Judge Reinhold is the most charismatic supporting actor, you know there's trouble in paradise!

[Keith F]

Originally Posted by Paul McCartney

I hope it's not a sacred cow. I'm hoping a lot of people revisit this shitpile and sit stone-faced through it.

The opening, endless comedy monologue is essentially Eddie Murphy yelling about how he wants $5000 dollars. There's no twist to it, no joke. Just yelling. The whole movie is like that. They set up the fish-out-of-water premise, and then 50% of the action is devoted to Murphy breaking to warehouses, which he could have done in Detroit. It's just such a weird, waste of a movie.

If Axel had been white, and not a scary uncouth black guy, she would have been a love interest. She must be a hangover from when the script was tailored for Rourke or Stallone. The actress is terrible and the character is almost literally nothing. Whenever I see BHC, I'm always surprised to be reminded that she's even in it, and has second billing.

When Judge Reinhold is the most charismatic supporting actor, you know there's trouble in paradise!

This is probably true.

I never said she was seamlessly integrated into the screenplay- and I'll definitely give you that I never for a second bought them as lifelong friends. According to this movie, Eddie's crew in Detroit was Mikey the scumbag and Jenny the dopey, uh, what does she do again? Something with art? She gives it the college try, but she's only there to function as the damsel in distress at the end of the movie. I can live with this.

Disagree with you about lame villains, as well. Steven Berkoff's 'Victor Maitland' practically invented the vaguely European movie villain archetype that still gets used today. He's beautifully slimy, you know from the moment you see him onscreen that he did it.

Jonathan Banks as his henchman, c'mon, it's Jonathan Banks. His signature role, but you know this guy. He's a hero.

Judge Reinhold is alright, but let's not forget fine work from John Ashton, Ronny Cox and even Paul Reiser manages to be amusing. No easy feat.

Most importantly, it works as an action movie. Not meta, not too bullshitty, just straight ahead shootout for the finale.

[Greg David]

Beverly Hills Cop 2 is one of the worst movies I've ever seen. I never saw 3; my pain threshold isn't high enough.

The first one is an acceptable waste of time that I'll never watch again.

[JacknifeJohnny]

Originally Posted by Keith F

This is probably true.

It's actually 100% true, the DVD interviews feature the casting director quickly glossing over this fact. Funny how far we've not come since 1984.

[Keith F]

Before I came to CHUD I was under the impression that this movie was still highly regarded, beloved. Now it looks like it's just me, and maybe ElCapitan, but I don't know, he doesn't even sound too sure.

[JacknifeJohnny]

My issue w/ the "love interest that wasn't there" aside, I still really dig it. It's the kind of performance that had to turn him into a star.

[Arjen Rudd]

I kind of like 3. It has theme park action scenes. And nothing else I remember at all.

[ForsakenNoMore]

Paul is drinking the hater-ade on BHC. Granted, part 3 was utter garbage. The bigger picture is that America has given the Black man a leading role and show that annoying as he may be, he can still be a hero with a foul mouth and gett'er done. Nah, I'm just kidding.

I forget if it was part 1 or 2 - but when Eddie goes to the construction yard and sees a fellow Black man with a cigarette and asks if its weed. Funny shit. Then Eddie asks if he can rap. A belly buster.

[Ratty]

Originally Posted by Greg David

Beverly Hills Cop 2 is one of the worst movies I've ever seen. I never saw 3; my pain threshold isn't high enough.

Part 3 will make you long for the wit and subtlety of Part 2. Seriously.

My take on the the first one: it's a reasonably entertaining movie that's only an action classic in a world where 48 Hours doesn't exist.

[Keith F]

Originally Posted by Ratty

My take on the the first one: it's a reasonably entertaining movie that's only an action classic in a world where 48 Hours doesn't exist.

The notable difference is that 48 HOURS is an action movie first and foremost, with comedic elements. BHC is operating (or trying and failing, depending on your viewpoint) as a comedy first, in my opinion. It's also definitely a slave to its high concept.

I'm a Walter Hill geek, I'm not going to in good faith say that I think BHC is a better movie than Hours. I think there's enough room on the block for both of them to sit as classics.

[HunterTarantino]

It doesn't get better than the holy trinity of Murphy's earliest: 48 Hrs., Trading Places, and Beverly Hills Cop all one after the other.

[Paul McCartney]

Nick Nolte is funnier than Eddie Murphy in 48 HRS.
And Robert De Niro gives a funnier performance in MIDNIGHT RUN than Murphy does in BHC.

I haven't see BHC3 in centuries, but I do seem to remember Axel rescuing a 6-year-old Mexican child from a rollercoaster gone haywire, and during the rescue the Mexican child transforms into a muscular 5'6" stuntman. This incident is funnier than anything in, say, BEVERLY HILLS COP 2.

[Rene (Mr.Eko)]

I've always preferred the more action packed second one, but I still like the first one a lot. The already mentioned Steven Berkoff and Jonathan Banks are the main reasons for this. John Ashton and Judge Reinhold have a great chemistry together.

The hilarious rap sequence is in the second one. Eddie Murphy makes this random henchman perform a rap and then Judge Reinhold knocks him out.

[Spike Marshall]

I tried to rewatch the first one about six weeks ago and got about twenty five minutes into it before I had turn the thing off. Surprisingly McCartney is bang on the money with his assessment, it's just painfully unfunny.

[OCallaghan]

The first film introduced the world to Bronson Pinchot.
It is evil, wrapped in hate and dripping with cancer.
The third film has the awesome scene in which Pinchot returns, as if we gave a shit about him or something. All I really remember about that last one was Pinchot rattling on about some guns or some shit, as if he was allowed to ad lib for an entire scene. I mean seriously, why did anyone think that was a good idea.

[Bluelouboyle]

I just finished watching part 2. It's actually funnier than I remembered. Rosewood and Taggart are pretty funny together. So much so that when I saw Gone Baby Gone I thought a serious Rosewood would work well in this.

[Bobby Bear]

I'm with Cap on this. I ought to check out the original again, as my memories of it are still positive. If I've caught 2 or 3 on TV, I've usually dipped in for a while, then flicked away.

[PsycheOut00]

Um, wait, would this qualify as a series if there's only 2 installm... AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!! THE VOICES, NO, NOT THE WONDERWORLD VOICES AGAINNNNNN!!!

I recently rewatched the 1st one with the GF (who fell asleep at min.15 - yet again another CHUD exclusive insight into my personal life) and felt it as good-but-not-spectacular as ever. However, I also personally prefer BHC2 due to its distinct style apart from a surprisingly unrelenting 2nd half that just never fucking stops. It's sleazy, loud, obnoxious and all very Tony Scott... but also a Beverly Hills I much prefer to Martin Brest's one.

The 3rd one -Jesus fucking Christ- still rests calmly in my Top #10 Worst Movies Ever.

[TzuDohNihm]

McCartney does a piss-poor impression of Sam Strange.

[User_32]

Beverly Hills Cop works BECAUSE of Eddie Murphy. And it does work. And it still is funny not because of the script but when Eddie improvises (which is quite a lot in the film) he's gold.. the best there ever was. The reason the other two don't work is because Eddie sticks completely to the script (other than a few moments of improv in the second and none in the third)

[Rene (Mr.Eko)]

BHC2 gives more time to continue the chemistry that Murphy had with Judge Reinhold and John Ashton in the first. I like Jurgen Prochnow as the villain too.

[HunterTarantino]

Great part in the second one is when Foley FLIPS OUT at the strip club over being charged $8 for a Coke.

[JacknifeJohnny]

Originally Posted by Paul McCartney

The actress is terrible and the character is almost literally nothing. Whenever I see BHC, I'm always surprised to be reminded that she's even in it, and has second billing.

I disagree with you on the merits of the 1st BHC, but yeah, this is my experience exactly. Eilbacher is so awful and the character so thinly sketched that I can't believe she and Foley grew up in the same universe, let alone together in the same city. James Russo works though.

[Rene (Mr.Eko)]

Originally Posted by HunterTarantino

Great part in the second one is when Foley FLIPS OUT at the strip club over being charged $8 for a Coke.

I love his reaction. "I could get blown for $8!" Also the whole bit where John Ashton is supposed to be Gerald Ford sans makeup.

[Malmordo]

Originally Posted by PsycheOut00

However, I also personally prefer BHC2 due to its distinct style apart from a surprisingly unrelenting 2nd half that just never fucking stops. It's sleazy, loud, obnoxious and all very Tony Scott... but also a Beverly Hills I much prefer to Martin Brest's one.

I prefer the second as well - not because it's any good, but because I enjoy Tony Scott's style prior to ENEMY OF THE STATE. In much the same way, I give Walter Hill a free pass for ANOTHER 48 HRS.

Part III has (for me) the distinction of being the only John Saxon movie that even John Saxon can't save. It is truly unbearable. The best thing I can say about it is that I chuckled at George Lucas' cameo; the guy has his typical long-suffering expression and looks like he wants to put about 100 miles between himself and the set.

The original? I can take it or leave it. The script and direction are pedestrian. Murphy's energy and the chemistry between Reinhold and Ashton give the film what little mileage it has, though the actors have almost nothing funny to work with.

[The Rain Dog]

Eh, I still shamelessly love the first one and still find it pretty damn funny personally.

The rest of them were arse tho. 2 was my first step down the road of abhoring Ridleys retarded little brother like I do, so there's that I guess. The third is simply a non-entity.

[Sharpel007]

I have to go with BHC2 just because of the Tony Scott semi A game shoot out and Rienhold and Ashton chemistry and shtick is honed.

Lets not forget the power of the Axel F theme!

[felix]

All I remember of Beverly Hills Cop was Eddie putting a Banana up someones tailpipe. I can't recall any entry of the series being very funny.

Didn't Arsenio Hall have a cameo in one of them?

[PsycheOut00]

Originally Posted by Malmordo

I prefer the second as well - not because it's any good, but because I enjoy Tony Scott's style prior to ENEMY OF THE STATE.

What? No Spy Game love?

Originally Posted by Malmordo

In much the same way, I give Walter Hill a free pass for ANOTHER 48 HRS.

Same here. And now that I think about that flick, doesn't it look very much like a Tony Scott one, in tone and style?

Originally Posted by Malmordo

The original? I can take it or leave it. The script and direction are pedestrian. Murphy's energy and the chemistry between Reinhold and Ashton give the film what little mileage it has, though the actors have almost nothing funny to work with.

That is correct. Though, improv or not, Murphy going gay at that maitre D is pretty funny... Even if, on second thought, I don't see Stallone or Rourke doing that to punch a hole in Berkoff's face.

[Keith F]

Originally Posted by Malmordo

Part III has (for me) the distinction of being the only John Saxon movie that even John Saxon can't save.

I just wanted to quote this. Not enough love for John Saxon on this Earth.

[Ricardo Brady]

The original BHC is the epitome of an average movie getting by on the sheer brio and charisma of its star. There's absolutely nothing remarkable about the plot or direction, but Murphy's on top of the world and owns every frame he's in. The film's success is staggering to me (at the time it was the 8th biggest film of all time or something similar), but entirely down to Eddie.

Put me down on the 'Prefers BHC2' list. Not that it's anything particularly special either, but it has the Playboy Mansion / Pool cleaner scene and fun, highly strung cameos from Gilbert Gottfried and a young Chris Rock. And yeah, as others have mentioned, Tony Scott's sunset-centric, proto-Michael Bay style is pretty damn seductive in a none-more-80s way.

The less said about BH3 the better. Everything about this feels off, right down to Axel's plush new Lions jacket and the souped-up rendition of 'Axel F'. Dreadful.