There’s a brand new Eddie Murphy movie released today; Dolemite Is My Name, a Netflix housed project that features a superb cast and a wonderful filmmaker in Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) at the helm.
Stung by a string of showbiz failures, floundering comedian Rudy Ray Moore (Eddie Murphy) has an epiphany that turns him into a word-of-mouth sensation: step onstage as someone else. Borrowing from the street mythology of 1970s Los Angeles, Moore assumes the persona of Dolemite, a pimp with a cane and an arsenal of obscene fables. However, his ambitions exceed selling bootleg records deemed too racy for mainstream radio stations to play. Moore convinces a social justice-minded dramatist (Keegan-Michael Key) to write his alter ego a film, incorporating kung fu, car chases, and Lady Reed (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), an ex-backup singer who becomes his unexpected comedic foil. Despite clashing with his pretentious director, D’Urville Martin (Wesley Snipes), and countless production hurdles at their studio in the dilapidated Dunbar Hotel, Moore’s Dolemite becomes a runaway box office smash and a defining movie of the Blaxploitation era.
We will be posting our review of the film a little later, but until then, we thought we’d list 6 of the very best Eddie Murphy movies to go and seek out. In no particular order…
Beverly Hills Cop
Arguably one of Eddie’s most-known films hails from all of the way back in 1984 – such a great year for movies – and sees the actor play the character of Axel Foley, a Detroit cop who heads to California to investigate the murder of his friend, despite it obviously being outside of his jurisdiction. The film as certainly not short on laughs, action and a brilliant cast that included the likes of Judge Reinhold, Ronny Cox, John Ashton and one Jonathan Banks (of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul fame) in a small role. Beverly Hills Cop and its two sequels made over $700 million around the world and there is a rumour that a fourth is in the works, too.
Coming To America
Arguably his best comedy, Coming To America is much-loved to this very day. Eddie plays Prince Akeem, an African prince who heads across the Atlantic in search of love. The film is a superb love story and is very, very funny. Both Murphy and co-star Arsenio Hall play multiple roles and appear alongside the likes of James Earl Jones, John Amos, Eriq La Salle, Shari Headley and, in one of his first movie roles, Samuel L. Jackson as a hold-up man in fast food restaurant. A sequel is planned for 2020 with Murphy and Hall returning and Dolemite Is My Name helmer Craig Brewer directing.
Trading Places
One of those movies that should be on everyone’s Christmas watch list, Trading Places is a supremely comedic morality tale with Eddie starring as a con artist who trades places with Dan Aykroyd’s Wall Street trader as part of an experiment by wealthy investors The Duke Brothers (Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche). This was one of Eddie’s first movies and even pre-dates Beverly Hills Cop. John Landis (who would direct the third Beverly Hills Cop movie 11 years after this) helms from a screenplay by Timothy Harris and Herschel Weingrod.
48 Hours
48 Hours was Eddie’s very first feature. Released in 1982, the film saw him play the role of Reggie Hammond, a criminal who is paroled and set-up with Nick Nolte’s hard cop Jack Cates to track down a killer on the streets of San Francisco. 48 Hours was a massive hit and scored a whopping $78 million during its run – all from a reported $12 million budget. The film also got itself a sequel, though many years later in 1990, titled, yes, Another 48 Hours.
Shrek
Eddie Murphy’s performance as Donkey has spanned four movies, numerous shorts, made generations laugh and captured the hearts of millions. The first movie, about an ogre (voiced by Mike Myers) who has to save his swamp home by rescuing Princess Fiona for the evil Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) to marry. Shrek, who is joined on his quest by Donkey, however, falls for Fiona himself. The film pokes fun at many fairy tale stories and was one of the groundbreaking CGI animations of the early 21st century. It has since spawned computer games and even a stage musical.
Dreamgirls
This superb musical features a stunning cast that includes Jamie Foxx, Beyonce and an Oscar-winning Jennifer Hudson in a career-making role. Eddie plays the role of James ‘Thunder’ Early, and was even nominated for an Academy Award himself. The film paved the way for a slew of new musicals and proved that the movie-going public still hungered for this type of movie. It also feature’s one of Eddie’s best, non-comedic performances, just one of the many reasons to seek this out.
Dolemite Is My Name is now playing on Netflix.
