After two adventures as Axel Foley, Eddie Murphy had sworn off the possibility of Beverly Hills Cop 3. The actor reportedly felt there was nowhere else to go with that character. And yet, here we are talking about the third and final installment in our Beverly Hills Cop mega-series. But was Murphy right when he initially refused to come back for a third movie?
Sandro and Zach from Oldie But a Goodie join the show to dig into how this third entry stacks up with Beverly Hills Cop and Beverly Hills Cop 2. We’ll discuss the movie’s balance of comedy and action, Murphy’s much-maligned performance, and whether Beverly Hills Cop 3 lives up to the infamous reputation it’s earned over the years.
After 1984’s Beverly Hills Cop solidified Eddie Murphy’s superstar status, a sequel seemed inevitable. And although Beverly Hills Cop 2 perhaps lacks the cultural significance of its predecessor, it does bring a ton of fun additions to the franchise, particularly as director Tony Scott’s follow-up to the previous year’s highest-grossing movie, none other than Top Gun.
On this episode, Lauren Knight of That Movie Is Fine joins the show to discuss how Beverly Hills Cop 2 doubles down on Murphy’s specific comedic sensibility. We also weigh in on what this franchise would have looked like had original choice Sylvester Stallone taken the role and how Beverly Hills Cop 2 plays like Murphy’s take on James Bond.
It’s impossible to imagine a world without Eddie Murphy. Throughout his career, he evolved from stand-up comic to Saturday Night Live breakout and finally, an Academy Award-nominated A-list movie star. And though Murphy had appeared in a few previous films, his ascension to the comedy star hall of fame didn’t truly kick into gear until 1984’s Beverly Hills Cop.
On this episode, Phoenix Clouden of Film Code joins us to discuss how director Martin Brest’s action-comedy redefined the genre for the modern age, how it serves as an unlikely launchpad for Murphy’s own stardom, and — of course — the iconic theme song. So cue up your Harold Faltermeyer (or Crazy Frog, if you prefer) as we start our Beverly Hills Cop mega-series!
