Beverly Hills Cop is a movie made successful entirely on the performance of its star. The film is fairly shallow when it comes right down to it --
really, it's a
whole lot of talk, a fair bit of comedy, and only a little bit of action -- but Star Eddie Murphy's (48 Hrs.) charisma and complete mastery of his character is what makes
Director Martin Brest's (Midnight Run) movie a fan-favorite success. Outside of Murphy, Beverly Hills Cop is as routine as routine gets;
a standard cops-and-robbers plot, no mystery, and point-and-shoot and in-the-raw direction make for an otherwise dull picture, but Murphy saves the
film from its own shortcomings with so much flair and genuine excitement that this might be the all-time best of any of the
"actor-singlehandedly-makes-the-movie"
movies. Beverly Hills Cop is the very definition of a "star vehicle," a movie that's nothing without its lead -- this specific lead at that
-- but with him? It's a movie
that's always masking its mistakes behind Murphy's big smile and quick-to-the-punch comic style and timing that he's got going on no matter the
time, place, or circumstances in the story, selling the character and his actions with a startling effortlessness that transforms him into Axel Foley in
every scene.
Looking for trouble.
Axel Foley (Murphy) is a slick, smooth-talking Detroit detective who's disobedience and disregard for procedure has once again landed him in hot
water with his Chief, and a promising career is on the brink of disintegration. Foley returns home to find someone in his house, unexpectedly.
Turns out it's an old friend named Mickey (James Russo) who's out of prison and back home to share his news with Foley: he's been working in
Beverly Hills where he's managed to get his hands on thousands of dollars worth of untraceable German bonds. The only problem is that a pair of
Beverly Hills thugs are on to him. Mickey is shot and killed in front of Foley, who is refused the opportunity to take the case and avenge his friend's
death. Instead, Foley takes a vacation to Beverly Hills where he meets up with an old friend and Mickey's one-time employer Jenny (Lisa Eilbacher).
It doesn't take long for Foley to sniff out the trail that leads to local crime lord Victor Maitland (Steven Berkoff) and his profitable dope operation.
Unfortunately, Foley finds himself in hot water with the local law; Beverly Hills Police Lieutenant Andrew Bogomil (Ronny Cox, Total Recall) wants him out of town, so Foley turns to local Detectives
John Taggart (John Ashton) and Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) for help, but he has to convince them of the validity of his case and that he's
trustworthy enough to put their lives on the line for what will be a potentially deadly bust.
Beverly Hills Cop is always on the precipice of disaster, the picture teetering on the edge but always pulled back from the brink by Murphy's
contagious enthusiasm and pure comic timing. About half the film, it seems, is constructed almost exclusively of scenes featuring Murphy's
character
being chewed out for his actions that take place in the other half of the film. Whether he's defending himself in front of his superiors or defending
his
life on the streets of Detroit and Beverly Hills, Murphy consistently and perfectly juggles the film's requirements for action (as sparse as the action
may be) with
what is
almost always subtle but extraordinarily effective humor that always flows from the story and feels genuinely off-the-cuff, rather than force-fed into
the plot just to try and squeeze out a laugh from its audience. It's the film's sense of real, genuine storytelling, then, that outside of Murphy, is its
greatest asset. The film is awfully standard, yes, but it's never mechanical, instead playing as completely organic. The interplay between characters
seems perfectly natural, as does the humor, and it's all thanks to Murphy's uncanny ability to carry the movie with so much natural swagger and
charm
that Beverly Hills Cop is so much fun in spite of what would otherwise be a forgettable loser of a movie.
Oh, right. The music. It's pretty sweet, too. Has there ever been a decade with so many great soundtracks as the 1980s? Beverly Hills
Cops's is one of the best; it's defined by just a few repetitive synthesizer beats, but how electrically catching and, more importantly, suited to
the movie they are! It's like the music is an extension
of Murphy's performance: incredibly upbeat, always on the move, easy to love, but with just enough of an edge to know it means business.
Certainly, few films can boast of a score that so perfectly defines the movie's basic currents; Star Wars comes to mind as one, and
maybe the best, example. Beverly Hills
Cop is certainly much smaller in scope than that, of course, and it's really only got the one theme as opposed to an entire score's worth of
perfectly-synced music, but then again Beverly Hills Cop is really just a one-trick Eddie Murphy pony to begin with, which makes the music,
stylistically simple but infinitely catchy as it may be, the perfect companion for and the best definition of the movie. Even the repetitive cadence of
the music reflects the greater film's procedural feel; there's a no-frills sensation to both, but that jolt of energy is still ever-present in every scene,
and no matter how much of the same it might be, it just never, ever, gets old.
Paramount sends Beverly Hills Cop to Blu-ray, and the results are quite good, but not fantastic. This 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer exhibits
some fairly heavy
wobble at open, but the image stabilizes nicely once the film gets going. A hint of edge enhancement is visible in a few scenes, but noise reduction,
compression-related issues, or severe print damage are non-factors. A fairly rough layer of grain and a fair bit of background noise both appear over the
entirety of the transfer, the grain more often than not giving
Beverly Hills Cop a strong film-like texture that's accentuated by relatively good detailing, evident throughout the movie in areas such as facial
textures, the grimy odds and ends around Foley's Detroit apartment, or the wear and tear on his blue beater automobile. Colors aren't extraordinary,
but the palette is naturally stable and never too dulled in appearance. Flesh tones are natural, and blacks are of a generally high quality. Beverly
Hills Cop doesn't "wow" in quite the same way as do newer, slicker transfers, but this is a rock-solid catalogue transfer that should satisfy fans.
Unfortunately, Beverly Hills Cop's 5.1 DTS-HD MA lossless soundtrack comes up short in most every regard. Music fluctuates between suitably
crisp, stable, and clear and crunchy, raw, shallow, and lacking energy. Sound effects are mushy and sometimes even barely register; a truck slamming
into various obstacles at the beginning of the film plays with a lifeless, dull thud, and a pair of gunshots a few minutes later -- even in a cramped
apartment building hallway -- sound more like a cheap child's toy than the real deal. In fact, the final shootout is only marginally more energetic, but
even those shots lack much raw power. The low end seems stifled throughout, but some stip club beats as heard in chapter six do manage to bring
some life and verve into the track. Surround use is limited, and natural and supportive ambience doesn't factor much into the track. Dialogue is fine,
center-focused and clear but maybe a little lacking in volume, as is the case with the rest of the track. This isn't a terrible listen, but it is, certainly, a
letdown, particularly given how music is such an important part of the Beverly Hills Cop experience.
Beverly Hills Cop features a serviceable but entertaining assortment of extra content.
Audio Commentary: Director Martin Brest delivers a retrospective commentary, looking back at the film some time after its initial
release. He discusses rather heavily the process of the shoot, putting together sets and props, the quality of the performances and the chemistry
between the leads, and other interesting but commentary-generic insights. He often gets caught up in watching the movie rather than speaking on
it, but fans should nevertheless find just enough of value here to give it a listen.
Beverly Hills Cop -- The Phenomenon Begins (480p, 29:11): A piece that looks back at the project's history, including
discussions revolving around the screenplay's development, actors considered for the lead role, the story's tone, casting Eddie Murphy and the
remainder of the cast, hiring Director Martin Brest, Murphy's performance, and the picture's legacy.
A Glimpse Into the Casting Process (480p, 9:37): Casting Director Margery Simkin discusses her role on the film, the repercussions of
Eddie Murphy replacing Sylvester Stallone, and the casting of various other roles.
The Music of Beverly Hills Cop (480p, 7:49): An in-depth look at the film's Grammy-winning score and its place in the film.
Location Map (1080p/480p): Users may select from seven film-specific locations and view brief behind-the-scenes clips about each.
Beverly Hills Cop wouldn't be worth the time of day without Eddie Murphy. There's nothing here, except for the music, that's not made
exponentially better by Murphy's enthusiasm and mastery of not only the specific role but also the style that's made him and the movie such a
gargantuan
success. Fortunately, the film's two best assets compliment one another like peanut butter and jelly, a classic combination that's made Beverly Hills
Cop a superior movie where one would otherwise not exist. Beverly Hills Cop finally makes its Blu-ray debut and features good video and
a nice assortment of extras, but the lossless soundtrack lags behind. Still, Paramount's Blu-ray comes highly recommended based on all other factors.
Paramount Pictures will release on Blu-ray the three Beverly Hills Cop films in the Gallic markets on December 5th. Gathered in a box set, the three films, starring Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold and John Ashton, will be available for purchase on December 5th.
Jason Statham is a pure badass, and thankfully he knows it. You won't see him pulling a Tooth Fairy or a Jingle All the Way; nope, he knows who he is and not even an Allstate Insurance homage can water down the intensity that is Stathum.
Paramount Home Entertainment has announced two action movies from its catalog for Blu-ray release in May. On May 17, the studio will release the Eddie Murphy hit Beverly Hills Cop; and a week later, the racing classic Le Mans, starring Steve McQueen. Also, on May ...
