After incessantly quoting this movie with a coworker for the last month and a half, I finally broke down and bought it:
The Golden Child.
Yes, this movie is horrible, but I can't help but laugh every time Eddie Murphy gets the knife and says "HA! I got the knife! NOW TURN ON THE GODDAMN LIGHTS!" or using the Tibetan prayer wheel to scratch "I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-want the knife!!"
Many is the time I will listen to my coworker taking a phone call and asking a customer what their name is, and before they can speak, I'll say in a loud voice: "YOU'RE SARDO NUMPSY!" just so he can crack up during his phone call.
Any other folks like this movie? If not, let the flaming begin!
I never hated it, but I was always disappointed that it wasn't a better Eddie Murphy movie. There were parts I liked, mostly him panicking or getting angry, but usually it was one of those movies I watched if there was nothing else on on TV and I had time to kill.
Watched this flick over, and over, and over, and over on HBO when I was younger. I don't remember too much about it now other than a few scenes here and there. Might have to rent it sometime.
Skaboi Wrote:
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> Watched this flick over, and over, and over, and
> over on HBO when I was younger. I don't remember
> too much about it now other than a few scenes here
> and there. Might have to rent it sometime.
I used to watch this all the time too when I was younger on regular boadcast TV used have movies instead of reality shows. It seemed to play all the time on Sundays on WPIX (Channel 11 here in NYC)
I tried to watch it once on TV and could not get into it. I had a friend who went on and on about it. Maybe it was just dated by the time I saw.
To me there are two and only two defining movies for Eddie Murphy: 48 HOURS and TRADING PLACES. WIth those he was at his peak.
Ulthar,
I agree 100% about 48Hrs and Trading Places. I would also want to add Eddie Murphy: Raw to that list as that is one of the funniest concert films ever made.
I'd like to add "Bowfinger" and the two "Nutty Professor" films to the best of Eddie Murphy. Eddie playing multiple characters in each film and making them enjoyable and distinct. Honorable mention for his voice work in "Mulan". The character never wears out his welcome like Donkey in the "Shrek" flicks. But I'm still glad the plans to remake the Alec Guiness as eight members of the same family/Ealing comedy "Kind Hearts and Coronets" with Murphy fell through.
I was surprised to find out that "The Golden Child" has this major reputation as a big turkey of a film. I knew it did not well at the box office. Considering how often it aired on cable and syndication people didn't hate it like some box office dogs of his. "Pluto Nash", "Beverly Hills Cop III" or "The Haunted Mansion" off the top of my head; and they didn't just forget it like "Best Defense", the Dudley Moore flick they shoehorned Murphy into to capitalize on his popularity early in his movie career or "Vampire in Brooklyn".
Yaddo,
I second you on Bowfinger. Great film.
I never cared for him in the Nutty Professor movies. I think it's because I like Jerry Lewis's work with the material much better.
One thing about The Golden Child....
It was one of the top grossing movies of 1986 (http://imdb.com/Sections/Years/1986/top-grossing)
I've always liked this film.
Fun stuff!
I was wrong on how it did then, my bad. I could swear I've seen it listed as a bomb, probably on one of those "Biography" clones like 'Headliners and Legends" that used to be all over basic cable.
Plus when I used to get the Critics Choice Big Book of Movies catalog IIRC they always included it in the turkeys and worst films of all time section. Not great evidence granted, that's what I get for not double checking.
Skaboi, I love the Jerry Lewis original, it's one of his films that holds up. I wish he had shown more of his "Buddy Love" side in films than just his same old antics that people mock him for now. I finally saw "The King of Comedy" recently, and see why it's so well regarded. Lewis had more range than he or others gave him credit for, ever seen a little film called "Funny Bones"? It's a supporting role but the film is worth seeking out. But I also enjoyed the Klumps as characters in the Murphy films even more than I did the Buddy Love plots of those films.
Yeah, I almost included BOWFINGER as an honorable mention.
I'm glad you mentioned BEST DEFENSE. Oh man, my mind had blocked that one out so severely I had to think about what it was. Baaaaaaaaddd. That's what it was. But Murphy himself was ok in it, I guess. That one has to be at the top of his list of movies he wishes he never did.
And finally, I do agree his voice work is spot-on. I have no complaints there. As the father of two small children, I get treated to Shrek and Shrek 2 with regularity, and Murphy's "Donkey" is a classic character that will be remembered for years.
PLUTO NASH? I saw it once on TV. Well, I should say I saw part of it once on TV since it did not hold my attention. And I had never heard of it before that airing (which was only about 1 year ago). Oh well. I do remember some really cheesy Fx and a rather artificial plot.
There is no doubt in my mind Eddie Murphy is one of the most tallented actors in Hollywood. With 48 HOURS and TRADING PLACES, he was allowed to show that. Would could he do now with a script and fellow cast members of the same calibre as TRADING PLACES?
Before watching that movie years ago, I use to eat oatmeal. After watching the movie I have been turned off by oatmeal ever since.
As for the movie itself..it was all Eddie. The plot ridiculous and Eddie bringing in some great sarcasim with just how ridiculous it truly is. Some funny stuff in that movie that just makes it worth the watch on a Comedy Central Sunday afternoon. :)
Ah but Delerious will remain in my heart even though so much of it copied Richard Prior. Although the best part was all his own with the family BBQ. "Aunt Bunny fell down the steps! Aunt Bunny fell down the steps!" "You didn't meet your wife on no mother f*cking camping trip...your' wife's a big foot isn't she Gus"
And who could forget the GI Joe incident when him and his brother were taking a bath?
"We was poor so we didn't have no Mr. Bubble" "And GI Joe wanted to see where the bubbles was coming from, so he ventured in the cave from which they came...and GI Joe got stuck!" "And then a big brown shark came..." "Then my mother finds me with blood gushing out my head, and a GI Joe up my ass, and my brother with a piece of sh*t in his hand."
Classic I tell you...and still laugh to this day whenever I see it.
I third Bowfinger...I had a good Belly laugh when he was trying to get him to cross the highway. No one can deny Murphy's comedic timing and knowledge. The guy knows funny.
Bowfinger is awesome!
Happy Premise #1 There are no aliens
Happy Premise #2 There is no giant foot tryin' to squash me
Happy Premise #3 Even though I feel like I might ignite, I probably won't
LOL!!
Classic...
I sense an homage to Python.....
I always loved the Eddie Murphy stand up bit about "Gramma hamburger" because my own grandmother used to make almost the exact same hamburger with most of the same line of reasoning.
I wish I could remember where I read the story of how Murphy wound up being grafted into "Best Defense". I thought it was in the SNL book "Live From New York" but I can't find it. IIRC correctly he was basically offered any film the studio had in production at the time to keep running with the success he'd had at the beginning of his film career. I remeber the reviews all made sure to point out that although his scenes dominated the previews and trailers he was only in about 15 minutes of the film, warning people they were being duped if they went looking for an "Eddie Murphy film".
It's too bad he has distanced himself from SNL since he became a huge film star, refusing to appear at anniversary reunions, host the show (what a wasted opportunity for laughs there), or even discuss the show in interviews. His time there is certainly better than a big chunk of his film career, even many of his really successful films.
The first "48 hrs." apart, I only connect with Murphy when his tirades become surreal enough, like when in this film he tells the bad guy to kiss his ass, or that moment when in "Beverly Hills Cop II", where he is undercover. Quote follows:
"I got the money and I do want to do business but with you. I ain't doing nothing in front of this dude 'cause he's a cop. I can smell a pig from a mile away - I used to be a Muslim man - I know that's pork."
I do like his voice work, though. Neither the Donky nor the dragon in "Mulan" fail to make me laugh anytime.