Beverly Hills Cop
Encyclopedia
Beverly Hills Cop is a 1984 American comedy-action film
directed by Martin Brest
and starring Eddie Murphy
, Lisa Eilbacher
, John Ashton
, Judge Reinhold
, and Ronny Cox
. Murphy stars as Axel Foley
, a street-smart Detroit cop who heads to Beverly Hills, California, to solve the murder of his best friend.
This first film in the Beverly Hills Cop series
shot Murphy to international stardom, won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture, was nominated for the Golden Globe Award
for Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical, and even received an Oscar nomination in 1985. It earned an estimated US$
234 million at the domestic box office, narrowly making it the biggest hit of 1984 (ahead of Ghostbusters
).
(Eddie Murphy
) is a young, talented, but reckless Detroit police detective, having been reformed from his hoodlum years. His latest act of attempting to catch crooks through an unauthorized cigarette smuggling sting operation
goes sour when some uniformed officers show up, questioning their suspicious activity, and earns him the wrath of his boss, Inspector Douglas Todd (Gilbert R. Hill
).
Axel's childhood friend and former criminal cohort, Mikey Tandino (James Russo
), long gone from Detroit, shows up in his apartment (by breaking in) and tells him he is working in Beverly Hills, California
, as a security guard, through the efforts of a mutual friend, Jenny Summers (Lisa Eilbacher
). After going out to have a few drinks, both men return drunk to Axel's apartment, where Axel is knocked unconscious and Mikey is confronted by two thugs, questioning him about some missing German bearer bond
s that he had shown Axel earlier. Mikey is then murdered. After being refused the investigation because of his close personal ties, Axel uses the guise of taking vacation time to head to Beverly Hills to ascertain the motive and solve the crime. While there, he finds Jenny and learns from her that Mikey's recent boss is respected local art dealer Victor Maitland (Steven Berkoff
), who had hired Mikey as a favor to Jenny. Axel decides to question Victor about Mikey's employment and Victor responds by having him thrown through the window by his bodyguard
s. Axel is promptly arrested and meets Beverly Hills police officers Sgt. John Taggart (John Ashton
), Det. Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold
), and Lt. Andrew Bogomil (Ronny Cox
).
Axel sneaks into one of Victor's art warehouses and soon begins to suspect that Victor is involved in some questionable activities, including Mikey's murder. He finds coffee grounds in the warehouse and deduces that Maitland is smuggling drugs, the coffee grounds being used to throw off the drug sniffing dogs. As evidence of Maitland's unsavory activities piles up, he kidnaps Jenny. Axel convinces Taggart, Rosewood, and Bogomil to assist him in bringing Maitland to justice and rescuing Jenny. After a firefight that kills most of his associates and results in Axel getting shot in the shoulder, Maitland is shot and killed by Foley and Bogomil, saving Jenny's life.
Realizing he might be out of a job as a police officer due to disobeying his boss' orders, Axel asks Bogomil to speak to Inspector Todd and smooth things over for him. Bogomil initially refuses but when Axel threatens to stay in Beverly Hills and become a private investigator, Bogomil changes his mind. Before Foley leaves Beverly Hills to return home, he asks Taggart and Rosewood to join him for a farewell drink and they accept the invitation. When they ask where they are going, Foley says to them, "Don't worry about it. I've found the perfect place. You guys will love it. Trust me."
completed his draft in 1977, seven years prior to production. The earliest version of the script involved a cop in East L.A. who was transferred to Beverly Hills, before evolving into the story of a cop from the East Coast who came to Beverly Hills to avenge the death of his friend. Drafts before the script was locked in (and became more of the comedy it ended up being) gave the cop's name as Axel Elly and set the out-of-Beverly Hills action in Pittsburgh.
When asked by the producers, director Martin Brest flipped a quarter to decide whether to undertake the direction of the film or not. As the movie proved to be an enormous hit, he framed the quarter and hung it upon his wall.
claimed that the part of Axel Foley was first offered to Mickey Rourke
, who signed a $400,000 USD holding contract to do the film. When revisions and other preparations took longer than expected, Rourke left the project after his contract expired to do another film. It was then offered to Sylvester Stallone
, with the character of Michael Tandino being his brother, and Jenny Summers being his love interest. Two weeks before filming was to start, Stallone was suddenly out and Eddie Murphy was in, prompting massive rewrites. According to Eddie Murphy on Inside the Actor's Studio, Stallone also envisioned a "harder edged" screenplay. After his departure due to differences in scope (Stallone essentially rewrote Beverly Hills Cop as what would be the 1986 film, Cobra) the role was re-written for Murphy. Besides Stallone
and Rourke
, other actors who were considered for the role of Axel Foley included Richard Pryor
, Al Pacino
, and James Caan. In one of the previous drafts written for Sylvester Stallone, Billy Rosewood was called "Siddons" and was killed off half-way through the script during one of the action scenes deemed "too expensive" for Paramount to produce.
In the process of casting the characters of Rosewood and Taggart, the director paired up various finalists and asked them to do some improvisation to get a feel for the chemistry between the actors. He paired up Judge Reinhold and John Ashton and gave them the following direction: "You are a middle aged couple, married for years. You are having a conversation on an average evening." Judge Reinhold immediately picked up a nearby magazine and the two improvised the "5 pounds of red meat in his bowels" bit almost verbatim as it eventually appeared in the movie. This got them the parts. Only after Martin Brest cast Judge Reinhold and John Ashton was the decision made to keep Rosewood alive due to his chemistry with Taggart. The original finale for the Stallone draft of the script took place at night and ended with a car chase between Victor in a Lamborghini and Foley in a turbo-boosted Pontiac GTO. Victor is ultimately killed when his car smashes into an oncoming train.
Many of the opening shots were actually filmed in Detroit, unbeknownst to the actors, who later gave their consent. In fact, Martin Brest was escorted by the police, who would refuse to follow him when they thought it was too dangerous. Brest and crew, however, soldiered on with their work, unescorted. The T-shirt that Murphy wears in the film is from Mumford, a real high school in Detroit attended by one of the filmmakers. When the film came out, the school received orders for the shirts from customers all over the world.
Axel Foley's boss, played by Gilbert R. Hill, was a real-life detective in the Detroit Police Department, who later became a Detroit City Council member and mayoral candidate, losing to Kwame Kilpatrick
in 2001. When filming the "Beverly Hills Police Station" sequences, Murphy was feeling groggy from the stuffy environment and was described "to be so pure, that he didn't drink coffee". Eventually, Murphy relented by taking small sips of coffee just to stay awake for filming inside the building. As a result of the first sips of coffee, Murphy's performance in the scene skyrocketed and he ad-libbed the part about Rosewood and Taggart being super-cops without having the capes.
In the art gallery, there is a large art piece containing several figures. One of the figures, a maitre'd with a chain around its neck, is modeled after director Martin Brest. Originally, two men were supposed to be working in the art gallery scenes. When the director heard Bronson Pinchot
's Serge impersonation, however, he thought it was so hysterical he scaled back the other part to give Pinchot more screen time. The second actor shows up only briefly with his shirt collar open too wide, on which Serge comments. Pinchot got the accent and mannerisms for his character Serge from a crew member he worked with on an earlier project. Like his character, that crew member always said, "Don't be stupid." In addition to getting the inspiration of Serge from a crew member on Beverly Hills Cop, Pinchot would later go on to play Balki Bartokomous
on Perfect Strangers
(1986) and use a variation of the "Don't be stupid" line. Every time he was asked something he would reply "Of course not, don't be ridiculous."
During his tirade at the Beverly Palms Hotel, Foley pretends to be writing an article called "Michael Jackson: Sitting on Top of the World" for Rolling Stone
magazine. In real life, Playboy
ran an article called "Eddie Murphy: Sitting on Top of the World." The city hall building seen in the film is the actual Beverly Hills City Hall. However, the exterior was very run-down and the plants were dying, so the film crew had to clean it up and grow new plants so it would look better on film.
The scene in which Foley, Rosewood, and Taggart give an explanation to Bogomil about the strip club arrest was improvised according to a making-of featurette. The song which plays during the strip club scene, "Nasty Girl
" by Vanity 6
, was recommended by the real-life stripper who was hired for the scene.
When trying to find Foley and Rosewood, the Beverly Hills Police control room use a "satellite tracking system" (the ancestor of the modern day Global Positioning System or GPS). Such a system did not exist at the time and was made up to advance the plot, but later did come into existence in real life. The pistol Murphy uses in the movie is a Browning High Power 9mm
pistol, widely used by military forces around the world for more than 50 years. It takes a 13 round, double stacked magazine.
of The New York Times
wrote "Beverly Hills Cop finds Eddie Murphy doing what he does best: playing the shrewdest, hippest, fastest-talking underdog in a rich man's world. Eddie Murphy knows exactly what he's doing, and he wins at every turn". Richard Schickel
of Time
magazine felt that "Eddie Murphy exuded the kind of cheeky, cocky charm that has been missing from the screen since Cagney
was a pup, snarling his way out of the ghetto". Axel Foley became Murphy's signature role and was ranked number 78 on Empire
magazine's list of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time. Also Entertainment Weekly
ranked Beverly Hills Cop as the third best comedy film of the last 25 years.
Today, Beverly Hills Cop is regarded as a classic in the comedy genre and holds an 84% approval rating on the aggregate film website Rotten Tomatoes
and 60% when counting Top Critics. The film was also picked as one of the 1000 Best Movies Ever Made by The New York Times.
, the film made more money than it did in its first weeks, with the highest one being the fourth week of release, which made $20,064,790. It stayed #1 for 14 non-consecutive weeks and tied along with Tootsie
as the second films with most weeks on the top (the first is Titanic
). The film earned approximately $234,760,478 domestically and became the highest grossing film of the year 1984, beating Ghostbusters
and by the time, the highest grossing R rated comedy film. The film was also the second highest grossing film worldwide in 1984, behind Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
. It remained that way until The Hangover
broke it 25 years later. However, once adjusted for inflation, Beverly Hills Cop is the third highest grossing R rated film of all time, behind only The Exorcist
and The Godfather
.
for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special
(1986). The instrumental-only title tune "Axel F
" is very recognizable and has since been covered by numerous artists. The soundtrack was mastered
by Greg Fulginiti
, and would feature different artists plus electronic style music.
The soundtrack was released on MCA Records
, successor-in-interest to Paramount's old record division, the Famous Music
Group (specifically Paramount Records
).
The track listing is as follows:
Songs not on soundtrack
Though not officially in the soundtrack, "Nasty Girl
" by Vanity 6
is heard in the strip club, but is credited in the end credits of the film. Since the film's release in 1984, there has never been an official release of the soundtrack score which was composed by Harold Faltermeyer
. The only part of the soundtrack score that has been commercially released is "Axel F", featured on the soundtrack release.
However, two tracks of score were released on B sides to the vinyl singles of "Axel F":
There are also 12" extended versions of the "Axel F" theme which were released on the vinyl singles in the 1980s. The 12" version was available as well as side 2 on the Patti LaBelle "New Attitude" 12" dance mix.
Early vinyl copies of the soundtrack included Rick James
' "Can't Stop." Later editions replaced the James song with Rockie Robbins
' "Emergency."
s, both starring Eddie Murphy
, in 1987 and 1994. Judge Reinhold
also reprised his role of Billy Rosewood
for the sequels. The second and third films were semi-successful in the box office. Faltermeyer's Axel F
was used in both sequels.
American Film Institute
Lists
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
directed by Martin Brest
Martin Brest
Martin Brest is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer.-Education:He was born in a Jewish family in the Bronx, New York....
and starring Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
, Lisa Eilbacher
Lisa Eilbacher
Lisa Eilbacher is an American television and motion picture actress.-Personal life:Eilbacher was born in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, the daughter of an American oil company executive. She was raised in France...
, John Ashton
John Ashton (actor)
John David Ashton is an American actor born in Springfield, Massachusetts, and graduate of the University of Southern California School of Theatre.John Ashton attended Enfield High School in Enfield, Connecticut....
, Judge Reinhold
Judge Reinhold
Judge Reinhold is an American actor, perhaps best known for co-starring in movies such as Beverly Hills Cop, Ruthless People, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and The Santa Clause trilogy.-Early life:...
, and Ronny Cox
Ronny Cox
Daniel Ronald "Ronny" Cox is an American character actor, singer-songwriter and guitarist.-Personal life:Cox, the third of five children, was born in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, the son of Lounette and Bob P. Cox, a carpenter who also worked at a dairy. He grew up in Portales, New Mexico...
. Murphy stars as Axel Foley
Axel Foley
Axel Foley is a fictional character, portrayed by Eddie Murphy, and is the main protagonist of the Beverly Hills Cop film franchise. He is ranked number 78 on Empire Magazine's list of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time...
, a street-smart Detroit cop who heads to Beverly Hills, California, to solve the murder of his best friend.
This first film in the Beverly Hills Cop series
Beverly Hills Cop (film series)
Beverly Hills Cop is a series of action-comedy films, with characters written by Daniel Petrie, Jr. and Danilo Bach. The films star Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold and John Ashton, though Ashton does not appear in Beverly Hills Cop III. Harold Faltermeyer produced the now famous "Axel F" theme song...
shot Murphy to international stardom, won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture, was nominated for the Golden Globe Award
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
for Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical, and even received an Oscar nomination in 1985. It earned an estimated US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
234 million at the domestic box office, narrowly making it the biggest hit of 1984 (ahead of Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is a 1984 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis and follows three eccentric parapsychologists in New York City, who start a...
).
Plot
Axel FoleyAxel Foley
Axel Foley is a fictional character, portrayed by Eddie Murphy, and is the main protagonist of the Beverly Hills Cop film franchise. He is ranked number 78 on Empire Magazine's list of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time...
(Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
) is a young, talented, but reckless Detroit police detective, having been reformed from his hoodlum years. His latest act of attempting to catch crooks through an unauthorized cigarette smuggling sting operation
Sting operation
In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person committing a crime. A typical sting will have a law-enforcement officer or cooperative member of the public play a role as criminal partner or potential victim and go along with a suspect's actions to gather...
goes sour when some uniformed officers show up, questioning their suspicious activity, and earns him the wrath of his boss, Inspector Douglas Todd (Gilbert R. Hill
Gil Hill
Gilbert R. "Gil" Hill is a former President of the Detroit City Council. He was also a Detroit police officer and part-time actor, gaining recognition in the Beverly Hills Cop movie franchise....
).
Axel's childhood friend and former criminal cohort, Mikey Tandino (James Russo
James Russo
James Vincent Russo is an American film and television actor. He has starred in over 90 films in three decades.-Early life:...
), long gone from Detroit, shows up in his apartment (by breaking in) and tells him he is working in Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
, as a security guard, through the efforts of a mutual friend, Jenny Summers (Lisa Eilbacher
Lisa Eilbacher
Lisa Eilbacher is an American television and motion picture actress.-Personal life:Eilbacher was born in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, the daughter of an American oil company executive. She was raised in France...
). After going out to have a few drinks, both men return drunk to Axel's apartment, where Axel is knocked unconscious and Mikey is confronted by two thugs, questioning him about some missing German bearer bond
Bearer bond
A bearer bond is a debt security issued by a business entity, such as a corporation, or by a government. It differs from the more common types of investment securities in that it is unregistered – no records are kept of the owner, or the transactions involving ownership. Whoever physically...
s that he had shown Axel earlier. Mikey is then murdered. After being refused the investigation because of his close personal ties, Axel uses the guise of taking vacation time to head to Beverly Hills to ascertain the motive and solve the crime. While there, he finds Jenny and learns from her that Mikey's recent boss is respected local art dealer Victor Maitland (Steven Berkoff
Steven Berkoff
Steven Berkoff is an English actor, writer and director. Best known for his performance as General Orlov in the James Bond film Octopussy, he is typically cast in villanous roles, such as Lt...
), who had hired Mikey as a favor to Jenny. Axel decides to question Victor about Mikey's employment and Victor responds by having him thrown through the window by his bodyguard
Bodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
s. Axel is promptly arrested and meets Beverly Hills police officers Sgt. John Taggart (John Ashton
John Ashton (actor)
John David Ashton is an American actor born in Springfield, Massachusetts, and graduate of the University of Southern California School of Theatre.John Ashton attended Enfield High School in Enfield, Connecticut....
), Det. Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold
Judge Reinhold
Judge Reinhold is an American actor, perhaps best known for co-starring in movies such as Beverly Hills Cop, Ruthless People, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and The Santa Clause trilogy.-Early life:...
), and Lt. Andrew Bogomil (Ronny Cox
Ronny Cox
Daniel Ronald "Ronny" Cox is an American character actor, singer-songwriter and guitarist.-Personal life:Cox, the third of five children, was born in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, the son of Lounette and Bob P. Cox, a carpenter who also worked at a dairy. He grew up in Portales, New Mexico...
).
Axel sneaks into one of Victor's art warehouses and soon begins to suspect that Victor is involved in some questionable activities, including Mikey's murder. He finds coffee grounds in the warehouse and deduces that Maitland is smuggling drugs, the coffee grounds being used to throw off the drug sniffing dogs. As evidence of Maitland's unsavory activities piles up, he kidnaps Jenny. Axel convinces Taggart, Rosewood, and Bogomil to assist him in bringing Maitland to justice and rescuing Jenny. After a firefight that kills most of his associates and results in Axel getting shot in the shoulder, Maitland is shot and killed by Foley and Bogomil, saving Jenny's life.
Realizing he might be out of a job as a police officer due to disobeying his boss' orders, Axel asks Bogomil to speak to Inspector Todd and smooth things over for him. Bogomil initially refuses but when Axel threatens to stay in Beverly Hills and become a private investigator, Bogomil changes his mind. Before Foley leaves Beverly Hills to return home, he asks Taggart and Rosewood to join him for a farewell drink and they accept the invitation. When they ask where they are going, Foley says to them, "Don't worry about it. I've found the perfect place. You guys will love it. Trust me."
Cast
- Eddie MurphyEddie MurphyEdward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
as Axel FoleyAxel FoleyAxel Foley is a fictional character, portrayed by Eddie Murphy, and is the main protagonist of the Beverly Hills Cop film franchise. He is ranked number 78 on Empire Magazine's list of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time... - Judge ReinholdJudge ReinholdJudge Reinhold is an American actor, perhaps best known for co-starring in movies such as Beverly Hills Cop, Ruthless People, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and The Santa Clause trilogy.-Early life:...
as Det. Billy RosewoodBilly RosewoodWilliam "Billy" Rosewood is a fictional character from the Beverly Hills Cop film series, and is portrayed by Judge Reinhold.-Fictional character biography:... - John AshtonJohn Ashton (actor)John David Ashton is an American actor born in Springfield, Massachusetts, and graduate of the University of Southern California School of Theatre.John Ashton attended Enfield High School in Enfield, Connecticut....
as Sgt. John Taggart - Lisa EilbacherLisa EilbacherLisa Eilbacher is an American television and motion picture actress.-Personal life:Eilbacher was born in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, the daughter of an American oil company executive. She was raised in France...
as Jenny Summers - Ronny CoxRonny CoxDaniel Ronald "Ronny" Cox is an American character actor, singer-songwriter and guitarist.-Personal life:Cox, the third of five children, was born in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, the son of Lounette and Bob P. Cox, a carpenter who also worked at a dairy. He grew up in Portales, New Mexico...
as Lt. Andrew Bogomil - Steven BerkoffSteven BerkoffSteven Berkoff is an English actor, writer and director. Best known for his performance as General Orlov in the James Bond film Octopussy, he is typically cast in villanous roles, such as Lt...
as Victor Maitland - James RussoJames RussoJames Vincent Russo is an American film and television actor. He has starred in over 90 films in three decades.-Early life:...
as Mikey Tandino - Jonathan BanksJonathan BanksJonathan Ray Banks is an American actor in film and television.Banks was born in Washington, D.C. in 1947. His mother worked for the CIA. Banks attended Indiana University Bloomington where he was a classmate of Kevin Kline...
as Zack - Stephen ElliottStephen Elliott (actor)Stephen Elliott was an American actor. His best known role was that of crime boss, Burt Johnson, in the hit 1981 film Arthur.-Theatre:Elliott's first acting engagement was at the New York Neighborhood Playhouse in 1946...
as Chief Hubbard - Gil HillGil HillGilbert R. "Gil" Hill is a former President of the Detroit City Council. He was also a Detroit police officer and part-time actor, gaining recognition in the Beverly Hills Cop movie franchise....
as Inspector Douglas Todd - Art Kimbro as Det. Foster
- Joel Bailey as Det. McCabe
- Bronson PinchotBronson PinchotBronson Alcott Pinchot is an American actor. He has appeared in several feature films, including Risky Business, Beverly Hills Cop , The First Wives Club, True Romance, Courage Under Fire and It's My Party...
as Serge - Paul ReiserPaul ReiserPaul Reiser is an American stand-up comedian, actor, television personality, author, screenwriter and musician. He is most widely known for his role on the long-running television sitcom Mad About You.-Early life:...
as Jeffrey - Michael ChampionMichael Campbell (musician and actor)The American Michael Campbell started his public career as a singer, songwriter and musician in Detroit. In 1967 with an ephemeral band called 'The Abstract Reality', a 45 rpm single Love Burns Like A Fire Inside was released. With Bob 'Babbitt' Kreinar, Ray Monette and Andrew Smith he formed...
as Casey - Frank Pesce as Cigarette Buyer
- Gene Borkan as Truck Driver
- Damon WayansDamon WayansDamon Kyle Wayans is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, one of the Wayans brothers.-Early life:Wayans was born in New York City, New York, the son of Elvira, a homemaker and social worker, and Howell Wayans, a supermarket manager...
as Banana Man - Chuck AdamsonChuck AdamsonCharles Fredrick "Chuck" Adamson was an American retired police officer who became a television producer and screen writer. He was best known for creating the television crime drama Crime Story, for which he won a People's Choice Award, and for writing episodes of Miami Vice...
as Warehouse Crate Opener #1 - Chip Heller as Warehouse Crate Opener #2
- David Wells as Police Dispatcher
Development
Danilo BachDanilo Bach
- Awards and nominations :* Best Original Screenplay for Beverly Hills Cop, 1984- Filmography :* The Beast Within , writer * Deadly Drifter * Beverly Hills Cop , Writer...
completed his draft in 1977, seven years prior to production. The earliest version of the script involved a cop in East L.A. who was transferred to Beverly Hills, before evolving into the story of a cop from the East Coast who came to Beverly Hills to avenge the death of his friend. Drafts before the script was locked in (and became more of the comedy it ended up being) gave the cop's name as Axel Elly and set the out-of-Beverly Hills action in Pittsburgh.
When asked by the producers, director Martin Brest flipped a quarter to decide whether to undertake the direction of the film or not. As the movie proved to be an enormous hit, he framed the quarter and hung it upon his wall.
Pre-production
On the DVD featurette, producer Jerry BruckheimerJerry Bruckheimer
Jerome Leon "Jerry" Bruckheimer is an American film and television producer. He has achieved great success in the genres of action, drama, and science fiction. His best known television series are CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Eleventh Hour, Without a Trace, Cold Case, The...
claimed that the part of Axel Foley was first offered to Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
, who signed a $400,000 USD holding contract to do the film. When revisions and other preparations took longer than expected, Rourke left the project after his contract expired to do another film. It was then offered to Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
, with the character of Michael Tandino being his brother, and Jenny Summers being his love interest. Two weeks before filming was to start, Stallone was suddenly out and Eddie Murphy was in, prompting massive rewrites. According to Eddie Murphy on Inside the Actor's Studio, Stallone also envisioned a "harder edged" screenplay. After his departure due to differences in scope (Stallone essentially rewrote Beverly Hills Cop as what would be the 1986 film, Cobra) the role was re-written for Murphy. Besides Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
and Rourke
Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
, other actors who were considered for the role of Axel Foley included Richard Pryor
Richard Pryor
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor was an American stand-up comedian, actor, social critic, writer and MC. Pryor was known for uncompromising examinations of racism and topical contemporary issues, which employed colorful vulgarities, and profanity, as well as racial epithets...
, Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
, and James Caan. In one of the previous drafts written for Sylvester Stallone, Billy Rosewood was called "Siddons" and was killed off half-way through the script during one of the action scenes deemed "too expensive" for Paramount to produce.
In the process of casting the characters of Rosewood and Taggart, the director paired up various finalists and asked them to do some improvisation to get a feel for the chemistry between the actors. He paired up Judge Reinhold and John Ashton and gave them the following direction: "You are a middle aged couple, married for years. You are having a conversation on an average evening." Judge Reinhold immediately picked up a nearby magazine and the two improvised the "5 pounds of red meat in his bowels" bit almost verbatim as it eventually appeared in the movie. This got them the parts. Only after Martin Brest cast Judge Reinhold and John Ashton was the decision made to keep Rosewood alive due to his chemistry with Taggart. The original finale for the Stallone draft of the script took place at night and ended with a car chase between Victor in a Lamborghini and Foley in a turbo-boosted Pontiac GTO. Victor is ultimately killed when his car smashes into an oncoming train.
Filming
The shooting script was literally pasted together from the half dozen or so scripts written for this project over the years. Police Chief Hubbard (Stephen Elliott) walks into his first scene carrying some rolled-up sheets of paper. It is actually one of many reworked scripts, which was given to him to memorize and rehearse only minutes before the shooting of the scene started. When they were stuck during production, Eddie Murphy would improvise dialog or create a scene. Murphy improvised many of his comic lines, as did John Ashton and Judge Reinhold. Literally hundreds of takes were ruined by cast members or actors or the director himself, who were unable to stop laughing during shooting because of this. During the "super-cops" monologue, Ashton is pinching his face hard and looking down in apparent frustration. In actuality, Ashton is actually laughing. Reinhold put his hand in his pocket and pinched his thigh really hard to prevent himself from laughing.Many of the opening shots were actually filmed in Detroit, unbeknownst to the actors, who later gave their consent. In fact, Martin Brest was escorted by the police, who would refuse to follow him when they thought it was too dangerous. Brest and crew, however, soldiered on with their work, unescorted. The T-shirt that Murphy wears in the film is from Mumford, a real high school in Detroit attended by one of the filmmakers. When the film came out, the school received orders for the shirts from customers all over the world.
Axel Foley's boss, played by Gilbert R. Hill, was a real-life detective in the Detroit Police Department, who later became a Detroit City Council member and mayoral candidate, losing to Kwame Kilpatrick
Kwame Kilpatrick
Kwame Malik Kilpatrick is a former mayor of Detroit, Michigan. Kilpatrick's mayorship was plagued by numerous scandals and rampant accusations of corruption, with the mayor eventually resigning after being charged with ten felony counts, including perjury and obstruction of justice...
in 2001. When filming the "Beverly Hills Police Station" sequences, Murphy was feeling groggy from the stuffy environment and was described "to be so pure, that he didn't drink coffee". Eventually, Murphy relented by taking small sips of coffee just to stay awake for filming inside the building. As a result of the first sips of coffee, Murphy's performance in the scene skyrocketed and he ad-libbed the part about Rosewood and Taggart being super-cops without having the capes.
In the art gallery, there is a large art piece containing several figures. One of the figures, a maitre'd with a chain around its neck, is modeled after director Martin Brest. Originally, two men were supposed to be working in the art gallery scenes. When the director heard Bronson Pinchot
Bronson Pinchot
Bronson Alcott Pinchot is an American actor. He has appeared in several feature films, including Risky Business, Beverly Hills Cop , The First Wives Club, True Romance, Courage Under Fire and It's My Party...
's Serge impersonation, however, he thought it was so hysterical he scaled back the other part to give Pinchot more screen time. The second actor shows up only briefly with his shirt collar open too wide, on which Serge comments. Pinchot got the accent and mannerisms for his character Serge from a crew member he worked with on an earlier project. Like his character, that crew member always said, "Don't be stupid." In addition to getting the inspiration of Serge from a crew member on Beverly Hills Cop, Pinchot would later go on to play Balki Bartokomous
Balki Bartokomous
Balki Bartokomous is a fictional character on the television sitcom Perfect Strangers, played by Bronson Pinchot. Balki is from the island of Mypos, a fictional country in the Mediterranean Sea.- Character history :...
on Perfect Strangers
Perfect Strangers (TV series)
Perfect Strangers is an American sitcom that ran for eight seasons from March 25, 1986, to August 6, 1993, on the ABC television network. Created by Dale McRaven, the series chronicles the rocky coexistence of midwestern American Larry Appleton and his distant cousin from eastern Mediterranean...
(1986) and use a variation of the "Don't be stupid" line. Every time he was asked something he would reply "Of course not, don't be ridiculous."
During his tirade at the Beverly Palms Hotel, Foley pretends to be writing an article called "Michael Jackson: Sitting on Top of the World" for Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine. In real life, Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
ran an article called "Eddie Murphy: Sitting on Top of the World." The city hall building seen in the film is the actual Beverly Hills City Hall. However, the exterior was very run-down and the plants were dying, so the film crew had to clean it up and grow new plants so it would look better on film.
The scene in which Foley, Rosewood, and Taggart give an explanation to Bogomil about the strip club arrest was improvised according to a making-of featurette. The song which plays during the strip club scene, "Nasty Girl
Nasty Girl (Vanity 6 song)
"Nasty Girl" is a song written by Prince for his protégé girl group Vanity 6. Prince gave the songwriting credit to lead singer Vanity, although he was the writer and composer. It was the second single taken from their self-titled debut album Vanity 6 and was released in 1982.The backing music was...
" by Vanity 6
Vanity 6
Vanity 6 was a female vocal trio assembled by Prince in the early 1980s.They released one studio album, which blended the sounds of pop, New Wave, dance music, R&B, and funk.-Formation:...
, was recommended by the real-life stripper who was hired for the scene.
When trying to find Foley and Rosewood, the Beverly Hills Police control room use a "satellite tracking system" (the ancestor of the modern day Global Positioning System or GPS). Such a system did not exist at the time and was made up to advance the plot, but later did come into existence in real life. The pistol Murphy uses in the movie is a Browning High Power 9mm
Browning Hi-Power
The Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. It is based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale of Herstal, Belgium. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized...
pistol, widely used by military forces around the world for more than 50 years. It takes a 13 round, double stacked magazine.
Reception
Beverly Hills Cop was well received by critics and is considered by many as one of the best films of 1984. Eddie Murphy, in particular, received much acclaim for his performance. Janet MaslinJanet Maslin
Janet Maslin is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for The New York Times. She served as the Times film critic from 1977–1999.- Biography :...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
wrote "Beverly Hills Cop finds Eddie Murphy doing what he does best: playing the shrewdest, hippest, fastest-talking underdog in a rich man's world. Eddie Murphy knows exactly what he's doing, and he wins at every turn". Richard Schickel
Richard Schickel
Richard Warren Schickel is an American author, journalist, and documentary filmmaker. He is a film critic for Time magazine, having also written for Life magazine and the Los Angeles Times Book Review....
of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine felt that "Eddie Murphy exuded the kind of cheeky, cocky charm that has been missing from the screen since Cagney
James Cagney
James Francis Cagney, Jr. was an American actor, first on stage, then in film, where he had his greatest impact. Although he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of performances, he is best remembered for playing "tough guys." In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him eighth...
was a pup, snarling his way out of the ghetto". Axel Foley became Murphy's signature role and was ranked number 78 on Empire
Empire (magazine)
Empire is a British film magazine published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media. From the first issue in July 1989, the magazine was edited by Barry McIlheney and published by Emap. Bauer purchased Emap Consumer Media in early 2008...
magazine's list of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time. Also Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
ranked Beverly Hills Cop as the third best comedy film of the last 25 years.
Today, Beverly Hills Cop is regarded as a classic in the comedy genre and holds an 84% approval rating on the aggregate film website Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
and 60% when counting Top Critics. The film was also picked as one of the 1000 Best Movies Ever Made by The New York Times.
Box office
The film was released on December 5 and was very anticipated. The film was screened in 1,532 theaters and debuted #1 at box office making $15,214,805 in the first week of release. Thanks to the word of mouthWord of mouth
Word of mouth, or viva voce, is the passing of information from person to person by oral communication. Storytelling is the oldest form of word-of-mouth communication where one person tells others of something, whether a real event or something made up. Oral tradition is cultural material and...
, the film made more money than it did in its first weeks, with the highest one being the fourth week of release, which made $20,064,790. It stayed #1 for 14 non-consecutive weeks and tied along with Tootsie
Tootsie
Tootsie is a 1982 American comedy film that tells the story of a talented but volatile actor whose reputation for being difficult forces him to go to extreme lengths to land a job. The movie stars Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange, with a supporting cast that includes Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman,...
as the second films with most weeks on the top (the first is Titanic
Titanic (1997 film)
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
). The film earned approximately $234,760,478 domestically and became the highest grossing film of the year 1984, beating Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is a 1984 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis and follows three eccentric parapsychologists in New York City, who start a...
and by the time, the highest grossing R rated comedy film. The film was also the second highest grossing film worldwide in 1984, behind Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a 1984 American adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is the second film in the Indiana Jones franchise and prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark . After arriving in India, Indiana Jones is asked by a desperate village to find a mystical stone...
. It remained that way until The Hangover
The Hangover (film)
The Hangover is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. The film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha and Jeffrey Tambor...
broke it 25 years later. However, once adjusted for inflation, Beverly Hills Cop is the third highest grossing R rated film of all time, behind only The Exorcist
The Exorcist (film)
The Exorcist is a 1973 American horror film directed by William Friedkin, adapted from the 1971 novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty and based on the exorcism case of Robbie Mannheim, dealing with the demonic possession of a young girl and her mother’s desperate attempts to win back her...
and The Godfather
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack won a Grammy AwardGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special
Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
The Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media has been awarded since 1960. Until 2001 the award was presented to the composer of the music alone. From 2001 to 2006, the producer and engineers shared in this award...
(1986). The instrumental-only title tune "Axel F
Axel F
"Axel F" is the electronic instrumental theme from the 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop performed by Harold Faltermeyer. The title comes from the main character's name, Axel Foley , in the film. It topped musical charts in 1985 and remains a popular remix track. Mixes of "Axel F" topped European pop...
" is very recognizable and has since been covered by numerous artists. The soundtrack was mastered
Audio mastering
Mastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
by Greg Fulginiti
Greg Fulginiti
Gregory Fulginiti is an American recording and mastering engineer.In a career spanning three decades, Fulginiti was nominated for the TEC Awards by Mix magazine 6 times, earned 175 Gold and Platinum Awards, 25 Multi-Platinum Awards, 100 Number One recordings, 135 Grammy nominees, including the...
, and would feature different artists plus electronic style music.
The soundtrack was released on MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
, successor-in-interest to Paramount's old record division, the Famous Music
Famous Music
Famous Music was the worldwide music publishing division of Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom since 1994. Its copyright holdings span several decades and includes music from such Academy Award-winning motion pictures as The Godfather and Forrest Gump...
Group (specifically Paramount Records
Paramount Records (1969)
Paramount Records was a record label started in 1969 by Paramount Pictures after acquiring the rights to the name from George H. Buck. The previous label with the same name had been unconnected to Paramount Pictures. The new Paramount label reissued pop releases by sister label Dot Records, which...
).
The track listing is as follows:
- "New AttitudeNew Attitude (song)"New Attitude" is a song performed by Patti LaBelle and written by Sharon Teresa Robinson, Jon Gilutin, and Bunny Hull. It was released in January 1985 and helped launch LaBelle's solo career as a pop music singer after the singer had spent seven years without a hit following the break-up of...
" by Patti LaBellePatti LaBellePatricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry... - "Don't Get Stopped in Beverly Hills" by ShalamarShalamarShalamar was an American music group, primarily of the 1970s and 1980s, that was originally a disco-driven vehicle created by Soul Train booking agent Dick Griffey and show creator Don Cornelius. They went on to be an influential dance trio, masterminded by Soul Train producer Don Cornelius...
- "Do You Really (Want My Love?)" by Junior
- "Emergency" by Rockie RobbinsRockie RobbinsRockie Robbins is an American soul singer from Minneapolis, Minnesota.-Biography:Robbins was born Edward W. Robbins Jr. He cut his first record in 1979, which was produced by Richard Evans and Johnny Pate. The master tapes for this record were erased in transit to the record company, and the album...
- "Neutron DanceNeutron Dance"Neutron Dance" is a dance/R&B/New Wave song from the Pointer Sisters. Released from their album Break Out in 1984, the song hit the US Top 10, peaking at number six on the Billboard chart, and was also featured in the Eddie Murphy motion picture Beverly Hills Cop.It became the group's fourth top...
" by Pointer SistersPointer SistersThe Pointer Sisters are an American pop/R&B recording act from Oakland, California that achieved mainstream success during the 1970s and 1980s. Spanning over three decades, their repertoire has included such diverse genres as pop, disco, jazz, bebop, blues, soul, funk, dance, country and rock.The... - "The Heat is OnThe Heat Is On (Glenn Frey song)"The Heat is On" is a song written by Harold Faltermeyer and Keith Forsey and recorded by Glenn Frey, from Faltermeyer and Forsey's soundtrack of the popular 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop.-History:...
" by Glenn FreyGlenn FreyGlenn Lewis Frey is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. Frey formed the Eagles after he met drummer Don Henley in 1970 and the two eventually joined Linda Ronstadt's backup band for her summer tour. The Eagles formed in 1971 and... - "Gratitude" by Danny ElfmanDanny ElfmanDaniel Robert "Danny" Elfman is an American composer, best known for scoring music for television and film. Up until 1995, he was the lead singer and songwriter in the rock band Oingo Boingo, a group he formed in 1976...
- "Stir It UpStir It Up (Patti LaBelle song)"Stir It Up" is the second single from Patti LaBelle taken from the soundtrack album to the 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop -- the latter won a Grammy Award for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special ....
" by Patti LaBellePatti LaBellePatricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry... - "Rock 'N Roll Me Again" by The SystemThe System (band)The System was an American synth pop duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Mic Murphy and seasoned session keyboardist David Frank. The band was founded in 1982 in New York and backed up by Paul Pesco on electric guitar and Kris Khellow - keyboards, synthesizers.Sometimes the group is referred to...
- "Axel FAxel F"Axel F" is the electronic instrumental theme from the 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop performed by Harold Faltermeyer. The title comes from the main character's name, Axel Foley , in the film. It topped musical charts in 1985 and remains a popular remix track. Mixes of "Axel F" topped European pop...
" by Harold FaltermeyerHarold FaltermeyerHarold Faltermeyer is a German musician, keyboardist, composer and record producer.He is recognized as one of the composers/producers who best captured the zeitgeist of 1980s synth-pop in film scores...
Songs not on soundtrack
Though not officially in the soundtrack, "Nasty Girl
Nasty Girl (Vanity 6 song)
"Nasty Girl" is a song written by Prince for his protégé girl group Vanity 6. Prince gave the songwriting credit to lead singer Vanity, although he was the writer and composer. It was the second single taken from their self-titled debut album Vanity 6 and was released in 1982.The backing music was...
" by Vanity 6
Vanity 6
Vanity 6 was a female vocal trio assembled by Prince in the early 1980s.They released one studio album, which blended the sounds of pop, New Wave, dance music, R&B, and funk.-Formation:...
is heard in the strip club, but is credited in the end credits of the film. Since the film's release in 1984, there has never been an official release of the soundtrack score which was composed by Harold Faltermeyer
Harold Faltermeyer
Harold Faltermeyer is a German musician, keyboardist, composer and record producer.He is recognized as one of the composers/producers who best captured the zeitgeist of 1980s synth-pop in film scores...
. The only part of the soundtrack score that has been commercially released is "Axel F", featured on the soundtrack release.
However, two tracks of score were released on B sides to the vinyl singles of "Axel F":
- "Discovery" - This piece of score is heard in the scene where the drugs are discovered by Axel Foley in the warehouse.
- "Shootout" - This piece of score is heard in the scene where Billy Rosewood waits outside the warehouse and then decides to go in.
There are also 12" extended versions of the "Axel F" theme which were released on the vinyl singles in the 1980s. The 12" version was available as well as side 2 on the Patti LaBelle "New Attitude" 12" dance mix.
Early vinyl copies of the soundtrack included Rick James
Rick James
James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. James was a popular performer in the late 1970s and 1980s, scoring four number-one hits on the U.S. R&B charts performing in the genres of funk and R&B...
' "Can't Stop." Later editions replaced the James song with Rockie Robbins
Rockie Robbins
Rockie Robbins is an American soul singer from Minneapolis, Minnesota.-Biography:Robbins was born Edward W. Robbins Jr. He cut his first record in 1979, which was produced by Richard Evans and Johnny Pate. The master tapes for this record were erased in transit to the record company, and the album...
' "Emergency."
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Billboard 200 | 1 |
Sequels
The film spawned two sequelSequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
s, both starring Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
, in 1987 and 1994. Judge Reinhold
Judge Reinhold
Judge Reinhold is an American actor, perhaps best known for co-starring in movies such as Beverly Hills Cop, Ruthless People, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and The Santa Clause trilogy.-Early life:...
also reprised his role of Billy Rosewood
Billy Rosewood
William "Billy" Rosewood is a fictional character from the Beverly Hills Cop film series, and is portrayed by Judge Reinhold.-Fictional character biography:...
for the sequels. The second and third films were semi-successful in the box office. Faltermeyer's Axel F
Axel F
"Axel F" is the electronic instrumental theme from the 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop performed by Harold Faltermeyer. The title comes from the main character's name, Axel Foley , in the film. It topped musical charts in 1985 and remains a popular remix track. Mixes of "Axel F" topped European pop...
was used in both sequels.
Awards and nominations
- Academy Award
- nominated for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen - Danilo Bach and Daniel Petrie, Jr.
- BAFTA Awards
- nominated for Best ScoreBAFTA Award for Best Film MusicThe Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music is an annual award given by British Academy of Film and Television Arts.-1960s:*1968 - The Lion in Winter - John Barry...
- Harold Faltermeyer
- nominated for Best Score
- Edgar Allan Poe Award
- nominated for Best Motion Picture - Daniel Petrie, Jr.
- Golden Globe
- nominated for Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical
- nominated for Best Motion Picture Actor - Comedy/MusicalGolden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or ComedyThe Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951...
- Eddie Murphy
- Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
- won for Best Score Soundtrack AlbumGrammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual MediaThe Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media has been awarded since 1960. Until 2001 the award was presented to the composer of the music alone. From 2001 to 2006, the producer and engineers shared in this award...
- Marc Benno, Harold Faltermeyer, Keith Forsey, Micki Free, Jon Gilutin , Howard Hewett, Bunny Hull, Howie Rice, Sharon Robinson, Danny Sembello, Sue Sheridan, Richard Theisen, Allee Willis
- won for Best Score Soundtrack Album
- People's Choice Award
- won for Favorite Motion Picture
- Stuntman Award
- won for Best Vehicular Stunt (Motion Picture) - Eddy Donno
- This film is number 22 on Bravo's list of the 100 funniest movies.
American Film Institute
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
Lists
- AFI's 100 Years... 100 MoviesAFI's 100 Years... 100 MoviesThe first of the AFI 100 Years… series of cinematic milestones, AFI's 100 Years…100 Movies is a list of the 100 best American movies, as determined by the American Film Institute from a poll of more than 1,500 artists and leaders in the film industry who chose from a list of 400 nominated movies...
- Nominated - AFI's 100 Years... 100 LaughsAFI's 100 Years... 100 LaughsPart of the AFI 100 Years… series, AFI's 100 Years…100 Laughs is a list of the top 100 funniest movies in American cinema. A wide variety of comedies were nominated for the distinction that included slapstick comedy, screwball comedy, romantic comedy, satire, black comedy, musical comedy, comedy of...
- #63 - AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and VillainsAFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and VillainsAFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains is a list of the 100 greatest screen characters chosen by American Film Institute in June 2003. It is part of the AFI 100 Years… series. The series was first presented in a CBS special hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger...
:- Detective Axel Foley - Nominated Hero
Video games
- TynesoftTynesoftTynesoft Computer Software was a software developer and publisher in the 1980s and early 1990s.- History :The company was originally set up in 1983 to release educational software but soon moved into the video games market on which it concentrated for most of its time...
released a game based on the movies for Commodore 64Commodore 64The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, ZX SpectrumZX SpectrumThe ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, Amstrad CPCAmstrad CPCThe Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
, BBC MicroBBC MicroThe BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
, PCIBM PCThe IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is the original version and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform. It is IBM model number 5150, and was introduced on August 12, 1981...
, AmigaAmigaThe Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
and Atari STAtari STThe Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
in 1990. - Blast Entertainment released a Beverly Hills Cop game for the PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
in 2006.