Eddie Murphy Raw

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Eddie Murphy Raw

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Robert Townsend
Produced by Robert D. Wachs
Keenen Ivory Wayans
Written by Eddie Murphy
Sketch:
Eddie Murphy
Keenen Ivory Wayans
Starring Eddie Murphy
Cinematography Ernest Dickerson
Editing by Lisa Day
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) December 18, 1987
Running time 90 min. 37 sec.
Language English

Eddie Murphy Raw (1987) is an American stand-up comedy film directed by Robert Townsend and starring Eddie Murphy. It was Murphy's second feature stand-up video, following Eddie Murphy Delirious. The 90 minute show was filmed in New York City's Felt Forum, the venue in the Madison Square Garden complex now called The WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden. According to The-Movie-Times.com, the film grossed a total of $50,504,000.

Contents

[edit] Humor

After the initial sketch and into the live show itself Murphy begins by saying how various people he referenced responded to their mention in the previous stand-up show by Eddie Murphy- Delirious. Mr T and Michael Jackson are mentioned, as well as the phone call he received from Bill Cosby, which he said that his son, Ennis, heard his profanity and wanted Murphy to not say the word "fuck" on stage again, and a call to Richard Pryor, about what Cosby said, to which he responded angrily, calling him a "Jell-O-puddin' eatin' motherfucka", and also talks about how Pryor was an inspiration to Murphy. Murphy said that Cosby 'got raw', possibly the inspiration for the show's title.

Murphy makes jokes about relationships; notably of the practice that developed during the 80's of wives divorcing their husbands and taking 'half!', as well as about the faults of both men and women and how the opposite sex exploit those weaknesses, basing it on the message in the song "What Have You Done for Me Lately". He jokes that he intends to go deep into Africa to find a 'bush bitch' who has no concept of Western culture in order to get a wife who (he hopes) will not divorce him. He also makes passing references to Japanese women who are supposedly very obedient to their husbands.

Murphy delivers a well-received segment on Italian-Americans, on their stereotypical behaviour, especially how they behave after seeing a Rocky movie. He then talks about white people's apparent inability to dance. He later talks about his experience in a nightclub where an Italian-American started a fight with Murphy, causing a large brawl, the end result of which saw Murphy getting sued for millions of dollars by all involved and even a few who weren't.

Murphy also talks about his mother making him a homemade onion and green pepper burger on Wonder Bread and an exaggerated account on how poor his family was, eventually going into a routine impersonating his father drunk, which follows on from the nightclub brawl segment.

[edit] Trivia

Eddie Murphy's 'It wasn't me' Sketch influenced the Shaggy single of the same name[citation needed].

At the time of its release, Eddie Murphy Raw contained the most uses of the word "fuck" ever in a feature-length film, surpassing Scarface. It remained so until the release of Goodfellas in 1990, but still contains most uses of the word "fuck" in an 80s film.

In the sitcom Scrubs, the main character John Dorian purchased a suit similar to the one Murphy wore in the film.

[edit] Cast (Opening Segment)

[edit] Credits

[edit] DVD Features

  • Widescreen version
  • English subtitles
  • Dolby Digital

[edit] External links