Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

Director:

Martin Brest

Writers:

Danilo Bach (story)
Daniel Petrie Jr. (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

5 December 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

In Detroit a cop learns to take the heat. In L.A. he learns to keep his cool. [Theatrical Australia]

Plot:

A freewheeling Detroit cop pursuing a murder investigation finds himself dealing with the very different culture of Beverly Hills.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Gallery | Art Gallery | Murder | Detective

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Eddie Murphy	...	Det. Axel Foley
Judge Reinhold	...	Det. William 'Billy' Rosewood
John Ashton	...	Det. Sgt. John Taggart
Lisa Eilbacher	...	Jeannette 'Jenny' Summers
Ronny Cox	...	Lt. Andrew Bogomil
Steven Berkoff	...	Victor Maitland
James Russo	...	Mikey Tandino
Jonathan Banks	...	Zack
Stephen Elliott	...	Police Chief Hubbard
Gilbert R. Hill	...	Insp. Douglas Todd
Art Kimbro	...	Det. Foster
Joel Bailey	...	Det. McCabe
Bronson Pinchot	...	Serge
Paul Reiser	...	Jeffrey
Michael Champion	...	Casey
Frank Pesce	...	Cigarette Buyer
Gene Borkan	...	Cigarette Truck Driver
Michael Gregory	...	Beverly Palms Hotel Manager
Alice Cadogan	...	Beverly Palms Hotel Clerk
Philip Levien	...	Donny
Karen Mayo-Chandler	...	Maitland Receptionist
Gerald Berns	...	Beverly Hills Cop #1
William Wallace	...	Beverly Hills Cop #2
Israel Juarbe	...	Room Service Waiter
Randy Vasquez	...	Beverly Palms Hotel Bellhop (as Randy Gallion)
Damon Wayans	...	Banana Man
Chuck Adamson	...	Warehouse Crate Opener #1
Chip Heller	...	Warehouse Crate Opener #2
Rick Overton	...	Bonded Warehouse Night Supervisor
Rex Ryon	...	Bonded Warehouse Security Guard
Mike Pniewski	...	Bonded Warehouse Clerk #1 (as Michael Pniewski)
Douglas Warhit	...	Bonded Warehouse Clerk #2
Paul Drake	...	Strip Club Holdup Man #1
Tom Everett	...	Strip Club Holdup Man #2
Sally Kishbaugh	...	Strip Club Waitress
Barry Shade	...	Harrow Club Valet
Jack Heller	...	Harrow Club Maitre D'
Michael Harrington	...	Harrow Club Arresting Officer
David Wells	...	Police Dispatcher
Scott Murphy	...	Det. Owensby
Dennis Madden	...	Detroit Cop #1
John Achorn	...	Detroit Cop #2
John Pettis	...	Detroit Cop #3
Nicholas Shields	...	Detroit Station Cop #1 (as Nick Shields)
Carl Weintraub	...	Detroit Station Cop #2
Anthony De Fonte	...	Detroit Station Cop #3
Darwyn Carson	...	Barmaid
Mark E. Corry	...	Pool Player
Thomas J. Hageboeck	...	Maitland Bodyguard
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Martin Brest	...	Beverly Palms Hotel Checkout Clerk (uncredited)

Directed by
Martin Brest

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Danilo Bach		story
Daniel Petrie Jr.		screenplay
Daniel Petrie Jr.		story

Produced by
Jerry Bruckheimer	....	producer
Linda Horner	....	associate producer
Mike Moder	....	executive producer
Don Simpson	....	producer

Original Music by
Harold Faltermeyer

Cinematography by
Bruce Surtees		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Arthur Coburn
Billy Weber

Casting by
Margery Simkin
Rhonda Young

Production Design by
Angelo P. Graham		(as Angelo Graham)

Art Direction by
James J. Murakami

Set Decoration by
John M. Dwyer
Jeff Haley

Costume Design by
Tom Bronson

Makeup Department
Leonard Engelman	....	makeup artist
Barbara Lorenz	....	hair stylist
Ben Nye Jr.	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Mike Moder	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Bogart	....	first assistant director
Richard Graves	....	second assistant director
Steve McRoberts	....	first assistant director: second unit
Dannielle J. Weiss	....	dga trainee
Thomas J. Wright	....	second unit director (as Tom Wright)

Art Department
Mike Blaze	....	assistant props
John Hutchinson	....	stand-by painter
Robert Müller	....	construction coordinator (as Robert Mueller)
Tommy Tomlinson	....	property master (as Tom Tomlinson)
Charles Breen	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Pamela Bentkowski	....	foley editor
Alan Bromberg	....	foley editor
Carolyn Colwell	....	assistant sound editor
Teri E. Dorman	....	sound editor (as Teri Dorman)
Alfred T. Ferrante	....	sound recordist
Daniel F. Finnerty	....	assistant sound editor (as Daniel Finnerty Jr.)
William Gocke	....	boom operator
Cecelia Hall	....	supervising sound editor
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bruce Lacey	....	sound editor
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Alan L. Nineberg	....	adr editor
Bruce Richardson	....	sound editor (as Paul Bruce Richardson)
Gary Ritchie	....	sound recordist
George Watters II	....	supervising sound editor
Charles M. Wilborn	....	sound mixer
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ken Pepiot	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Steve Grumette	....	computer effects supervisor

Stunts
Christopher R. Adams	....	stunts
Janet Brady	....	stunts (as Janet S. Brady)
David Burton	....	stunts
Danny Costa	....	stunts
Steve M. Davison	....	stunts (as Steve Davidson)
Vince Deadrick Sr.	....	stunts (as Vincent P. Deadrick Sr.)
Eddy Donno	....	stunts
Ron Ellis	....	stunts
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts
Stephanie Epper	....	stunts
Tony Epper	....	stunts
Jay Fuller	....	stunts (as Jay R. Fuller)
Billy Hank Hooker	....	stunts (as Bill Hooker)
Loren Janes	....	stunts
Matt Johnston	....	stunts
Harold Jones	....	stunts
Gary McLarty	....	stunt coordinator
Gary McLarty	....	stunts
Karen McLarty	....	stunts (as Karen Werner)
Bobby McLaughlin	....	stunts
John Meier	....	stunts (as John C. Meier)
Mike Moore	....	stunts (as Michael W. Moore)
Alan Oliney	....	stunts
Rex Pierson	....	stunts
Mic Rodgers	....	stunts
Danny Rogers	....	stunts
John Sistrunk	....	stunts (as J.E. Sistrunk)

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter J. Breen	....	dolly grip
Al Contreras	....	second grip
John Davis	....	best boy
Jack N. Green	....	camera operator (as Jack Green)
Michael Liakos	....	second grip
Danny Marzolo	....	electrician
Frank McKane	....	best boy
Jeff Miller	....	assistant camera (as Jeffrey Lee Miller)
Don Nygren	....	gaffer (as Donald O. Nygren)
Richard R. Robinson	....	still photographer
Jim Rose	....	dolly grip
Francis X. Valdez III	....	electrician
Peter Wagner	....	key grip
Michael D. Weldon	....	assistant camera
Rick Bota	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Maggie Mills	....	casting assistant
Franklyn Warren	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kathie Gale	....	costumer
Michael J. Long	....	costumer
Chuck Velasco	....	costumer
Haleen K. Holt	....	costume illustrator (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Claudia Finkle	....	assistant editor
John Haggar	....	assistant editor (as John A. Haggar)
Richard Ritchie	....	color timer (as Dick Ritchie)
Markus Schaub	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Bob Badami	....	music editor
Kathy Nelson	....	music consultant: MCA Records
Greg Fulginiti	....	music engineer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Sam Edelman	....	transportation captain
Jay Fuller	....	transportation coordinator (as Jay R. Fuller)

Other crew
Chuck Adamson	....	technical advisor
Laurie Allison	....	assistant: Mr. Brest
William Bowling	....	location manager
Stanley Brossette	....	unit publicist
Janis Benjamin Collister	....	assistant: Mr. Moder
Robert C. Decker	....	location manager
Simon Doonan	....	art gallery consultant
Faith Ginsberg	....	assistant: Mr. Brest
Betty Goldberg	....	script supervisor
James Herbert	....	location manager
Barbara Lichtenberg	....	office assistant
Scott Metcalfe	....	assistant: Mr. Simpson
Carol Richmond	....	assistant: Mr. Simpson
David Robertson	....	assistant: Mr. Brest
Robert Thorson	....	production auditor
Barbara Weintraub	....	assistant: Mr. Bruckheimer

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (presents)
• Eddie Murphy Productions (in association with)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Toei Company (1985) (Japan) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1988) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-edited)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Prem'er Video Fil'm
• Showtime/The Movie Channel (1986) (USA) (TV)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• World Wide Pictures Home Video (1985) (West Germany) (video)

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extras casting
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• MCA Records  soundtrack
• On Tour Productions  transportation services
• Pacific Studios Inc.  chromatrans background
• R/Greenberg Associates  titles
• White Gloves  negative cutting

Also Known As:

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-14 (re-rating) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-16 (1985) | Portugal:M/12 | Netherlands:12 | Canada:18A | Brazil:12 | Peru:14 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:G (Quebec) | Chile:18 | Ireland:15 | Norway:16 (1985) | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #27539) | West Germany:12 | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows - 9641 Sunset Blvd., Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Martin Scorsese was offered the chance to direct, but he turned it down saying the premise reminded him too much of Coogan's Bluff (1968).

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: As Axel is being led into the Beverly Hills Police Department for the first time, you can see the reflection of the camera crew in the plate-glass windows in the hallway.

Quotes:

[Rosewood and Taggart are staking out Axel Foley in an upscale hotel. Axel has just had dinner delivered to their car outside]
Detective Rosewood:How did he know we were here?
Sergeant Taggart:I let you drive.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Nostalgia Critic: The Langoliers (#4.11)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Rock 'N' Roll Me Again

Murphy Carries a Movie

Rather than having an incompetent Nick Nolte for a partner as in 48 Hours, Eddie Murphy shows he can take control of a movie all by himself. This was in the days when Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer were getting started in their modern appeal to the dollar. It also proves to be the best. Audio is skimped on, as it always is in their movies, but the highlight is the fact that Martin Brest--previously fired off of WarGames--doesn't let Bruckheimer get in the way of the story.

Had a less competent director, say Tony Scott or Michael Bay, been put in charge, the movie would have fallen apart like BHC II did. Fortunately, Brest knows how far to push things and when to back off. He is helped by Arthur Coburn and Billy Weber, two of the best editors short of Michael Kahn. It's too bad that Arthur lost precedence in Hollywood and Billy wound up a slave to Bruckheimer.

The charge in this movie is still strong after nearly 20 years, but there are obvious signs of aging. Thankfully, the dialogue is not Bruckheimer's typical macho-BS, but rather natural and fluid. Eddie delivers again and again. The remainder of the cast, obscure as they are fair, but it is John Ashton who has the least trouble with his lines.

The only major fault I find with BHC is not in the film itself, but rather in how many times the formula has been duplicated, mimicked, plagarized, and copied. Each time less inventive or original than the rest.

Overall, funny and somewhat vulgar (this is not for fans of Dr. Doolittle or The Nutty Professor), but it shows when Eddie was at his pinnacle of ability...before the inferior screenwriters took over. A gem of the 80s. 3.5 out of 5 stars.