Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987)

Eddie Murphy in a stand-up performance recorded live. For an hour and a half he talks about his favourite subjects: sex and women.

Director:

Robert Townsend

Writers:

Eddie Murphy (stand-up material), Eddie Murphy (opening sketch)

Stars:

Eddie Murphy, Tatyana Ali, Billie Allen

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eddie Murphy	...	Self
Tatyana Ali	...	Singing Child (sketch)
Billie Allen	...	Eddie's Aunt (sketch)
Clebert Ford	...	Uncle Lester (sketch)
Geri Gibson	...	Card Player #2 (sketch)
Birdie M. Hale	...	Aunt Rose (sketch)
Tiger Haynes	...	Card Player #3 (sketch)
Leonard Jackson	...	Uncle Gus (sketch)
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Eddie's Uncle (sketch)
Jody Jones	...	Eddie's Cousin (sketch)
Davenia McFadden	...	Eddie's Aunt (sketch)
Gwen McGee	...	Eddie's Mother (sketch)
Lex Monson	...	Card Player #4 (sketch)
Warren Morris	...	Poetry Reader (sketch)
Deon Richmond	...	Little Eddie (sketch)

Storyline

After achieving fame with Saturday Night Live and Beverly Hills Cop, Eddie Murphy released a film version of one of his live stand-up performances. He mainly focuses on the topics of divorce and relations between the sexes, but also goes into some of the problems he's encountered because of fame, including offended listeners and fans who continually greet him with his unprintable catch phrases.

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Plot Keywords:

reference to bill cosby | stand up | sex | stand up special | shock humor | 

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Taglines:

WARNING! You may be offended if you're black, white, male, female, rich or poor, Bill Cosby, Mr. T or Richard Pryor.

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Genres:

Documentary | Comedy

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Certificate:

18A

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Tatyana Ali.

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Goofs

When Murphy does his bit about Johnny Carson's divorce settlement with third wife Joanna Holland, he states that they were married for ten years. It was actually thirteen.

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Quotes

Eddie Murphy: [imitating his father who is singing Motown songs but messing up the lyrics] If I have to beg and plead to the symphony...
["If I have to beg and plead for your sympathy"]

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Alternate Versions

When originally released theatrically in the UK, the BBFC made cuts to secure a '18' rating. All cuts were waived in 1988 when the film was granted a '18' certificate for home video.

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Connections

Referenced in Mike and Mike in the Morning: Episode dated 3 April 2015 (2015)

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Soundtracks

Nothing From Nothing
Written by Billy Preston & Bruce Fisher

User Reviews

Tell Bill I said have a Coke and a smile and shut the @#$* up!

This is not quite as funny as Delirious, but nothing could be. However, it is still is one of the funniest stand-ups around. The first half an hour is on par with his previous stand-up. The first half an hour he does impressions of some of the same people he did impressions of in DELIRIOUS. This includes Michael Jackson and Mr. T again. He also does impressions of what I can only surmise has to be a real life phone call from Bill Cosby. This is one of the funniest parts of the show as his voice and idiosyncrisies of Bill are right on. His ensuing conversation with Richard Pryor is also quite funny.

There is also some great bits in here about women, dating, and marriage. And while many people have claimed that Eddie is nothing but a misogynist with his rantings now, it has to be said that there has to be some truth to what he is ranting about.

The show does lack a little near the end but that is okay because the rest of the show is one hilarious skit after the other. He even takes on his parents again and does quite a good job.

Raw is not quite as funny as Delirious but it is a great follow up to his first one.

7 out of 10

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 December 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Eddie Murphy Show

Filming Locations:

Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden - 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,077,324, 20 December 1987

Gross USA:

$50,504,655

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$50,504,655

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eddie Murphy Productions, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1