Monster of the Day #442

Meh, it was funnier when Eddie Murphy did it.*

[*For any readers under the age of 30; yes, it’s true, Eddie Murphy was once really funny. So was the comic strip Garfield. Believe it or not.]
  • Flangepart

    “Zombie? Who you callin’ Zombie, fool?”

  • Toby

    Speaking as someone who grew up with the Shreks and Mulan, I don’t find that hard to believe.

  • Ericb

    Anyone remember Murphy’s short lived singing career?

  • MrTongoRad

    Sure- that back when MTV played, and this may be hard to believe for some as well, actual music videos. That was my only exposure to his talents in that regard.

  • Ericb

    Mine too.  It would have been easy to blink and miss it though.

  • Give him sass and he’ll kick yo ass!

  • Garfield’s funny. I admit it’s pretty rare I get to see a daily strip, but it still makes me laugh. The cartoon was a BIG part of my childhood too. Great stuff.

    As for Murphy, I’ll take your word for it. The man is extremely talented, and a good character maker, but his brand of (oft-offensive/dirty ) humor never really appealed to me. I guess I’ve always been more of a John Candy/Dan Akroyd man.

    Not sure I know this movie. All I can see when I look at the pic is a possessed Robert Reed.

  • Fisheyenomiko

    o/~  “My girl wants to party all the time, party all the time, party all the ti~ime…” o/~

    Damn you, Ericb!

  • Beckoning Chasm

    I always thought Bernie Casey was cool.  Pretty good actor too.

    The best way to use Eddie Murphy seems to be to give him a duel role.  I thought he was hilarious as the dweeby guy in “Bowfinger.”  “Are you willing to cut your hair?”  “Well, yeah…but it’s usually better if someone else does it.”

    I thought he was also better as the fat guy in “The Nutty Professor” than as the standard “Eddie Murphy” character in the same.  Maybe that’s the way to get the best out of him…give him two roles and cut all the scenes where he basically plays himself.  Kind of like Jack Nicholson.

  • The Rev.

    Yeah, I am unfamiliar with this one as well.

  • Ken_Begg

    This is Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde, although I think it was also known as Dr. Black Mr. White (for obvious thematic reasons). The lead character’s actual name is Dr. Pryde–get it?!

    Can’t say the ‘white’ face is very successful, though. Directed by the guy who made Blacula, so he certainly knew how to cast a leading men. Worth it certainly just to see Bernie Casey in a lead role. VCI apparently put this out on DVD, and they always do a nice job, so I might have to grab that.

  • I forgot about BOWFINGER, yeah, that’s pretty funny stuff. THE NUTTY PROFESSOR on the other hand, obvious talent on display aside, I simply couldn’t finish. That’s just a personal thing, though, as I found it too crude to be enjoyable. Murphy did do a fantastic job of making Klump and Love two distinct personalities, though, and did so without the more cartoonish extremes employed by Jerry Lewis.

  • The Rev.

    Ah, okay.  I have to admit I’ve not really seen any versions of the Jeckyl and Hyde story, aside from the two classic versions most people know.  Well, that and All of Me.  I see Tony Todd was in one a few years ago; they occasionally play it on Chiller but I’ve not gotten around to it.

  • Petoht

    Now, now, Murphy was great when he was on SNL.  His James Brown’s Hot Tub skit was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.

    Also, I’ll admit to liking the Beverly Hills Cop movies.  Hardly quality, but worth a few laughs.  The wheels kind of fell off after that.