Everyone says that this is the movie that started Murphy's downfall but was is really that bad?
Murphy had several more years as a bankable star after this movie, but it did tarnish his star power a bit. Blatant vanity projects will do that.
shareI always thought it was awesome. Re-watched it last night. Laughed my ass off. If you don't like colorful cussing, don't watch it.
It's on NETFLIX now.
It started his downfall in a sense that he was starting to do his own thing and this would upset the syndicate of chosen people who have a high influence, disportionate to their numbers. They were being somewhat shut out, so to speak from Eddie Murphy movies (Harlem Nights, Boomerang, Vampire in Brooklyn). So without letting them get a piece, to wet their beaks, Eddie would lose the marketing team those people control, and also the opportunity to be presented with roles that would continue to help his status in the industry. So even though he was creating good movies, no one cared because they never generated the false hype the hollywood media train creates for turds they own higher pieces of.
The same thing works in the music industry. It's how garbage bands like the Beatles get promoted to hell, and good bands make obscure amazing music that hardly anyone hears. It all depends on how much of piece of the action "they" get.
Harlem Nights is a damn classic. Screw those people
shareI liked it. You could seen how it could have been better in some spots but it was entertaining.
Although Richard Pryor not blinking was a bit unsettling.
It's better than the critics make out but I watched it for the first time again in years and I remain disappointed with it.
Pryor looks ill (which obviously he was), Murphy seems wooden for the most part, some scenes drag on too long, some of the dialogue is banal, and the tone is all over the place. Sometimes it's like a serious crime film and others pure slapstick comedy.
I don't hate it tough. The costumes and production design looks great. And there's certain scenes I really like - the fight in the alleyway, and the car chase with Arsenio Hall crying for instance, but it could've been much more. Trimmed down from 2 hours to 90 minutes or so would be a big improvement.
On a sidenote, I definetly think Tarantino saw this and certain things had an influence on him for Pulp Fiction - rigged boxing match, mobster attracted to mob boss' sexy wife, and henchman in car accidentally shoots someone dead. Of course, many films are derivative of others and scenarios like a fixed boxing match are as old as the hills but it seems a huge coincidence that all three of those things happen in this and all three of those things are situations that take place in each of the three stories in Pulp Fiction.
Not bad at all.
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