Eddie Murphy Raw
(1987)
R | 91 mins | Comedy, Performance | 18 December 1987
Cast:
Eddie Murphy, Tatyana Ali, Billie Allen [ More ]Director:
Robert TownsendWriter:
Eddie MurphyProducers:
Robert D. Wachs, Keenen Ivory WayansCinematographer:
Ernest DickersonEditor:
Lisa DayProduction Designer:
Wynn P. ThomasProduction Company:
Eddie Murphy Productions, Inc.In 1986, actor-comedian Eddie Murphy conducted a sixty-city comedy tour across the U.S. The 8 Sep 1986 DV reported that his two shows at the Felt Forum, a 5,500-seat theater within the Madison Square Garden Complex in New York City, were filmed for the comedy concert movie Eddie Murphy Raw. The 30 Oct 1986 DV noted that the project took five weeks to shoot.
According to promotional materials in AMPAS library files, director Robert Townsend used six cameras to capture the comedian’s act. Four stationary cameras were in the orchestra seats, and two hand-held cameras tracked Murphy’s movements from his limousine to the stage. The cameras had "video taps" that allowed Townsend and director of photography Ernest Dickerson to see in real time what they were capturing on film.
The 21 Dec 1987 DV reported that producers had to trim several minutes of profanity to secure an R-rating from the MPAA.
Eddie Murphy Raw opened on 1,391 screens on 18 Dec 1987 and earned $9.1 million over the first weekend, the 30 Dec 1987 HR reported. Expanding to 1,494 screens the following weekend, it took in an additional $8.6 million.
By early Jan 1988, Paramount Pictures declared Eddie Murphy Raw the "highest grossing concert pic to date," having grossed $35,204,043 in its first twenty-one days, the 11 Jan 1988 DV reported. The previous record holder was 1982’s Richard Pryor Live on Sunset Strip (see entry), which grossed $35,042,932.
Violence marred opening night when three theaters in the Los Angeles, CA, area had gang-related problems: The 20 Dec 1987 ...
In 1986, actor-comedian Eddie Murphy conducted a sixty-city comedy tour across the U.S. The 8 Sep 1986 DV reported that his two shows at the Felt Forum, a 5,500-seat theater within the Madison Square Garden Complex in New York City, were filmed for the comedy concert movie Eddie Murphy Raw. The 30 Oct 1986 DV noted that the project took five weeks to shoot.
According to promotional materials in AMPAS library files, director Robert Townsend used six cameras to capture the comedian’s act. Four stationary cameras were in the orchestra seats, and two hand-held cameras tracked Murphy’s movements from his limousine to the stage. The cameras had "video taps" that allowed Townsend and director of photography Ernest Dickerson to see in real time what they were capturing on film.
The 21 Dec 1987 DV reported that producers had to trim several minutes of profanity to secure an R-rating from the MPAA.
Eddie Murphy Raw opened on 1,391 screens on 18 Dec 1987 and earned $9.1 million over the first weekend, the 30 Dec 1987 HR reported. Expanding to 1,494 screens the following weekend, it took in an additional $8.6 million.
By early Jan 1988, Paramount Pictures declared Eddie Murphy Raw the "highest grossing concert pic to date," having grossed $35,204,043 in its first twenty-one days, the 11 Jan 1988 DV reported. The previous record holder was 1982’s Richard Pryor Live on Sunset Strip (see entry), which grossed $35,042,932.
Violence marred opening night when three theaters in the Los Angeles, CA, area had gang-related problems: The 20 Dec 1987 LAT reported that a man was shot and killed at a drive-in theater in Paramount; another man was stabbed after sixty moviegoers began fighting in a Monrovia theater; and 1,500 people were involved in a "post-midnight fracas" outside a Westwood theater, causing it to cancel the 12:30 a.m. screening. One week later, a woman was shot in both legs during a screening in Baltimore, MD, the 29 Dec 1987 LAT reported.
End credits state: “The Producers wish to thank: Madison Square Garden Center, Inc.; The Weather Girls; Frank Roccio Productions, co-promoter of live concert; Meadowlands Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey, Arena Operations, Bob Carney and Mike Graime; Monarch Entertainment Bureau, Inc., John Scher, president, David Marsden, associate producer, Philip Guiliano, production manager; General Camera.”
Even as a child, Eddie Murphy is a born comedian. On Thanksgiving 1968, he entertains his relatives with raunchy jokes. Nineteen years later, Eddie is known worldwide as a movie star and comedian. At a 1987 comedy show performed at the Felt Forum in New York City, Eddie entertains a capacity crowd with jokes. He reports that actor Mr. T. took offense at some of his raunchy humor, as did singer Michael Jackson. He especially offends the homosexual (gay) community, claims he avoids San Francisco, California, because it has such a large gay population, and speculates what it would be like if gay police officers in San Francisco stopped him. Eddie recalls comedian Bill Cosby telephoning him to complain that his comedy shows have too much profanity, so he consulted with comedian Richard Pryor about the limits of stand-up humor. Eddie discusses talk show host Johnny Carson’s divorce settlement, in which he had to give his ex-wife half of his money. He believes in the importance of prenuptial agreements, and scorns men who become henpecked by girl friends even before marriage. Eddie believes he does not own a single woman, even if they are having sex regularly, because her private parts are “on lease with an option to buy.” Eddie laments that women know how to cater to a man’s ego and know when to withhold sex to get what they want. However, women enjoy sex every bit as much as men do. He discusses the difference between having sex and making love, as well as the vagaries of male-female relationships. He muses that women pretend to be shy on early dates in order to catch a man off-guard. ...
Even as a child, Eddie Murphy is a born comedian. On Thanksgiving 1968, he entertains his relatives with raunchy jokes. Nineteen years later, Eddie is known worldwide as a movie star and comedian. At a 1987 comedy show performed at the Felt Forum in New York City, Eddie entertains a capacity crowd with jokes. He reports that actor Mr. T. took offense at some of his raunchy humor, as did singer Michael Jackson. He especially offends the homosexual (gay) community, claims he avoids San Francisco, California, because it has such a large gay population, and speculates what it would be like if gay police officers in San Francisco stopped him. Eddie recalls comedian Bill Cosby telephoning him to complain that his comedy shows have too much profanity, so he consulted with comedian Richard Pryor about the limits of stand-up humor. Eddie discusses talk show host Johnny Carson’s divorce settlement, in which he had to give his ex-wife half of his money. He believes in the importance of prenuptial agreements, and scorns men who become henpecked by girl friends even before marriage. Eddie believes he does not own a single woman, even if they are having sex regularly, because her private parts are “on lease with an option to buy.” Eddie laments that women know how to cater to a man’s ego and know when to withhold sex to get what they want. However, women enjoy sex every bit as much as men do. He discusses the difference between having sex and making love, as well as the vagaries of male-female relationships. He muses that women pretend to be shy on early dates in order to catch a man off-guard. Eddie recalls his mother cooking hamburgers at home rather than taking her children to McDonald’s, and laughs about going to a disco catering to white people, who are too often terrible dancers. After discussing black-white race relations at length, Eddie credits his drunken father’s stern rules for helping him grow up.
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