Old posts from the blog I cannot merge

Beverly Hills Cop

Back in the day when I was a Lee  little Lad, 1971.  Clint Eastwood starred with Jessica Walter. Wind it up forty years later I never thought I would interview Richard Walter (UCLA).  Play Misty for me was a great movie, which I intend to review once the DVD stops skipping.  For now we will have to make do with Beverly Hills Cop. A friend of mine was friends with Gill Hill. I actually got to sit in his office before he retired. Thanks LW or Sonny to his friends.  I even attended the premiere of Beverly Hills Cop 3 at the Fox theatre. But that was a different movie. And our focus today is on Beverly Hills Cop.  The DVD menu shows us Eddie, just off of SNL, slim and trim. Back then, Paramount ruled the world (Harvey Weinstein took over that role in the  2012 Golden Globes.  A  Southfield Kid Jerry Bruckheimer opens the movie with Black kids hanging out and shows Black Detroiters  surviving the hot summer Beer cans, trashed out building ,weeds.  Has it really been that long?  Detroit and Michigan became showcases for film (10th according to Nikki Finke 2011) Eddie is doing business selling cigs; he refuses to accept two grand instead of five.

Act 1 S 1 A D.P.D. car pans by and investigates the sale.  Eddie wants a jump; the police want  to see Eddies I.D .and the sound track spins off to the Pointer sisters.  A double-loaded semi destroys Plymouths and Eddie cruises the east-side of Detroit.  Like the song said, some things never change (Emergency Financial managers 2012).  But the rough and tough side of Detroit is show along with my favorite radio station at the time WDRQ.

This opening act is  reminiscent of the Blues Brothers closing theme  and leads to a climax that back then was great.  Edie is smoked out and told to freeze; they should have known it was him.  Eddie always fucks up. (That role continued into  Dave/ Dream Girls.)  But he created a persona that has lasted for decades.

Gill Hill is upset. Axel is a wise ass, with great potential. The boss doesn’t want to be fucked up with. Axel rides into the station in  his vintage Nova and learns that the premise of this story lies in Beverly Hills.  He finds and old friend, does an S.N. L laugh, and set off for  California in  search of bearer bonds.  His friend works as a security guard in the Hills.  Back then they didn’t run background checks and Axel became a cop and his friend entered into a life of crime.  Both friends are drunk Axel is knocked out and one of my favorite actors Jonathon Banks does it Detroit style.  Two in the back of the head.  Axel refuses to go the hospital and must pursue a lead. CUT TO.

ACT 2   I once drove past this route on Sunset Beverly Hills, the trees, the hotel, the circular dive. Rodeo Dr, has a great parking lot.  But the offices of some the major production companies do not make one jump for joy.  He pulls up to the Wilshire hotel and the doorman takes his bag.  Eddie/Axel talks himself into a room. Using the late Michael Jackson as a prop, Axel finds himself in a suite. He got off cheap now a days it costs Axel laughs at a leather suit he will wear in his comedy tour  and we find ourselves back to the premise of the story.  The character development here is the focus of the story.  He is a police officer/fuck up.  Jenny, Serge and Axel find themselves lost in a plot that would not survive today’s market.  Back then stories were allowed to develop.  A small scene in Act one would move a character from plot point to plot point.   Axel being a fuck up seeks to deliver some flowers to Victor.  Using a well used device, the killer is in the room as Axel confronts the antagonist Victor.  Using Detroit as a violent city character, Victor deflects the foils with several bodyguards, they throw him through a window and the police arrest Axel.  Making jokes Axel knows he is being rail roaded and the movie shows us computers that could have been used in 1968. .    Eddie is punched by Taggert and the characters’ reveal the reality of 1980’s LA. Taggert is forced to apologize and Foley passes on criminal charges.   Damon Wayans (with hair) has a speaking part giving out bananas and Axel remains in character and tries to find evidence on the killers.

ACT 3.  In normal character development the protagonist changes.  But here the trio of supporting characters change their views to support the protagonist.  Axel knows his friend was killed over the bearer bonds. No one believes him.  But by Act 3 to keep the audience enticed, even the Beverly Hills police are supporting Axel.