Where does Eddie Murphy rank in screen comedians?

sloopjohnc · Postby **sloopjohnc** » 26 Feb 2007, 06:20

I was going to start this thread before the Oscars, but where does Murphy rank among all-time screen comedians like Chaplin, Keaton, Lemmon.

Is he worthy?

toomanyhatz · Postby **toomanyhatz** » 26 Feb 2007, 07:00

Nope. He's had his moments, but he's done too much crap. The comedians you mention used fat jokes too, but never relied on them to the degree that Murphy does. For a guy so capable of being hilarious (James Brown Celebrity Hot Tub!), he can be shockingly unfunny at his worst.

kath · Postby **kath** » 26 Feb 2007, 12:51

i don't think so, either.

he was great on SNL. i used to love beverly hills cop, before it wore itself into the ground. now, it's rather dated.

the kids got me to watch doctor doolittle when it came out. and i must admit~~i thought he was funny and likeable. a kid's flick, of course, but still....

i also must admit that his off-screen jerkwaddiness is influencing me against him. not as extreme as tom cruise, naturally, but it's there. logically, i know it shouldn't.

funny... i am much more able to separate the artist from the art in music than in film. i can't figure out why that is.

kath
..other than general insanity.

Tactful Cactus · Postby **Tactful Cactus** » 26 Feb 2007, 14:32

Jimbo wrote:A few more Bowfinger-type more intelligent comedies performances and he may nail it.

Yeah, he was good in Bowfinger and he's a good comic character actor (though I havent seen Dreamgirls). The dinner table scene in Nutty Professor is remarkable, apart from it being absolutely seamless, he embodies some of those characters so well and I used to like his 80's movies, as most kids did. I was too young for Pryor, but I remember liking Beverley Hills Cop, Golden Child, Coming Too America.

He's not a draw for me though.

Matt Wilson · Postby **Matt Wilson** » 26 Feb 2007, 16:01

The thing that doesn't endear him to academics is that he's not trying for any high aspirations in his comedy. He just wants to make you laugh is all--fine as far as these things go his films just aren't for the ages is all.

I like
48 Hours
Trading Places
The Nutty Professor

And I suppose I'll like Dreamgirls when I see it.

Davey the Fat Boy · Postby **Davey the Fat Boy** » 26 Feb 2007, 16:02

Speaking of Bowfinger, I think it would be fair to put Eddie Murphy relatively close to Steve Martin, his co-star in Bowfinger, on any list of screen comedians. Both are extremely talented guys who have had very disappointing film careers with a few high points sprinkled in along the way.

Should be said - his track record doing voiceover work in animated films is better than his live action filmography.

sloopjohnc · Postby **sloopjohnc** » 26 Feb 2007, 16:03

Jimbo wrote:A few more Bowfinger-type more intelligent comedies performances and he may nail it. But I think with his supurb supporting role performance in Dream Girls we'll see a more serious Eddie Murphy emerge.

Bowfinger, Trading Places, 48 Hours, Beverly Hills Cop, and Coming to America are his tour de forces.

Comedians have been coming into movies from nightclubs probably before Danny Kaye, who, come to think of it, is probably a good parallel to Murphy. Great comedic actor who had a patchy film career.

Davey the Fat Boy · Postby **Davey the Fat Boy** » 26 Feb 2007, 16:05

sloopjohnc wrote:
Jimbo wrote:A few more Bowfinger-type more intelligent comedies performances and he may nail it. But I think with his supurb supporting role performance in Dream Girls we'll see a more serious Eddie Murphy emerge.

Bowfinger, Trading Places, 48 Hours, Beverly Hills Cop, and Coming to America are his tour de forces.

Comedians have been coming into movies from nightclubs probably before Danny Kaye, who, come to think of it, is probably a good parallel to Murphy. Great comedic actor who had a patchy film career.

Eddie Murphy is no Danny Kaye.

The Modernist · Postby **The Modernist** » 26 Feb 2007, 17:55

I find him crude and obvious for the most part, I can't believe anyone found The Nutty Professor in the least bit funny.
I liked him in Trading Places but that was a long time ago now. I just don't find him a very likeable screen presence if I'm being honest.

nathan · Postby **nathan** » 26 Feb 2007, 21:41

I think he will be remembered as one of the finest stand-up comedians that ever stepped foot onstage but his films are different. An extremely mixed bag.

He's made two of the funniest movies ever made and a handful of other really good ones. If you add in his SNL stuff, you have quite an impressive catalog for an artist who is only 45. He's still got life in him yet.

sloopjohnc · Postby **sloopjohnc** » 26 Feb 2007, 22:43

davey the fat boy wrote:
sloopjohnc wrote:
Jimbo wrote:A few more Bowfinger-type more intelligent comedies performances and he may nail it. But I think with his supurb supporting role performance in Dream Girls we'll see a more serious Eddie Murphy emerge.

Bowfinger, Trading Places, 48 Hours, Beverly Hills Cop, and Coming to America are his tour de forces.

Comedians have been coming into movies from nightclubs probably before Danny Kaye, who, come to think of it, is probably a good parallel to Murphy. Great comedic actor who had a patchy film career.

Eddie Murphy is no Danny Kaye.

You didn't like Party All the Time?

The Fish · Postby **The Fish** » 27 Feb 2007, 12:41

Corporal Moddie! wrote:I find him crude and obvious for the most part, I can't believe anyone found The Nutty Professor in the least bit funny.
I liked him in Trading Places but that was a long time ago now. I just don't find him a very likeable screen presence if I'm being honest.

Just about sums up my view. I actually find him annoying in the extreme along with just about everyone else from the "Gurning, hamming, look at me aren't I hilarious, Jim Carrey school of Comedy acting".

Comedy at it's best is difficult (i.e it requires real acting skill). The best ever for me remains Peter Sellers.

Sneelock · Postby **Sneelock** » 01 Mar 2007, 18:17

early on, the first thing you noticed was the guy's confidence.
nowadays, it seems he thrives on versatility. it seems the guy is most at home onscreen under pounds of latex and usually pretty bored when he isn't.

I think he'd like nothing better than a "Kind Hearts and Coronets" type thing where everybody farts and cusses. oh, wait, I guess he's done that already. well, I pretty much expect him to do more of that.

nobody should be surprised the guy has serious acting chops but does he have the social skills to excel at this? I think the really great actors do and, for all his talent, I think this might be his shortcoming.

look at him, when does he engage his fellow actors? it's like he could just do his scenes and leave much of the time.