Eddie Murphy Raw

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Eddie Murphy Raw
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Robert Townsend
Produced by	Robert D. Wachs Keenen Ivory Wayans
Written by	Eddie Murphy Sketch: Eddie Murphy Keenen Ivory Wayans
Starring	Eddie Murphy
Cinematography	Ernest Dickerson
Editing by	Lisa Day
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	December 18, 1987
Running time	90 min. 37 sec.
Language	English

Eddie Murphy Raw (1987) is an American stand-up comedy film directed by Robert Townsend and starring Eddie Murphy. It was Murphy's second feature stand-up video, following Eddie Murphy Delirious. The 90 minute show was filmed in New York City's Felt Forum, the venue in the Madison Square Garden complex now called The WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden. According to The-Movie-Times.com, the film grossed a total of $50,504,000.

Humor

After the initial sketch and into the live show itself Murphy begins by saying how various people he referenced responded to their mention in the previous stand-up show by Eddie Murphy- Delirious. Mr T and Michael Jackson are mentioned, as well as the phone call he received from Bill Cosby, which he said that his son, Ennis, heard his profanity and wanted Murphy to not say the word "fuck" on stage again, and a call to Richard Pryor, about what Cosby said, to which he responded angrily, calling him a "Jell-O-puddin' eatin' motherfucka", and also talks about how Pryor was an inspiration to Murphy. Murphy said that Cosby 'got raw', possibly the inspiration for the shows title.

Murphy makes jokes about relationships; notably of the practice that developed during the 80's of wives divorcing their husbands and taking 'half!', as well as about the faults of both men and women and how the opposite sex exploit those weaknesses, basing it on the message in the song What Have You Done for Me Lately. He jokes that he intends to go deep into Africa to find a 'bush bitch' who has no concept of Western culture in order to get a wife who (he hopes) will not divorce him. He also makes passing references to Japanese women who are supposedly very obedient to their husbands.

Murphy delivers a well-received segment on Italian-Americans, on their stereotypical behaviour, especially how they behave after seeing a Rocky movie. He then talks about white people's apparent inability to dance. He later talks about his experience in a nightclub where an Italian-American started a fight with Murphy, causing a large brawl, the end result of which saw Murphy getting sued for millions of dollars by all involved and even a few who weren't.

Murphy also talks about burgers his mother used to make and an exaggerated account on how poor his family was, eventually going into a routine impersonating his father drunk, which follows on from the nightclub brawl segment.

Trivia

Eddie Murphy's 'It wasn't me' Sketch influenced the Shaggy single of the same name^{[citation needed]}.

At the time of its release, Eddie Murphy Raw contained the most uses of the word "fuck" ever in a feature-length film, surpassing Scarface. It remained so until the release of Goodfellas in 1990, but still contains most uses of the word "fuck" in an 80s film.

In the sitcom Scrubs, the main character John Dorian purchased a suit similar to the one Murphy wore in the film.

Cast (Opening Segment)

• Eddie Murphy - Himself
• Tatyana Ali - Eddie's sister (sketch)
• Billie Allen - Eddie's aunt (sketch)
• James Brown III - Thanksgiving Guest
• Edye Byrde - Mrs. Butts (sketch)
• Michelle Davison - Thanksgiving Guest
• Clebert Ford - Uncle Lester (sketch)
• Birdie M. Hale - Aunt Rose (sketch)
• J.D. Hall - Party Guest (sketch)
• Tiger Haynes - Card Player #3
• Barbara Iley - Thanksgiving Guest
• Leonard Jackson - Uncle Gus (sketch)
• Samuel L. Jackson - Eddie's Uncle
• John Lafayette - Thanksgiving Guest
• Davenia McFadden - Eddie's Aunt (sketch)
• Gwen McGee - Eddie's mother (sketch)
• Lex Monson - Card Player #4
• Warren Morris - Poetry Reader
• Deon Richmond - Little Eddie (sketch)
• Basil Wallace - Eddie's Father (sketch)
• Damien Wayans - Child Running in the House (not to be confused with his uncle Damon Wayans)
• Ellis Williams - Eddie's uncle (sketch)
• Carol Woods (singer / actress) - Eddie's Aunt
• Kim Wayans - Interviewed Fan (uncredited)

Credits

• Co-Produced by Jeffrey Chernov
• Edited by Lisa Day & Eric Strand
• Executive Producers Eddie Murphy & Richard Tienken
• Written by Eddie Murphy
• Sketch Written by Eddie Murphy & Keenan Ivory Wayans
• Produced by Robert D. Wachs & Keenan Ivory Wayans
• Directed by Robert Townsend
• Casting by Pat Golden
• Production Designer Wynn P. Thomas
• Director of Photography Ernest Dickerson
• Production Manager Jeffrey Chernov
• Assistant Directors Dwight Williams & Michea Cave
• Set Decorator James T. Fredericks
• Assistant Photographers Algernon Ramirez, Angelo Digiacomo, Craig Haagensen, Marc D. Hirschfeld, Chris Lanzenberg, Joe Ritter, Deborah J. Sarjeant, John Cambria, Elizabeth Dubelman, Paul Gaffney & Stan Keit
• Still Photographers Bruce Talamon & Richard J. Cartwright
• Property Masters James Mazzola & Jeff Mazzola
• Set Dressers Barbara Kastner & Joan Finlay-Alessi

DVD Features

• Widescreen version
• English subtitles
• Dolby Digital

External links

• Eddie Murphy Raw at the Internet Movie Database
• List of Eddie Murphy's movie grosses
• Eddie Murphy Raw at google video