This 80s classic solidified Eddie Murphy as a superstar. Beverly Hills Cop was the top-grossing film of 1984 and earned an Oscar nomination for its screenplay. What became one of AFI's Top 100 comedies almost turned into a very different film with Sylvester Stallone, more action, and less humor. Directed by Martin Brest, the film introduced Axel Foley, a street-smart Detroit cop who investigates a murder in Beverly Hills. With its perfect mix of humor, action, and Murphy’s charm, the film reshaped the action-comedy genre. Join Tim Williams and returning guest co-host, Chris McMichen, as they dive into Beverly Hills Cop on this episode of the 80s Flick Flashback Podcast.
Here are some additional behind-the-scenes trivia we were unable to cover in this episode:
• Throughout the production, the screenplay underwent constant revisions, which sometimes resulted in actors receiving their lines just before they were expected to deliver them. This posed a challenge for actor Stephen Elliott, who was caught holding a rolled-up script while portraying Police Chief Hubbard. Fortunately, the director believed this detail enhanced his performance, so Elliott is seen holding those script pages in the film.
• The Beverly Hills Police Department uses a "satellite tracking system" to locate Foley and Rosewood. Although this system was fictional when the story was created, it later inspired the development of modern satellite technology, including the Global Positioning System (GPS).
• The mansion used in the final shootout between Foley and Maitland is the same mansion seen in the final shootout between Matrix and Arius in "Commando" (1985). Coincidentally, both Foley and Matrix were trying to rescue somebody named Jenny in that mansion in their respective films.
Sources:
Wikipedia, IMDB,
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/60484/15-things-you-may-not-have-known-about-beverly-hills-cop
Some sections were composed or edited by ChatGPT
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