Eddie Murphy back to making crap...
 

Eddie Murphy to Star in Columbia's Remake of the Fantasy Island

Written by Robert Sanchez
Wednesday, 07 March 2007

Eddie Murphy is set to star in a fresh new big screeen remake of the "Fantasy Island" made famous in the 70's and early 80's by Ricardo Montalban and Hervé Villechaize.

Norbit writers, Jay Scherick and David Ronn, have been brought aboard for a re-write and Eddie Murphy is expected to play several roles in the film a la Nutty Proffesor and Norbit. No word on a director or any other cast members at this time.

Prior to the long-running original series, Fantasy Island was introduced to viewers in 1977 through two highly-rated made-for-television films in which Mr. Roarke and Tattoo played relatively minor roles. Airing from 1978 to 1984, the original series starred Ricardo Montalban as Mr. Roarke, the enigmatic overseer of a mysterious island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean (presumably near Hawaii) where people from all walks of life could come and live out their fantasies — for a price.

Roarke was known for his white suit and cultured demeanor, and he was initially accompanied by an energetic sidekick, Tattoo, played by the diminutive Hervé Villechaize, who ran up the main bell tower to ring the bell and shout "The plane! The plane!" to announce the arrival of a new set of guests at the beginning of each episode. This line, shown at the beginning of the show's credits, became an unlikely catchphrase thanks to Villechaize's spirited delivery and French accent (he actually pronounced it, "De plane! De plane!"). In later seasons, he would come down to drive in his personal go cart, sized for him, and recklessly drive to join Roarke for the visitor reception while staff scramble to get out of his way.

"Norbit" anyone?

Well, I'll tell you what...Murphy does a really good job inhabiting his roles when he plays mutilple characters. Look at what he did in Coming to America. The roles he did in NP were amazing, and very well acted. You can't deny that.

Now, he needs good material--even if comedy. I'd like to see him in better quality films--comedy or drama. But, at the end of the day, maybe he just LIKES making these kinds of movies. Sort of like a film student who goes to film school. Everyone around him may want to make life changing, avant garde motion pictures. But the film student just may want to make fun, explosive action films.

I still think The Nutty Professor is one of his best films (coversely, Nutty Professor II is one of his worst). I have no problem with him playing multiple, even all the characters in the movie. It's just gotta be good, too.

Well if someone gives you enough money,most actors will do anything.Eddie has no real acting sense anymore in my book,he just want's to get paid.

Oh man, I just know Eddie Murphy is going to be playing Tattoo and Mr. Roarke.

What do you mean "back to"?

Exactly.

The man needs to get back to his R-rated comedy roots.

IMO he hasn't done anything good since the eighties.

At least he never became the "ULTIMATE UNCLE TOM" and made "the toy" like Richard Pryor did!

Yeah, his Golden Globe acceptance speech pretty much confirmed that to me.

I haven't seen an Eddie Murphy flick since The Nutty Professor and don't think he's done anything worthwhile since Beverly Hills Cop 2.

<i>"Norbit writers, Jay Scherick and David Ronn, have been brought aboard for a re-write"</i>

You woulda' thought they'd try to keep that out of the papers.

He lost his edge somewhere. Beverly Hills Cop, 48 Hours, and Trading Spaces are 3 of my fave comedies of all time.

Actually, "Life" was a very good movie. Funny and had heart. That was in 98'.

Bowfinger is a decent, if forgotten, movie, but Eddie's more of a supporting player to Steve Martin in that one.

Yeah thought this was gonna be a Norbit thread and I was all ready to say old news.

What ever happened to 48 Hours Eddie, Trading Places Eddie, and Beverly Hills Cop Eddie? Or atleast Raw or Delirious Eddie? This guy was god to me when I was growing up, but once a comic loses that edge and goes mainstream, they usually do safe, boring films and never recover. Remember Jim Carrey in the Cable Guy, that was one of his funniest roles, and he hasn't done a great edgy comedy since that movie, instead he does safe family roles like Liar Liar and Bruce Almighty.

Is that true? I don't remember ever seeing that, but it sounds hilarious.

http://aycu27.webshots.com/image/112...6541854_rs.jpg

:D

I wasn't aware he'd ever stopped making crap...

For me Eddie Murphy is highly over-rated. His best movie IMO is Trading Places and i admit that i really enjoy this film, think that it has aged well and can watch it at any time. The rest of his films have been horrible and it has gone from bad to worse. I can understand that people like the Beverly Hills cop movies and i don't think they are necessarily bad, i just don't think they are very good either. But films like Nutty Professor, Norbit, Pluto Nash, Show Time...they have no redeeming qualities. I agree with the poster who said that Eddie has lost his edge. When he first started out he had a Fuck You attitude and it promised great things. As time has gone by he has tried more to capture the family comedy arena and i think betrayed his true background. Is he simply doing it for the money? I think thats a large factor, but i also think that its simply bad decision making. He is choosing roles that he probably thinks will be cash cows for studios because they are "safe" and in the end they turn out to be trash. He needs to fire his manager, meet exciting and dynamic new film makers, put money to one side for a minute and take some chances. He simply cannot make any movie worse in this situation than some that he has already made.

I see what some are saying, but Murphy did "Raw" (or was it Delirious?) at age 22. 22. You expect Murphy to have that same hard, in your face, fuck you "edge" when he's 32? When he's 42? It would seem immature after a while.

I'm not saying making movies like Norbit is the answer, but if Murphy was still making movies with the personality he had in his stand up routines or characters like Axel Foley, people would be here saying, "Eddie, grow up. This isn't 1984 anymore."

just saw Norbit last Tuesday, people were laughing thier asses off. everybody loved his Mr.Wong character. jeez so far I liked Norbit,Ghost Rider,Night at the Museum,Wild Hogs and Epic. these are what I have watched in 2007.I found them mindless fun for 90 minutes. Will I buy the dvds ? no but for a few cheap laughs it was a $5.00 dollars well spent for each one. Will I go see Zodiac? no but I will buy the dvd and hopefully it will entertain me and not be a borefest for 240 minutes.I go to movies to get out of the house and have some fun for 90 minutes. some people seem to take movies way to seriously and get very religious like about them if thier not the next Schindler's List enjoy them, if not then don`t go.

I think Coming to America is his best movie.

IMO these are the Great, Good and Fun and Hit or Miss Eddie Murphy films!

Great films from Eddie Muprhy that are worthy of attention or truly owning on DVD:
The Nutty Professor 1 & 2
48 Hours
Coming To America
Trading Places
Bowfinger
Beverly Hills Cop 1-2-3
Dreamgirls
Boomerang
Metro
Life


Fun and Good but not Great films from Eddie Murphy:
The Distinguished Gentleman
Doctor Dolittle 1 & 2
Holy Man
Another 48 Hours
The Golden Child
Harlem Nights
Showtime
Daddy Day Care
Vampire In Brooklyn
I Spy

Hit or miss films from him, films that IMO hover around being average films:
The Haunted Mansion
The Adventure Of Pluto Nash
Best Defense

Haven't seen:
Shrek 1, 2 & 3 and Mulan (voice over films)
Norbit

So he does have some great films, the whole Beverly Hills Cop trilogy is outstanding, The Nutty Professor 1 & 2 are amazing, Coming To America, Trading Places could be 2 of the best american comedy films ever made IMO and Bowfinger is a truly riveting film and his more serious acting roles IMO are in Life, Metro and Dreamgirls.

So that is what he needs to do like all comedy actors, take on a serious role or 2 for far less $$$. He is IMO a really great actor but he seems to enjoy doing less serious roles quite alot. So he likes to keep the comedy films coming!