Pity the parent whose Shrek-loving child unwittingly pops this 1987 concert film into the DVD player. Nothing in Dr. Dolittle, The Haunted Mansion or The Nutty Professor will prepare little ears for the torrent of profane language that was Murphy's stock in trade in his cock-of-the-walk ‘80s heyday. In one of this concert's very best bits, Murphy offers up an uncanny imitation of Bill Cosby taking him to task for his excessive profanity (he caps the story with an unprintable response from Richard Pryor, to whom Murphy was once considered the heir apparent). Murphy gets “raw” on gays and gold-digging women he fears will take “half” of his possessions in politically incorrect riffs that are also absolutely hilarious. The comic also scores with a bit about white people who ill-advisedly pick fights with African Americans after seeing Rocky, and an autobiographical story in which Murphy embodies his drunken father. Unlike Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, and Jerry Seinfeld, Murphy has not heeded the call to return to the standup stage, making this performance--presented in an unremarkable digital transfer on an extra-less disc--a time capsule record of Murphy in his prime. Recommended. (D. Liebenson)
Eddie Murphy Raw
Paramount, 90 min., R, DVD: $14.99 Volume 19, Issue 6
Eddie Murphy Raw
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