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Writers on Film
Mark Searby on the Deliriously Funny Eddie Murphy
As one of the world’s most dynamic and recognised celebrity icons, Eddie Murphy has been present in comedy and music for the last five decades and has dominated our big screens since his debut feature film, action comedy, 48hrs. some forty years ago. Delivered from a never-seen-before viewpoint, ‘Eddie Murphy; Deliriously Funny’ is an immersive account of Murphy’s entire comedy genius that spans the highs and lows of his career, touching on his childhood, exploring his influences, his stand-up comedy roots, music and film. From the author of ‘Rik Mayall: Comedy Genius’ and ‘Al Pacino: The Movies Behind The Man’, Mark Searby intricately unravels the golden thread of comedy that has weaved through the fabric of Murphy’s life and career, in both film and music, and exposes the deeper catalysts behind it.
Taking us on a profound journey that outlines Murphy’s life, Searby creates an honest account that is charged with the excitement, frustration, confidence and fearlessness that Murphy has experienced and delivered throughout his work. Documenting the incredible highs, and the equally spectacular lows, ‘Eddie Murphy; Deliriously Funny’ includes exclusive interviews and quotes from those that have worked closest to him. Highlighting his breakthrough on mainstream TV via Saturday Night Live, through to multimillion-dollar box office smashes of his most famed and successful films; 48 Hrs., Beverly Hills Cop, Coming To America, Harlem Nights, Boomerang, The Nutty Professor, Shrek, Dreamgirls, Norbit and Dr. Dolittle, Searby also delves in to the career flops that span comedy sketches and numerous big screen films, and ultimately how Murphy used them on one of the most amazing rides through Hollywood.
Packed with excerpts and interviews with the likes of Reginald Hudlin (Boomerang), Katt Williams (Norbit), Keith Robinson (Dreamgirls), David Patrick Kelly (48 Hrs.), Steven Berkoff (Beverly Hills Cop) and more, not only does the book celebrate Murphy’s career but it also gives insight to the person behind it. Featured heavily throughout the book are the deeper topics that have ultimately fuelled Murphy’s passion for comedy. Exploring his ability to use comedy as a vehicle to “put racism and sexism front and centre throughout”, Searby delves into the vast pool of examples that find “In amongst all of the hilarious comedy routines Murphy was creating, there were moments that spoke honestly and directly about racism.”
Told with an air of wit that captures Murphy’s inspiring outlook on life, the book is not a gossip frenzied account of his personal life but a testament to the career and his doggedly determined, confident traits that has allowed it to span half a century. From influences that went before, such as Richard Pryor, Nipsey Russell, Moms Mabley and even Elvis Presley and Bruce Lee, Eddie Murphy became the biggest influence in the world, non more so than with aspiring Black comics.
“A pioneer of a new form of much- loved entertainment that was speaking to an entirely new Black generation. It featured a combative edge, an edge that put racism and sexism front and centre throughout. They wouldn’t shut up or back down when discussing the topics that mattered most to them. This was their time to speak and they were not going to let anyone off the hook. Eddie Murphy was doing that with his stand-up to a huge audience – Black and white.”
As with his previous work, Searby masters his subject and highlights how, no matter whether you are an avid fan or not, Eddie Murphy will have touched your life at some point in time. Whether it be through music, through comedy, through the voice of a donkey or adult humour, his reign as one of the world’s most iconic inhabitants is undeniable and ‘Eddie Murphy; Deliriously Funny’ is a captivating insight into his legacy.
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29. Julie Salamon and the Devil's Candy
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12. Mark Harris on Mike Nichols and others
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171. Movies Go Fourth
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170. Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2024
59:30I talk to esteemed film critic and friend Rafa Sales Ross (find her work here), Noaz Deshe about his new film Xoftex and Christos Nikou about Apples, Apple and Fingernails.The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is the largest film festival in the Czech Republic and the most prestigious such festival in Central and Eastern Europe. It is one of the oldest A-list film festivals (i.e., non-specialized festivals with a competition for feature-length fiction films), a category it shares with the festivals in Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Locarno, San Sebastian, Montreal, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Among filmmakers, buyers, distributors, sales agents, and journalists, KVIFF is considered the most important event in all of Central and Eastern Europe.Every year, the festival presents some 200 films from around the world, and regularly hosts famous and important filmmakers. The Karlovy Vary festival is intended for both film professionals and the general public, and offers visitors a carefully designed programme, excellent facilities and a broad range of other services.
169. Bologna: Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival
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168. Roger Lewis talks Carry Ons and Charles Hawtrey
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167. Ramsey Campbell talks the 3 Stooges, Horror films and Cinephilia
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166. Ian Christie talks Powell, Pressburger, Scorsese and Cinema
01:06:02Ian Christie FBA is a British film scholar whose work on Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, Martin Scorsese and the development of cinema has made him one of the most respected film writers today. He is a regular contributor to Sight & Sound magazine and a frequent broadcaster as well as being the Professor of Film and Media History at Birkbeck, University of London.
165. Cannes Report 9: Anora, The Seed of the Sacred Fig
35:14Bilge Ebiri is one of the finest critics currently working. He was the critic for the Village Voice and is now writing for New York Magazine and Vulture.