Made Moon Blog

It’s a part of the human makeup. We all do it whether we realize it or not. It’s something we can fall back on to help us through difficult and uncomfortable situations. There are different names for it, but we just call it acting. Acting is defined as a person who portrays a character, either on stage, or screen. The character is usually fictional, but can also be someone who is alive or once lived. The profession of acting has been around a long time. Even the ancient Greeks had shows in their theatres.

There are acting schools and lessons and training. Acting can be a very well paid job, depending on where you are and who you are. The acting of the past probably carried more prestige than today, but the money wasn’t nearly as good. Acting use to be a craft, while today it’s more of a show. Many of today’s acting stars are not even considered great or good actors and it doesn’t matter. If the person on stage or screen has something that keeps the audience paying; then that’s really all that matters.

You don’t even need to attend schools or classes to be an actor in today’s world. Look at reality TV, or what I call un-reality TV. There are so many people on these shows and they have no training in the field of acting, yet they are actors. They hope that these shows will somehow make them a star, at least for a little while. These shows have probably lowered the status of acting. Television is to blame. Apparently television is going through a uncreative stage. The writers for television seem to be having a hard time developing shows that would require trained professionals; so instead, they bring together a bunch of non-actors, stick a camera in their face and call it a TV show.

If you crave to see some very good acting, then you need to watch soap operas. Soap operas have always been down the food chain when it comes to status, but the soaps have been around for along time and many big screen stars got their start doing soap operas. Another interesting thing about soaps is that they’re a daily event. From Monday through Friday these characters become a part of your everyday life. Maybe that’s why soap fans identify with the characters. Soap actors are some of the most recognized and beloved actors on the planet.

Acting is still a very popular profession, though it probably doesn’t require the skill it once took in the past. Television, through need or laziness has decided to put their fate in the hands of unskilled actors, so far it’s working, because a lot of people watch those un-reality shows. Sure, there are still a few great character actors, but you just don’t see them too often. Because of all the short-cuts that exist, that allow people to get their faces on camera, you have to wonder why anyone would go through the training and classes and all that is required to be a good actor, if they could find an easier way.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Acting

Starring in arguably his most memorable role, Eddie Murphy lights up the big screen with his 1980’s blockbuster hit Beverly Hills Cop. Showcasing the unique comic talents of a young career on the rise, the former Saturday Night Live cast member’s smiling humor and charismatic onscreen presence take an adequate screenplay and turn it into a smash film. Appearances by Paul Reiser and Bronson Pinchot (as the trendy ‘Serge’) combine with Murphy’s antics to make Beverly Hills Cop a hilarious and highly entertaining movie…

Eddie Murphy plays the role of Axel Foley, a freewheeling Detroit police officer who witnesses the murder of a close friend on the force during a botched drug bust. Linking the murders back to Beverly Hills, Foley takes an extended vacation from his job in Detroit. But rather than relax, he makes his way to Beverly Hills where he plans on conducting his own investigation.

In pursuit of the murderers, Foley uncovers a massive drug smuggling operation run by one of the elite socialites of Beverly Hills. Digging for the truth, the Detroit cop is forced to butt heads with the Beverly Hills police department and confront the drug ring’s various henchmen. Despite direct orders from their superior, Beverly Hills cops Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) eventually change from adversaries of Foley (attempting to halt his illegal investigations) to willing participants in his uncovering of the illegal drug ring. In the end, Foley finds the murderer, but will he get his revenge? Will the Beverly Hills police arrest him before he does? You’ll have lots of fun finding out…

Complimented by a hit soundtrack which features four smash hits (Glenn Frey’s “The Heat Is On,” The Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance,” Patti LaBelle’s “New Attitude,” and Harold Faltermeyer’s breakthrough hit “Axel F”), the film’s action and suspense sequences play out to the backdrop of adrenaline pumping beats and synthetic keyboard sounds. The music itself provides a small glimpse in the musical experimentation of an age that witnessed the convergence of high technology and sound. In a way, Beverly Hills Cop typifies the decade of the 1980s, but it does so without being so overly engrossed in the cultural fads of the day as to be outdated and ridiculous in the eyes of a modern audience. This is one of the core strengths of the film and one of the reasons millions of fans enjoy watching reruns of the movie on cable.

One of the more unique films of the 1980s, Beverly Hills Cop created a new sub-genre of film by splicing the serious action/suspense genre with the comedic personality/comedy genre. As a rare talent, Eddie Murphy is uniquely positioned to pull off the coup, carrying the film on the back of his personal likeability and hilarious brand of comedy. Performances by Judge Reinhold and John Ashton serve to compliment Murphy, and together, the three form a relatable, “average guy” click that audiences feel inclined to root for. As a result, the viewer is never bored, whether being entertained by mere suspense or hilarious comedy. Without a doubt, Beverly Hills Cop is one of the top ten comedies of its decade, and that’s why it’s a definite must-see movie…

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Beverly Hills Cop (DVD).