Monday, September 23, 2019

TODAY'S NUGGET: Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) - What I Look For in a Sequel

[Quick Summary: After his friend Capt. Bogomil, is shot while following up on a hot tip, Axel Foley hightails it to LA to track down the culprits.]

When a sequel comes along, I want to know:

1) Did they understand what made the first movie work?
2) Did they deliver that again here?

In this sequel:

1) Foley was funny in first film, especially with LA cops Rosewood and Taggart. They overcame big obstacles together as a team.
2) Not really. Foley is not that funny and does not seem to have difficulty overcoming obstacles.  The script seems more interested in explosions, car chases.

The one thing that worked was the team dynamic of how Foley is always dragging Rosewood and Taggart into his schemes.

I liked the scene below because it is funny and reminiscent of the first film.

We know very well that Foley is up to something crazy but Rosewood and Taggart are willing, if reluctant, accomplices.

ex. "EXT. ROSENBERG MANSION - DAY

Taggart and Rosewood stand staring up at the gates.

TAGGART: This has GOT to be a mistake.

ROSEWOOD: There's his car.

Way up the driveway. There it is.

TAGGART (very nervous): Billie, if he's here, he must be robbing the place.

He pulls his gun. They walk cautiously up the long driveway. CAMERA HINGES to see:

WILLIE AND MAY'S CAR parked down the street a couple blocks."

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: The writers tried, really tried, but sometimes you can't recapture funny in a bottle.

Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)(shooting script, 10/24/86 w/revisions)
by Larry Ferguson and Warren Skaaren

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