Coming to America (Special Collector's Edition) (1988)

No doubt at all that, 'Coming to America,' is one of Eddie Murphy's finest movies of all. A true comedy classic, this film will have you rolling from start to finish at the zany characters and performance throughout.

The DVD itself, on the other hand, leaves much to be desired. As far as extras go the only ammenity offered is 1 lousy trailer. Also, the video transfer itself is far from pristine and the Dolby 5.1 audio track sounds like it could still be sweetend up. Sure, i suppose the fact that this DVD was authored back in 1999 may explain why the disc comes across as a bit primitive in terms of bells and whistles, but with that being said, it's high time for a proper re-release to do this comedy classic some audio-visual justice!

This is one of my all time-favorite African-American movies. First of all, Eddie Murphy is hilarious (in all of his roles). Arsenio Hall is a perfect foil for Eddie's hijinks. Eddie let his full range of talent show in this film; he played an innocent person who grows into a mature adult right in front of our eyes and realizes that there is a price to pay for love; whether or not you are born into royalty. This is one of those movies that a person watches over and over again and ends up reciting the lines as the movies is playing. James Earl Jones and Madge Sinclair are wonderful in this movie as well as the King and Queen. Madge Sinclair was one of the world's best actresses and I miss her greatly. She tells James Earl Jones "put a sock in it, Geoffrey, the boy is in love." Nobody can deliver that line to a black king, except a black queen. John Amos, (whom I have loved since Good Times), is a great actor as well. He plays the part of a black businessman so well, and as a father he takes no stuff off of the King. He tells James Earl Jones, "I will break my foot off in your royal _____); now that's a ghetto father for you. James Earl Jones knew where to draw the line with Cleo McDowell.

I also like the fact that the Kingdom of Zamunda was filled with kindness, and the people were happy, the royal family was truly wealthy and had everything. You know, this movie is truly a fantasy and helps us escape from our everyday lives. Just to see the Queen and King eating breakfast and talking to their son on a "speaker phone" because the table is so long, is funny. The King and Queen taking their entourage to Queens when they received the telegram to send $1 million to Semmi who had spent up all his pocket change is one of my favorite scenes. That music that is playing during the sequence when the entourage arrives in Queens is so wonderful, moving and swirling, I am buying the soundtrack just to get that song. When I get married, I would like that song to play as my "court" walks down the aisle before me.

All the cameos in this movie are great as well. Nobody can play a doped-up thug like Samuel L. Jackson; Samuel is a natural at playing a killer. Also, Louie Anderson was funny, so was Eriq LaSalle, and Alison Dean.

Now the guys in the barbershop have to be taken from classic characters in the black community. In all the black neighborhoods I have been in during my whole life; there has got to be a black barbershop full of men eating, talking stuff, and cutting hair. When "Clarence" says that Martin Luther King, Jr. ran up to him and hit him in the chest, I just crack up, cause Martin Luther King, Jr. was a prophet of non-violence. And, Eddie Murphy playing a white man is too funny, and a Jewish white man on top of that. Now, that takes creativity; and comic genuis, and Eddie's got it. And, Arsenio's portrayal of Rev. Brown is right on target, there is always some country preacher in the neighborhood that comes to every event, eats up the food, and blesses the weddings, blesses the children, and buries the dead.

One of my favorite parts is when Lisa tells Prince Akeem, she cannot marry him; because he lied to her about his identity. That made Akeem grow up very fast, and learn that nobody; no matter who he is, can buy love.

The clothes in this movie are also wonderful. Deborah Nadoolman did a great job showing how royalty would dress in a foreign country where it is warm, Also, how they would dress in Queens during the winter; those fur coats Madge Sinclair had on were fantastic and so were the suits worn by the King himself. His coat of an entire lion's skin was dramatic and the diamond eyes on that lion's head were cool.

The ending this cinderella story was great, love did really win out in the end.

Well, I could go on and on about how much I liked this movie but, I am going to stop now. Get this movie and keep it in your video collection so you can watch it and laugh over and over.

Buy Coming to America (Special Collector's Edition) (1988) Now

A charming, polished and original comedy featuring a great performance from Murphy and some memorable laughs. Some of my favorite scenes are:

when they all get up from the leather couch and there is soul glow grease all over it from where their heads were ("Just let your Soul GLLLOOOWW!!").

when Samuel L. Jackson robs the McDowell's restaurant that Murphy and Hall are working at. The ensuing scene between Jackson and Murphy is classic.

when Murphy gets his hair cut off in the barbershop (Snip. "that'll be 10 dollars").

that "She's Your Queen to Be" song.

There are so many more scenes that I love that I could mention. A must-see!

Read Best Reviews of Coming to America (Special Collector's Edition) (1988) Here

Eddie Murphy has made many great movies (Beverly Hills Cop, Trading Places & The Distinguished Gentleman) but Coming to America is his very best. This movie is so funny and I never get tired of watching it!

Want Coming to America (Special Collector's Edition) (1988) Discount?

Hilarious tale of an African prince named Akeem (Murphy) and his royal servant (Hall) who head off to the United States in search of the perfect Queen. After deciding to go to New York City (they saw that the city had a borough named "Queens"), Akeem becomes a pauper in order to woo the perfect woman (Shari Headley) to become his wife.

Although the film had many pre and post-production problems (director Landis almost walked off the set due to a fight with Murphy; Murphy was successfully sued by columnist Art Buchwald for "stealing" his idea of an African prince who goes in search of a wife) the final production is pure comic genius at it's best. Undeniabley, Murphy is the king of a thousand faces. Just like his success in doing multiple roles in such films at the "Nutty Professor," in this film he plays 4 roles.

Besides Akeem, Murphy is hysterical as the barbershop owner, the old Jewish man who frequents the barbershop, and finally as the talentless singer Randy Jackson (who performs with his band "Sexual Chocolate"). Makeup artists Rick Baker does a spectacular job as always when creating the different personas.

Shot mostly in New York, this happens to be Murphy's last great comedy during his years at Paramount. Most of his later films such as "Harlem Nights," "Distinguished Gentleman," and "Another 48 Hours," were not big box office hits. With a recent string of hits produced by Imagine/Universal, Murphy is back to his comedic genius.

Keep an eye out for a pre-"ER" Eriq LaSalle as Daryl, the Soul-Glo King, and Samuel L. Jackson as a guy who holds-up the McDowell's (not "McDonald's"--watch the film to understand why) restaurant. Other celebrity players such as James Earl Jones, Louie Anderson, and Frankie Faison give the film more comic momemts. Also, several band members of the great funk group "Cameo," appear as members of the band "Sexual Chocolate".

Before Martin Lawrence, there was Eddie Murphy. Check out this film to see one of the greatest comic geniuses at work.

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