1984 Beverly Hills Cop

Eddie Murphy was originally going to be in Ghostbusters, having worked with Dan Aykroyd at SNL and on the hit film Trading Places. However, he left the project and took up a small action movie which was slated to be a Sylvester Stallone movie. Stallone left the project and used some of the ideas for his flop Cobra; Murphy took it on and Beverly Hills Cop became one of the biggest hits of the 80's. 

It also has a great soundtrack, and lots of swearing, the action and plot almost playing second to Eddie Murphy's act. It was a move that paid off and cemented Murphy as the 'golden child' of Hollywood bosses. 

He was already a star, having made his name on SNL and his stand-up videos selling well. But this was the movie that opened doors and led to him being able to produce his own projects, like Coming to America. 

The movie also gave us Judge Reinhold, who went on to be almost big in Vice Versa; and it launched the 80's love of British baddies taken from the stage, this one with eminent actor Stephen Poliakoff. 

So far we have had 3 Cop movies, the last one not peforming well. But if you want a movie that is so 80's you feel as if you are already there, this is a good one. It has the fashion, the music, the characters and the setting. What could possibly be more 80's then Beverly Hills?

The movie was huge, taking a massive $316m at the US box office. It beat Ghostbusters into 2nd place behind Indiana Jones. 

The soundtrack is worth your time too. It has the main theme Axel F, which is Harold Faltermeyer's finest hour, and Glenn Frey performing the song used in the opening truck chase, The Heat is On. This album, like the Top Gun album, is pure 80's magic.