10 Times The Oscars Recognized 'Cool' Movies
9. Beverley Hills Cop
Notable Nominations: Best Original Screenplay.
At the time of this film's release, Eddie Murphy was already a star having had a hit with 48 Hrs. and turning Saturday Night Live into a one-man show, but Beverley Hills Cop would change him from popular comedian to box office giant overnight.
In the film, Murphy starred as Axel Foley, a Detroit cop who travels to posh Beverley Hills to investigate the murder of his friend. While the plot sounds like a typical fish-out-of-water affair, the material was elevated by Murphy's unstoppable charm and charisma and went on be become the top grossing film of 1984.
Beverley Hills Cop was one of the defining films of the 80s and the Academy obviously saw how special it was. Oddly enough, it was not Murphy who was rewarded with a nomination, but rather the film's screenplay. Surely that must have come as a surprise to the screenwriters as there was no finished script when shooting began and a lot of the most memorable moments came from Murphy's improvisations.
Still, it's nice to see one of the best action-comedies of all-time got some awards love.