Ìý Few were surprised when Paramount wanted a follow-up to the smash-hit "Beverly Hills Cop", but as you'll find out from the new DVD release, what that would be wasn't instantly clear.
TECHNICAL FEATURES
Picture The style of "Beverly Hills Cop II" is far removed from that of the first film, thanks to director Tony Scott's super-slick veneer. This shiny humbug of a movie transfers to DVD with class, and benefits from being shown in its original 2.35:1 ratio, as opposed to the old pan and scan version seen on video and TV outings.
Sound There's gripping authority to the 5.1 precision mix of Harold Faltermeyer's synth-fest, which locks all available speakers down for an 80s assault on your living room that's probably not healthy, but damn is it fun!
SPECIAL FEATURES
Cast and Crew Interviews In this 21-minute documentary, the cast and crew of the film (excluding Eddie Murphy) take us through the making of the sequel. Paramount originally planned a TV series spin-off, but couldn't find a replacement for Murphy (who didn't want to do it), so the film sequel became the chosen option. A number of plot concepts were bandied-about, with the favourite seeing Axel Foley going to London, but Murphy didn't fancy shifting.
Original Behind-the-Scenes Featurette There are no surprises here, except to see that Hollywood promotional featurettes are no less cheesy now than they were in the 80s.
Deleted Scene Only one scene of any significance was deleted from the film. Tony Scott explains why, and you can then see the two-minute wonder for yourself.
Shakedown Music Featurette There's something fascinating about this five-minute featurette. Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer discuss the theme song "Shakedown" with electronic music maestro Harold Faltermeyer. The sight of Simpson rapping pens in the air, and Jerry uncomfortably bopping away to the music is just weird.
Additional Extra Features Why it's a trailer!
Region: 2
Chapters: 13
Ratio: 2.35:1 (anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Technical Features: Scene selection, animated menus, multiple languages and subtitles, and English captions for the hearing impaired.
This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-S57 DVD player.
