D: John Landis
Paramount (George Folsey, Jr. & Robert D.
Wachs)
USA 🇺🇸 1988
116 mins
Comedy
W: David Sheffield & Barry
Blaustein
DP: Woody Omens
Ed: Malcolm Campbell & George Folsey,
Jr.  Â
Mus: Nile Rodgers
PD: Richard MacDonald
Cos: Deborah Nadoolman
Makeup:Â Rick Baker
Eddie Murphy (Prince Akeem / various other
characters), Arsenio Hall (Semmi / various), John Amos (Cleo McDowell), James Earl Jones (King Jaffe), Shari Headley (Lisa McDowell), Madge Sinclair (Queen Aeoleon)
Amongst the last truly funny Eddie Murphy
films, with the comedian playing multiple characters with the aid of Rick Baker's fantastic makeup.
Predominantly the story follows Murphy as an
African prince, from the fictional country of Zamunda, who breaks off his arranged marriage to travel to New York City to choose his own bride who will love him for himself, not
for his powerful status.
The film contains some good comedy moments,
with Murphy himself providing most of them, but there's also some satirical asides to product placement (Prince Akeem and his aide get a job in a McDonald's clone restaurant; a
running joke in the movie, among many others).
7/10