Trading Places: Looking Good, Feeling Good Edition

DVD Reviews | Jun 19th, 2007

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Starring Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche, Denholm Elliott, Malcolm Campbell
Written By: Timothy Harris, Herschel Weingrod
Directed By: John Landis
Studio: Paramount
Buy on Amazon.com link

I think this edition should have been called “Beef Jerky Time” Edition. It just seems like a better title for a new DVD to me. Trading Places is a classic comedy starring Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd and the beautiful Jamie Lee Curtis. Whenever this movie is on cable, I usually tend to watch it. Although, sometimes it’s hard to watch it with it being badly censored. Besides being a very funny movie that catapulted the movie careers of Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd; this film is mostly known for seeing Jamie Lee Curtis’ “perfect rack.” That’s Dan Aykroyd’s words, not mine but he said what all men are thinking that’s for sure!

Trading Places is about a stuck-up broker named Louis Winthorpe III who has a Philadelphia mansion, a servant, a pretty fiance and is a honest hard-worker. One day, his rich bosses Mortimer and Randolph Duke decide to have a little wager for only one dollar. Randolph bets that Winthorpe will turn into a murderous, drug-induced criminal if he switched places with someone with low stature. Earlier in the day, Billy Ray Valentine has a run-in with Winthorpe and gets arrested. The Duke brothers decide to have Valentine take Winthorpe’s place and turn him around. Winthorpe hits rock bottom, losing his house, job, girlfriend, etc. Louis meets a pretty prostitute in the jail and decides to help him get back on his feet. Meanwhile, Valentine has become what Winthorpe was but later finds out what the Dukes’ real intentions are. Both Winthorpe and Valentine decide to go after the Dukes and make them poor & ruin their lives.

Trading Places was a great comedy in the 80s and there are some many classic lines from this movie. Once you see the movie from start to finish again, you’ll be amazed at all the great lines from the movie. I haven’t seen this movie in long time but I just couldn’t stop laughing from watching this again. It was nice to see everything uncensored, and didn’t remember there was that much nudity besides Jamie Lee Curtis’ ta tas. You just don’t see girls dancing around at a party and stripping their clothes off in movies these days. Ahh the 80s, gotta love it. To this day, people still talk about this movie and how beautiful Jamie Lee Curtis was in it and how lovely her breasts were/are/still am. I think it was even mentioned in the recent movie Knocked up. To be honest, there really isn’t any need for those nudity scenes but who cares, it’s nudity!

As far as the acting is concerned, I thought everyone was great in this film. This was only Eddie Murphy’s second film and you can tell he was going to be a big star. Dan Aykroyd played the smug, rich asshole quite well. Jamie Lee Curtis was kind of annoying at times, I can’t stand when she said “Louie.” But she wasn’t that bad overall, she was mainly there to look hot and show off your fun bags. Denholm Elliot, Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche were all great as well! It was fun to see a few unknowns in the movie like James Belushi and Al Franken. But in the end, this was Eddie Murphy’s movie. His comedic timing was superb, he had the funniest lines and facial expressions. I always crack up when the Winthorpe and Valentine are in the stock exchange pit. Because Eddie Murphy is so calm and smiling, pointing to people, as everyone is frantically trying to buy & sell their stocks. I still don’t understand that ending but you just know that the Dukes lost all their money in the end.

That ending is briefly explained in the extras though. You get it explained but I’m still scratching my head over it. There’s a good featurette about the movie, and updated interviews from John Landis, Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Lee Curtis. They just discuss everything about the movie and it’s something to watch for sure. There’s a deleted scene that i’m sure i’ve seen before but can’t figure out where. For all I know, it could have been on the other DVD or I’ve seen it on TV. Other featurettes include Dressing the Part, Trading Stories, The Trade in Trading Places and more!

If you don’t already own Trading Places on DVD, be sure to get this upgraded version with more extras. This is a hilarious comedy and if you haven’t seen this film by now, be sure to go out and get this or at least rent it.

Features:
Insider Trading: The Making of Trading Places
Trading Stories
The Deleted Scene with Optional Commentary by Executive Producer George Folsey, Jr.
Dressing The Part
The Trade in Trading Places
Trivia Pop-Ups
Industry Promotional Piece

Audio:
ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 5.1 CC
ENGLISH: Dolby Digital Stereo CC
SPANISH: Dolby Digital Mono
FRENCH: Dolby Digital Mono
PORTUGUESE: Dolby Digital Mono

Video:
Widescreen 1.85:1 Color (Anamorphic)

Subtitles:
English

Favorite Scenes: Jamie Lee Curtis nude scene (come on, I had to haha), Eddie Murphy in the jail, Everyone on the train
Rating: R
Running Time: 116 minutes
Extras Rating:
Overall Rating: