Beverly Hills Ninja
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| Beverly Hills Ninja | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Dennis Dugan |
| Produced by | Bradley Jenkel Brad Krevoy Steven Stabler |
| Written by | Mark Feldberg Mitchell Klebanoff |
| Starring | Chris Farley Nicollette Sheridan Robin Shou Nathaniel Parker Soon-Tek Oh Keith Cooke Chris Rock |
| Music by | George S. Clinton |
| Distributed by | TriStar Pictures |
| Release date(s) | January 17, 1997 |
| Running time | 88 min. |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Beverly Hills Ninja is a 1997 film staring Chris Farley as a bumbling Beverly Hills ninja. Written by Mark Feldberg and Mitchell Klebanoff and directed by Dennis Dugan, the film was released the same year of Chris Farley's death.
Chris Farley plays Haru, who was found by ninja as an infant and was raised by them. Haru never quite conforms to their culture and possess the skills of ninja but is however good-natured and persevering in his personal ambitions. His first mission brings him to Beverly Hills to investigate a murder mystery.
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[edit] Plot
A clan of ninjas find a chest that has been washed onto shore, inside of which is a white baby boy. An ancient legend spoke of a foreigner who would come among the ninjas and become a master like no other. The boy, Haru, is raised amongst the ninjas, with the expectation that he may be the one the legend speaks of. However, doubts are cast over him being the great white ninja. Although he posses some ninja traits, Haru is clumsy and does not really fit in. He does not graduate a ninja with the rest of his class. Left alone to guard the temple while all the ninjas are on a mission, Haru poses as a ninja when a blonde American women comes in search of the services of one. The woman, Sally Jones, is suspicious of her man, Martin Tanely, and sends Haru down to the harbour to investigate. Haru sees that Tanely is involved in a counterfeiting business, and also witnesses a murder. The clan are upset with Haru's actions, as the police now suspect a ninja is responsible for a murder. However, Haru is adamant that Sally is in trouble, despite the name Sally Jones appearing to be a pseudonym. Haru departs for America, to Beverly Hills (judging from a pack of matches she left behind). Gobei is sent to watch over Haru.
Haru has trouble adjusting to Western culture, but checks into a Beverly Hills hotel, where he befriends an employee, Joey, teaching him a few ninja lessons. Haru goes in search of Sally, convinced that she is in trouble. He eventually finds her (unknowingly with the help of Gobei), but she distances herself from him. Haru tails Tanely to a club, where he is trying to get back a set of plates from a rival gang. However, Haru again finds himself the suspect of another two murders. He returns to the hotel the next day he meditates to communicate with his sensei for guidance. He resumes his quest, and tracks down Tanely's home. Once breaking in he is able to speak with Sally Jones, whose real name is actually Allison Page. Haru begins to trust her again, and she explains that she suspects Tanely of killing her sister. That night Haru and Allison escape a gun-fight at an Asian restaurant, and Tanely sees Allison there. The pair have to retreat to the hotel. The next day Haru poses as an ink specialist and is taken to Tanley's offices. However, Tanley soon finds out that he is the ninja that everyone has been talking about. While Tanely is in the process of getting the other half of the plates that night, Alilson rescues Haru from the back of a van. However Allison is taken, and Haru must find his way back to Tanley's offices, but since he was blindfolded during his first journey, he enlists the help of Joey, and without his knowing, Gobei.
[edit] Reception
Critics gave the film generally negative reviews, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting a 15% "Fresh" rating. Though the film received mixed reviews from critics, Farley's performance as Haru was generally praised. The film was released in 2,112 theaters in the United States and made $12,220,920 on its opening weekend. The film would eventually gross $31,480,418 in its domestic market alone.
[edit] Cast
[edit] Music
| Actor | Role | |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Farley | Haru | |
| Nicollette Sheridan | Allison Page/Sally Jones | |
| Robin Shou | Gobei | |
| Nathaniel Parker | Martin Tanley | |
| Soon-Tek Oh | Sensei | |
| Keith Cooke | Nobu | |
| Chris Rock | Joey | |
| Beverly Hills Ninja | ||
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| Soundtrack to Beverly Hills Ninja | ||
| Released | 1997 | |
| Genre | Soundtrack | |
| Length | 34:14 | |
| Label | EMI | |
| Professional reviews | ||
- "You're a Ninja?..."
- "Kung Fu Fighting" - Patti Rothberg
- "One Way or Another" - Blondie
- "...We Are in Danger..."
- "Tsugihagi Boogie Woogie" - Ulfuls
- "Low Rider" - War
- "The blackness of my belt..."
- "Tarzan Boy" - Baltimora
- "...my identity must remain mysterious..."
- "Turning Japanese" - The Vapors
- "You're the big, fat Ninja, aren't you?"
- "Kung Fu Fighting" - Carl Douglas
- "I'm Too Sexy" - Right Said Fred
- "...close to the temple, not inside"
- "I Think We're Alone Now (Japanese Version)" - Lene Lovich
- "Finally Got It" - Little John
- "...Yes, I guess I did"
- "The End" - George Clinton
[edit] Trivia
- Most of the outdoor scenes were filmed not in Beverly Hills, but in Pasadena.
- In the King of the Hill episode "Hank's Dirty Laundry," there is a poster that looks exactly like the poster for Beverly Hills Ninja in the background of the Arlen video store. The movie's title is even "Kung Fool." "Kung Fool" is the tagline of Beverly Hills Ninja. The episode previous to "Hank's Dirty Laundry" was "Traffic Jam" which guest starred Chris Rock.
- There was one scene in which Haru (played by Chris Farley) tries to hide like a ninja. At one point, he jumped through the wall. In reality, Farley had injured himself doing that stunt.
- The film was orginally developed not as a vehicle for Farley, but for another SNL alum, Dana Carvey. [1]
