The Nutty Professor (1996 film)
| The Nutty Professor | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Tom Shadyac |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on | The Nutty Professor 1963 film by Jerry Lewis Bill Richmond |
| Produced by | |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Julio Macat |
| Edited by | Don Zimmerman |
| Music by | David Newman |
Production companies | Imagine Entertainment Eddie Murphy Productions |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $54 million |
| Box office | $274 million |
The Nutty Professor is a 1996 American comedy film starring Eddie Murphy as the titular character. It is a remake of the 1963 film of the same name, which starred Jerry Lewis. The remake, directed by Tom Shadyac, co-stars Jada Pinkett, James Coburn, Larry Miller, Dave Chappelle, and John Ales. Filming began on May 8, 1995, and concluded on September 8, 1995. The original music score was composed by David Newman.
Murphy portrays a university professor, Sherman Klump, a brainy and kind-hearted obese man who weighs 400 pounds. A research scientist, academic, and lecturer, Klump develops a miraculous, but experimental, weight-loss pharmaceutical, and hoping to win the affection of the girl of his dreams, tests it upon himself. Just like Julius Kelp from the original film, Klump's vigorous, charismatic, but evil alter ego takes the name "Buddy Love". Murphy plays a total of seven characters in the film, including Sherman and most of Sherman's family. Sherman's nephew is the only member of the family not to be portrayed by Eddie Murphy.
The film was a box-office hit and received positive reviews, with critics particularly praising the makeup and Murphy's performance. It won Best Makeup at the 69th Academy Awards. The film's success spawned a sequel, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, released in 2000.