Richard Pryor: Live in Concert

Genius! I remember seeing this years ago and being knocked flat with laughter. It is and remains a classic in the comedy concert film genre. Richard Pryor is the King of Comedy and all he needs is a mike, a stage, and an audience to give one of the great comedy performances ever recorded in the history of celluloid.

But this isn't just stand-up comedy. This is theater. Richard Pryor is a badass one man theater troupe. This flick is ground breaking in the fact that is has influenced so many comics and will continue to do so. His name is Richard Pryor. Hear him roar!

As others have said, this is the best stand-up performance ever recorded. It sounds like an exaggeration, but it's not. Pryor is a comedic genius, and you can see his influence in every comedian since. He sets the standard. His facial expressions, acting abilities, delivery, etc., are all top-notch, and he can make even mundane topics such as walking through the woods pee-your-pants hilarious (in fact, he spends a long time talking about the woods, which is a bit puzzling, but hey, it's funny). He also covers completely unrelated topics such as dogs, drugs, family life, boxing, and sex... all the while being hysterically funny. The guy is amazing, and I recommend this to anyone who enjoys stand-up comedy.

Despite the thousands that have stepped on to the comedy stage, many regard Richard Pryor: Live in Concert as the greatest stand-up show of all time. Live and on fire, this is Pryor at his finest ~ a unique opportunity to understand why comics and comedy lovers call him the godfather of modern comedy. Whether he's talking about his bout in the ring with Mohammed Ali, or recounting tales of snorting cocaine off the dining room table in front of his grandmother, Pryor is the heavyweight champion, playing off tragedy and humour in a way that few others have ever dared.

This is f@ckin hilarious !!

Apparently this is going to be released on a UK DVD soon. Cant wait !!

Richard Pryor is without a doubt one of the best stand-up performers to ever grab a mike, because he breaks the performance wall, and just has a conversation with the audience, which is rare for a comic to do. He talks to the audience, and involves them in the show, and the things he talks about on stage are not really jokes, but his retelling of certain life events that he has had, and you get the feeling that you would be hearing the same thing if you were just sitting alone with him in a room, and that is what makes his comedy so good, that conversational quality. No other comic that I can think of has done that with such a level of success that Pryor did...he was a real natural.

As far as profanity goes, Pryor doesn't use it to shock, he just talks that way naturally, and so the cursing doesn't stick out that much. Still, if you're easily offended by such language, then avoid it, but you are only robbing yourself of seeing a legend working his magic.

I can't express how dazzlingly brilliant this routine is. The jokes, the faces, the mime, the banter, ad-libs - everything amazes. This is the 'Citizen Kane' of routines and many comedians since have taken inspiration from it including Eddie Murphy (esp.) Chris Rock and Eddie Izzard.

Yes it is profane, but if you are stupid enough to watch a Pryor stand- up without being prepared for extreme 'vulgarity' then frankly you deserve to be offended. The language, although extreme isn't that shocking (even the now dreaded 'N' word) because it is all part of Pryor's 'jive' and would be poorer without it.

Watch this and see a master at the top of his game.