Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip

One of Richard Pryor's concert movies features him talking about a trip to Africa, employment in a Mafia club, and even his freebasing incident ("The burn unit eliminates race. The only color in there is burnt-up muthaf***as!").

After Pryor died, Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock noted that he paved the way for all the African-American comedians who came afterwards. It's hard to deny that. His passing left some big shoes to fill, as did George Carlin's death and Robin Williams's suicide. It must've been quite an experience to get to see Pryor in concert. You're sure to love this performance.

Respect indeed!

Having just watched Richard Pryor: Live in Concert yesterday, I was very much looking forward to this, his next concert film. Quite hilarious when talking about sex, his experiences with the mafia, white people looking for humans like them in black Africa, and how women seem so calm compared to men like him. There's also some poignant stories about his trip to Africa and his resolving to never use the N-word again for humorous purposes compared to some of his past work. And then there's the freebasing/fire incident that concludes this film. His talk about Jim Brown and Brown's attempting to rehabilitate him is perhaps the most touching of the stories but that doesn't mean it doesn't end on a good laugh especially when it concerns his member. But while I liked most of what he did, I have to admit I wasn't too crazy about his "Mudbone" routine even though it was a favorite of an audience member who requested it. Still, while this wasn't as good as RP:LIC, Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip still has many brilliant moments that make this well worth seeing.

In his second most successful concert movie, again we brace ourselves for what magical dynamic stuff that will spout out of the mouth of an undying and legendary comic, who was pure genius. He cuts the surface of truth with his jokes, which makes so funny. The height of laughs for me, was when he was talking about the mafia. We've guaranteed ongoing laughs here, with new original material, where if your anti swearing, again take a rain check. Again 78 minutes passes by easy in another engrossing night of comedy, where our priceless Pryor tells those lengthy stories where that and vulgarity blend so well, where truths are told in funny and inventive scenarios, wonderfully written, where laughter just has us. No there never has been, or never will be, someone so sharp and cutting, or brilliant, like our Richard. Another concert movie success, in the city of Angels.

Pryor on the cusp and on the mend, halfway between the careening scatological genius of his 70s persona and the PG-rated grown man of the 80s. Yes PG Pryor generally sucks, but you know, setting yourself on fire can and should mellow anybody out. This movie is a stab at synthesis - he's still cultivating his mastery of the squirmy edge, but at the same time he's just turned his keen-eyed intelligence in on himself. It's funny and it's also very, very moving. The N-word disavowal is of course breathtaking - coming from Pryor it's like Rene Levesque doing a stop-smoking PSA. The story of being rescued from his talking freebase pipe by Jim Brown is another peak. And topping all is his seemingly spontaneous response to a shouted Mudbone request, applying that character's merciless storytelling bravado to the ballad of Richard Pryor. There are more dud bits than I'd like, but who cares? This is a fitting testament to a great artist and a good man.

Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip (1982)

*** (out of 4)

Here's a good stand up performance from Richard Pryor, although this certainly isn't his best work. I believe this was his first tour since catching himself on fire and it's rather obvious that Pryor's a bit nervous on stage and doesn't have that wonderful flow that shines through most of his work. The best moments include the talk about his trip to Africa and the various animals in the jungle. The final twenty minutes have Pryor talking about his accident, which has some laughs but they're rather uncomfortable laughs, although his final "message" comes across very nicely and touching.