Stars: Richard Pryor

Summary: LIVE IN CONCERT is Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III's funniest performance. His tough background, being abandoned by his mother at the age of 10, his battles with racism, drugs and sexual addiction, a handful of wives and children have given him sufficient ammunition for his acerbic wit and wisdom. One of the first to freely use bad language, inspiring another generation of comedians like Eddie Murphy, this 1978 recording captures the man in finest form.

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Though Richard Pryor: Live in Concertwas recorded (and released) in 1979, it took 25 years for the DVD to finally get a UK release. And, while it's tempting to look for a conspiracy involving Chris Rock and Eddie Murphy, who could have used their influence to delay this release for fear of the world realising where they got their schtick, the reality is this DVD was worth the wait. Not only has the entire concert been restored and remastered, they've also included a whole heap of extras. There's some footage of some of Pryor's early stand-up (hard to believe that the potty-mouthed comic started out as tame as Bill Cosby), footage from Pryor's doomed-from-the-start television show (an ill-thought-out prospect, really, considering the conservative nature of American TV) and a biographical booklet. So, it's definitely a value-for-money DVD (especially when you consider the relatively short running-time of the main feature).

Of course, the star of this show is the original feature: Richard Pryor's full stand-up routine, recorded live in the 1970s. With his star firmly in the ascendant, Pryor was on fire, and his performance soon became a comedic legend. His style is casual and conversational--fundamentally, he's an excellent storyteller, and he has a knack for finding comedy inside of tragedy. At the time, his raunchy subject matter and use (some said "overuse") of, ahem, naughty words came as quite a shock to audiences, but Pryor went on to influence dozens of comedians to follow (in the process, becoming the highest ever paid comedian by the end of the 1970s). Richard Pryor: Live in Concertis a legendary performance by a legendary comedian, and an essential touchstone for modern comedy. --Robert Burrow

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Introduction by Jennifer Pryor, Excerpts from Richard Pryor shows, Footage of his LIVE & SMOKING tour, 25th Anniversary Special Edition Biography
Year:	1978
Release Date:	May 31, 2004
Runtime:	78 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	R E V D 1806
Keywords:	Live, Comedy, General, Richard, Concert, Pryor
Genre:	Comedy