Richard Pryor Live in Concert was the comedy equivalent of landing on the moon when it was released in theaters at the end of the 70’s, and is still widely considered the best live stand-up performance ever captured on film. Pryor is at the peak of his skills in Live in Concert – free to express himself with “blue” language used as verbs, nouns, and adjectives. Pryor’s genius, however, is his ability to inhabit the characters within his storytelling, using his entire body as he takes on race, his heart attack, drug use, taking an “asswhipping” as a boxer, his father’s untimely death while having sex, and other topics uniquely laid bare for a delighted audience in Long Beach, California. Sure, other comedians have made live concert films and specials, with many reaching dizzying heights of fame, but Richard PryorLive in Concert is the live stand-up performance that stands alone.
