Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip (1982)

Please click the links to read my reviews of Eddie Murphy’s Delirious and Raw. (It might be slightly unfair to compare Pryor with Murphy, but I haven’t reviewed a lot of stand-up comedy, and I like to provide reference points for my readers).

Synopsis: Smartass in fire engine-red suit talks about getting barbecued.

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: “If Richard Pryor were accused of being the funniest man in America, this film of his incredible stage act would be Exhibit A. It is proof beyond the shadow of a doubt!”

What Did I Learn?: Americans stopped having sex when Reagan was elected President.

You Might Like This Movie If: You still think Richard Pryor would have made the perfect Han Solo.

Really?:  I have to wonder if Gene Wilder honestly believed that prison sex was 100% consensual.

Rating: Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip is an enjoyable 82 minutes of the late, great comedian telling stories and offering profanity-laced insights on life. Not all of Pryor’s act is funny, and some of it is a tad self-indulgent, but he has some interesting and remarkably honest things to say about drug abuse and the time he was nearly burnt to a crisp. It’s worth watching. 8/10 stars.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084597/