Richard Pryor: Here and Now highlights what Pryor is most known for. If you're a fan of his stand up routines, or want to dive into them for the first time, this one will be available to own on 4k on 2/24!
“Richard Pryor is sizzling how in yet another hilarious performance, RICHARD PRYOR… HERE AND NOW. This high-voltage comedy shot in New Orleans’ beautiful Saenger Theatre features the sensational Richard Pryor in his prime, with his newest and most inventive material. Sharp, witty commentaries are delivered with a unique, piercing humor. But the fun doesn’t stop here. Pryor continues to delight his audiences with uproarious tales of politics, sex and drugs! This magnificent stand-up comic takes charge on stage with an electrifying style and an unequalled comedic genius. RICHARD PRYOR… HERE AND NOW provides a rare glimpse at one of the most amazing and quick witted comedians in an incredibly funny performance guaranteed to rock you with side-splitting laughter.”
There is no denying Richard Pryor’s legacy as a comedian. He transformed stand-up into a raw, unflinching platform for social commentary on race, addiction, and everyday absurdities. His appeal to the public at the time stemmed from his unfiltered honesty, barring his soul through profane, vulgar storytelling that made audiences laugh while confronting uncomfortable truths, drawing massive crowds and Grammy-winning albums. Pryor crossed racial lines, becoming a cultural icon who influenced generations of comedians from Eddie Murphy to Dave Chappelle. However, he didn’t appeal to everyone; his method of comedy, laden with profanity, racial slurs and explicit topics like drugs and sex offended many, who saw it as too edgy or vulgar for mainstream tastes. For the time, it was something no one had seen before. But now, his style isn’t anything new. There’s no doubt he was a pioneer for this type of commentary and doing it in a way that shocked people into listening to him, but now, after over 40 years, his style may not be for everyone, and not because of the issues that surrounded his comedy at the time. While Pryor fueled his popularity with the taboo topics of the time, today, they just aren’t as taboo. Racial topics are more open, as are topics of sex, drugs and politics. What modern audiences see is Pryor spending 20 minutes pretending to do heroin and talking to the audience.
While I appreciate his contribution to the comedy world, not just in his stand-up routines, but his writing for film and television, as well as his acting roles of which I’ve always enjoyed, his stand-up can seem rather dated, especially when most of his routine revolves around telling stories of his youth, or moments of inebriation while cursing at a persistent audience whose only interest seems to be to rile him up during his performances. If you’re a fan of his acting roles, this doesn’t necessarily translate into liking his stand-up routine, and if you’re like me, who always knew him for that side of the business, it doesn’t hurt to temper your expectations of his stand-up. Despite my personal view, having a comedy special be released physically, in 4k no less, is something extremely rare, and fans of Pryor’s will no doubt enjoy this release.
Video
Sony’s 4K UHD release presents the film in 2160p HEVC/H.265 with Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10. Originally shot on videotape at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans the upscale to 4K inevitably looks like enhanced VHS. Colors are boosted and contrast improved via Dolby Vision, but detail remains limited due to the source’s lower resolution and analog origins. Blacks are deeper, and the stage lighting pops more vibrantly, but don’t expect razor-sharp clarity. It’s always nice to have something in 4k, but not sure it justifies the additional cost of producing such a title when Blu-ray would have been more than sufficient. Sony’s earlier release in 2024 of his Live on the Sunset Strip in 4k must have done better than expected to warrant continued releases.
Audio
The release features English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono preserving the original concert sound with clear vocals and crowd reactions. Pryor’s delivery comes through crisp and dynamic, with no distortion in his energetic rants or laughs. It is a bit hard to hear some of the interviewed patrons before the show starts when the music ramps up, but that seems to be a production issue of the time rather than a technical issue of the disc.
Special Features
This set comes with a slip-cover and a digital code. No extras are included on the 4k disc.
Richard Pryor: Here and Now on 4K is a tribute to a comedy legend whose raw stand-up redefined the art form. Pryor’s boundary-pushing humor may not click with all, but for fans, this is essential viewing. Pick it up February 24!
AV Entertainment provided us with a copy of this disc for review, which if interested, you can purchase here.