Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (1982)

Why so much hype?

Highly Overrated But Still Good

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Blistering performances.

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.

When I was a kid in the early eighties this show was built up so much. I vividly remember my teenage cousin throwing a temper tantrum when my aunt and uncle did not let him see this. I have always enjoyed Pryor's work so when I noticed this streaming on Netflix, I made sure to block off some time for it. As the show opened, Pryor made quite an entrance and looked like a guy on top of the world; as confident as ever. I kept waiting for him to say something funny but it really never happened. Just a bunch of crude humor that quite frankly is beneath him. I realize he isn't Cosby but if you are going to be dirty then at least be funny. This was just a waste of 40 minutes; yeah that is how long I lasted before giving up on this garbage.

I have no idea what is wrong with the authors of the negative comments about this film, but clearly they have no sense of humor because this is one of the funniest stand up routines ever - period.Richard Pryor has terrific material, perfect delivery and great comic timing - he is a comic genius. His self deprecating style is simply perfect and extraordinarily funny.I have seen this show several times on cable and I laugh often and out loud throughout every time. The opening 20 minutes have some of the funniest stuff I have ever heard particularly the bits about his relationships. And his description of Jim Brown trying to save him from crack addiction and the stories of his subsequent hospitilization for burn treatment are hilarious.Highly recommended.

In my opinion, Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip, is the funniest and best example of the genius at work. It is doubly interesting when you consider that it was made not long after Pryor's "Burn Up" accident, to use his way of speaking. Despite this, Pryor hasn't at this point lost any of the inventiveness and imagination wich made him one of the most original, freshest and warm comedians, and perhaps, when in top gear, the best comedian in the world. The audience really responds to him here, hanging on his every word and wanting him to do well. They are with him all the way, as you will be too when you watch it. Pryor opens up the monologues and hysterical stories at machine gun pace, and belly laughs are gauranted. Pryor doesn't dodge anything, retelling side acing tales of his run ins with the mafia, the making of Stir Crazy, his discovery of Masturbation, and most interestingly and humorous his exploding incident : "Of all the brothers who have free based how many do you know who have blew up? Why Me? I started to burn up and i was so high, i didn't even know what was happening. I looked at my hand on fire and thought, hey thats a pretty blue. I was all bandaged up in Hospital and came on the news, Richard Pryor died five minutes ago, i shouted noooooooooooo! wait on a minute jack"It is equally interesting to take note of how many other comedians have "Borrowed" drom Pryor over the years. For instance, Billy Connoly has quite often used the self mocking humour that Pryor uses to full swing here, and Eddie Murphy is on a much stronger level prone to using the black angst in his performance. Richard Pryor does it better than both here, and Live at the Sunset Strip is an absolute Stand Up Cinema Comedy classic.