Shot at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans, Richard Pryor…Here and Now (1983) has the comic relaxed onstage despite a rowdy crowd. Seven months sober, his prepared material is only part of the show, as he deals with late arrivals and hecklers without missing a beat. Early in the show, an audience member asks Pryor for an autograph, “You take this and stuff it up your ass,” the comic responds. When another audience member shouts, “How’s your mama?” This sends Pryor off on a tirade that only he could pull off.
When an audience member brings a hermit crab and a balloon sculpture to the stage, Pryor plays along, talking to the crab for a few minutes. This comes right after a bit on genital crabs. The way Pryor can change gears—from foul mouthed adult to childlike innocence—is what makes him so great.
Pryor is at his best when he’s talking about himself and doing characters. Marriage, sex and politics all get the once-over. His performance as a junkie (himself) is both hilarious and a little bit sad. Played by anyone else, this would be seen as slapstick. Since his problems with drugs are well known, there’s a different feel to it. In another segment, he plays “Mudbone,” Pryor’s elderly alter-ego.
While not as strong as Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip, Pryor does a good job of improvising with a rowdy crowd. Pryor goes in and out of characters and accents while addressing current issues with humor and ease, as only he can.
Originally shot on videotape, Sony’s 4K release with Dolby Vision and HDR gives things a fresher look. Colors are more vibrant and contrast is improved. Details are limited, due to the source’s analog origins. Blacks are notably deeper. while a Blu-ray release of Richard Pryor… Here and Now probably would have been sufficient, Sony has delivered a 4K that looks as good as it can.
Sony has preserved then original concert sound with an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. Surprisingly dynamic, Pryor’s dialogue is clean, clear and concise. Audience reactions and clapping are clear as a bell. Some of the audience interviews before the show are harder to hear, likely due to their videotape origins.
English, English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles are included.
There are no extras available.