Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979)
This classic comedy film will leave you in awe of how much Richard Pryor has influenced comedians since — from Eddie Murphy to Chris Rock to Dave Chappelle — while also striking you, perhaps depressingly, with how little things have changed, especially in terms of Pryor’s complaints about racism and policing.
But Pryor feels much too vibrant for Richard Pryor: Live in Document to feel like some kind of historical document. He has a passion and energy that a camera crew can only harness, never contain, and the film makes you feel like you’re right there in the seats of Long Beach, California’s Terrace Theatre, hearing all these ideas for the very first time at the dawn of a new decade.
It’s also one of the influences of another recent Netflix comedy special: Director Natasha Lyonne told MovieMaker it’s one of the reference points for the new Jaqueline Novak performance Get on Your Knees.
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