In 2024, Sony released Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip in 4K. It was a real treat, as it was very well shot, and the set itself was hilarious. Now we have another special getting the 4K treatment with Richard Pryor: Here and Now. While it’s not as famous as Live on the Sunset Strip, it’s still a hilarious time, even if it doesn’t look nearly as good as the previous release.
“This high-voltage concert film shot in New Orleans, features the sensational Richard Pryor in his prime,” says the official description. “Doing some of his most innovative material, Pryor takes charge on stage with an electrifying style and an unequaled comedic genius, in an incredibly funny performance guaranteed to rock you with side-splitting laughter!”
Richard Pryor: Here and Now was released just a year after the success of Live on the Sunset Strip, and it speaks to how great Pryor was that he was able to do a completely different set that is this funny that soon after. The beginning is of the film is padded with crowdwork and some rough on-the-street interviews with fans. Things pick up when the comedian is able to get into his set, and there are some all-time great moments, such as Pryor impersonating a heroin user, recounting a trip to Zimbabwe, and his experience meeting Ronald Reagan (“I met the president. We in trouble.”).
Despite coming out after Live on the Sunset Strip, Richard Pryor: Here and Now looks and sounds much worse. It was originally shot on videotape, so there’s not nearly as much detail as the prior special despite Dolby Vision being deployed. Sound quality also isn’t as clear as you’d want, particularly during the crowd work segments, and the audio levels can feel uneven at times. While it seems the team at Sony did the best they could with the source material, it doesn’t seem like this special was as well-suited for a 4K release as one would like.
Somehow, Here and Now managed to not even live up to Live on the Sunset Strip’s bonus content, which only had a trailer. This time, it has absolutely nothing besides the feature film. It is worth noting, though, that the 4K release does come with a digital copy, so at least you can stream it at home as well. Still, it’s disappointing to not even get a trailer or any retrospective.
Richard Pryor: Here and Now 4K Review: Final Verdict
While it’s a fun special worth revisiting, the Richard Pryor: Here and Now 4K release doesn’t take full advantage of the format. A regular Blu-ray release probably would’ve worked just fine, as the source material lacks the fine detail of Live on the Sunset Strip. As a result, it’s a less funny and worse-looking comedy special, meaning it’s for fans of Pryor only.
Disclosure: ComingSoon received product from the distributor for our Richard Pryor: Here and Now 4K review.
