NYC: Richard Pryor Retrospective at BAM Rose Cinemas

Yes, the Northeast, NYC included is in the grips of a raging near blizzard. But we’d be
remiss if we didn’t put you on to this Richard Pryor retrospective beginning tonight
at BAM Rose Cinemas in downtown Brooklyn. The full slate is below from their site:

FEB 8—13, 17, & 19—21 (10 Days, 20 Films, All in 35mm)

A PRYOR ENGAGEMENT

Weekday double features!

“A master of lyrical obscenity. Richard Pryor is the only great poet satirist among our comedians.”—Pauline Kael, The New Yorker

A major influence on such contemporary comedians as Louis C.K., Chris Rock, Lewis Black, and countless others, the wild and wired Richard Pryor emerged from the Midwestern Chitlin circuit, became a successful mainstream nightclub comic in the 60s, and went on to become a cultural phenomenon, ushering stories and voices from the black underclass into the public eye. In addition to regularly releasing epochal, smash-hit comedy albums, Pryor translated his incredible audience rapport into movie stardom, appearing in no less than 40 films.

BAMcinématek’s retrospective of one of the greatest comedians of the 20th century includes Pryor’s legendary concert films, including Live on the Sunset Strip, Live in Concert, and Mel Stuart’s Wattstax; his pairings with Gene Wilder, including Sidney Poitier’s Stir Crazy and Arthur Hiller’s Silver Streak; and selections offering a cross-section of black America in the 70s from Poitier’s Uptown Saturday Night with Bill Cosby to Michael Schultz’s Car Wash with George Carlin.

“Richard Pryor drew the line between comedy and tragedy as thin as one could possibly paint it.”—Bill Cosby ALSO INCLUDES: The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976, Badham), Blue Collar (1978, Schrader), Brewster’s Millions (1985, Hill), Bustin’ Loose (1981, Scott), Dynamite Chicken (1971, Pintoff), Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling (1986, Pryor), Lady Sings the Blues (1972, Furie), Lost Highway (1997, Lynch), Richard Pryor…Here and Now (1983, Pryor), Some Call it Loving (1973, Harris), and more.