When you have a comedic force that defines a generation, you want to hold on to that person and immerse yourself into as much of their humor as possible. There will only ever be one Richard Pryor, but the legacy he leaves behind and future generations he inspired will never be forgotten. The period of the early 80s was an exciting one for the legendary comedian as he already had a couple of hit comedy specials under his belt and was coming off the memorable Stir Crazy with his friend Gene Wilder. His immediate follow-up to that, Bustin’ Loose, was not quite the cultural landmark for Pryor but still raked in a respectable number at the box office. This feature holds a special place among his works as one of the handful titles which he had a hand in both in writing and producing. The resulting film is one that does not lighten up on Pryor’s trademark vulgar notions but does tap into an emotional side that does rank as something of a surprise for the comedian considering the outrageous Ku Klux Klan cover art meant to sell the film.
Pryor plays Joe Braxton, a ne’er-do-well con man from Philadelphia already on parole who finds himself in hot water once again after he tries to steal some television sets quite unsuccessfully. One thing you will immediately notice about Joe is that he is extremely likable to most people. He has a way with words that allows him to come closer to pulling off the television heist than one might assume. Even more hilarious is the way in which he quite dramatically employs some reverse psychology on a judge (Bill Quinn) in an effort not to get sent back to prison. He is able to stay out of prison, but he is back under the thumb of his parole-officer, Donald (Robert Christian), who is not looking to give him such an easy out this time around. Coincidentally Donald has a girlfriend, Vivian Perry (Cicely Tyson, Roots), who is a teacher whose school has just been shut down due to budgetary constraints. While most of the children have been relocated elsewhere, there are eight special cases needing a home who Vivian plans to take to her aunt’s farm in rural Washington. This is where Joe comes into play.
Donald is secretly not the best guy, but all he asks Joe to do is to help convince Vivian that her bus will not make the trip across the country – Donald wants her to stick around close to him. When Joe fails to do this, he is forced to drive Vivian and the children across the country or else risk being sent to prison for parole violation. The road trip format is one that works well for Pryor, and he gets to immerse himself in various outrageous and hilarious set pieces in different parts of the country while experiencing some lovely character growth. Some of the conflict comes from the world at large – we promise you that the Ku Klux Klan material does not go as expected – while others come from the children in his care. These range from a blind kid wanting to drive the bus to a pyro child very nearly setting various significant blazes. Pryor finds a way to make vulgar sound sweet as this selfish man begins to soften in his new role as protector. He even finds time to form a connection with Vivian, who is not ignorant to his growth and starts to see something in him that she does not feel with Donald.
One of the most surprising things about this narrative is how dark it can get at points. While the pyro child, Anthony, is often played for laughs, he has a backstory that is truly heartbreaking. If this was not enough, one of the children, Annie, is a former Vietnamese child prostitute who Joe has to teach to value herself. These are weighty plot points for a comedy, but then again this is unlike a lot of the comedies that Pryor was known for previously. He had shown off a flair for the dramatic with his turn in the Billie Holiday film Lady Sings The Blues, and he brings the smallest bit of that energy to the role of Joe. This can make the broader bits, such as Joe posing as a cowboy to swindle some con men out of money, a bit inconsistent tonally even if it provides much of the humor most audience members would be familiar with and enjoy. The film has some very funny moments, but largely this functions as a vulgar family comedy with a heart of gold. Some may find this a lesser effort from Pryor, but the emotional depth resonated with me.
Video Quality
Bustin’ Loose makes its Blu-Ray debut courtesy of Kino Classics with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 that appears to be derived from a really solid older master that is in fairly good shape. Instances of print damage such as nicks and scratches occasionally pop up, but overall clarity and detail is strong. The presentation is enjoyable throughout most of the runtime with image stability and delineation being top notch. This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the presentation, but there are several instances of it seeming a bit thick. The most troublesome instances of this are in the long shots and some nighttime activity. The picture can also run a bit soft in long shots, but colors are well saturated with the bright hues of nature coming through. Skin tones are natural and consistent with subtle facial features easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels hold up well with not much in the way of crush. This presentation has its flaws but overall should please fans.
Audio Quality
This new Blu-Ray comes with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that captures the intention of the film perfectly. The dialogue holds up wonderfully, coming through clearly without being stepped on by the score or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely from the roar of the bus to the chattering of the kids. The track avoids any instances of age related wear and tear or distortion. This is a film bursting at the seams with activity from on-screen action to the musical elements. The songs maintain a pleasing fidelity as they fill up the room. This is a track that represents the film in a loving manner. Optional English subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film Historian and Critic Sergio Mims provides a breezy and entertaining commentary track in which he discusses the place of this feature in the filmography of Richard Pryor, the improvisation in the film, why directors did not like working with Pryor, why Cicely Tyson originally turned down the film, the troubled production and much more. This is well worth a listen to get a good sense of the chaotic behind-the-scenes details.
- Radio Spots: A minute-long collection of radio spots are provided here.
- Trailers: A minute-and-a-half long trailer is provided for Bustin’ Loose. There are also trailers provided for Blue Collar and I’m Gonna Git You Sucka.
Final Thoughts
Bustin’ Loose finds Richard Pryor being a bit more sentimental than normal, but it is a role that really suits him well. Even with a little extra heart, Pryor is given plenty of moments to be as hilarious as ever, especially in his fast-talking early section of the film. The movie is not a top-tier effort from the comedian, but is very enjoyable and well worth a watch for fans. Kino Classics has released a Blu-Ray that has a solid A/V presentation and a couple of entertaining special features. If you are a fan of the film, this disc should be a pleasant addition to the collection. Recommended
Bustin’ Loose is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
