One of the greatest comedians of all time, Richard Pryor gets raw and real in this brutally funny and lacerating self-portrait. Following the notorious incident in which he caught on fire while high on cocaine, nearly losing his life, Pryor exorcised his inner demons by writing, producing, directing, and starring in this dizzying hall-of-mirrors biopic and backstage drama, which traces a young comedian’s rise to fame, from his childhood growing up in a brothel to the colorful experiences that shaped his edgy comic voice to the addiction struggles that brought him to the brink of death. As he did in his legendary stand-up sets, here Pryor fearlessly turns his soul inside out, revealing the deep vulnerability that made his art so compelling.

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Video Quality

The Criterion Collection presents Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling on 4K UHD Blu-Ray courtesy of an impressive 4K digital restoration conducted by Sony from the 35mm Original Camera Negative in 2160p Dolby Vision/HDR that is excellent. This film does not appear to have ever received a Blu-Ray release previously, so this 4K UHD upgrade is a monumental leap forward in quality. This 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc offers the ideal amount of natural film grain which is not overly gritty but definitely not absent as you see it is very tight and effortlessly resolved. This allows the movies to excel and gives an abundance of pleasing texture and detail to the transfer. The image presents a valuable amount of depth that makes the various environments feel more lived-in and three-dimensional than ever.

The UHD disc contains very deep colors throughout with certain hues dazzling thanks to the cinematography of John A. Alonzo that gets the most out of the lighting and set design. Some of the outfits make a big impression. Highlights are richer and offer greater stability without veering into blooming. Black levels are deep and allow the picture to maintain an excellent amount of depth and detail in darker environments. Skin tones look natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a great amount of facial detail. There are no signs of any print damage or other such blemishes that would bring down the appearance of this title. The Criterion Collection has treated this one with the care you expect from the company.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc presents the original DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that sounds great for the purists. This surround soundtrack gives the overall soundscape the utmost vitality clear of any hissing, dropped audio, or other signs of age-related wear-and-tear. Dialogue is crisp and clear without ever getting covered up by the music or sound effects. The low end effects are mostly engaged to provide some extra texture to sporadic environmental elements and musical moments. The film satisfies when it comes to the music, as the memorable score from Herbie Hancock washes over you in a satisfying, enveloping way. Atmospheric sound effects are rendered appropriately within the mix so that directionality is never an issue. Criterion has made sure this film is accurately represented.

Special Features

The Criterion 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling includes a foldout pamphlet featuring the essay “Songs of Innocence and Experience” by author Hilton Als which explores the career and legacy of Richard Pryor, the themes explored in the film, and more that is very illuminating. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Robert Townsend on Richard Pryor: A new 18-minute interview with filmmaker Robert Townsend (Hollywood Shuffle) who discusses how Richard Pryor influenced his career, watching the evolution of his genius, the influences of classic Hollywood on Pryor’s career, and more.

The Dick Cavett Show: A 48-minute episode of The Dick Cavett Show from 1985 in which Richard Pryor is a guest prior to the movie being released which is a cool cultural artifact to view, especially to see how talk shows have evolved.

Final Thoughts

Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling is a unique portrait of one of the greatest comedians of all time. It makes sense that the only narrative directorial effort from Richard Pryor would be telling a version of his life story. There is some unexpected creativity in the filmmaking, and the story is compelling enough despite hitting some of the conventional biopic tropes. There is enough vulnerability in the creation of this to make it worth seeking out. The Criterion Collection has delivered a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray that offers a first-rate A/V presentation and some decent special features. This is worthy piece of Pryor’s legacy. Recommended

The Criterion Collection edition of Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling will be available to purchase on 4K UHD and Blu-Ray on January 14, 2025.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection 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.