A Retrospective on Richard Pryor's Narrative Films

 
I am pleased to announce the release of my new book, "Richard Pryor in Hollywood: The Narrative Films, 1967-1997."  It required extensive research to be fair and accurate in my representation of the comedian's film work.  I watched the films repeatedly, reviewed scripts, talked to scriptwriters, read numerous books on cast and crew, and searched exhaustively through newspaper and magazine archives for contemporary articles and interviews.  Each chapter examines an individual film by presenting development history, production notes, plot summary, critical consensus, and my own critical analysis.

My mom was with me when I stopped off at the post office to ship out complimentary copies of the book.  I had the packages stacked in a box.  The top package sat above the rim of the box and would surely have slipped onto the ground if I didn't hold the box perfectly steady.  So, my mother watched me perform a magnificent balancing act as I made my way into the post office.  When I got back to the car, my mother said, "You work too hard with these books."  I will accept that as the first review for the book.

"[Anthony Balducci] work[s] too hard with these books." - Mom

 
The next few articles on this site will feature a roll call of the 38 films that are examined in the book.  The articles will includes facts, observations and photos that, for one reason or another, didn't make it into the finished book.  I hope you enjoy it. 

The book can be purchased at Amazon.