Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling

Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling
Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Richard Pryor
Written by	Paul Mooney; Richard Pryor; Rocco Urbisci
Produced by	Richard Pryor
Starring	Richard Pryor
Cinematography	John A. Alonzo
Edited by	Donn Cambern
Music by	Herbie Hancock
Production; company	Indigo Productions
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	May 2, 1986;
Running time	97 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$20 million
Box office	$18,034,150

Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling is a 1986 American biographical^[3] comedy-drama film directed, produced by and starring Richard Pryor, who also wrote the screenplay with Paul Mooney and Rocco Urbisci. Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling was Richard Pryor's first^[4] and only directorial effort,^[5] although he is credited as such on the screen version of his 1983 stand-up comedy concert film.

Background

Pryor plays Jo Jo Dancer, a popular stand-up comedian, who has severely burned himself while freebasing cocaine. The film came out six years after Pryor had set himself on fire while freebasing.

Plot

As Dancer lies hospitalized in a coma, his spiritual alter ego revisits his life, from growing up in a brothel as a child and struggling to beat the long odds to become a top-rated comedian. However, his success leads to extensive drug use and womanizing that takes its toll on his life. It affects every relationship, including his marriages. Jo Jo's spirit watches and attempts to convince his past self to end the cycle of self-destruction.

Cast

Richard Pryor as Jo Jo Dancer
- E'Lon Cox as Jo Jo Dancer (child)
Paula Kelly as Satin Doll
Art Evans as Arturo
Barbara Williams as Dawn
Fay Hauser as Grace
Billy Eckstine as Johnny Barnett
Diahnne Abbott as Mother
Carmen McRae as Grandmother
Debbie Allen as Michelle
Tanya Boyd as Alicia
Wings Hauser as Cliff
Michael Ironside as Detective Lawrence
Scoey Mitchell as Father
Dennis Hayden as Policeman #1

Production

The earlier parts of the film were shot in Pryor's hometown of Peoria, Illinois.

Reception

Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling received mixed reviews from critics. It currently has a 50% "Rotten" rating on the movie review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes based on 16 reviews.

References

^ "AFI|Catalog".
^ "Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling", Box Office Mojo.
^ Siskel, Gene (May 4, 1986). "Richard Pryor Comes Clean In Harrowing Recap Of Life". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
^ "Short Circuit A Box-office Live Wire". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on May 28, 2012. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
^ "Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved June 10, 2016.

External links

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[1] "AFI|Catalog".

[2] "Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling", Box Office Mojo.

[3] Siskel, Gene (May 4, 1986). "Richard Pryor Comes Clean In Harrowing Recap Of Life". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved June 10, 2016.

[4] "Short Circuit A Box-office Live Wire". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on May 28, 2012. Retrieved 2010-11-08.

[Jo_Jo_Dancer,_Your_Life_Is_Calling-5] "Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved June 10, 2016.

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