| PRODUCT DETAILS | | The Harold Lloyd Collection, Vol. 1 (Slapstick Symposium) |  | |
The Harold Lloyd Collection, Vol. 1 (Slapstick Symposium)
A standout contributor to the art of silent film comedy, Harold Lloyd (1893-1971) offers new generations a body of film work that is as fresh and entertaining as in its day. His roots were simple--born in rural Nebraska, product of a broken home, and initially destined for the legitimate stage--yet by the 1920s, Lloyd was both at the box office and in the polls, the most popular comic actor in the world. His appeal was simple: through his Glass Character, which formed the basis of roles from 1917-1947, Lloyd was able to reach audiences as no contemporary could. He is regarded as the man who most greatly influenced eyeglass-wearing in America, and this single facet of Lloyd inspired youth worldwide. His screen normalcy--in look and demeanor--allowed moviegoers to relate to the Glass Character no matter how rich, poor, cowardly or flip he was. Included in this Kino collection are the feature Grandma's Boy (1922), plus the shorts Bumping Into Broadway (1919), An Eastern Westerner (1920), His Royal Slyness (1921), Just Neighbors (1919), I Do (1918), and Number Please (1920). Grandma's Boy - 1922
One of Lloyd's personal favorites of his films, Grandma's Boy is a beautiful tale of self-discovery, with a bounty of comic overtones. Sonny is a self-professed coward, who balks at the sight of the town tramp (Dick Sutherland). Armed with a lucky charm given to him by his grandmother (Anna Townsend), he defeats the tramp and the town bully (Charles Stevenson), learning a very valuable lesson about himself in the process. And among the many short films are: Bumping Into Broadway - 1919
Harold Lloyd's first Glass Character two-reeler, Bumping Into Broadway stars Lloyd and Daniels as theatrical hopefuls - he as a playwright, she as a chorus girl. The action is fierce, as Harold attempts to save Bebe from a wicked society chap, and gets into lots of trouble in the process. Look for Our Gang favorite Gus Leonard in a most unique cameo: as a love-starved woman! An Eastern Westerner - 1920
Rural comedy abounds in this romp, as young upstart Harold is shipped to his uncle's ranch out West. There, he meets Mildred, assists her in staving off the unwanted affections of rogue Young, and after a wild altercation with a gang of bandits, single-handedly saves the town from the Masked Angels. His Royal Slyness - 1920
A special opportunity to see the Lloyd brothers - Harold and Gaylord - work together. Harold, a book agent, bears an uncanny resemblance to the Prince of Razzamatazz (Gaylord) - the two switch persons, and Harold travels to Thermosa, where he falls in love with a princess (Davis), and manages to lead the peasants' revolution to victory. His Royal Slyness marks Pollard's final film with Lloyd. Just Neighbors - 1919
Domesticity turns to squabble-city, as the tranquil friendship of neighbors Lloyd and Pollard turns sour when Snub's chickens get loose in Bebe's garden. The barbs are fast and furious, until peace is restored, when Harold's dog saves Snub's daughter from traffic. A rare film in which Lloyd took co-directorial credit, Motion Picture News called Just Neighbors "...as clever a skit on suburban life as ever was fashioned."
Manufacturer: Kino Video
Price Range: $14.99 - $24.95
 The Harold Lloyd Collection, Vol. 1 (Slapstick Symposium)
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| User Reviews |  | Slapstick at its best
rating: 5
My brother really enjoyed this. If your into slapstick get it
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Possible door in for new fans
rating: 4
While most of the films on here are very strong and solid, I don't think they're guaranteed to turn every first-time viewer into a huge fan. When I rented this from the library to see what all the fuss over Harold was about, I kind of had mixed reactions. I really liked 'Grandma's Boy,' the very early short feature-length film, and also enjoyed, among the shorts, 'I Do' (which was my personal favorite), 'Just Neighbors,' 'Number, Please?' (except for the disappointing ending), and 'Are Crooks Dishonest?' Though apparently a number of people really like them, I wasn't that captivated by 'An Eastern Westerner,' 'Bumping into Broadway,' or 'His Royal Slyness.' Still, it did make me generally interested enough to want to see more, and the next time I had a chance to see more, during the mini-marathon Turner Classic Movies ran of Harold's films during April 2005, I did become a big fan based on seeing some of his great full-length features. I think the ideal introduction to a new fan would be a feature-length movie, like 'Grandma's Boy' on this disc; it really serves to establish Harold's screen persona of the shy awkward smalltown boy, having to overcome obstacles such as cowardliness, meekness, local bad guys, and people who don't take him seriously. He was one of those comedians who was more like just a regular guy (with the simple physical modification of glasses) who got into normal understandable situations and trouble and had to use his own wits and summon his own courage and strength of character to get out of them and save the day. Because most of the shorts on this disc are from so early in Harold's career (some of them even from before the accident that nearly took his own life in September 1919), they might not be appreciated for their humor and brilliance by a new fan who is probably more apt to want to see Harold at the peak of his creativity, not when he was still learning the ropes and developing his character more and more.
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Harold Lloyd, the GREAT
rating: 5
Ah...this was back when they actually made films. Most people think of only 2 masters of slapstick back in the 1920's, Charles Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Well, Lloyd was as good as them, if not better. The cornerstone of American Comedy, Safety Last(1923) shows us is that Lloyd was more daring than his other 2 contemporaries, like in the scenes where he climbs the skyscraper and I'm sure everyone has seen the priceless scene where Lloyd hangs terrified from the hands of the big clock on the top of the skyscraper. Check this out and see true comedy.
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A Pair Of Glasses And A Smile
rating: 5
At last - Harold Lloyd films on DVD; and about time too.
Excellent print quality throughout most of this DVD.
If only the musical accompaniment was supplied by "The Crescent City Jazz Band" as it was for the brilliant "World Of Harold Lloyd" series in the 1970's.
However, the comedy is what counts and I suppose I could always turn the sound off and play the music from the aforementioned series.
Now how about a DVD release of "Welcome Danger" which has never been shown in the UK.
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Now, this is FUN! Even my kids enjoyed Harold!
rating: 5
OK, I've been a fan of Lloyd since age 11, too long ago for me to admit, and I am quite pleased to see at least a smattering of his work released on DVD. While the existing film quality of bits of two of the shorts exhibits nitrate deterioration, most of the material is almost pristine (even if the titles look to have been reshot and not original, for whatever reason). The humor, however, remains belly-busting funny, often with more laughs per reel, I think, than some of the better known Chaplin stuff (or maybe I am just getting Chaplined-out?) My kids, ages 12, 10 and 8, loved the more slapstick antics of Harold's various predicaments/solutions, in addition to cheering him on as he (eventually) prevailed in the feature "Grandma's Boy". I heartily recommend Lloyd to anyone looking for a fun addition to their DVD collection. If you have never seen a silent comedy, or have only seen Chaplin and/or Keaton, you are in for a treat. Now, if only Kino or the Lloyd Trust would get more of his work out on DVD and video!
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The Harold Lloyd Collection, Vol. 1 (Slapstick Symposium)
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