The Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection

He appeared in more than 200 motion pictures—feature films and short subjects alike—over the course of a career that spanned four decades. He delighted millions of moviegoers around the world and, during the silent-movie era, was an easily recognizable figure with his slicked-back hair and tortoise-shell glasses. Yet, Harold Lloyd never received as much recognition as his peers, Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, and his cinematic importance has been consistently underestimated—a situation that ought to change with the release of this truly spectacular seven-disc boxed set containing 14 features and 14 shorts, all representing this comic genius at his best. Among the standouts are Lloyd's most famous features: Grandma's Boy (1922), in which he plays a timid lad forced to defend his honor; Safety Last! (1923), featuring the iconic scene of Lloyd dangling high above the streets of Los Angeles as he clings to an oversized clock mounted on the side of a skyscraper; The Freshman (1925), a campus comedy that was also his most famous starring vehicle; The Kid Brother (1926), with its hilarious, climactic car chase; Movie Crazy (1932), a satirical look at Hollywood; and The Cat's Paw (1934), a classic fish-out-of-water comedy. Sadly, many of the star's early short subjects have been lost to the ravages of time, but one couldn't ask for a better tribute than this lovingly assembled and meticulously restored collection. Presented with beautiful new restored transfers, the set also features a bevy of extras, including commentary tracks by film scholars (such as Leonard Maltin) and Lloyd's relatives, featurettes, and production galleries. In addition, the seventh bonus disc includes over three hours of extra material: featurettes, interviews, film clips, and photos (including 3-D photos taken by Lloyd, and a pair of 3-D glasses to view them). Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)