Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy
World of Comedy | |
---|---|
Directed by | Harold Lloyd |
Written by | Walter Scharf |
Produced by | Harold Lloyd John. L. Murphy |
Starring | Harold Lloyd |
Distributed by | Continental Distributing |
Release date | 1962 (USA) |
Running time | 94 minutes |
Country | USA |
Language | English |
World of Comedy (1962), also known as Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy, is a documentary compilation of scenes from Harold Lloyd's most famous films. The clips were personally selected by Lloyd, who also worked closely with writer Walter Scharf to develop the voiceover narration describing the clips. The narration, voiced by Arthur A. Ross, describes the sequence of clips as representing a glimpse of a special world as seen through the eyes (and spectacles) of Harold Lloyd.
The film marked the return of Lloyd to cinemas after an absence of more than two decades, and it included extended excerpts from the daredevil classics Safety Last and Feet First which hadn't been publicly screened during the previous three decades.
Reception
The film was extremely well-received by most critics and audiences as a reminder of Lloyd's creative output as the third of the "Big 3" (with Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton) great silent comedy filmmakers.[1] It premiered at the 1962 Cannes Film Festival where it received a standing ovation.[2]
Although enthusiastically well-received by audiences with fond memories of Lloyd's films, the reception by younger critics was slightly more reserved. Specific criticisms include the lack of context for some of the clips[3] and Arthur Ross's narration.[4]