THE HAROLD LLOYD COMEDY COLLECTION (1919-1936). During cinema’s silent era, Harold Lloyd was as popular as Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, though the passage of time, coupled with his estate’s tight — too tight — rein on his films, has tragically allowed him to slip to also-ran status among more casual movie fans. This designation is nothing less than a tragedy, as Lloyd is in nearly all respects the equal of the other two comedy kings. A few years ago, his granddaughter Suzanne Lloyd stated that his pictures weren’t readily available on DVD (aside from a handful on the Kino label) because she was still searching for a company that would do them justice. Naturally, Criterion and Warner Bros. came to mind as worthy champions of the cause, but it’s New Line’s Home Entertainment division that ended up getting the call. Happily, they don’t disappoint: This is a magnificent box set, a three-volume, seven-disc compilation that includes 28 of Lloyd’s most popular releases (both features and shorts) as well as a bounty of supplemental material. Lloyd’s appeal was as the all-American kid trying to make good, and this trademark characteristic can be seen in his two acknowledged masterpieces, both included in this set. Safety Last! (1923) contains the world-famous sequence in which Lloyd’s character grasps onto a clock’s arms as he dangles high above the city streets, while The Freshman (1925) casts him as a college nerd who unexpectedly finds success on the football field. The 28 films are spread out over six discs, along with extra features such as audio commentary (by Leonard Maltin and Suzanne Lloyd, among others) on select titles, production galleries and a few featurettes. A bonus disc (included only with this set, though the film volumes can be purchased individually) is generous with the supplemental material, so much so that Maltin is on hand to explain the disc’s table of contents page. Among the treasures to be found are home movies, a narrative chronology of Lloyd’s life, his Academy Award speech upon winning an honorary Oscar in 1953, 3-D photos taken by Lloyd (yes, the set includes a pair of 3-D glasses) and much more.
Movies: ****
Extras: ****
MARCH OF THE PENGUINS (2005). It’s awfully hard — maybe even impossible — to resist the charms of this smash-hit documentary that’s as single-minded in its approach as its protagonists prove to be in their determination to keep their species alive and kicking. Originally a French film filled with first-person — uh, first-penguin — narration (yes, it anthropomorphized the animals) and unorthodox pop songs, this was refashioned for American audiences as a traditional documentary, with pleasant theme music and soothing narration from Morgan Freeman. At the risk of sounding like a xenophobic clod who would endorse “Freedom fries,” I have to say I approve of the changes — hearing a baby penguin exclaim the Gallic version of “Gosh, Dad, it sure is cold with all this ice!” would surely have made me cringe. Director Luc Jacquet and his crew deliver 80 minutes worth of compelling footage, focusing on the annual ritual that finds the emperor penguins embarking on a lengthy, perilous journey to the spot where they’ll hook up with mates and then protect the resultant eggs from the punishing elements. The French are apparently second to none when it comes to making movies that champion wildlife, and March of the Penguins joins Winged Migration, The Bear and Two Brothers as sterling examples of the form. Interestingly, clueless conservative clods (including Michael Medved) loudly praised this film in the media for promoting “family values,” citing as evidence the fact that the penguins in the picture remain devoted to their partners. Um, I guess they conveniently missed the line in the narration which states that these “family values” penguins hook up with different birds every year. DVD extras include a making-of documentary, the National Geographic special Crittercam: Emperor Penguins and 8 Ball Bunny, a cartoon co-starring Bugs Bunny and a penguin.
Movie: ***
Extras: ** 1/2
This article appears in Nov 23-29, 2005.
