Harold Lloyd and Criterion

[Minkin]

I suppose with their eventual release of The Freshman, we'll probably get the Janus owned compilation film - Harold Lloyd's The Funny Side of Life (1963) - which I uncovered a few months ago.

I'd think that the rest of Lloyd's later films would be easy enough to get to - they seem to be either UA or Paramount (Universal).

Also, the talk of splitting films between mainline and Eclipse eerily echoes our thoughts about the Chaplin films - so I think we're jumping the gun a bit. At worst, I'd expect some of them to end up on those 'single-extra' $30 blurays, but not dumped into an eclipse set.

[Brianruns10]

Oh I couldn't imagine any Chaplin or Lloyd getting the Eclipse treatment. Too significant, and the elements area available for a proper treatment. Not to mention there is such a devoted fanbase for each, they'd be sure sellers, not only to Criterionists, but to those who just love Chaplin and Lloyd.

[manicsounds]

I'm pretty sure when they release "The Freshman", they'll put "Diddlebock" as a bonus feature.

[duck duck]

I don't see why Chaplin or Lloyd would be too good for Eclipse when there are Kurosawa and Bergman sets, eclipse would be an way to get sets of shorts out faster and cheaper.

[matrixschmatrix]

Because it would be stupid to re-release something already available, with special features, into the barebones obscurities line? I realize they've done it before- Putney Swope, I'm looking in your direction- but I don't see them doing it with either of these, particularly as they're working with their respective estates. (Also, I think the Chaplin releases have mostly been really high sellers, so Eclipsing it would just be wasteful.)

[Drucker]

Forgive the word, but those Bergman and Kurosawas are also relatively "minor" works compared to the over dozen mainline releases each of those other directors have. While I'm not as familiar with all of Lloyd's work, it certainly doesn't seem that any feature-length film of Chaplin's is minor, considering how few there are.

[swo17]

All of them are minor compared to Keaton.

[duck duck]

In my initial post I specifically said shorts.

[Ashirg]

Seeing how they packaged Pierre Etaix set, they may do something similar with Harold Lloyd.

[dex14]

I don't know what to do with my HL Collection. There is so much material I don't know if it is a good idea to sell it now? Or wait until CC releases more?

[EddieLarkin]

Do Criterion have access to everything from their deal with the Lloyd estate? I wonder what their intention with his shorts are? 3 on each mainline release isn't going to cut it, but I wonder if they're even going to bother trying to get everything out there.

[adavis53]

I don't know the answer to your question about what they have but I could see them loading some of the smaller releases that otherwise might not sell as well. Or perhaps with the success of the Pierre Etaix set we'll get a kickass boxset of Early Lloyd or something with a large number of shorts.

[movielocke]

Damn, I just looked it up, I had no idea just how many shorts there are.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Lloyd_filmography" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I wonder if they plan on doing a Lonesome Luke release as a standalone?

feature films wise, what's the next likely release? I've only ever seen this and Safety Last of his work.

[EddieLarkin]

I'm hoping for a talkie next. I understand The Milky Way is his most popular (with Leo McCarey directing).

[adavis53]

I'd kill for either Girl Shy or Haunted Spooks to be the next one, if they happen to have the rights to either, although the latter would probably held off for an October release. Speedy is also particularly good which they have up on their hulu channel.

[swo17]

I'm hoping for Girl Shy. I wouldn't be surprised if they skipped over the Lonesome Luke shorts entirely. There's discussion on Safety Last! about how they really aren't very good.

[domino harvey]

I'd bet a boxed set is next

[manicsounds]

Seems like a missed opportunity they didn't include the "sequel" movie, "The Sin Of Harold Diddlebock", which I think would not be a big seller on its own, if Criterion is planning that in the future. Unless there is going to be an Eclipse set called "Lesser Lloyd" or something.

The commentary is the same as what was on the DVD.

[EddieLarkin]

Assuming they intend to release it, perhaps The Sin of Harold Diddlebock is already going to get saddled with the re-cut Mad Wednesday.

[swo17]

It would be great for Criterion to give it a go, as it's PD and has never had a decent release.

[Moe Dickstein]

Mad Wednesday / Diddlebock is a different rights situation. Add in the fact that you can sell it on Preston Sturges as well as Lloyd and the fact that there are 2 edits, there's enough for a standalone if they didn't see fit to throw it in here (I think it may be PD at this point)

[HerrSchreck]

Haunted Spooks is just a short.

[adavis53]

Haunted Spooks is just a short.

My bad. I always conflate it with that one where Lloyd is accused of murder, Hot Water I think, so I remember it as a feature

[HerrSchreck]

I'll never forget it because it was my first exposure to Lloyd, as David Shepard stuck it on the ancient Kino VHS of The Cat and the Canary as an extra.

Another thing about it is the title would be considered completely politically incorrect nowadays... As it refers to the frightened negro house help shuddering in terror when they encounter fake ghosts in the big old house they tend to. This they are the "Haunted Spooks."

[Jonathan S]

I wonder if they plan on doing a Lonesome Luke release as a standalone?

I wouldn't be surprised if they skipped over the Lonesome Luke shorts entirely. There's discussion on Safety Last! about how they really aren't very good.

Only 14 of the 67 Lonesome Lukes are known to survive - and only three of those are held by the Lloyd Trust. The rest were casualties of Lloyd's 1943 vault fire. Even some of the surviving Lukes, scattered among various archives and private collections, may be in relatively poor or fragmentary state. (Eighteen of the early "glasses" films are also considered lost.)