'Safety Last!'

By David Allen on June 30, 2011 12:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) |

I saw this silent classic Wednesday night at the Orpheum Theater on Broadway in downtown L.A., the last film in this year's "Last Remaining Seats" series sponsored by the L.A. Conservancy. Harold Lloyd's 1923 film in the lovely 1926 theater made for a great combo.

Notes Wikipedia: "It includes one of the most famous images from the silent film era: Lloyd clutching the hands of a large clock as he dangles from the outside of a skyscraper above moving traffic."

The movie is highly recommended, and the clock scene -- filmed not far from the theater itself -- got an ovation.

orpheumlloyd 003.jpg

3 Comments

Ted Melendez said:

Re-enacted at the conclusion of Back to The Future when Doc needs to reconnect the cables that go into the flux capacitor. One scence was even shot in Chino on Central Avenue when the director Zemeckis needed a big open field, but Mr. Allen already knows this it was part of one of his columns this year. Bye.

June 30, 2011 5:11 PM

Ramona said:

Silent, black and white, and funny.

I kinda miss those days with today's blasting sound, 3-D, special effects, and questionable plots.

[Sigh]

[I hear ya about silent films. (Ha ha.) -- DA]

July 1, 2011 11:12 AM

Bob House said:

In the late 50s or early 60s (around age 12) I saw "The Golden Age of Comedy" (a silent comedy compilation) at the Pomona Fox Theater with a group of friends. At one point, a friend actually fell out of an aisle seat from laughing so hard. Yes, I actually witnessed comedy so good it "had 'em rolling in the aisles." The film is now available on DVD as "The First Kings of Comedy."

[Those silent clowns killed. They killed! -- DA]

July 1, 2011 3:40 PM