The Twin Geeks 72: Safety Last!

Often overlooked in favor of the more famous contemporary comics of his time, Harold Lloyd was at least an equal to both Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton in terms of his comedic capabilities and his part in pushing the cinematic medium towards the mainstream. In his time, he was more active and at times more popular than the other two more famous filmmakers, but in the proceeding century of cinema that has passed he has faded into more relative obscurity. Ardent cinephiles recognize and remember Lloyd for his equivalent talents, but still we must do our part in upholding his legacy to the same degree as the other comic masters. Safety Last! is his most enduring and iconic feature film, with a thrilling climactic set piece that has defined his image in popular culture more than his name or indelible Glasses persona ever has. The combination of Keaton-like feats of daring and Chaplin-esque romantic pathos make Lloyd an easy middle ground between the two comic titans, but not without his own prevailing identity as the plucky everyman who wins our hearts and keeps us in stitches with his own unique take on immortal slapstick comedy. Timestamps: 0:00: The hosts don their Glasses character costumes 5:00: Beastie Boys Story & the best music docs 12:20: First Academy Awards 17:50: The imminent death of the studio comedy 29:10: Safety Last!