| Reviews for Magic in a Pair of Horn-Rimmed Glasses |
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| _WRITTEN_BY Annette Lloyd | |
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What Is Being Said About Magic in a Pair of Horn-Rimmed Glasses …
(Updated 9/7/2009)
From Amazon.com :
A remarkable book about a remarkable man,
By chriscellaneous
(
It's no surprise that Annette D'Agostino, perhaps the foremost authority on Harold Lloyd and his films, would write a thorough, engaging, inspiring and informative book about the man behind the horn-rimmed glasses. What is surprising is her approach -- breaking down Harold's life into defining moments that, collectively, tell us more about Lloyd than a traditional biography might. An essay, for example, on one of Harold's lesser known films ("The Cat's Paw") not only asks us to re-examine a commonly overlooked film, but uses it to shed new light on its star and producer. Annette augments Harold's own words (turning the book into a semi-autobiography) with her own opinions that sometimes lionize her idol, but just as often take Lloyd off his pedestal. It's no mistake that the cover photo shows Lloyd without his glasses, for Annette truly lets us see beyond the comic mask, revealing a self-made man, flaws and all.
Annette D'Agostino is to Lloyd what Carl Sandburg is to
By The Keeper Of
The Celluloid (Film
Praise for The latest book on Harold Lloyd by the author who
knows him best. A lifelong devotion to the comic icon has yielded several
books, essays and a website that has yet to be equalled. With each release of
information, fans and novices of Harold Lloyd are invited to rediscover an
individual who helped to landscape the language of film.
As with all her writings, Ms. Lloyd captures her enthusiasm
for her subject and encites her readers to not only share in her joy but to
evoke a similar kinship that can only lead to seeking out the recorded works of
this legend of entertainment.
Filled with facts, photos, filmography and information never
before published, this latest homage to one of
Fantastic Reading,
By D. Plotnick
"moviebooks" (
Just finished the book and its a great read. Filled with interesting information, some I'd never read anywhere else, along with several fun facts. A definite must buy!
Hooray for Annette Lloyd and Harold Lloyd!,
By Thom Taylor (
Harold Lloyd Magic in a Pair of Horn-Rimmed Glasses is as
delightful to read as a Lloyd film is to watch. Using the turning points in the
life of silent film star Harold Lloyd, Annette D'Agostino Lloyd`s new book
follows his life story from Nebraska to Hollywood and his dazzling climb to
success as a master comedic actor, the one true equal to Charles Chaplin.
Throughout this book we see again and again a man with more than just a gift.
He also was endowed with amazing content of character. The Lloyd films are
important for more than just their comedic innovations and pure fun value. They
are all-American in every way providing for all time a glimpse of life in the
1920s and 30s from a comedy perspective. The 20s films, in particular, are
worth studying for they show us this country at its most optimistic, when
upward mobility, going to college, having some of the luxuries of modern life
were becoming reality for more and more Americans. The Lloyd films are also
more sophisticated, stylish, and intelligent than today's "comedy"
films.
The qualities of the man behind the glasses and the films he
made in this important period of screen history are what Annette Lloyd focuses
on with every turning point in his life, and this man had his turning points.
The book is handsomely illustrated with photographs and several pages of
"fun facts," some of which are at times actually serious topics such
as the reactions by Chinese students seeing Welcome Danger for the first time
in
There are new things to learn about Harold. One highlight is
a "fun fact" involving a piece written by Harold for Playboy
Magazine, but was never published. It turns out that Harold was a very clever,
enterprising young boy. He sold popcorn at a train station in
One particularly fascinating section is the chapter
"Harold Lloyd releases The Freshman." Harold's fantastic college
comedy, his great hit of 1925, actually came very close to being a lost
classic. There was a law suit brought against Harold by a man who claimed that
the story of The Freshman was taken from his 1915 story. On the surface, the
summary of what this story is about does not sound at all like the Lloyd film.
But a judgment against Harold's film company nearly led to the film being
destroyed and never seen again. Thankfully, an appeals court overturned the
earlier decision which is why Harold will forever be our beloved
"Freshman." In 1990, The Freshman was added to National Film
Registry, the first Lloyd film to be so honored.
When Harold's film career came to an end, he didn't stop.
Actually, one could say he really took off in lots of new directions, for
Harold Lloyd had about as many hobbies as his life had turning points. One
notable hobby was photography, in particular, 3-D photography. He also excelled
in nude shots of women. I have one of the recently published books of his
female nudes. The photos are just as beautiful as the women. Harold, the
director, the storyteller, is quite evident in these photos. Attention to lighting,
framing, composition within the frame is immediately evident.
Another area of interest was microscopes. What a pleasure it
is to learn that Harold Lloyd discovered a cure for the Black Widow Spider
plague in the 1930s. He and his brother-in-law, Jack Davis, discovered a wasp
from
There are many more equally interesting stories to be found in the turning points in Harold Lloyd's life, and we are most thankful for Annette D'Agostino Lloyd's excellent new book for bringing them to the foreground, and for doing it in such a delightful way. The book has an excellent bibliography covering not only the books written on Harold and books with substantial mentions of Harold, but also articles by Harold Lloyd or about him. The book also includes the most up-to-date filmography of Harold Lloyd in print. Highly recommended.
Caroline von Hessert-Hodge,
By Caroline V.
Hodge via Amazon.com
Harold Clayton Lloyd was an amazing man !...and incredibly multi talented ! Annette D'Agostino Lloyd has brought his genius to life more than any other author of Lloyd. Her apparent admiration of him as a person, as an actor and as a producer, bring him to life. Annette has seamlessly interwoven Harold's own words, plus innumerable others in this her latest book....and I've read them all ! She has another important Lloyd book in her future which will open up an area of Harold's life which has not yet been documented in any Lloyd book. In my opinion, Annette is the definitive authority on Harold Lloyd's life, as she approaches each book with love and awe.
Harold Lloyd is a Lucky Man,
By Lon Davis
"Author" (
Annette Lloyd includes such thorough information on her favorite subject, and does it with such passion and flair, that one can easily imagine Harold Lloyd himself grinning broadly as he flips through the pages of this beautiful new book.
The best story of Lloyd yet!,
By Kelly Brown (
I knew this book was going to be great from the moment I
heard Annette Lloyd describe her work in progress a year ago. What I didn't
know was how fabulously ground-breaking it was going to become as a finished
product.
Annette has taken pivotal moments from Harold Lloyd's life
and showed how each step helped to shape not just the movie star, but the man.
Meeting Hal Roach? Check. The lifespan of the Lonesome Luke character? Check.
The inspiration and fight to create the glass character? Check. The horrible
accident? Check. The list goes on and on, all things about Harold Lloyd are
revealed through interviews and recollections that we just didn't know. The
stories are interwoven and overlap in a way that tells more than a biography
ever could.
And as I said, not just things we didn't know about the
movie star Harold. The other side of Harold was a devoted husband, detailed
hobbyist, doting father and grandfather, avid Shriner, and man who wanted to
control his destiny. Annette brings to life the man who we would all liked to
have had living next door.
MAGIC IN A PAIR OF HORN-RIMMED GLASSES is such a wonderful
book! Cheers to Annette Lloyd, whose hard work for Harold has been ceaseless in
the fifteen years I have known her. And thanks to Harold for making it all
happen in the first place.
Recommended to: fans of silent film, cinema history, comedy, photography and human beings.
a treat for Harold Lloyd fans!, By avid reader via Amazon.com
This book is simply a joy for those who enjoy the films of
Harold Lloyd and would be of interest to anyone who loves silent films too.
It covers turning points of Lloyd's life, both personal and
professional, and many of the stories, details, quotes, pictures and artwork
from the ads for the films were new to this HL fan and a delight to read and
see. I especially enjoyed the stories of his family life and his own thoughts about
the injury to his hand (of which he said so little publicly). Also fascinating
is the info and stories/quotes about the making of 'Safety Last' and 'Speedy'
and his later years and work with the Shriners. A timeline of significant
events and a list of films are included.
This book gives the reader a real sense of what Harold Lloyd was like as a person and conveys his unique magic as a filmmaker and performer. No public figure could ask for a more dedicated or affectionate biographer than Annette Lloyd. Highly recommended.
A Wonderful Tribute To A Great Man..., May 22, 2009
By Frank Commins
"SilentMovies" (
Whether your exposure to Harold Lloyd is just beginning, or well established, I urge you to pick up this book. Along with "The Harold Lloyd Encyclopedia", this represents an amazingly detailed collection of anecdotes related to the man and his interests. As you may expect, the emphasis is on his films, but there's a wealth of information which extends our knowledge of Lloyd, the individual, the father, the philanthropist, the photographer, and so much more. This book brings Lloyd down from off the screen, and makes him three dimensional.
The silent film comedian who famously dangled from a clock high above the streets of LA in Safety Last! gets the full “star of the day” treatment on Turner Classic Movies on August 5. He’s also celebrated in a new book called Harold Lloyd: Magic in a Pair of Horn-Rimmed Glasses. Annette D’Agostino Lloyd (no relation) explores in depth the major turning points in the comedian’s life and career, in an unbridled display of “passion for all things Lloyd” that has resulted in three books on the subject thus far (not counting a private commission).
This may not be the quintessential volume on Lloyd, but it’s crammed with fascinating material on everything from his use of previews and the accident that nearly ended his career (while posing with a “prop” bomb), to his major films, his transition to sound and the building of his mansion. The damaging impact of the funnyman’s refusal to allow his films to be shown in the early days of television—unlike Chaplin and other contemporaries—is also discussed. The book draws extensively on Lloyd’s own words, from interviews and other sources; a complete filmography and bibliography are included, along with many rare illustrations. (Available from BearManor Media in paperback.)
From http://haroldlloyd.ning.com/profiles/blogs/my-new-book-on-harold-lloyd-is
Comment by Gavin Lee on
Got my copy a few days ago. It's brilliant! It appeals to
both the newcomer to Harold's films and to the seasoned fan. There are loads of
new and rare pictures and a text that not only re-evaluates some of the
neglected Lloyd films but also unearths plenty of new information on Harold and
his films generally. A great companion to 'The Harold Lloyd Encyclopedia' and
one of the best books ever written about Harold Lloyd.
From http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/150859.Kelly_R_Brown
Kelly said:
"EXCELLENT BOOK!
A fascinating concept -- what makes a person tick? With
Harold Lloyd, there were a few key points in his life that made the movie star
and the man. Annette has taken these points and desciribed them in a way no
mere biography c...more EXCELLENT BOOK!
A fascinating concept -- what makes a person tick? With
Harold Lloyd, there were a few key points in his life that made the movie star
and the man. Annette has taken these points and desciribed them in a way no
mere biography could. Harold's introduction to theater, meeting Hal Roach,
Lonesome Luke, the glass character, the accident, meeting his wife... you
understand what a unique undertaking this was.
Need to read this, everyone!
From http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6668994.html
Lloyd, Annette D'Agostino. Harold Lloyd: Magic in a Pair of
Horn-Rimmed Glasses. BearManor, dist. by Ingram. Sept. 2009. c.420p. illus.
filmog. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-59393-332-6. pap. $24.95. FILM
Just when you were wondering where that next Harold Lloyd bio is, it's here! Writer Lloyd (no relation), author of The Harold Lloyd Encyclopedia and webmistress of www.haroldlloyd.us, takes another look into the career of the silent film comedian. Her book is "dedicated to fans" and has a fanzine feel. She extracts quotes from various interviews to give Harold's perspective, sprinkles "fun facts" throughout the text, explains the appeal of Lloyd's "Glass Character" (an average guy in glasses can be funny without a costume), and offers synopses of various films. She further explores Lloyd's life and career trajectories, drawing on extensive research. A chronology is included. Readers may also be interested in Jeffrey Vance and Suzanne Lloyd's Harold Lloyd: Master Comedian and the three-volume Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection on DVD; The Harold Lloyd Encyclopedia will also be reissued in paperback this summer/early fall. VERDICT For silent comedy fanatics and all Harold Lloyd fans.—Barbara Kundanis, Longmont P.L., CO
From http://www.summerreading.org/adults/readreviews.aspx?ReviewFrom=whatothers&ReviewID=5034
Harold Lloyd - Magic in a Pair of Horn-Rimmed Glasses
by Annette Lloyd
This book is simply a joy for those who enjoy the films of Harold Lloyd and would be of interest to anyone who loves silent films too. It covers turning points of Lloyd's life, both personal and professional, and many of the stories, details, quotes, pictures and artwork from the ads for the films were new to this HL fan and a delight to read and see. I especially enjoyed the stories of his family life and his own thoughts about the injury to his hand (of which he said so little publicly). Also fascinating is the info and stories/quotes about the making of 'Safety Last' and 'Speedy' and his later years and work with the Shriners. A timeline of significant events and a list of films are included. This book gives the reader a real sense of what Harold Lloyd was like as a person and conveys his unique magic as a filmmaker and performer. No public figure could ask for a more dedicated or affectionate biographer than Annette Lloyd. Highly recommended.
From http://www.blogger.com/feeds/5154292810213123565/posts/default
Recommended
I just finished reading a terrific book, "Harold Lloyd: Magic in a Pair of Horn-Rimmed Glasses." Author Annette D'Agostino Lloyd is insightful in examining the evolution of Lloyd's Glass Character. More than that, she mined previously unpublished interviews with the comedy star to reveal new information about his creative views and working methods. It is great stuff for silent comedy fans.
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