Famous Harold Lloyd Scene Converted to 3D

Feb 16, 2011 3 Comments by Jonathan Tustain

2D – 3D conversion of 1923 famous clock scene from Harold Lloyd’s film classic – Safety Last

The four minute sequence, in which American slapstick comedian and producer Harold Lloyd dangles from a clock tower, was digitally remastered, colorized and converted to 3D by motion picture 2D to 3D conversion company Legend 3D. Harold Lloyd was a huge fan of 3D, taking an estimated 200,000 stereoscopic pictures during his lifetime. His Granddaugher, Suzanne Lloyd approached Legend 3D last year to attempt a 2D – 3D conversion of the scene to honour her legendary grandfather’s work during the International 3D Society’s 2^nd Annual Creative Arts Awards on February 9^th.

Suzanne Lloyd stated, “The tasteful colorization and 3D conversion that Legend3D has performed on my grandfather’s Safety Last clip has given it new life. Harold Lloyd’s film masterpiece from 1923 has been updated for audiences old and new, preserving the magic and dignity of the original film.”

According to Dr Barry Sandrew, Founder of Legend 3D, the sequence was relatively easy to convert from 2D to 3D. Although they are separate processes, the colorization and conversion were worked on simultaneously and the whole project took just a week to complete. In one of the most famous images from the silent film era, a select few watched Harold Lloyd clutch the hands of a skyscraper clock with traffic rushing below him in glorious 3D.

President of the International 3D Society, Jim Chabin, observed this 3D film conversion as a stride in 3D technology, stating, “Bringing Harold Lloyd back to the screen after almost 100 years is a work of brilliance, precision and 3D magic. Everyone who has seen this piece has reacted with excitement and thrilling pleasure. It’s a work of art and of great movie-making.”

One would naturally assume that only modern digital films could be converted to 3D but the conversion of this 1923 black and white silent film impressed audiences possibly even more than the contemporary 3D being displayed during the ceremony.

Dr Barry Sandrew told 3dfocus.co.uk “If you talk to the president of the i3DS and Suzanne Lloyd they will both tell you the Harold Lloyd scene really was the highlight of that event in terms of what was being displayed in 3D. People really did not expect to see a 1923 clip in color and in 3D. Plus it ‘popped into’ 3D from the original source material. People were amazed and we got more than applause in the end; people were yelling and generally going crazy – it was wonderful.”