Friday-Sunday, April 18-20

HAROLD LLOYD FILM FESTIVAL

Deceptively mild-looking behind his trademark spectacles—he was the inspiration for Clark Kent—Harold Lloyd was the most popular comedian of the silent era. (Charlie Chaplin’s movies may have grossed more, but the hard-working Lloyd made more of them and never had a flop.) One of the most memorable images of the entire silent era is that of Lloyd in Safety Last (1924), hanging precariously from the hand of a skyscraper clock, no safety net in sight because he wasn’t using one. A screening of Lloyd’s films is good news under any circumstances. But this weekend’s Harold Lloyd Comedy Film Festival is much more of an event than that. For one thing, it will be attended by Lloyd’s granddaughter Suzanne, who has worked for years to see that his films (to which he retained the rights) have been preserved and properly displayed. And you couldn’t ask for a better venue and presentation: not only is the festival taking place at the historic Riviera Theatre, it will be screening newly struck 35-millimeter prints using the theaters restored carbon arc projectors. The films will also be accompanied on the theater’s Wurlitzer Organ, some by the internationally famed composer Robert Israel. It’s a weekend when film buffs around the world will wish they were in Buffalo.

—m. faust

Riviera Theatre, 67 Webster Street, N. Tonawanda

(692-2113/rivieratheatre.org). Full schedule and ticket information at buffalofilmfestival.com.