BILLY'S BALLOON - student film by DON HERTZFELDT
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- Опубликовано: 1 окт 2014
- Don Hertzfeldt's final student film, BILLY'S BALLOON was shot on 16mm at UC Santa Barbara in 1998. It was nominated for the Short Film Palm D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival the following year and won the Grand Prize at the Slamdance Film Festival. In 2015, the student film was remastered for the first time in high definition for inclusion on the Blu-ray anthology available here: www.bitterfilms.com
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Never forget that this Grand Jury Award-Winning short was given a “B” grade when Don submitted it as his class project.
AustinMcConnell ur profile pic perfectly matches ur comment
Didn't expect to see you here Mr. McConnell, but then again, this is right up your alley.
You should make a video about this, talk about the "B" thing.
B's are fine and there's good reason this might've got one. Doesn't detract from the value of a formal education whatsoever--only evaluative rubric, which isn't uniform throughout pedagogies, film festival, etc. I like everything Hertzfeld does, but you can't just shit on one authority, while holding up another. That's asinine. Wait...I mean..."wooooo! Iconoclasty! *clicks 'like'* "
I'm not a fan of the video actually, heard about it and thought it would be better so I can understand how maybe the teacher didn't like it so much, people have different opinions and a teacher can never be 100% objective
I love how everyone is trying to find a deeper meaning when we all know he probably just intended it to be a balloon beating the shit out of a kid because why not
That’s probably why he got a “B” on it.
Not quite son... Nowadays almost everyone've got their own funny self destructing "balloons"...
2 balloons 2 kids 1 plane 1 kid 1 flower held by kid balloons get mad cuz of flower starts a riot agianst kids
I prefer to ignore the obvious message because I enjoy seeing kids being beaten up in cartoons and in real life and refuse to believe that everyone else doesn't want to do this at some point in their lives, and are only pretending to do so to look progressive and middle class.
The message is simple. "FUCK YOU BILLY I AM BALLON" [sic].
We all come across our own "FUCK YOU BILLY I AM BALLON" in life. When applying for a job, when asking a girl out, when trying to make a soufflé and realizing "crap I don't know how to bake at all" and it's like there are cockroaches and rats in my kitchen. But at least they're not ballons.
It gives hope, is what I'm saying. You can eat soggy paste with roaches and mouse droppings, or you can beat people up with balloons. Life is simple. This is important lesson.
This is honestly one of those terrifying things that happened to you as a child that no one believed and even you have almost completely forgotten about now.
I had almost forgotten about being sucked into that turbojet, but now I have to wonder if it really was only a freak birthday party accident.
I did get invited to a lot of freak birthdays.
Terrifying, Yes
Unfortunately/ fortunately, my memory suppressed it all.. up until my therapist allowed me to unlock them.
Wtf was your childhood?
I think I've found that special video I send to people on their birthday.
I like the way you think!
Ok...WAIT WHAT THE HEC-
r/madlads
Yes. 100% yes.
I thought it was a metaphor for like and every birthday(balloons) too
So what you're telling me is that the movie UP could have been a hell of a lot darker
LOL
Damn you, Disney/Pixar.
No, _The Red Balloon_ (1956), which this is a parody of, could have been a hell of a lot darker.
This comment made my day!
Could be a film about mental disabilities, or could just be a video about balloons beating the shit out of kids.
You can never tell with Mr. Hertzfeldt. You really never can.
Pip thats what makes it a masterpiece
Coming back to look at it now, I'd almost feel like it could be some sort of commentary on social media... if it didn't predate that concept by about 6-8 years.
@@timotheatae or maybe stream of consciousness deeply dark comedy
I think it's about CORNFLAKES! I LIKE cornflakes.
I was thinking about how the people you least expect to be dangerous are
The sound recording for this cartoon had to have been so much fun.
Only one way to get that authentic dropped-baby sound.
With potatoes, obviously. What?
🤔🧐😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆
Don Hertzfeldt, Junji Ito, and Drifloon were all just trying to tell us what we should already know: balloons are monsters
Don't forget the brave monkey's of thr bloons tower defense series. They be going to war with those monster every day.
god why are balloons so evil
I thought this was about kids and balloons switching roles, because we kick around balloons a lot and punch them and drop them to see how slowly they will fall and try to make them float, now what if the balloons did that to us?
This.
Tiny Greenness
I think the balloons are fine with it, and it's just supposed to be funny.
And filled us up with oxygen just to make us float
Carl McChicken oxygen is heavier than atmospheric air my friend
@@carlmcchicken7117 you can float too
I'm pretty sure this is a sardonic take on the classic French film The Red Balloon. Watch it and tell me you don't see the parallels.
I saw this in an animation fest in the late 90s (I think--or early 200s) and I laughed my ass offf--it was sooo cool and funny and different--Don H is the man!!
I found out about him because of his couch gag on the simpsons
Spike and Mike
Spike and mike sick and twisted festival of animation
@@MeesterSteefy SPIKE and MIKE!!!
@@anjybejarano4753 nO nECK JOE
Balloons always did have an inflated sense of entitlement.
So full of themselves.
+Apathy Balloonatics.
No. Just. No. both of you 😂
LMAO
And they make a loud noise when they pop/die....I HATE that!
Wow.
That looks like it Hertz...I even Feldt it from here.
Well done.
He's really gone and Don it now.
(*applause*)
Okay now it just hertz.
MayContainAwsomeness
You might say that everything will be ok from now on.
Somebody filled these balloons with.... HELLium!
Bryan514 good one 😂
DETERMINATION!
Damn 👌
jaeeun lee Sansdance!!
No Kidding!!!!!
I saw this in 2010 when I was a freshman in high school. It was my first taste of your animation, and I had to see the rest of your work. I was so inspired by all of them I very nearly went to college for animation, but then didn't feel like I had the patience or confidence to persue it. I did know for certain I wanted to make art, so I went for my BFA. I did take two elective courses in animation while I was at it and I enjoy it enough to want to do some more, but for fun. I am still constantly inspired by your work and style even while working in a different medium.
And all from a short about a child being abused by a balloon.
All the unemployed balloons from the movie UP.
I lol'd xD
Mdnnickb which were rightfully pissed off for being left out.
Sometimes you break the balloon, sometimes the balloon breaks you.
This was the first Hertzfeldt film I saw. Happened to turn on to a cable channel, and there it was. I had never seen anything like it. Now I couldn't imagine a world without Bitter Films. It really was one of those life changing moments you never forget. Thank you Don, your work has always met and exceeded my enthusiastic expectations!
It’s thanks to Don Hertzfeldt. That we have invader zim, and JTHM. His work inspired so many zany comedies
I know its been 8years, and im sure ill seem idiotic probably, but ive just learned of Don Hertzfeldt watched a bunch read many comments AND GENUINELY WANT HELP TO UNDERSTAND..... HOW? What/why how... I just don't get it. They are neat little simple looking clips.... Sticking just to Billy's balloon you call it life changing. A toon you saw randomly on cable... LIFE CHANGING. 8years later can you help a stranger find what he's missing in all this?
i remember this was terrifying the first time i watched it. my chorus teacher showed me it in sixth grade
I love Don's animations. They may look painful, but they always make me laugh. Love you, Don.
I don't know why but there's something truly magical with kids getting beat up by balloons
I laughed when the balloon started beating him up
It is magical
Yup. And to break it down to basics, I simply enjoy that someone thought of such a creative fantasy payback on all the kids that have had nothing but pampering and attention from people making them happy with toys and balloons and special treatment ... after they were being a brat. Of course you know this mostly concerns todays' kids, with parents hardly throwing less than a smile when the kids are screaming and bothering strangers around them.
People my parents age had so little growing up, and they didn't know any different! They weren't deprived from not having the latest gadget from Apple. Some had to work and had it rough but those in their 70's and older tell me how much fun it was as a kid. No tantrums, etc.... so yeah it's funny as hell to imagine a clueless, unappreciative kid getting beat up by an all-time standard representative of "reward for nothing". I certainly don't fit into the hipster social norms of today so I expect the scolding replies now....
+abbeykroeter You are saying more about you than about the film, you know?
Listen to a song of billie eilish and you will think this is bout depression
abbeykroeter okay, boomer. Not all new parents are like that.
I remember watching this on public access tv's dark comedy hour. I'm glad I found it again. Thanks Don for making my childhood that much better :)
This kid with yellow balloon is young "I like trains guy", but he apparently liked airplanes back then...
This comment is an artifact from classical RUclips era.
I feel like there's a shit ton of symbolism I'm not getting
it's what ever you make of it. for some people the balloons could mean all their hardships and for other it the balloons can represent parents that are abusive. that's why I love this guy's films, they are so relatable and just fun and awkward to watch.
+XxAirbornexX there's nothing awkward about this
+iindierokkers just like your profile pic
XxAirbornexX
ok
I think there really isn't any simbolism. As I understand it, Don just comes up with something, starts working on it, and just takes it from there to wherever it might go. It's a testament to his genius that the simplest of his ideas can spark so many different readings.
Amazing at 1080p! I can finally see the grain of 16mm in all of it's glory.
I think this is about parental abuse on an emotional level. Like being brought up only to be dropped over and over again, reward eventually becoming a signal for oncoming terror. When he goes up and sees the other kid with the yellow balloon they have a moment where they don’t feel alone in the midst of the endless letdowns, but of course life has a way of adding insult to injury with bonds built in such a way. The fact the girl is beat up by many balloons i think is a reference to how two faced most guys are with women, that they will receive a lot of compliments and momentary positive before almost instantly being despised. Then we see that everyone has a balloon letting them down over and over again, trauma is widespread and starts to feel almost hilariously normal. Like a system. A System of a Down. Lol.
I was just about the comment that, I'm glad I checked first; haha. I agree, and maybe the multiple balloons were bullies as well.
It does seem that way doesn’t it?
I think it's about sentient balloons trying to defend themselves against human children. They're invasive.
I did notice the lack of parents in the film, the only "adults" we see in the picture are two random passersby who have no idea what's going on. Could also be a reference to how some persons don't see the signs of child abuse, endangerment or neglect in real life.
This was exactly what I thought as well
but it could also just be a messed up dark comedy
I’m so happy I found this, I still have a “Billy’s Balloon” T-shirt I got at Spike N Mikes sick n twisted back in like 2000 (if I remember correctly) when I was a child n thought this was the best thing ever (which I still do) and Spike signed the shirt!
For anyone that’s struggled with addiction……. You’ll get this
Damn, these kids are really resilient.
My personal finance teacher showed us this and said it was his favorite cartoon, I- his sense of humor is terrifying
Man, I remember seeing this back in 2003. I'm still loving this animator's work. :D
I used to pass Rejected around in grade school on floppy disks. When the internet did NOT do video. But we managed to find and share it. It gave me such hope, because it was like the art I was creating. The art that my teachers put me into counseling to beat out of me. Finally, I was seeing something like my visions given some legitimacy. Work I knew could bloom into something truly expressive and beautiful if given time to grow.
I did nothing with my dreams. Don is now a world recognized film genius who will live on in whispers for generations. None of us matter. But at least Don tried. I gotta go give him some more KickStarter money.
my band teacher showed my class this and that’s frickin hilarious
I remember watching this is the early 2000s in high school animation class. Laughed our asses off. Classic.
In my film class in college, the professor showed us this short film. The class and I found ourselves erupting in laughter over the dark humor. 😂 Over time, I forgot the name of this animator. I’m glad the RUclips algorithm brought Don Hertzfeldt back to my memory.
I remember when this first came out, all those years ago. It is still a work of absolute genius. Well done Don.
I have no idea what happened to my "Animation Show" DVDs. It upsets me more than it probably should, but there were SO MANY great cartoons!
Glad RUclips is here to relieve SOME of that pain.
I always forget how incredibly violent this one is. Then i watch it again and im like "oh right O_O"
...objects manipulating kids, maybe? -- I think there was significance in the adult passing by in the beginning as though there was a disconnection between billy and the adult. Between this disconnection lies the objects adults give to children to keep them in dull, isolating occupation.
When adult walked by balloon stopped abusing kid
Esai Hernandez symbol of elites sacrifices to moloch
This guy NEEDS to get a show on [adult swim]
how does this only have just over half a million views??!! This is one of the greatest things on the internet, I've showed many. This deserves millions of views, hundreds of millions...BILLIONS!!
Watching this makes me really miss late-night screenings in dusty old movie theaters with a big bucket of fresh popcorn in one hand and a slightly spiked Slurpee in the other.
So, what was his assignment when making this as a student?
To let others know suffering
To commemorate the great balloon massacre of 1973.
Balloons are evil. Or are babies with rattles evil?
It’s comedy through tragedy he’s super good at illustrating that without talking
Demonstrate the prolife vs pro choice debate
Thank you for putting this on RUclips for all to enjoy - this is one of your best works, and the more people who get to see it, the better!
Some other guys already uploaded this video on their channels.
I freaking love Don's movies they're just great
LOVE THIS CARTOON!!! You are a genius!!!!
Hertzfeldt es el niño prodigio invitado a Cannes alternativo que nadie pidió pero todos queremos. Quién te conoce, Dolan.
Someone did NOT like "The Red Balloon," apparently.
The kid who stomped on it.
this never, EVER gets old.
I’ll never forget this gem and why it had me absolutely dying with laughter at the ripe young age of 12 😂😂😂😂 explains so much.
Thank you Don :)
This is what depression feels like. Even when you think you're having a good day, depression is like "hold my beer."
Suddenly remembered this gem and came back to make sure it was still here
It rides that perfect line between dark comedy and existential horror, it’s quite interesting
소름 돋는다.....
So would you call this an... uprising?
Would you say this... blows?
Justin Wahlne
1) thank you good sir I now feel inadequate due that amazing pun
2) fuck you, you brilliant pun god
Well, basically yeah.
Your films are the best Don.
Very good use of space, great understanding of media in use, diligent work, fresh idea and excellent execution. Talent blooming
I think this is a bit of a metaphor for love. The balloons all look nice and pretty, and the kids seem to enjoy them at first. But after a while it is only slowly killing them. Sometimes people are hit by a whole bunch of balloons in their lifetime while some are tied to just one for the rest of their lives. The balloons represent love itself btw, not abusive people during love.
Logan Welsh You have a pretty bleak outlook on love don’t you.
Tom PAC nah tis an accurate one
Or maybe it’s just a cartoon and look isn’t horrible all of the time
I think it's just a bit of dark humor and there is art that can be produced without some kind of cryptic meaning.
This is a good illustration of child abuse. The parent can only take the child's noises for so long, then hits the child. When another adult comes in, the parent stops hitting the child. All looks well. Then the parent continues to beat the child. Then the child goes to nursery, where they are beaten by bad childminders. then the child goes to school and is beaten by other children. A very sad film.
+Casey Walsh am I sure about it? Which part? The part where I describe my interpretation of the animation --- yes. I'm sure I interpreted it in the way I did.
+C Chadwick my mother was a balloon you jerk
reggie skillman i feel so embarrassed right now
I like your interpretation.
Damn 😐
Absolute masterpiece!
we watched this in my animation class. best day ever
asmr로 듣기 좋은 영상이네요
오늘도 이 영상 듣고 잡니다
중간에 비행기만 빼면 완벽했을텐데 아쉽네
왕 여기도한국이니있네여? 저사이코패스인데 ㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎ하하하하하하하하하하하하하하하하하하
@@user-cf8ru6fh8w 어쩌라는겨
@@user-cf8ru6fh8w
싸패 코스프레 왜함? 찐따 코스프레랑 똑같은데
@@user-cf8ru6fh8w 진짜 병신같다
Awww. Aren't balloons adorable?
Renée Lindsey no they are cold Blooded murderurs
I find great amusement in this. Good show!
This is one of the silliest things I’ve ever seen and I love it 😻
I approve of this video. It is an illustration of my childhood.
I pray for you.
Isobelle Novak Why?
The Real Flenuan coz its too sad childhood
Diana Bulycheva That… really doesn't answer my question at all.
The Real Flenuan what question?
I feel like this represented child abuse. It shows the first image with their parents/balloon, and shows them, being carefree and happy because "my parent wouldn't hurt me, so I'm going to play!" So the parent beat them, until somebody else walked past, somebody checking on them, maybe child protective services, then the parent giving a false sense of security. Then the parent doing a horrible act to them over and over.
I'm probably reading too deep into this.
I agree - how about Diabolical Narcissism in action? With the balloon as the Narcissist....
And the red and yellow balloons at the beginning?
That could work, I just find is strange when a bunch gang up on girl.
When does a person have that many abusive parents?
I think its just a simple story about pyschotic sentient ballons who try to murder children.
No the real one is cuz kidz punch ballons
25 years later and this is still funny to me 😂
Jaedyn, this was beautiful. I absolutely love it.
마음에 든다
This is by far the best one he’s ever made!
My dad showed me this when I was like 6 and I have loved it ever since XD
Joy and pain go hand in hand.
4:55 I don't know why, but this scene is hilarious to me
I remember watching this years ago and my reaction was probably "Haha, funny baloon cartoon is dark humour XD"
Now I'm watching it and I'm like "Holy crap...is the balloon a metaphor for mental health...!?"
Maybe you need to live it to see it...
No it's not, it's just funny dark humor
This is the best thing I have ever seen.
You ever sit in public and watch something funny, but you don't want to laugh out loud which makes it funnier? ... Yea, that's me right now! Kudos Kudos
사람이 풍선에게 했던 것을 갚아준 것 같네요.....
풍선을 노치면 날아가고,날아가면 바람이 빠지고,그러면 떨어지게 되고....
가끔 어떤 아이들은 풍선을 때리고,세게 껴안으니까.....
전 사람이 풍선에게 했던 것을 갚아 준 것 같이 해석 됩니다...
제 해석은 학교폭력인거 같음. 풍선이 가해자. 사람이 피해자. 풍선이 장난을 하다 점점 폭력이 되고. 풍선이 목을 쬐는 장면은 힘들어서 자살을 하려는 시도. 하지만 풍선이 방해해 실패. 어른이 지나갈때는 어른은 학폭따위 신경쓰지 않는다를 의미함. 예를들어 선생님같은 경우 경찰을 안부르고 화해하려함. 그리고 풍선은 어른이 있을때만 때리지 않음. 글고 올라갔다 떨어트리는 장면은 폭력을 뜻함. 친구를 만나는건 자기와 같은 피해자. 자살을 한거고 결국 자기도 죽음. 마지막에 여자아이가 많은 풍선에게 당하는 이유는 다굴까는거임. 글고 지금도 많은 아이들이 학폭을 당하고 있다는것을 표현한거 같음.
+ 실제학폭과 비교.
일진이 장난으로 친구를때림. 친구도 당황하지만 장난인건 암. 그러다 장난이 심해지며 폭력이되고 학교폭력이 되는거임. 힘들어서 자살을 하려 했지만 '어딜죽어'라는 식으로 반성조차 안함. 자살을 하려는 걸 막고 학폭은 심해짐. 그리고 자신과 같은 피해자 친구를 반가워하다 너무힘든 나머지 친구가먼저 자살함. 그리고 친구는 결국 자살하고 그럼에도 학폭은 그만두지않음. 1의 반성조차 ㄴ
@@user-js3mt2dg1c 음...........그렇게도 해석 되네요!하지만 어른 앞에서 안 때리는 것은 어른 앞에선 친한척 하지만 뒤에선 괴롭히는 것을 표현 한 걸 수도 있겠어요!
@@user-ho7zb1yk3i 제가 그렇게 말했는데요?
@@user-js3mt2dg1c 님이 어른들은 학폭따윈 신경쓰지 안는 것을 표현했다고 하였습니다
@@user-ho7zb1yk3i 친한척 하니까 신경쓰지 않는다는걸 의미하고요. 들켜도 선생님같은 경우 화해하려만 해 폭력이 더 심해진다는 얘기입니다.
those balloons must really hate children.
There is something sadistically funny about balloons picking up kids and dropping them, over and over.
Oh I missed these so much they are great representations of awesome animation and super morbid just like me ;3
Not exactly the adorable French film "The Red Balloon", is it?!?
That movie is awful lol scarred me as a little kid hardly adorable
this is the evil cousin of that short
Sadistic but hilarious!!!
How does this not have more views!
love this!
Relatable
WOW THIS IS ACTUALLY MORE FUCKED UP THEN REJECTED,GOOD JOB
do yourself a favor and watch It's Such a Beautiful Day. I want to see what you say then.
Oh i already saw it
@@catsnuggie Im on an adventure now
Don, you're the MAN!
Greatest thing the World has ever seen 6/10 - ign
That's child BALLUSE.
No to you too. Just No
Mylie Lenard I tried.
No... No no, god please NO. NOO NOOOOOOOOOOO!
That was a stretch
Your pun's bad and you should feel bad
히잉ㅠ 너무해
Red Ry showed me this in a video he made and I've been smiling ever since :)
Don. Your a great animator. Keep up the good/odd work!
4:23 top 10 photos take seconds before disaster
"How it feels to chew 5 gum."
The approach of the balloons on that girl with the flower. I can’t think of a more terrifying sound.
The joys of non-stop bludgeoning and repeated defenestration. Brings a tear to my eye.
This actually looks like it could be the basis for a Junji Ito story - something mundane turning into something terrifying and attacking humanity.
cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/458472212114964491/653676899372892203/SPOILER_1527b18f247450a73f2d899c6af93221.png He beat you to it.
Balloons hate children. Kids do dumb things with balloons and are too egocentric to realize they're choking on a sentient being.
Who knew sometime so inanimate could be so fragile?
Balloons get back though by either startling the kid with its own death throes or by simply floating away when most wanted.
Some balloons don't throw such tantrums though, they simply get depressed and collect dust for years. Those are the sad ones.
I remember watching this at Spike and Mike's. The first time I saw it I was about 11. For some reason watching that kid getting beaten up by a balloon just never gets old. :)
Oh my god these kill me!!! I laughed so hard I was cryimg!! Haven't done that in years!! My god it just hits my funny bone man