'The Red Balloon' | Critics' Picks | The New York Times
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- Опубликовано: 19 окт 2024
- A. O. Scott reviews the classic 1956 short film directed by Albert Lamorisse.
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'The Red Balloon' | Critics' Picks | The New York Times
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I'm 52 and saw this as a grade school kid in a church basement, and I recently showed it to my now 4 year old daughter. She was transfixed, and for me it was like watching it for the first time, with the benefit of her fresh eyes. She was teary-eyed when the balloon "died" and then elated when the boy took flight at the end. It's a real gift to watch this one with your young ones. Thanks for the look back.
I am 44. I watched it for the first time when I was four or five, in preschool. It is still my favorite move.
I'm a 60 year old man, but this movie can still tug at my heart strings just as it did when I was a child in the 60s when I first saw it. It is indeed a masterpiece.
I'm 64 and was so delighted to find this on youtube.When I first saw this film I was just a tad emotional.
Me too.
Super
I don't know, us old gits get more and more emotional as we get older. I recently saw this film after years and the tears were there at the end. It is a beautiful film. I think it reminds us of our childhood and how magical the world was when we were innocents and untainted by life's cares and woes. Anyway , we can always remember.....🎈
It is truly a uniquely magical film which first enchanted me as a small child.
There's an extraordinary beauty to this film as if it were made with an energy that only the heart understands.
So true! I found out why I loved it so much. Here's why. You may already knowIn this regard, it is It's really surprising how, in spite of its short running time of less than 35 minutes, The Red Balloon accomplishes the satisfactory telling of an emotional story of friendship, savagery, and salvation. Furthermore, writer and director Albert Lamorisse infused his imaginative film with a true sense of wonder and magic. If you think about it, considering that Lamorisse dedicated most of his career to the making of documentaries, the success of The Red Balloon was a big accomplishment.
In The Red Balloon, Pascal, the five-year-old son of Lamorisse, plays a young Parisian boy who, on his way to school encounters. tied to a lamp post, a unique and mysterious new friend: the titular red balloon. Pascal takes the balloon with him and they quickly develop a powerful bond and become best friends. Acting on an almost supernatural manner, Pascal is able to interact with the balloon, and in a way, they even appear to communicate with each other. As the film showcases multiple times, they play and tease each other as kids often do.
However, Lamorisse showcases the uncanny behavior of the balloon in a very subtle way. That is, Lamorisse avoids committing himself and the viewer to a supernatural explanation. Instead, we are left to wonder if the balloon is indeed alive or if the wind is just tricking our perception by moving the balloon in a unique and convenient way. As a consequence, the considerable anthropomorphism granted to the balloon is in great part due to our own expectations and sense of imagination, which are being cleverly manipulated by the visual and narrative structure of The Red Balloon.
In this regard it is really surprising the emotional depth that we associate with the balloon. And truth be told, one is left to wonder if The Red Balloon served as an inspiration to Cast Away (Robert Zemeckis, 2000), in the way it presented an unanimated soccer ball as a genuine character, “Wilson”, in the film. Furthermore, few would disagree that the red balloon appears to show superior histrionic abilities than many actors currently working in Hollywood. At the very least, this floating helium balloon could very well teach a thing or two to Hayden Christensen.
In any event, The Red Balloon is a moving story about unconditional friendship and love. However, in spite of his immense happiness, Pascal soon discovers that nearly everybody appears to be determined to separate him from his beloved friend. Just consider: the ticket collector does not allow Pascal to board the bus with the balloon, the church and school officials denigrate the bond between Pascal and the balloon, and even his grandmother puts the balloon out the window. Clearly, for some untold reason, all figures of authority oppose the relationship between Pascal and his balloon.
But perhaps more striking is the violent reaction seen in other kids of Pascal’s age, who are bent on destroying the balloon by any means possible. As shown through Lamorisse’s camera lens, these youngsters present an obsessive, irrational, and frantic desire to tear down the balloon. Thus, the final part of The Red Balloon turns into a frenetic and suspenseful chase across the narrow alleys of the picturesque Menilmontant.
Without a doubt, The Red Balloon portrays a strong religious subtext. Indeed, the balloon is presented as a martyr who performs miracles, is tortured and stoned by an irrational mob, and its ultimate sacrifice grants a kind of spiritual salvation to Pascal. Furthermore, the fact that the balloon is originally found tied to a lamp post suggests that it may be an allegory to Christ crucified on the cross. As such, The Red Balloon metaphorically insinuates that, even after two millennia of wars and social turmoil, the sins and immorality of mankind continue to haunt our world.
Similarly, one could also argue that Lamorisse used The Red Balloon as a means to provide social criticism to the complex social and political problems that plagued France during the postwar years. Indeed, let us recall that the Fourth Republic governed France between 1946 and 1958, and even though this period was characterized by huge economic growth, it is also remembered because of the political instability of the country due controversial colonial policies.
During that chaotic period of time, a considerable number of French citizens severely criticized the government’s use of armed forces to maintain the control over territorial colonies such as Algiers and Indochina. Furthermore, the memories of the Nazi occupation of Paris were painfully fresh for many. Therefore, The Red Balloon obviously considers the brutal nature of the human condition. Indeed, this film suggests that irrational violence and aggression are innate to mankind. And in a sense, it questions the way modern society appears to condone and reinforce feelings of xenophobia, alienation, discrimination, and antagonism.
At the time of its original release, The Red Balloon proved to be quite successful among audiences and critics. Indeed, most people who have watched this film remember it quite vividly and with fond memories. The Red Balloon was awarded the 1957 Academy Award for Best Screenplay and the 1958 Golden Palm at the International Cannes Festival.
Unfortunately, in recent years The Red Balloon has not received all the critical and academic attention it deserves - the film was unavailable on home video for many years. Thankfully, Janus Films has released The Red Balloon on DVD. And even though it is not part of their acclaimed and beloved Criterion Collection, it is offered with pristine video and audio quality. While it is regrettable that this DVD presentation does not offer any significant extra features, it remains an essential purchase for all film fans.
The Red Balloon has a short running time and minimal dialogue. The story is quite simple and straightforward, without the structural complexities of modern Hollywood productions. But then again, The Red Balloon is one of the most powerful movies ever made. And even though The Red Balloon is often categorized as a film for children, it is beloved by viewers of all ages. Therefore, as watching movies goes, The Red Balloon shows that emotional depth and sense of imagination go a long way.
I so loved this film as a child. And here I sit at age 64 in 2017 getting all misty eyed. Beautifully potent film that still speaks to me.
MICHAEL DAVIS how long food it take you to write this
it's like a beautiful painting of Paris come to life.
wonderful post thank you Michael
Though perhaps unintentional... this film is also one of the most beautiful and “romantic” depictions of Paris in all of cinema. One connects directly with the innocence of the main character as he roams through the ancient, unpolished and soulful streets of this beautiful, sleepy and more than a little “dreamy” metropolis...utterly devoid of noisy cars, mopeds, tourists.
More than any other film, “The Red Balloon” depicts the “Paris of my dreams” and will always remain utterly timeless.
The first "foreign" film I watched as a kid, it's still my favourite French children's film.
This is a fantastic film that was very impactful during my very young childhood. One of those memories from the early 80's, when I first saw it, that just "stuck" in my mind with great clarity.
I watched this movie in early 60s when I was a child in the 4th grade. I never forgot it. It was that impacting.
every parent should make sure that their child sees this in their early days
I'm 65 and this is one of my top 10 favorite movies. It does more in 30 minutes than many films do in 2 hours. The music is perfect. And I'm sure the budget was microscopic.
There's something magical about this film that's brings back so memories from my childhood. It's able to evoke a sense of nostalgia more successfully than any other film I can recall.
...& life will never be this simple again. Glad to have had it in my childhood.
I remember seeing this when i was a kid......one film I always cherish...thanks for posting !
I remember this film from grade school. It transcended language and culture, and I remember it fondly.
As a teacher I would show this film to my elementary students. Children would be upset at the bullies who wanted to destroy the balloon. We would discuss why they thought the bullies wanted to. do that and had wonderful discussions. I had children write about what happened next for the boy after he floated away.
I saw this in 1976 as a five year-old in kindergarten. It has stayed with me my entire life.
I saw this film for the first time when I was in the 3rd grade & I loved it! I rediscovered it in my 20s after having my son. Now here I am middle aged watching it and still loving it as much as I did when I was a 3rd grader. lol! I wonder if I can purchase it on DVD? Hmmm....
Lawlady same I also saw it in 3rd grade and it was very interesting!
The only part that the critic here did not mention is that we can hear things in the boy's home that tell us he is not happy at home. I think the ballon knows this after being 'rescued' by the boy. The boy's unhappiness at the end is why all the other ballons leave their owners and come to him. To take him away from the sadness in his life. It is like our dreams, flying is a symbol of escape from things we cannot escape in real life.
Like many of you here, my childhood in this film.
I remember seeing this as a child .I cried when the balloon was burst. It still brings a tear to my eye when I watch it now. I'm 66 years old. 😭😭👵👍🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
I remember watching this on Nickelodeon back in the day (the 80s). They use to play movies and specials on Saturday afternoons.
This is the perfect film.. I no longer remember how old I was when I first saw it.. 8 or 9? I'm 58 now and I still feel it's joy, sorrow, magic and wonder.. it's beauty.. it's bliss..
Such a sweet little movie.
Even over 30 years after I first saw the film, I still wonder where the balloons took him.
Wasn't it a trip around the world?
Very much impressive. I have been impressed by two films in my childhood, which actually had strong effect on me. the first on is the red balloon, which i did not know what is was called, till i found it in RUclips, searching and by difficulty i found it, and after 56 years, i watch it again! the second film was (the Sound of Music). That film just completely made me effected, and became passive, falling in love with Angela Cartwright, and loving Julie Andrews. I actually failed my 7th year of my high shool, just because i was getting mature, and extremely sensitive. At that time not much care was done to children by parents and school regarding the mental care of kids.
Anyway, this was all i can say, and i sew this red balloon after 56 years. very interesting!
I think it is the best for me ok
Please note that, after the red balloon is gone, the getaway starts as these twins in red loose their blue balloon. It's the famous singer Renaud and his twin, 3 year old at the time (their uncle was the film's Operations Manager). And the Argentinian pop band "Los Tíos Queridos" in 1970 released the romantic song "El Globo Rojo" (The Red Balloon), very popular in Latin America that year. It's by far remembered still today.
Ive watched this movie literally thousands of times when I was younger my dad had it in his iPad i absolutely love this movie
Utterly charming, poignant and enchanting ... a surreal ode to joy, hope and resurrection.
I showed it to a group of kindergarteners today and they were so intrigued by it. It was during their lunch time and I had to keep reminding them to chew their food:)
I'm 51yrs old and we had to watch this when I was in the 4th or 5th grade! It definitely left an impact on my life as one of my fondest memories.
The first time I saw this movie in my life was just a few years ago on Turners Classic Movie channel and it touched my heart ♡
This movie inspired me to make movies, I was about 7 ! I'd be blessed to do such a simple and brilliant film one day!
I remember watching this in 2nd 1st and 3rd grade Mrs.pomegranate my guidance counselor in my perfect elementary school before I moved I watched this every year I loved this movie
I remember watching this when I was a kid back in school in Honolulu back in the mid-sixties. Very good film :-)
I will never forget picking this movie off the shelf at the public library then taking it home and watching it.
I loved this movie. I'm 58 now. It brings me a lot of joy.
Hello, I was in my back yard, just now. & this movie just came to mind. I was about 12 years old, ( I am 77 now), when I watched this, & was captiveated !!! I don't remember all the color. It wasn't necessary, & With that: Thank you for making this video. 👍👍👍👍👍.
I'm 28 now but I loved this movie when I was a kid
It was released here in Great Britain with The Royal Performance Film of 1956, "The Battle of the River Plate". I went to see them in April, 1957, when I was ten years old. The now long gone 2,000 seat cinema where I went to see it, the Broadway in Stoke on Trent, was packed out that Saturday and had been all that week for the programme. "The Red Balloon" was totally enchanting and the cinema audience was transfixed by it. I remember being very upset when the balloon was murdered by those bullies. I regard it as a true and unforgettable classic of my 1950s childhood. From what I can gather, although it was a box office hit in Great Britain and Europe at the time of its initial release, it doesn't seem to have been widely shown in USA cinemas at the time and most Americans seem only to have seen it at school or on television, where it was initially screened in black and white in 1961.
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Watching this movie will make you want to visit Paris! Beautiful.
not now though
Only if I had a time machine
I remember seeing this movie as a child in the early 80s at the library. I probably saw it only one or two times but I'm 41 now and still remember it. This movie represents pure innocence.
I remember this so much as a kid loved it. and watching the Blue Marble
remember this movie also had the book great memories of my childhood.
Thanks for this!!
I have been looking for this movie for a long time and never thought I'd ever see it. I saw it back in '84 when I was in kindergarten. Thanks youtube!
I love this movie, it still gets to me even now, I will be 30 next year and I still love this film.
i remember watching this. the school put this on for us for watch. and the never ending story. i wonder if they still do.
Actually filmed 65 years ago in 1955, it was released in 1956. In Great Britain, it was given a Royal Film Performance at the Empire cinema, Leicester Square, London, as the support to “The Battle Of The River Plate” in October, 1956 and both films were released together nationwide on a double bill in December, 1956. It became The Rank Organisation's biggest money-making programme throughout 1957. I went to see it as a 10 year old at the now long gone Broadway cinema in Meir, Stoke on Trent, in April, 1957. I was totally enchanted by it and this sense of enchantment is one of the very few moments of magic that I've managed to carry over intact from my childhood. It still looks and sounds as good today as it did to me over 63 years ago and you can't say that about many old films. The wonderful music score by Georges Auric fits the film like a glove. THE RED BALLOON won the Golden Palm award at Cannes in May, 1956, and many other international awards, including a Hollywood Oscar in 1957.
I saw this once as a kid in elementary school when I was in 5th grade. I’m 21 now and I just randomly remembered this again 😭
We watched this in French class with a sub and I said how does the baloon float up to the kid it doens't make sense and she yelled at me saying "DOn't apply phsyics into a fictional movie!"
I remeber seeing this movie in the first grade!!
It's such a simple movie which makes it so unique
the entire movie is based on the little boy and the ballon( which doesn't sound too amusing) but once you do watch it it's such a captivating film....!
It's weird ! among my many childhood memories I remember going to see the play of the secret garden and it was just soo amazing! Does anyone know if you could still go watch the play today???
ohhh and thanks a bunch
albert lamorisse:)
The Red Balloon is an allegory. It is very spiritual. At the end, all balloons of 'different colors' take him up to heaven.
One of my favorites!!!💗
wow this movie has extremly good quality for a 50's movie i feel like this is from the 90's instead
Yep like Michel Gondry made it in the 90s.
I have seen this movie many times in grade school in the 80's
love this movie.
Classic, recent IT and Joker have similar style
The French Movie
" La Red Balloon"
is one of my most favorite movies I've ever seen !♡ This movie is the best ever !
Le Balloon Rouge
@@BillSikes. le ballon rouge! Nice try
@@ep6927 alors, comment s`appelle t il ?
@@BillSikes. it is "ballon" not "balloon"
En anglais c’est balloon
I have never forgotten this film since I first saw it aged 6...everything I drew after had ballons and kites...love this film! Thanks for uploading;)
One more step and the red balloon becomes the dead balloon.
(red balloon flies away)
"I could not have foreseen that."
remember this from 1st or 2nd grade(pueblo gardens) some narration w/ it.
Paris so beautiful and look at it now
This movie traumatized me in 4th grade lmaooo
never seen this movie, but I do love the "special effect" - and that for a 1956 movie.
Especially for postwar France, you can see it at the streets. Buildings in Paris don't look as neglected as in here anymore (they didn't in the '80s when studied there).
I am 60 years young and I also remember this and loved it till the end when the balloon dies, so much so that the next time it came on I would not watch it again.
I always thought it was in Black and white till I realised it was the TV.
Just put my 1.5 year old on to this movie. He is obsessed with balloons and loved it
This gem of a film made a big impact on me as a young boy….
Does this short film use any dialogue? I see that there are several full versions of it on RUclips, but none of them have English translations. However, there seems to be essentially no talking in the film and most of the RUclips comments were in English. It makes me wonder if it's intended to be a dialogue-free film. Is this correct? I'm eager to watch it!
No talking just simple sweet a boy and his ballon
If this was made in today society, critics be rating this as a 10% rotten tomatoes. Hypocrites
A true "must see"
I remember watching this movie in kindergarden in 1999 I like music in the movie it sets the mood for the scene..
I watched this in 3rd grade 3 years ago
Anyone here from econ in st.paul mn that is where i first watched it gonna watch it with my grands
I found this because the comments on Damien Rice's "9 Crimes"official video suggested this was a genesis for the visual themes of that music video...I have to say "absolutely right"
This movie reminds me of UP
No up reminds you of this movie red balloon was first i think up took from it
I love this film.
the end is of hope, my favorite parrt was when the little girl with the blue balloon showed up... it looked sooooo cute.... and i never say cute.. NEVER!!!!!!!!!!
god... i must have been 5 or 6 when i first saw this.. so '90? or '91 and i'll never forget it
true frndship is reflctd.........
me watching this.... my mind: IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT CLOWNS SEWERS. YES.
Im 59 and remember almost getting tired of watching this film in the late 60s through the mid 70s. By the 90s, I actually wanted to see it again. Around 2010, I purchased a DVD copy and with my much older mindset, I started noticing a possible hidden plot. As a Bible-reading Christian, I couldnt help but notice some similarities to the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The balloon, (Jesus) finds the boy (Pascal Lamorrise) who likes the balloon and takes it with him wherever he goes. At home, his presumed grandmother tries to throw the balloon out the window but the balloon clings closely outside. (I will never leave you nor forsake you). It follows him everywhere and you can trust it to be there nearby when its not 'welcome' somewhere like school. The other kids (Romans) start chasing it with the intention of popping (crucifying) it. Once they succeed, all the balloons of Paris depart from the other kids hands and Pascal is surrounded by a ton of balloons which in turn lifts him up above everyone.
Just an observation
I saw this film as a child in junior school, it saddens me now when I look at the once Beautiful Paris, The City of Light, now just an enclave of North Africa, and more like a Third World Ghetto, and we're supposed to celebrate this transformation
This is the first movie I ever saw and I’m glad it was
my older memory ❤❤❤❤
here,here!
My first grade teacher use to brag about this moving all the time, this was in 2001 though
Up = minus the house, dog and 'real' boy/friend
I just love this movie!!!
Just watched it
Great film
@Katharyn27 100% true, this commentator is full of it!!!!
but i love it now that i m older and can appreciate it!!
i grew up in san diego and it rained very infrequently..but when it did our outside recess was brought inside to watch films like this and john henry-the coal miner..
@1xelmox1
:p most likely his untimely death after they pop, or when he starves... but joke aside i remember asking myself the same thing when i saw it as a kid... a better place maybe/hopefully :P
I felt strangely anxious watching it again :)
മലയാളികൾക്ക് പഠിക്കാനുണ്ടായിരുന്ന പാഠം 😍.
this film needs to add in English dialogue NOW!
What kind of dialogue you mean?
This is French whether you like it or not.
Why because you say so
Biden's balloon sent me here.
@webdotstudio Mine too!
THEY JUST SPOILED THE ENDING FOR ME
ugh this guys opinion is full of 20 dollar words and 2 cent content..
btw i wish i could wear grey pajamas all over town too!!!
@1xelmox1 well i am an atheist..and even i am touched that they bring him to "heavan"
Ashland Grade School...St Louis...back 8n the day
The red balloon 🎈 movie 🎥
David blaine