As enjoyable for adults who wistfully view scenes of post-war France in all its black and white chicness, as it is for kids.
The Red Balloon (1955)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:15
Fresh:15
Rotten:0
Average Rating:8.4/10
Runtime: 34 mins
Genre: Childrens
Synopsis: Perfect for all ages, this beautiful French film is a short with music and sound but no dialogue. The focal point is a bright red balloon, the psychological companion of a young French boy as he... Perfect for all ages, this beautiful French film is a short with music and sound but no dialogue. The focal point is a bright red balloon, the psychological companion of a young French boy as he goes to school and plays with his friends. This classic won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. In 2008, Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao Hsien reimagined the beloved film as THE FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON. [More]
Director: Albert Lamorisse
Director: Albert Lamorisse
Reviews for The Red Balloon
Lamorisse has a unique talent for crawling under the skins of little people.
For those of us who don't have childhood memories driving our analysis, it's a passable kids movie that could be so much more.
The story of a boy and his toy, The Red Balloon is widely praised for its narrative and visual "purity," but not enough is said about the movie's delightful manipulation.
if you missed it as a child, now is the time to make sure you seek it out and watch it.
A cinematic landmark . . . Lamorisse's film floats off, with the breeze of magic-realism, into a feeling of escape and peace.
A beautiful little meditation on childhood, on imagination literally taking flight.
These are two unique and unforgettable family films -- one an essential part of world cinema, the other an underseen gem -- that a new generation deserves the chance to get acquainted with
The results made exciting, memorable cinema, but could just as easily have turned into disaster. There seems to be no escaping the darker side of innocence.
One of the best-loved and least-sentimental children's films of all time.
Latest News for The Red Balloon
November 20, 2007:
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This week at the movies, we've got real-life fairy tales, a deadly fog, loads of gunplay, musical families, yuletide conflict, and the latest from the Coen Brothers. What do the... More...
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