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Over 50 years after its initial release, The Red Balloon (Le Balloon Rouge) (1956) remains a work of wonderment.
It’s not simply because Albert Lamorisse made such a superb job of disguising the special effects that enabled a balloon on a piece of string to take on a life of its own as it sails across the rooftops of Paris.
Nor is it because the director coaxed such a miraculous display of spirited innocence out of his six year-old son, Pascal. The enchantment lies in the fact that this 34-minute gem reminds us all of the love we invested in our most treasured childhood possession, while also making us feel a pang of shame at belonging to such an acquisitive society.
Beautifully photographed by Edmond Séchan and charmingly scored by Maurice Leroux, the action has all the playfulness of a cartoon and the exquisite timing of a slapstick comedy. Wafts of Chaplin and Tati keep the balloon bouyant, whether it’s refusing to come to heel on command or taunting the old misery guts who punishes Pascal for bringing such a disruptive toy to school.
Sharing much the same theme, White Mane (Crin blanc: Le cheval sauvage) tells of a bid to keep a wild horse out of the clutches of cruel Camargue gardians. Lamorisse’s sensitivity to light and landscape that make it so memorable.
The Red Balloon /White Mane on DVD for just £10.99 with free postage save £4.00.
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