The Red Balloon (1956)

by | Apr 21, 2008 | DVD & Blu-ray Video Reviews | 0 comments

The Red Balloon (1956)

Director: Albert Lamorisse
Studio: Films Monsouris/Janus Films
Video: 1.33:1 color
Audio: French DD mono
Subtitles: English
Length: 34 minutes
Rating: *****

This is the first time the Academy Award-winning  and Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winner has ever been available on DVD.  It’s a basically simple story of a young boy, his special relationship with a stray balloon and their adventures on the Paris streets.  Bursting with color and with its fairytale-like story, The Red Balloon has become one of the No.1 children’s movies of all time. There’s little dialog, but what there is now has improved English subtitles. The musical score by Maurice le Roux is a good part of the magical effect of the film.  [This DVD, Paddle to the Sea and White Mane are from Janus Films – a sister company of the Criterion Collection – and will be sold as a three-film package by Janus.]

 – John Sunier

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