The Red Balloon?
 

In recent recollections of my childhood, I suddenly had a longing to see the French short movie "The Red Balloon". Could anyone direct me to where I could purchse this on DVD?

Many thanks.

Erik

Erik,

There is an existing (rather long thread) about it. It is not on DVD yet...but if you do a search and look into the thread you will get some additional interesting info.

Pro-B

Thanks Pro-B. I did do a search but guess it was a little clunky. No results found, but i'll search again.

Thanks.

I am starting to think that thread was deleted...I had been looking for it, and it is not to be found. I had chimed in a few times...i searched using my name and narrowed it down to dvd talk...odd thing is balloon does not pull anything up including this thread...might need a mod to help out on this one.

I had commented in a thread about red balloon too, and I can not pull it up in the search window. I have been looking for this on dvd for a couple of years now. I actually borrowed a vhs copy from my public library about a year ago. I know that there is a french (pal) version, but I would prefer a region 1 or free (nstc), even though I have one region free player. Its amazing how many people have seen this film.

I remember being mesmerized by this as a child, hope that it is released on dvd here so that I can steal a few minutes sometime while my munchkins are similarly entranced :)

... oh, wait, I'll probably be just as interested as they are! :lol:

I haven't come across a quality print of this short film on DVD (Region 1) yet. The only thing close to this is Criterion's laserdisc release (ISBN 0-931393-19-1), which also included Albert Lamorisse's short White Mane.

Platipus

I am glad to know im not losing my mind... :) ... uhhh.. there has to be someone who will release this. let's keep this thread goin

I just want to know who deleted the last thread...that was only two months ago tops

Agreed, a really amazing film. I remember being shown this in grade school (more than once) on the traditional whirring 16mm projector in the back of the room, and I do believe I saw it on television as well. Of course, this would have been the late '60's-early '70's. I tell people about it fairly regularly, and most have no idea what I'm talking about. I've got some nieces and nephews who are of prime age for this, so I'd love to see this come out.
Here's hoping.

i have similar memories of this film from the early '80's. we used to watch it on rainy days when we couldn't go out for recess. our teacher let us pick which movie we wanted to watch from the limited libary on hand for that same kind of 16mm projector. more often than not we chose the Red Balloon, though sometimes it was the film about the kid who decides to live in a tree out in the woods and has a racoon friend he talks to.

i can never remember the name of that movie. anyone help a guy out?

I don't know who deleted it, but I do know why. It quickly ended up sounding like a new member shilling for a place selling bootleg DVDs.

Although it unfortunately is selling upwards of $50 on ebay.

IIRC I started that thread, before some ahole hijacked it with the bootleg thing.

I would love to see a decent release of this one.

Yes, I too remember watching this in elementary school in the late 70's-early 80's on the projector. I haven't seen it since then, but definitely would like to.

Sorry, I can't help ---- but I do remember several different movies from elementary school I wish I could remember -- particularly animated ones. One was called "Soup" or something --- some kid in his basement singing during a thunderstorm.....anyone?


To whomever deleted it, I don't understand why the member's posts weren't just deleted instead of the entire thread.

you see kids...bootlegs make threads go away, and baby jesus cry.

I have one out of Korea. I don't think it's a bootleg since I got it off a legitimate site, but I won't link to it in order not to get this thread deleted as well. The quality is pretty bad, but still glad to have it. Email me or send a private message if you want to know more.

It was either My Side Of The Mountain or Other Side Of The Mountain. Whichever one it isn't might be a paralyzed skier story or something. I'm out of town and this computer is too slow for IMDB today. It was a bitch to even post this. :-)

We watched this one a few times too. Seemed like it was Canadian. There was also a book, and the book had a different ending with the boys family going out and getting trees of their own near him. I guess his parent's sex life either got really exciting or diminished very quickly. The only reason that sticks out in my head is the librarian told us the book had a different ending and she wouldn't tell us what when we begged and pleaded. I went and read the last couple of pages because I was so curious.

Back on topic: I was also a poster on that old thread also. Did nobody email Criterion? They said before they want to release more short films since the holocaust one.

It was My Side of the Mountain, re the boy and raccoon. Great film! Raise your kids on it! (and perhaps yourself, if you feel your independent streak quashed)

Re the boy and the balloon, the Red Balloon, chuck in my three cents for wanting it to come out on DVD.

Interestingly similar films though. In the former, the kid is isolated from his parents (esp Dad). His experiences include loyalty, frustration, joy, friendship and (spoilers: not here). In RB, the kid is an outcast in his 'hood. The balloon symbolizes so many things on its trip: loyalty, outcastness, joy, friendship, and (spoilers: not here).