Tuesday, March 29, 2011

The Red Balloon (1956) & White Mane (1953)

Spine#:N/A

These are two wonderful shorts directed by Albert Lamorisse, that are similar by using the age old tale of a lonely young boy finding a friend or companionship in something other than a human being. The Red Balloon, which has been shown for years in schools all over the country, is a heartwarming story of a young boy who comes across a balloon that seems to have a mind of its own. It caused me to reminisce on child hood memories both happy and sad. Although filmed in 1956, the use of Technicolor was extremely effective in bringing the vivid,vibrant,and brilliant coloration to the picture.**SPOILER** My favorite scene is toward the end of the short when a group of bully's are chasing after the balloon, throwing rocks at it until one of the rocks manages to land on target. There then is a beautiful shot of the balloon slowly deflating, that made me feel as if the boy was watching a friend pass away despite the fact it was merely an inanimate object**. Three years prior to The Red Balloon was the equally moving short; White Mane. Filmed in black and white, this short is about a herd of wild horses that are captured by ranchers and the leader of the herds (White Mane) constant struggle for freedom as well as a young boy's compassion to the horses desire to be free.**SPOILER** There is a scene unlike anything I have experienced while watching film, where a horse challenges White Mane's position as leader of the herd leading them to engage in a violent and bloody confrontation to obtain the top spot**. At about twenty minutes in length each, I highly recommend viewing these shorts, you wont be disappointed.

IMDB:*********9/10
Netflix:*****5/5

No comments:

Post a Comment