MovieChat Forums > Le ballon rouge (1957) Discussion > why did they show this to us in school?

why did they show this to us in school?


they showed this movie to me the very first day of school when i was little, and i never understood why, i thought they would reveal some grand master purpose for it when i finished high school, but that never happened. cant someone explain it to me?

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Maybe they wanted you to understand the meaning of the word "masterpiece."
I offered to lend my VHS copy of Le Ballon Rouge to my son's 9th grade French class, but they showed no interest.

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Because it was a brilliant film for children, and was likely a suggestion from the National Board of Education as an appropriate title to show. School was supposed to be fun, too.

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I was in the 8th grade when I finally saw the movie, instantly thought wow, what a great independent film. It has to do with passion, as the central theme.

OBVIOUSLY

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They showed both this film and J.T. (1969) to us a few years in a row in grade school. I can't explain it, but my friend and I think this is the reason we are so messed up today. Two more depressing films I have not seen since.

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Not sure. I only just now remembered this film while stumbling around the internet.

I used to love this when I was a kid, but I really don't remember anything about it (other than, you know, a kid and a red balloon). The DVD is ten bucks. I'm thinking about getting it.

"What does it take to change the essence of a man?" "Time."

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a good question -- they showed us this film more than once and I found it really creepy -- isn't there a weird clown in it too? I seem to remember the clown in a rowboat with the kid.

I did not like this film, it gave me the willies. I can't remember how old I was when I saw it but maybe 6 or 7? I was not born when it came out.

Oddly, years later there was a TV ad for Chef-Boy-ar-dee that had some scenes in an old part of a European city that made me think of this movie.

it's possible

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I think I was in the 5th grade when I saw this, probably 1969. At the time, I didn't care why they showed us this - but was glad that we went a whole period without having to learn whatever class this took the place of.

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[deleted]

I don't know where all you other people are from (America by the sounds of it) but here in England this was read to me as a picture book with obviously pictures from the film as a 5 year old child at school, I got to watch it on TNT when I had just had an operation when I was 10 and it really stuck in my mind I would love to watch it again, I'm 23 now and haven't watched it since I was 10, I didn't think I'd be able to even find it on IMD, all I could remember of it was it had the word Balon in it's title and it was a balloon that followed a little boy around Paris, does anyone know where I could find the DVD?
Many thanks,
Tim.

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[deleted]

I saw this film in about 6 times in school, six different years. I always thought it was creepy and sad, though the last time I saw the film I finally "got" it. :-)

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[deleted]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&; field-keywords=The+Red+Balloon

Make sure you buy one that will play in Region 2 (Europe).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DVD-Regions_with_key.png

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@Zezelicious

There is no clown in this movie at all, let alone one in a rowboat.

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I've been reading the posts on this thread and some of you mention being "freaked out" by the film and finding it creepy.

I'm guessing some of you viewed the balloon as an actual "real-life" balloon which had "come alive!!!" which I admit does seem scary. I have honestly never thought of the balloon in that way. Just as a representation of a pet or friend of the little boy. It wouldn't be creepy if it was a dog, would it? ( except for the flying, of course - that would be a little odd ) I suppose I always played make-believe games with dollies and teddies and things, so didn't find it a great "leap" to believe in the balloon as a character.

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I remember they showed the movie when I was in 2nd grade. The 1st graders also came in & watched. A couple of the 1st graders cried when the balloon "died" in the rock throwing scene. Other than the nature films with Mrs. Terwilliger(sp?) Red Balloon is the only film I remember.

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Perhaps to broaden your horizons a little, show you what the world looks like to a little boy in 1956 Paris? To stimulate your imagination? Tickle your fantasy bone? If you even have to ask that question, I have to assume you're still "little." Watch it again when you're in your 20s or so.

==JJS==

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This crap was shoved into our eyes several times a year. With every forced viewing I rooted more and more for the little french bullies to throw those rocks and bring down that hated baloon. Back then I was shocked how many rocks it took to knock it down but then I figured a country without baseball would be full of girly throwers. The French national passtime is a game called "capitulation" . Ours is baseball. The liberal teachers were trying to soften us American boys with this Frenchy baloon movie. Thank god we had the Three Stooges,Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry to show us that violence is not only funny but cool also

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[deleted]

I realize you posted this question years back so don't know if you're still around or care about the answer. But maybe someone does so I'll post. I found this thread because tonight after watching it I had the same exact question. I posted it on facebook and one of my friends who is in the film industry gave me an answer. According to Ethan Tudor W (you can look him up here on IMDB) this is why -

1st, IMDB is correct it's ONE of the most widely distrubited film's in the world. There are only a FEW Company's that used to rent/loan 16mm prints to the schools. Each film (In 1975$$) Would cost Appx $2.00 to rent, shipping to schools for 16mm prints was free). "The Red Balloon" was a FREE RENTAL.(And in fact MANY schools "Lost" or never returned copy's, simply to keep the film!) ---> Wiki Quote----> as the supporting film to the 1956 Royal Performance Film The Battle of the River Plate...(which ensured it a wide distribution) and was released in the United States on March 11, 1957. (Me again:-) Kodak, (Note: the film was Distributed by Lopert Pictures Corporation, but Kodak Processed and pressed the film) (At the time) had MILLIONS and MILLIONS of feet of film (16mm), all from post WWII Europe. It was DIRT CHEAP, as it already HAD advanced 'vinegar syndrome,' a breakdown of the safety film base that produces a characteristicly acrid 'vinegar' smell in affected films. Albert Lamorisse bought MILLIONS of feet hoping to have his films CHEAPLY (At least to him) available not ONLY for Film Festivals, but the masses at large. Many a school child has seen school versions of the film where the color was just a wee bit off, to the entire film having a red "Hue" to it. (I know I did!) After talking to people via E-Mail that WORKED on the film, the rumor is that Albert paid LESS then 16 CENTS for each ONE reel 34Min print!! And he had THOUSANDS printed. The down side was twofold, a LOT of copies went ENTIRELY "Red" in a short amount of time, while others (Stored in cold storage as all 16mm prints are) Have lasted to this day. Also, up until around the late 80's a LOT of what you saw on TV..IE: "Hogan's Heros", "The Dick Van Dyke Show"...just about ANY shows from that era, were "Screened" for late night TV, (under what can be best described as "Setting up a TV camera and someone starting the 16mm projector") As a floor manager at KOIN in Portland Oregon for 3 years,I was also in charge of "Loading" these films for broadcast..(M.A.S.H. was a very popular title.) Industry people in Television Studio Production even nick named the film.."The Red Boom Boom", while it would NOT explode, the VERY VERY hot light in the projection process would cause the film to burst into flame, as it becomes VERY flamable due to going red. (Yea I even burned a copy!!!) The guy "Charging" reels for the late late night brodcast's always had to keep a sharp eye out when screening that film! So in short, Albert Lamorise was a genius in getting MILLIONS of copies out to the world, they were so cheap he could practaly give them away..(And he DID!)..all by using 2nd rate 16mm film. And while there are a FEW out there floating around, he printed SO many copies that pretty much everyone has seen it at one time or another, with many now in private hands. They will slowly turn red in their cans until there is nothing left. The GOOD NEWS is A DVD version became available in 2008, and a Blu-Ray version was released in the United Kingdom on January 18, 2010; it has now been confirmed as region-free, so now it will never go away. You know I always do a healthy bit of research before I have a guest on my radio show, and all this info is either my 1st hand knowledge, or knowledge from some one who was tied to it's production. (And I have talked to a LOT of people). I hope that helps....now if I can just FIND Pascal..(And NO, that's not the "Real" Pascal on FB.) I could get him on the bloody show! Sorry so long, but it's a film I too have loved for years and years! -Ethan Tudor W.

If anyone by any chance knows how to contact the real Pascal please either post about it here or contact Ethan so he can get him on his show! Thanks

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I never saw this film until this week but I remember it in the film rental catalog my small private school had, it was highly touted in the catalog and this was 20 years after the film was made.

Thanks for the detailed info about it's rental history. I can see it being popular with schools given it's short length, Oscar lustre, and a simple film young children could get into. The movie is charming but really a curio and it's school rental history probably gives it a much higher recoginition status that it otherwise would have.

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