The film "Red Balloon" won the Palme d'Or at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival and the highest award in French cinema. Director Albert completed a wonderful and complete story in just 34 minutes. The film uses children's perspective in many places to observe things, and the innocence and liveliness make the characters of "Red Balloon" more vivid.
"Red Balloon" does not use complex film techniques, but uses long shots that maximize authenticity and integrity to deepen the audience's understanding of the anthropomorphic red balloon. Therefore, the role of long shots cannot be ignored in the film. When the little boy was on the street, the balloon was found by the boy, but he kept dodging. The long shots used here make it more realistic and make the rhythm smooth as water. It also presents the street space completely, showing the naughty, lively and lovely characteristics of the red balloon. It seems that he has become an actor in the film, and the director has given him an important image. Seems to be the same age as the little boy.
On the streets of Paris, France, the director deliberately set people's clothes and houses in cool colors such as blue and gray. In order to highlight the red balloon in the gloom. Bright colors make the street scene more dull and depressing. It can be understood that in the eyes of a child, the life of an adult is boring and monotonous, and only the red balloon in his hand can bring him fun. Such use is similar to the girl in red in "Schindler's List". A bright red appears in a world that has become black and white. It conveys to the audience that it is cruel and bloody, and that there is still human nature that cannot be wiped out in the war. There is still hope. In the last shot of the red balloon, the colorful balloons are flying in the air with the little boy. The use of bright and multi-colored here means that no one can stop the pure and warm childlike innocence.
Off-screen space is used in Red Balloon as a simple cinematic trick. When the child took the train and released the balloon, people in the train looked outside and noticed the strange balloon. Only the shots of people looking inside the car are given here, but the audience naturally thinks whether the balloon is following the train. The latter when the teacher was entangled with balloons. The teacher's angry district tube balloon suddenly turned around to confirm whether the balloon was still following. Here is also a shot of the teacher looking around. Make the audience happy to guess where the balloon came from. Highlight the agility of the ball. Make the characters in the story more three-dimensional, and shape the characteristics of the red balloon.
At the beginning of the use of empty shots, we first introduce the life scenes of the characters. Big, empty city with unfinished stairs. At the same time, it also alludes to the inner feelings of the characters, implying that the little boy has no playmates and is lonely. He is like this lonely and desolate city. As the balloon sagged, the close-up gave the audience a little hope in front of the screen. The next shot shows the little boy crouching on the ground looking at the balloon. It can make people feel the shock and grief of the little boy's precious things being taken away and destroyed. This similar emotion actually comes from everyone's childhood. Xiang's beloved pet was taken away, and he was asked to go to school and lost his free play time... Such a beautiful thing was suddenly destroyed by a real monster. The director captured the real emotions in life and injected them into the film.
Andre Bazin once said: "The red balloon may have become a work that is more philosophical and less ambitious for babies. He has a poetry that is suitable for adults and children." Among them, it is said that the red balloon brings The poetry of adults is actually rooted in children, inspiring adults with the world in the eyes of children. The film captures the world of children and makes people resonate with this simple emotion. is one of his successes.
After World War II, France was in a state of ruin. Pursuing peace and rebuilding their homeland has become the common ideal of the French people. The red, blue and white colors of the flag also appear in this film as the colors of the balloons. Especially when the boy was taken away by many balloons at the end, this symbolizes the country's pursuit of development and the people's ideal and desire for happiness and freedom.
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