Flight of the Red Balloon

All last year my friend Steven kept talking about this horrible French movie called Flight of the Red Balloon. He said it was horrible, especially when the little boy would go, "Balloon! Balloon!" but not really pronounce the "n." For the longest time, that was all I knew about the movie. A little boy says "Balloon!" in a funny French accent to a red balloon. Steven's commentary started when the remake was at the Cleveland International Film Festival. I was going to see it until he told me it was a remake. I decided, someday, I would see the original. Well today, that day came. In VICO 140, we watched Flight of the Red Balloon to examine the design principles of film we had learned about on Tuesday. As soon as the movie started rolling, I knew immediately it was that movie. I was like, "Oh my God! It's Flight of the Red Balloon, I need to call Steven!" Anyways, as the movie played, I sat on the edge of my seat, waiting desperately for the little boy to say his only line. When he finally said it, I laughed so hard. It reminded me of Steven and the hilarious impression he did of the little boy. It was a great class. Flight of the Red Balloon is one of those funny/awful movies that you watch to laugh at more than for story or enjoyment. At the end, when the mean little French children corner the little boy and his red balloon and then throw stones at it, I was like, "No! Balloon! Balloon!" in this sad French accent. The people sitting in my row were laughing. It was so funny. And then the little boy flies away like Curious George with a huge collection of balloons. It was like the movie we watched in AP Spanish last year where the corpse of El Cid just rides away on a horse. Mrs. Petrick was so offended because all six of us were laughing so hard. So for the next week or so, I will connect almost everything to Flight of the Red Balloon. It will most likely be my description of the movie. A red balloon leads a little French boy on a journey of magic and mystery.