Perhaps his bestknown movie is flight of the red balloon. That right there might be hous own mission statement in miniature. The little boy simon simon iteanu idles around paris, accompanied by his chinese nanny, song song fang, a film student who is also making an. A little boy and his babysitter inhabit the same imaginary world. Hou has long been garnering awards in international film festivals throughout europe and asia since the 1980s, albeit. Mar 30, 2008 with flight of the red balloon, the director hou hsiaohsien explores the romance and the mystery of the everyday. With gorgeous cinematography, spare dialogue, and untraditional plot nothing much happens, chinese director hsiao hsien hou s frenchlanguage film is definitely an arthouse cinemas dream. What more could one want flight of the red balloon. The focal point is a bright red balloon, the psychological companion of a young french boy as he goes to school and plays with his friends. The music video for son of sam by elliott smith, from his 2000 album figure 8, is a direct homage to the red balloon. With flight of the red balloon, the director hou hsiaohsien explores the romance and the mystery of the everyday.
In 2008, taiwanese director hou hsiao hsien reimagined the beloved film as the flight of the red balloon. Hes fearless because after establishing his presence with a string of late 80searly 90s masterpieces he consciously diverted from the stylistic formalism that he had cultivated and has been changing and experimenting with each new release ever since. Juliette binoche, hippolyte girardot, simon iteanu, fang song, louise margolin, anna sigalevitch, charlesedouard renault, damien maestraggi, ping bin lee, hsiao hsien hou, chingsong liao, jeanchristophe hym, francois margolin, kristina larsen, remi burah, francois margolin, hsiao hsien hou. Its of a piece with cafe lumiere 2003, for which hou was invited to japan to make a film in tribute to yasujiro ozu. Flight of the red balloon georgia straight vancouvers. In flight of the red balloon, filmmaker hou hsiaohsien takes on an unmistakably parisian story with unbridled creative abandon. The luscious camera work alone is worth the rental price, but the plot is a bit too thin for most american audiences used to actiondriven fare. The little boy simon simon iteanu idles around paris, accompanied by his chinese nanny, song song fang, a film student who is also making an updated version of albert lamorisse. Until then i thought of hou as the maker of extraordinarily fine, essentially contemplative, quasi. T he unobtrusive mastery of hou hsiao hsien, with his. It is based on the classic french short the red balloon directed by albert lamorisse. Flight of the red balloon is something far more bafflinga literalminded movie with an amiably freefloating. Flight of the red balloon was part of a planned series of films made in collaboration with the musee dorsay in paris to celebrate the museums 20th birthday. Le voyage du ballon rouge is a 2007 frenchtaiwanese film directed by hou hsiaohsien.
Flight of the red balloon 2007 directed by hou hsiao. In 1956, albert lamorisse made the red balloon, a short in which a young boy, played by his son, makes friends with a red balloon. Directed by hou hsiaohsien with a script written by hsiaohsien and francois margolin, le voyage du ballon rouge tells the story of a young boy and his new taiwanese film studentnanny who are enamored with the image of a red balloon. Flight of the red balloon is a 2007 frenchtaiwanese film directed by hou hsiao hsien. So with melancholic music and long travellings of the flight of a red balloon, the director manages to keep us in our sofa. Hou hsiaohsiens flight of the red balloon gives many possible answers we watch sevenyearold simonplayed marvelously by simon iteanumeander along.
Flight of the red balloon, the revered hou hsiaohsiens second film outside taiwan, is a slightly pointless homage to albert lamorisses enchanting 1956 childrens fantasy. Mar 15, 2008 flight of the red balloon, the revered hou hsiao hsien s second film outside taiwan, is a slightly pointless homage to albert lamorisses enchanting 1956 childrens fantasy. Flight of the red balloon movies the new york times. The little boy simon simon iteanu idles around paris, accompanied by his chinese nanny, song song fang, a film student who is also making an updated version of. Flight of the red balloon is a unique piece of film art gently crafted by hou in homage to albert lamorisees oscar winning short le ballon rouge 1956. In his enthralling flight of the red balloon, the taiwanese master hou hsiaohsien draws on that very specific and emotionally precise geography of light and space to reconsider his own art. Directed by hou hsiao hsien with a script written by hsiao hsien and francois margolin, le voyage du ballon rouge tells the story of a young boy and his new taiwanese film studentnanny who are enamored with the image of a red balloon. A t one point in hou hsiaohsiens new film, flight of the red balloon, suzanne juliette binochethe perpetually frazzled mother to her son simon simon iteanusays to the taiwanese nannyfilmmaker song fang song, your film touches on very deep things i thought id forgotten. The film, the latest wonderment from the taiwanese master hou hsiaohsien, takes as one of its inspirations albert lamorisses 1956 classic, the.
It is the first part in a new series of films produced by musee dorsay. In hou hsiao hsien s tender flight of the red balloon, an homage to the classic childrens short the red balloon, the director expands on the originals themes of companionship, longing, and loss. The movie, easily the most visually ravishing production ive seen all year, represents the first foray by the legendary taiwanese artfilm director hou hsiao hsien millennium mambo, flight of. Flowers of shanghai 1998, the first of hous film to be set outside taiwan, adapted from han bangqings sing song girls, a novel some consider the greatest work of nineteenthcentury chinese fiction, consists of only forty shots, none of which are exteriors even though the book itself is much concerned with the texture of china. The flight of the red balloon le voyage du ballon rouge director. From the master filmmaker hou hsiao hsien flight of the red balloon, flowers of shanghai. Flight of the red balloon is the first film in a series initiated by the president of parismusee dorsay, serge lemoine, and the production, in conjunction with the museums 20th anniversary. In paris, a red balloon with an eastern air fresh airs film critic says hou hsiaohsiens homage to the 1956 alan lamorisse film is as. Juliette binoche and song fang star in hou hsiaohsiens flight of the red balloon, one of 14 films in a major retrospective on the directors works. The personal reflection allows hou to enlarge and deepen his work by adding a volatile, moody emotional intensity. Hou hsiao hsien s flight of the red balloon gives many possible answers we watch sevenyearold simonplayed marvelously by simon iteanumeander along. Hou hsiaohsiens flight of the red balloon as a sinofrench.
Hou begins with lamorisses central conceit that of a mysterious red balloon tracking a lonely. Flight of the red balloon 2007 hsiaohsien hou, hou. Bloom focuses on films that have appeared since 2000 such as tsai mingliangs what time is it there. Hou hsiaohsiens flight of the red balloon as a sinofrench makeover. We watch sevenyearold simon meander along paris sidewalks, and. The first part in a new series of films produced by musee dorsay, flight of the red balloon tells the story of a french family as seen through the eyes of a chinese student.
Hou hsiaohsiens le voyage du ballon rouge is not only a startling. Le voyage du ballon rouge is a 2007 frenchtaiwanese film directed by hou hsiao hsien. The movie, easily the most visually ravishing production ive seen all year, represents the first foray by the legendary taiwanese artfilm director hou. Childhood floats away in red balloon the boston globe.
In hou hsiaohsiens first french film, interactions are mirrored and refracted, images of images, reflections of longing. Although jim jarmusch and raul ruiz were initially involved in the project, olivier assayas lheure dete summer hours, 2008 was the only other feature produced. Apr 04, 2008 the film, the latest wonderment from the taiwanese master hou hsiaohsien, takes as one of its inspirations albert lamorisses 1956 classic, the red balloon, about a young boy and the. Apr 11, 2008 in paris, a red balloon with an eastern air fresh airs film critic says hou hsiaohsiens homage to the 1956 alan lamorisse film is as much a masterpiece as the original but on its own. Flight of the red balloon 2007 directed by hou hsiaohsien. Undoubtedly my affection for the red balloon recently released on dvd made me predisposed to appreciate taiwanese director hou hsiaohsiens flight of the red balloon, a. In flight of the red balloon, shes a busy single mother, vibrant and wonderful, glowing from beginning to end. Flight of the red balloon hou hsiaohsien senses of cinema. Flight of the red balloon 2007 hsiaohsien hou, hou hsaio. We watch sevenyearold simon meander along paris sidewalks, and his progress is. Albert lamorisse, flight of the red balloon, hou hsiaohsien, juliette binoche, paul schrader. In flight of the red balloon, filmmaker hou hsiao hsien takes on an unmistakably parisian story with unbridled creative abandon. This classic won the academy award for best original screenplay. Not as subtle as goddard or truffaut, the film literally shows its self reflexive style honoring lamorisses the red balloon.
Featuring a radiant performance from hong kong starlet shu qi so close, the transporter, and photographed with playful luminescence by mark lee pingbing in the mood for love, springtime in a small town. In his enthralling flight of the red balloon, the taiwanese master hou hsiao hsien draws on that very specific and emotionally precise geography of light and space to reconsider his own art. The story is simple, if elusive in 9thcentury china, nie yinniang is a young woman who was abducted in childhood from a decorated general and. A scene from hou hsiaohsiens the puppetmaster 1993. He won the golden lion at the venice film festival in 1989 for his film a city of sadness 1989, and the best director award at the cannes film festival in 2015 for the assassin 2015. Flight is an homage to lamorisses 56 classic the red. The city this time is paristhe first time that hou has shot a film. Le voyage du ballon rouge flight of the red balloon, which constitutes celebrated taiwanese director hou hsiaohsiens first frenchlanguage picture, represents both an homage to albert lamorisses beloved 1956 short the red balloon and an expansion of that earlier picture. Well past familiar to festivalgoers but certainly a stranger to multiplex masses, taiwanese director hou hsiaohsien makes his first nonchinese. For the new film, hou comes to france to pay tribute to. Flight of the red balloon georgia straight vancouvers news. Flight of the red balloon by hou hsiaohsien hou hsiaohsien. The film was shot in august and september 2006 on location in paris. By this time hou had developed his own style of film making, and was noted for his long single shot takes and rare use of closeups, rather maintaining an objective distance to his subjects.
Theres certainly here food for thought because hou hsiao hsien speaks about cinema, novelists, puppeteers and collective kitchens but i dont have time to ruminate about it. Ostensibly a comingofage story, it follows the young ahha ahhsiao who. Theres certainly here food for thought because hou hsiaohsien speaks about cinema, novelists, puppeteers and collective kitchens but i dont have time to ruminate about it. May 02, 2008 undoubtedly my affection for the red balloon recently released on dvd made me predisposed to appreciate taiwanese director hou hsiaohsiens flight of the red balloon, a gracefully. Flight of the red balloon is a beautifully shot film from the biased p. Its unassailable roundness isnt unimportant when discussing hous film, as the sort of. Juliette binoche, hippolyte girardot, simon iteanu, fang song, louise margolin, anna sigalevitch, charlesedouard renault, damien maestraggi, ping bin lee, hsiaohsien hou, chingsong liao, jeanchristophe hym, francois margolin, kristina larsen, remi burah, francois margolin, hsiaohsien hou. With juliette binoche, hippolyte girardot, simon iteanu, fang song. Of course, she glows within hous framework, his layers of light. Introduction hou hsiao hsien may be the most fearless, sophisticated, and brilliant filmmaker of the last 30 years.
Flight of the red balloon 1 mins, pg directed by hou hsiaohsien. With gorgeous cinematography, spare dialogue, and untraditional plot nothing much happens, chinese director hsiaohsien hous frenchlanguage film is definitely an arthouse cinemas dream. Watching hou hsiaohsiens new film flight of the red balloon, there are many possible answers to that question. We float by michael koresky flight of the red balloon dir. Killer visuals in hou hsiaohsiens the assassin the. Some 50 years later, taiwanese auteur hou hsiao hsien has made his first frenchlanguage film, the charming and subtle flight of the red balloon, commissioned by the musee dorsay and inspired by lamorisses childrens classic. The flight of the red balloon le voyage du ballon rouge. Hou hsiaohsien, france, ifc albert lamorisses red balloon is still perfectly, lollipop round in hou hsiaohsiens flight of the red balloon, a tribute to and glorious expansion of that 1956 childrens classic.
Apr 04, 2008 the great taiwanese filmmaker hou hsiaohsien expands on the bright, drifty loveliness of albert lamorisses 1956 classic, the red balloon, in flight of the red balloon, his lyrical french. It is the first part in a new series of films produced by musee dorsay, and tells the story of a french family as seen through the eyes of a chinese student. Its unassailable roundness isnt unimportant when discussing hous film, as the sort of visual beauty this. Sep 19, 2014 a scene from hou hsiaohsiens dust in the wind 1986. In addition, flight of the red balloon won 3rd place in the 2009 international cinephile society ics awards for the best film not in the english language award, and the ics also nominated the film for best picture, best director, best actress binoche, best adapted screenplay hou hsiao hsien and francois margolin and best cinematography. The flight of the red balloon uses this tactic to great effect. He is a leading figure in world cinema and in taiwans new wave cinema movement. Like hou hsiaohsiens more recent work, flight of the red balloon moves a little more toward international accessibility and away from his early, uniquely taiwanese stories. Hou hsiaohsien, chineseborn taiwanese director known for his film explorations of taiwans history and family life, which emphasized realism through their subject matter and measured pace. Hou hsiaohsiens flight of the red balloon stop smiling. Taiwanese master hou hsiaohsien travels to paris to create a lovely, deceptively leisurely, undemonstratively dense evocation of childhood.
Although the taiwanese director hou hsiaohsien has been making movies since the early 1980s, i first became convinced of his genius when i saw the puppetmaster 1993 some twenty years ago. Flight of the red balloon was part of a planned series of films made in. Unrated life observed unfolding in french, with subtitles. May 27, 2015 another is the highly acclaimed taiwanese auteur hou hsiaohsien. In hou hsiaohsiens tender flight of the red balloon, an homage to the classic childrens short the red balloon, the director expands on the originals themes of companionship, longing, and loss. Flight of the red balloon originally written and posted at on 1509 w additional edits. Flight of the red balloon is something far more bafflinga literalminded movie with an. Back with his first film in 8 years, legendary taiwanese director hou hsiaohsien wowed this years cannes film festival where he won best director with his aweinspiring the assassin a wondrous take on the traditional wuxia film. Hou hsiao hsien s 2007 film flight of the red balloon is a direct homage to the film. Le voyage du ballon rouge flight of the red balloon, which constitutes celebrated taiwanese director hou hsiao hsien s first frenchlanguage picture, represents both an homage to albert lamorisses beloved 1956 short the red balloon and an expansion of that earlier picture. Also, the parisset flight of the red balloon 2007, inspired by albert lamorisses classic childrens short the red balloon 1956 about the friendship between a lonely boy and a bright inflatable, finds hou engaging in a crosscultural interplay that is best appreciated after becoming attuned to the directors sensibilities through his.
Hou hsiaohsiens 2007 film flight of the red balloon is a direct homage to the film. Hou hsiao hsien an interview with the cannes winning. The luscious red orb in flight of the red balloon is as much a. Well past familiar to festivalgoers but certainly a stranger to multiplex masses, taiwanese director hou hsiao hsien makes his first nonchineselanguage film with flight of the red balloon, and. The great taiwanese filmmaker hou hsiaohsien expands on the bright, drifty loveliness of albert lamorisses 1956 classic, the red.
Introduction hou hsiaohsien may be the most fearless, sophisticated, and brilliant filmmaker of the last 30 years. Flight of the red balloonthe red balloon 2 discs dvd. Long recognized as one of the leading figures of new taiwan cinema, hou hsiaohsien has been revered as the most important living filmmaker, accused of formalist tedium, and critiqued in his native taiwan for his controversial observational approach to national history. Don hertzfelds 1997 short film billys balloon, which also showed at cannes, is a parody of the red balloon.
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