A classic tale: Red balloon

Julie at Julie Adore has made this wonderful little paperboy flying away on his red crochet balloon. A beautiful reference to the fifties short film Le Ballon Rouge by Albert Lamorisse, which won the Oscar in 1957. It's a film about a little boy that follows a red balloon through the streets of Paris where he runs into some bullies that try to take away his balloon. I'm warning you, spoiler ahead. OK, You've been warned. Today watching this film, especially the end, I can't help being reminded a little bit of the latest Pixar film UP, wich is based on the same basic idea. Life is hard for the main character which tries to flee the pain by flying of on colorful balloons. But of course Le Ballon Rouge is very different film. I've always liked that film, since It's such a great film.  The music is good, the little boy is wonderful, and although the film is only about 12 minutes you can instantly relate to the little boy since the subject is universal, the hardship of childhood. And the part where the colorful balloons fly all over the grey colored city - it's simply magical.