Billy's Balloon

This is a replacement comment. The original bothered a diligent reader, so I have made some expansion.

Animation is like any film type: artists ally to certain philosophies, perhaps without realizing it. In the case of animation, it bumps up against that great American invention, noir. That's the notion that there is a world in the movie that is manipulated by forces unseen. Hapless characters are the manipulated and the fact that we are on the scene influences that manipulation somehow.

With animation, its all about how objects act, how the environment conspires or not. Not all animators deal with objects the same way.

In my original comment, I made two assertions. One was that the Czech animator Jan Svankmajer was sort of an icon for and a teacher of one school of philosophy so far as this cinematic religion. It has nothing at all to do with darkness, or political statements, or humor — that is all applied superficially. Its about how the strings behind the world are connected; what objects MEAN and how we sit on some of those strings. I say that Hertzfeldt is in this tradition and that he changes it not a whit.

Does that make him less of an artist? That's up to you. He masters the philosophy without changing it, but his mastery is more engaging. Its the difference between the guy who writes the movie and the actor, between the composer and the fiddler. You decide.

The second point I made was that I supposed Hertzfeldt saw a rough version of "pad" that was being circulated in film schools at the time. The stories there and here are similar. I am NOT saying he plagiarized, but to me the influence is clear.

Having restated these two points, I can say that

1) this is fun.

2) this is not important in my mind. He's done stuff that is, and I would like you to see it instead. It is not personal, nor unique, nor valuable watching like some of Hertzfeldts stuff can be. Pass on this unless you don't want to explore better stuff.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

A little sick-minded. Then again, that's what we've come to expect from Don Hertzfeldt. Just one more reason why parents shouldn't leave their kids in the backyard... or on the porch... or anywhere. It starts a little slow, but once things begin to get rolling, it's impossible to stop laughing. Not recommended for those who take things way too seriously. Highly recommended for everyone else.

There's some twisted stuff going on in "Billy's Balloon"and it is hilarious. Why in the world would a balloon want to attack a small child? And what harm could it possibly do? Don Hertzfeldt happily answers one of those questions and this is a fine example of simplistic animation (and perverse intent) executed for serious laughs. the sens of humor is fantastic; just when you think you know what'll happen, Hertzfeldt flips the script. Violent without being violent.

The man's a genius.

8/10

There are few things in this ugly world which inspire me more than the resistance of those being oppressed against the oppressors themselves. We all know the type, we recognize it in our lives and in popular culture. Who doesn't love an underdog? George Washington, Che Gueverra,, and now Billy's Balloon. I recognize how important the act of rebellion and the spirit of resistance is in order for meaningful socio-political and economic change in our modern environment and culture. However, it is because of this, difficult in equal measure to denounce the oppressed turning their oppression back on their oppressors and oppressing them instead. This film is a gleeful and blithesome depiction of both of these separate but essential moments in the cycle of species-wide and generational self-destruction we collectively set out upon in our metaphorical and symbolic Garden of Eden. It is because of this universal understanding of the resistance trope that Don Hertfeldt's "BILLY'S BALLOON" works so well: it's an incredibly deft and acuitus subversion of audience expectations. We all understand that nothing is ever going to change. It's a vicious circle, or so they say. And Don Hertzfeld understands that. Make no mistake, the cartoonish violence in this film is "funny". But there is a deep, dark layer of this film frankly too rarely spoken about.

This is another hilarious effort by a master animator/storyteller. A little boy sits holding a balloon. He is having fun just gooing and cooing. When suddenly the balloon turns on him. The results are absolutely hilarious and pretty sick. And absolutely hilarious.