Au hasard Balthazar (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

It is good that I am able to purchase high-quality films through Amazon.

The first five minutes of the film are a bucolic delight - a pastoral countryside, an incredibly cute baby donkey nursing from his mother, children with an adult figure pleading with him to let them have the donkey, he gently saying "No, that would be impossible," with the immediately subsequent scene of the children and the adult and the donkey walking together down the grassy slopes in delight; the donkey being baptized with the name "Balthazar", summer sunlight dappling through the trees, a swing, the grass - a portrait of childhood innocence, love, and beauty.Everything else after that is sheer pessimistic torture in which we view a set of seemingly disjointed scenes come and go - only seemingly disjointed, however, for these are seen from Balthazar the Donkey's viewpoint. We never get the full story, the humans are only incidental in terms of plot - but they are essential symbols of the vices and evils and weaknesses of humanity - all of which are witnessed, and ultimately take their toll on poor, innocent, kind and loving Balthazar.Half way through I thought I wasn't understanding the film. Then it all became crystal clear as language exploded in lengthy scenes of ugly exposition, revealing the darkest, most pathetic and irredeemable aspects of humanity.Not light viewing. Not something I want to see again any time soon. And definitely a work of genius.

A beautiful and poetic film of a donkey living in a French village and how he is treated by the various people who own him throughout the course of his life. From his youth as a girl's pet on a farm, to later delivering bread and being mistreated by a juvenile delinquent, to being an alcoholic's companion, working at a circus, and eventually becoming a beast of burden. The innocent animal witnesses a complex, confusing world, including the seven deadly sins in various scenes of the human condition, and experiences both tender mercy and wanton cruelty. Much deeper than it initially appears. In director Robert Bresson's subdued style the film is transformed into one of the definitive examples of evoking empathy in all of cinema. Immensely sad, but richly rewarding and spiritual. Memorable use of Schubert sonata is hauntingly effective. Criterion's Blu ray is magnificently restored and includes a documentary and interviews. A true masterpiece!

This film from its release to the current day has polarised film buffs; some rave at its brilliance in depicting the baser natures of humanity in metaphor using the events of the lives of a young innocent girl and her donkey while others appreciate the intent of the story and yet feel it to be somewhat overrated in its stature. For me I fall somewhere in the middle which explains my overall rating. This film will probably reward repeated viewing and may grow on me but at this point in time I feel there are many other films that deal with this topic a lot better and compared with Fellini, Renoir, Bergman and Antonioni's work on the baser natures of man and its repercussions I personally feel this film falls short. While this is still a good film I just don't see it as among the 16 best films of all time.Still as far as Criterion's release goes fans will be thrilled as both the picture and sound quality restorations are impeccable and also included is a fold out containing an essay by James Quandt that I found unconvincing but tries to extoll the many virtues of the film and why it is deserving of high acclaim. The special features are pretty spare and not as interesting as in other Criterion releases but overall this is a good release of the film.

This is a movie that will stay with you far after you finish watching it. Sad and beautiful. I dare you not to cry.

If you consider yourself a cinephile, but have never seen this extraordinary film, see it now. And watch Bresson's Mouchette and Pickpocket too. All of these films bear repeated viewings.

Jean Luc Goddard said this movie was "the world in an hour and a half." What more can I add. Brilliant film.

This is one of those rare films that deserves a full semester college level film class.

Grandiosa restauración de un título poco frecuentado entre los llamados "cinéfilos". Bresson mira al mundo através de Balthazar.

On the first viewing I cannot say that I love it although the movie is very intriguing. The story is simple, acting straight forward, yet the take away from the movie is highly personal & subjective.Balthazar can be a metaphor for anything we love or possess over, including faith in a god. The object of our love does not change; it is us who change. We love, abuse, then ultimately forget what/whom we once held dear.Balthazar himself knows none of it but accepts all with no complaints.

A masterpiece and the Criterion Blu-ray is excellent.

My disc was delivered to the wrong address but thanks to good neighbors, it was delivered without issue. An amazing film by Bresson. Well done and great transfer.