Au hasard Balthazar (1966)

[MifuneFan]

Au hasard Balthazar (1966)

A profound masterpiece from one of the most revered filmmakers in the history of cinema, Au hasard Balthazar, directed by Robert Bresson, follows the donkey Balthazar as he is passed from owner to owner, some kind and some cruel but all with motivations outside of his understanding. Balthazar, whose life parallels that of his first keeper, Marie, is truly a beast of burden, suffering the sins of humankind. But despite his powerlessness, he accepts his fate nobly. Through Bresson’s unconventional approach to composition, sound, and narrative, this simple story becomes a moving parable about purity and transcendence.

Disc Features

• New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• Interview from 2005 with film scholar Donald Richie
• “Un metteur en ordre: Robert Bresson,” a 1966 French television program about the film, featuring Bresson, filmmakers Jean-Luc Godard and Louis
• Malle, and members of Balthazar’s cast and crew
• Original theatrical trailer
• Plus: An essay by film scholar James Quandt

Cover by Sarah Habibi

[Scottie]

Most depressing movie ever made?

[Scottie]

Amazon pre-order

[hagios]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Most depressing movie ever made?

What is the movie about/why so depressing, use *spoilers* if you need too?

Sounds interesting but I have never seen it ... would be a blind buy for me!

[Poya]

I know Ingmar Bergman wasn’t a fan but this was Bresson’s magnum opus to me. Day One.

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Most depressing movie ever made?

Possibly. The ending actually made me cry the first time I saw the film, perhaps ten years ago, the only time a movie has had that kind of effect on me since I was a kid. Cruelty and dismissive callousness towards animals, in particular the gentle ones, is something I simply cannot abide. It’s the only Bresson film I can’t ever see myself watching again, for that reason.

[javi92]

I've had the UK disc pre-ordered for God knows how long. At least I can cancel that now.

[GlennH]

javi92 - Yup, I've had the Zone B Artificial Eye Blu-ray edition on preorder from Amazon UK since March of 2013 (it keeps getting pushed back--current estimated release date for this UK ASIN: B00B0YL0KE item's release is December 31st of 2018)!

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by hagios

What is the movie about/why so depressing, use *spoilers* if you need too?

Sounds interesting but I have never seen it ... would be a blind buy for me!

[Show spoiler]It's difficult to watch such a gentle creature so unjustly mistreated.

[hagios]

Originally Posted by iScottie

[Show spoiler]It's difficult to watch such a gentle creature so unjustly mistreated.

I've always loved donkeys/mules!

[Mose Harper]

I bought this early on in my DVD collecting phase. Took me years to finally get up the motivation to watch it.

It was an affecting film, but not something I felt likely to rewatch anytime soon so I sold it off pretty quickly.

But it stayed with me, more so for the spirit it imparts than for any specific plot point or performance.

Enough time has passed that I sincerely would like to experience this again.

My Criterion wish list is pretty short this year, so this will most likely be a July pick up if B&N still has another sale.

[MikeK84]

According to my old English professor, it IS the most depressing movie he's ever seen.

[malakaheso]

One of my all time favs.

2K = oldish master?

L'argent was 4K and that isn't as popular as this film.

I wish there was a commentary included this time. Hope the PQ makes up for it.

[Cremildo]

I don't find it depressing in the slightest. It's a sad - which is not the same thing - but illuminating masterpiece. The beast of burden suffers for our sins, but it never loses its dignity. The only element that might be called depressing is the callousness and unhappiness of the human characters. The cliché critical term "transcendent" has never been more apt to describe a Bresson film than this one.

Also, I'd love to know how many of those oh-so-very-sensitive souls who promptly reduce this film to "animal torture" get off watching truly wretched, vile stuff like Hostel or Gerald's Game.

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by Cremildo

those oh-so-very-sensitive souls who promptly reduce this film to "animal torture"

Who is doing that in this thread?

[Purplenoon]

Originally Posted by Cremildo

I don't find it depressing in the slightest. It's a sad - which is not the same thing - but illuminating masterpiece. The beast of burden suffers for our sins, but it never loses its dignity. The only element that might be called depressing is the callousness and unhappiness of the human characters. The cliché critical term "transcendent" has never been more apt to describe a Bresson film than this one.

Also, I'd love to know how many of those oh-so-very-sensitive souls who promptly reduce this film to "animal torture" get off watching truly wretched, vile stuff like Hostel or Gerald's Game.

I agree: not depressing at all. Illuminating masterpiece? Yes. Hey, it’s Bresson!

[Purplenoon]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Most depressing movie ever made?

Not even close. I’d go with Make Way For Tomorrow, off the top of my head. I also remember being sad to the point of tears after seeing Shane for the first time as a seven year old in ‘53. I’m sure I could come up with many others, but Au Hazard wouldn’t even crack my top 10.

[jardel]

I don't think this movie is depress at all. It's life, the question is do you prefer see life as a bed of roses or do you prefer see life as it is, a garden with roses and thorns....

[jardel]

and , I'm so glad that criterion didn't mess with the cover......it's the same as the dvd and it's great. By the way, when criterion will discover that sometimes we want to see THE REAL MOVIE on the cover

[Shingster]

Originally Posted by NoirFan

Who is doing that in this thread?

He's referring to a poster in the UK Arrow distributor's thread:

Originally Posted by muchogris

You should see the people from the Criterion thread saying how much time they have waited for Au Hasard Balthazar now that it has been released. It's basically a movie about pure animal torture, thats is the real theme in the movie. And the sad part is nothing was faked to make the movie... Some people are disgusting or ignorant, or both.