Au hasard Balthazar

Cinema Ventures | Release Date: September 16, 1966

7.1	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 127 Ratings

USER RATING DISTRIBUTION

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Review this movie

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Please sign in or create an account before writing a review.

Check box if your review contains spoilers

0 characters (5000 max)

User Reviews

User score By date Most helpful

joomjim4Jun 18, 2012

There is no hope in this movie, the only thing Bresson offered to us is the truth of life by providing the devastating reality in the most honest way. There was not a single existence of any form of "babblings" in this film but only theThere is no hope in this movie, the only thing Bresson offered to us is the truth of life by providing the devastating reality in the most honest way. There was not a single existence of any form of "babblings" in this film but only the "picture" to express one significant message of how uncontrollable life could possibly be--in the end nothing can stop that process and -the world will treat us whatever it treats, undeniably. It's a revolutionary film that is highly capable of allowing the viewers to experience another whole different aspect or sense of "life" that they might never experience before. The Finest French Phenomenon Film.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

All this user's reviews

ancientscreamAug 6, 2013

Critics sometimes with a zeal bind together in pact of unquestioned praise toward a film, Au Hasard Balthazar is a very good film, but just because its of a certain age, shot in black & white and made by a french director does not make it aCritics sometimes with a zeal bind together in pact of unquestioned praise toward a film, Au Hasard Balthazar is a very good film, but just because its of a certain age, shot in black & white and made by a french director does not make it a 10. 8 to 8.5 would be more accurate. The film scenes are often very compact yet still somehow not taught, the pausing shots and the pointed lingering gazes the characters endlessly offer up, seem in this day and age a little heavy handed and serve to irritate more than they succeed in forcing contemplation, also I think some of the actors used though good, seem not of the first order of the best of french acting in this era, some characters seem a little stilted and artificially shallow in presentation Marie endlessly abused, Gerard consistently mean and sadist, the father soppy stern and prideful etc etc. its as though all seems to have been extracted from the general play of realistic dialog, except for the miserable moments.

But still make no mistake this a great film, I just think is been fatly fed of the gilding of ego'd critics, to keen to demonstrate their intellect through protestation-al love of french art house cinema, for viewing i would advise being ready to match pace with the film to get the best out of it and not desire any jollity or resolution from the viewing. If the purpose of the cinema is to unrealistically depress then I would say it succeeds. some elements of plot movement and dialog are stilted or often merely implied, leading the viewer to interpret what has occurred in the gaps, this can be viewed as just plain awkward or a way of attempting to encapsulate through implication more than the film actually contains.

Though this film uses the donkey centrally to link its characters, its a rather vile portrayal of the intrigue of drab french rural life in a small village, and how the unredeeming characters attempt to use each other, just as the donkey is used, maries sad path in this film has been deliberately calibrated to irritate the decency inherent in the viewer, in a way that seems contrived and very depressing with implied, if off camera rape, it seems as if all the characters have been engineered to agrravate as there is too much shade and not enough light, given that none of the characters seem to get or give a break to each other, in the relentless sadness of it all, but the general jist is that for all that we think we might gain for ourselves there is a lacking in life, that leads us in the end even with free will, often to be no happier in life than the seemingly martyred silent donkey in the field.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

All this user's reviews

PreviousSep 30, 2010

A film that a sum of people would be turned off by, Balthazar touches the heart instantly after the 3 minute mark as it tells a tale about the life of a donkey suffering a powerful experience you don't want to miss.

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

All this user's reviews

IraMFeb 12, 2007

I just purchased this movie. I have seen it twice now. Religous allegory and painful realism in one movie. Not quite as surreal as Bunuel or Fellini, more subtle. What stikes me as strange are the events that never take place on screen. On I just purchased this movie. I have seen it twice now. Religous allegory and painful realism in one movie. Not quite as surreal as Bunuel or Fellini, more subtle. What stikes me as strange are the events that never take place on screen. On the first viewing, I thought that maybe I wasn't paying attention close enough. I guess that is a part of the mystery, though. I loved the party scene with the fireworks. This is a subtle, sad masterpiece.… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful

OetterDec 28, 2013

baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

mujitacaptainOct 30, 2014

Balthazar is one of the best movies existing to date !!!! It is so well done produced,fantastic dialogue,the best story in movie (my opinion) do date and many more

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

EpicLadySpongeApr 18, 2016

Balthazar is another one of those movies users can't get it right and I've seen a lot of movies that users can't get it right. I love every single detail and that's how you know a movie will be amazing.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

bobmeierAug 1, 2016

I was working at a DME about ten years ago and a lady I was working with loved the movies as much as me. I turned her on Mulholland Drive, which she LOVED. I had her watch Vertigo and she was underwhelmed. But what flabbergasted me was thatI was working at a DME about ten years ago and a lady I was working with loved the movies as much as me. I turned her on Mulholland Drive, which she LOVED. I had her watch Vertigo and she was underwhelmed. But what flabbergasted me was that she HATED Balthazar, which to me is incomprehensible. And she was a very spiritual woman-she hated the word "religous" but she was an ordained minister of some sort( I myself have a very weak faith). If ever there were a movie that would make you think about God's existence and the serenity that that thought provides, this is it. There simply aren't words to describe.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

dannykayMay 10, 2022

Au hazard Balthazar in every frame has exceptional morality, intimidating representation of humanity as a whole manifesting in the grotesque nature of people getting satisfaction over dominants over animals! Opening in a delicate arrangementAu hazard Balthazar in every frame has exceptional morality, intimidating representation of humanity as a whole manifesting in the grotesque nature of people getting satisfaction over dominants over animals! Opening in a delicate arrangement of piano notes interrupted by a donkey’s whaling cries (possibly Balthazar’s birth.), then back to the melancholy piano to the titles in a crumpled-up background. The very first shot is of young Balthazar feeding on his mother already representing the beginning of life, nurturing, and the miracle of creation. A hand slowly stroking Balthazar’s content back is Marie the woman in form of kindness wanting a friend to keep but over her shoulder a stern father, stating no in his heavy authority. Already the film has shown us the cruel, unjust yet reasonable dissections of the world. A family of loving kids represents childhood playing with the donkey in the hay, a excises in poetry shot of a swinging chair, and in the background grooming the donkey. Baptizing represents religion, love heart engraved on a bench, the cruelness of whipping, hard labor, being materialized and hooves metal is all extremely scary from Balthazar’s perspective of the world. Pitch folks chase like Frankenstein starts leading Balthazar's journey finding open gates almost like it's presenting a passage from hell to heaven. Strikingly shot, purposefully cruel characters looking down upon the donkey with no feelings. Fate made a hay intensity inducing sounds of rattling carriages to build tension and then silence with slowly creeping low piano keys lifting the moods. Youth is destroyed, and innocence vanished by the darkness of the world. Illness is presented by a bedridden small girl strangely feeding the donkey salt. Balthazar cheers up the children as the essence of childhood is fully captured in one short sequence. Only 9 minutes into the feature and already Au Hasard Balthazar has almost covered everything wrong and right about humans, that’s why this is one of the grandest films ever made. I was being reached on an emotional, thought-provoking level hardly any films give me. The main piano score music plays then rudely interrupted by a loud tractor representing the hard work humans go through to get to what everyone wants out of life, love, affection, safety, and purpose. We work because we have to serve society unless you’re ill seen early into the film. Marie represents many important aspects of society's statures femininity, beauty, pure-hearted, and gentleness but she’s placed within a terrifying circle of evilness. A brutal transition from Marie and her kind father to a gang of motorbike hoodlums pouring oil on the ground represents to me the endless void of crime in a saddening world. Balthazar with dread on his face is about to face bullying, the gang is going to pursue them but the audience already knows before something happens as Bresson's direction is flawless. Hardly any dialog is spoken in the first thirty minutes almost acting like a silent feature. The gang's first response is “A donkey neat, that's modern.”. The biker winks at the woman then the father without causing trouble (being outnumbered) whips the donkey quickly. Animals sense bad people but the bikers follow them as the left open the gates of heaven. The demons so to speak take revenge for not being noticed or feeding into their childish antics. Slowly walking Marie looks for leaves just like Balthazar looked for to eat in scenes prior is reflecting on Marie and Balthazar that they are both the same. They are beautiful, same morals, and live within a problematic world. Marie makes Balthazar a pretty flower, leaf coved crown almost like in the bible in a humble scene. Balthazar's expression is poignant he’s cleanly crying with joy looking back at her as she sits down to 10 seconds of silents apart from crickets. Suddenly she’s Powerless peaking through the narrow door watching in dismay of incoming trouble. Building again Bresons techie focuses on hands and feet shots for tension The shot slowly the biker hands slide ominously across the once scared bench of childhood hopes and dreams. He tries to touch her so she runs into the house as Balthazar is involved in horrific Dragging, nipping, taunting, and punching. Transitioning to choirs in church praying for god then the evil biker is there who will sing to bells ringing like the donkeys being a reminder. Bullying Balthazar continues, father in trouble from rumors then the camera moves inwards to Balthazar as a sign of heavy Obligation. Marie is too scared to make Gerald's crew escape the police but Balthazar is shot! We are empathizing with his sense of cold alarming doom. Balthazar’s final sacrament is phenomenal as I cried at the ending which is very rare for me, that’s how powerful the waves of sheep, bell sounds, and death of the saint donkey impacted me.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews