Review of Au Hasard Balthazar (1966) by Chad T — 26 Apr 2008

For anyone interested in exploring Robert Bresson, this may be one of the best places to start. I found it a deeply emotional experience--regardless if one interprets it as a Christian allegory or simply the story of a donkey's silent suffering in the face of an incomprehensible, degraded world.

The cinematography is beautiful, and Bresson's tendency to isolate small gestures of the human (or animal) body in the frame has the effect of making them both mysterious and highly moving. Watch it closely, without distractions or interruptions, and I think you'll find yourself in an entirely different state by the end.