the protagonist is obsessed with an inflatable nude woman. A stage adaptation by Anthony Clark was performed at the Royal National Theatre in 1996. Don Hertzfeld's 1997 short film Billy's Balloon, which also showed at Cannes, is a parody of the film. The music video for "Son of Sam" by Elliott Smith, from his 2000 album Figure 8, is a direct homage to the film. Hou Hsiao-hsien's 2007 film Flight of the Red Balloon is a direct homage to the film. A boy with a bright red balloon is featured in the epilogue of Damien Chazelle's 2016 musical film La La Land. Pascal and Sabine restaurant in Asbury Park, New Jersey is named in honor of the film. Guitarist Keith Calmes' album Follow the Red Balloon is named as an homage to the spirit of Pascal and Sabine. In the 1990 episode of The Simpsons entitled The Crepes of Wrath, Bart returns from France bearing gifts for his family. His sister Maggie is holding a red balloon. Merchandise Home media The film was first released on VHS by Embassy Home Entertainment in 1984. A laserdisc of it was later released by The Criterion Collection in 1986, and was produced by Criterion, Janus Films, and Voyager Press. Included in it was Lamorisse's award-winning short White Mane (1953). A DVD version became available in 2008, and a Blu-ray version was released in the United Kingdom on January 18, 2010; it has now been confirmed as region-free. Book A tie-in book was first published by Doubleday Books, (now Penguin Random House), in 1957, using black and white and color stills from the film, with added prose. It was highly acclaimed and went on to win 'A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year.' Lamorisse was credited as its sole author. Soundtrack A soundtrack, featuring music adapted from the film by Lamorisse, was released on the Nonesuch Records label. References External links The Red Balloon at Janus Films (official web site) The Red Balloon information site and DVD/Blue-ray review at DVD Beaver (includes images) Le Ballon rouge at Cinefeed 1950s French-language films 1950s fantasy comedy-drama films French fantasy comedy-drama films French drama short films Balloons (entertainment) 1950s children's fantasy films Films directed by Albert Lamorisse Films shot in Paris Films whose writer won the Best Original Screenplay Academy Award Louis Delluc Prize winners Short Film Palme d'Or winners 1956 comedy films