Ed Yost own interests turned toward reviving the lost practice of manned hot-air ballooning. This technology had first been invented in France by in the late 18th century by pioneers led by the Montgolfier brothers, but under the Montgolfier system, the balloon's air was heated by a ground fire prior to the balloon being released. The inherent danger of this type of balloon flight led to the system being abandoned when hydrogen and later helium became available. One of Yost's key engineering insights was that a hot-air balloon could be made to carry its own fuel. The invention of relatively light burners
The Red Balloon film, with added prose. The book was highly acclaimed and went on to win 'A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year.' Albert Lamorisse was credited as the book's sole author. A soundtrack, featuring music adapted from the film by Lamorisse, was released on the Nonesuch Records label. The Red Balloon The Red Balloon () is a 1956 French fantasy comedy-drama featurette written, produced, and directed by Albert Lamorisse. The thirty-five-minute short, which follows the adventures of a young boy who one day finds a sentient, mute, red balloon, was filmed in the Ménilmontant neighbourhood of Paris.