Recent Reviews for Le Scaphandre et le Papillon (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly)
Recent Reviews
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MCT:September 6, 2008A heartwrenchingly, breathtakingly beautiful movie... in fact, the word "beautiful" doesn't even begin to describe it... it's inspired me to read the book it was based on immediately.
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MCT:September 4, 2008
''I decided to stop pitying myself. Other than my eye, two things aren't paralyzed, my imagination and my memory.''
The true story of Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby who suffers a stroke and has to live with an almost totally paralyzed body; only his left eye isn't paralyzed.
Mathieu Amalric: Jean-Dominique 'Jean-Do' Bauby
Emmanuelle Seigner: Céline Desmoulins
Diving Bell/Butterfly is a true Story and evidence that truth can be more astounding than any fiction can.
Tells the tale of Jean-Dominique Bauby who tragically becomes immobilized apart from his left eye.
For the duration of Diving Bell we mostly see what Jean-Do sees through his eye, from his perception and perspective of the world.
We the audience begin to realize and ascertain how trapped and confined he is as the Story continues. Imagery to convey this includes him in an Underwater restricted Suit that shows how his body has become ultimately his prison yet his imagination and memory his escape and freedom from a relentless nightmare.
Diving Bell made me think on a personal level, made me think that I've been guilty of taking life for granted and not realizing the greatness and vastness of things I have and possess. Seeing this man disabled and helpless in his hardship and his immoblilized state is incredible due to the fact he writes a whole book using his eye to convey it all through letters using blinks. Once for yes, Twice for no to confirm the letters said.
Flashbacks also shed light on Jean-Do's life prior to the accident/stroke. This was powerful stuff for me. A scene in Diving Bell between Jean-Do and his Father played by Max Von Sydow is truly tear inducingly heart wrenching. I had to hide my face in the Cinema due to the fact I don't like people to see me cry. Diving Bell on a personal level is like a dream and this book this man creates is his voice crying out from this living nightmare.
Alot to learn to from it's imaginative play on history and dreamy depths of Jean-Do's mind to it's realistic desperation of a man fighting to stay alive. A Sunday described as a desert due to it's lack of company is so clever or the ''We're all children, we all need approval.'' is a life's lesson in effect genius.
Le Scaphandre et le Papillon in a effect a Masterpiece, beautiful.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is one reason I love films and reading.
One man's struggle so wonderfully caught and shown.''A poet once said, Only a fool laughs when nothing's funny. -
MCT:September 1, 2008could be better with a little bit creativity in the way we look the world through the eyes of the paralyzed guy. but actually I liked it because of a good script and some good dialog/monologues.
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MCT:August 29, 2008After "Basquiat" and (to a somewhat lesser degree) "Before Night Falls", my expectations of Mr. Schnabel's work are set very high (perhaps unfairly so). This is an interesting film about an interesting man who finds himself in an interesting (and terrible) situation. It's told in an interesting way and is not without hints of the director's immense capabilities. But ultimately, I just didn't see the wingspan in this piece that I know the filmmaker to be capable of. Too reserved to be profound.
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MCT:August 28, 2008"Other than my eye, two things aren't paralysed. My imagination...and my memory. They're the only two ways I can escape from my diving bell." - Jean-Dominique Bauby
Le Scaphandre et le papillon (in English, the title translates to The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) is a masterful, ethereal, beautiful cinematic composition based on the unbearably poignant memoirs of French magazine editor Jean-Dominique Bauby. This phenomenal novel is impossible to read without frequently evoking knowledge of the monumental exertions Bauby must have undertaken to write it. Painstakingly dictated, one single letter and one sole blink at a time, it's the work of an incredibly ardent and witty mind irretrievably locked in a vegetative condition. Bauby's memoirs served as a ready-made canvas for the artistic indulgences of director Julian Schnabel (who had previously helmed Before Night Falls in 2000 and Basquiat in 1996). Schnabel's cinematic tour de force succeeds equally as a chronicle of one man's triumph over adversity and a document of groundbreaking visual elegance - all of which are emotionally-burdening and inspirational. The film acts as a testament to the indomitable power of the human spirit...not to mention cinema itself.
Schnabel's film expertly conveys Jean-Dominique Bauby's life in the present, the past and through the dreams that facilitate the escape of his torturous existence. The cinematography is ably executed by Steven Spielberg regular Janusz Kaminski who earned as Oscar nomination. Kaminski proficiently creates a magnificent juxtaposition of a vindictive and distorted world with the exquisite imagery of Bauby's imagination. As Bauby's tortured soul witnesses the beach or his family by his side, these exterior events flow seamlessly into beautiful visual evocations of his interior fantasies. This technique frequently imbues the screen: it imparts a mesmerising, seductive effect upon the viewer.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly conveys an inspirational, powerful narrative. For those unfamiliar with the central protagonist, Jean-Dominique Bauby (played here by Mathieu Amalric) was known to his closest friends as Jean-Do and was a man who lived his glamorous life to the fullest. Jean-Do was the editor of the respected French fashion magazine Elle. He was the loving father of two children (three in the film) and led a hectic, albeit somewhat contended, life in Paris. His life is brought to a halt in December 1995 when Jean-Do suffered a massive stroke. This stroke rendered his body completely paralysed...everything except his left eye. The doctors diagnosed him with "locked-in syndrome". With the realisation of his fate that could plague his body forever, Jean-Do finds it difficult to remain optimistic. He even desires for his death to be fast-tracked. His depression slowly eases, though, when attractive female therapist Henriette (Croze) introduces him to a medium of communication. To construct a sentence Henriette recites the letters of the alphabet and Jean-Do blinks when he hears the right letter. This method proved laborious and required patience, but it was the only way to communicate with his family and friends.
"I decided to stop pitying myself. Other than my eye, two things aren't paralyzed, my imagination and my memory."
Jean-Do had a contract with a publishing company and had planned to pen his own modernised version of The Count of Monte Cristo. As this was beyond him he instead employs his blinking technique to dictate an entire novel that encompassed all his dreams, memories and emotions.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is Julian Schnabel's masterwork. Jean-Dominique Bauby's memoirs were adapted for the big screen by Ronald Harwood (who also wrote The Pianist). Harwood initially deemed the novel as impossible to film and nearly gave up trying. Thankfully the screenwriter then determined the right perspective to work from - within the head of Bauby.
Director Schnabel embraced the concept perfectly and has delivered a stunning film. The film's distinctive tone is established from the get-go. Janusz Kaminski's cinematography immediately thrusts us into the world of Bauby. He shows the proceedings from the perspective of Bauby's left eye so that we see what he sees: blurs, shapes, people, doctors, curtains distorted in sunlight. His initial sensitivity to light and inability to focus accurately is also a frequent conveyance. The first half an hour (approximately) is shown entirely from Bauby's viewpoint as his other eye is sewn up, he learns of his condition bit by bit, people come and go, and he struggles to come to terms with his paralysis. We even hear his interior monologue as he presents a snide commentary on the current happenings. This even shows us that Bauby at least retained his sense of humour despite his condition. This may try an audience's attention span, but there's enough drama to keep us engaged.
A poet once said, "Only a fool laughs when nothing's funny"
This effect, however, is destroyed when the film moves out of Bauby's head. It fundamentally offers a "Get Out of Jail Free" card. Originally we feel the profound pain of a man longing to escape from a prison...then we suddenly feel less for his situation. It's also worth noting that the film sparked controversy from Bauby's closest family. His portrayal in the film is that of a self-indulgent man whose personal life is a mess. Despite the mother of Jean-Do's children faithfully remaining by his bedside throughout his trauma, he still appears to care more for a wife that refuses to visit him. Also there's the fact that Bauby suffered for every word of his art, whereas Schnabel possesses never-ending visual resources. This inevitably makes the film a less intimate, more exterior experience.
Still, the content is moving and touching. By the end you'll almost be crying. When cinematographer Kaminski traps his audience in Bauby's mind it's difficult to keep drawing breathe...we still feel for his situation for the most part and are riveted by his interior monologue as well as those moments of sincere emotionality displayed on the faces of those around him. Paul Cantelon's piano music amplifies the film's delicate, conflicting emotions. When this beautiful music is blended with the gorgeous visual images the result is hard to match, let alone top.
Jean-Dominique Bauby tagged his memoirs with the title of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Essentially this is a metaphor for his existence. Bauby considers himself so secluded and contained, as if he were exploring the deep ocean while wearing an apparatus that allows him to breathe, and little else.
"My diving bell becomes less oppressive, and my mind takes flight like a butterfly."
Actor Johnny Depp was first in line for the title role, but dropped out due to scheduling difficulties (with Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End). There is little doubt that Depp would have been ideal, and to a significant extent I wish Depp did end up taking the role.
Munich star Mathieu Amalric took the role instead. He's simply wonderful! The actor is presented with the challenge of duality: at times we see him as a typical rich man living life to the fullest, but for the majority of the film he's paralysed. Needless to say, his appearance is credible...almost to the point that you'll believe he's actually paralysed in real life.
The females surrounding Amalric in the supporting cast are just wonderful. The girls are deliberately highly attractive to suit the situation.
Max von Sydow is given a small role as Bauby's father. In one particular scene he's reduced to tears over the phone. These few minutes are among the finest in his career.
Overall, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is superb filmmaking in almost every aspect and a true celebration of the human spirit. It's definitely among the best foreign films to be released in recent years. Even though not much seems to happen during the 110-minute running time and perhaps there are a few questionable creative decisions, this is an essential experience that must not be overlooked. -
MCT:August 21, 2008
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"Jean-Dominique Bauby:
I decided to stop pitying myself. Other than my eye, two things aren't paralyzed,
My imagination and my memory. "
In my thought "The Diving Bell and The Butterfly" book goes into a category of "100% Impossible to capture".But Julian Schnabel made an rare piece of cinema that is captures the every essence of Jean-Dominique Bauby's life perfectly.One of the best films in years, and in artistic cinematic terms, one of the best films I've ever seen. That's a heavy statement to make, but off the top of my head, I cannot think of another film that explores the inner workings of a character so intimately and believably, while blending cinematography, sound effects, and musical score in such harmony.Poetic, engrossing and inventive, this is a magnificent film.
Schnabel builds the suspense by progressively revealing the face of the patient. It takes about thirty minutes into the film before we get to clearly see Bauby's distorted, frozen face. From the very beginning of the film, we are not witnessing the story of a man, but we will be this man. But it would be pretentious to say that we will then understand him, the aim of the film being only to paint his intimate portrait, using this ingenious technique.
Following this long expository scene, the focus of the film now shifts toward Bauby's interaction with the people who surround him. These interactions are enough to make the Schnabel's film heartrending and less lyrical or pathetic as it progresses and becomes more of a narrative. This is certainly not a film gimmick to relieve the unbearably oppressive atmosphere crushing the viewers, but a means to keep their interest.
In what follows, we see episodes of Jean-Do's fantasies, a mixture of memories and dreams, some poignant and some comical or sexy, with some fantastic mises-en-scène.
Mathieu Almaric as Jean-Do is outstanding, and he bears a large responsibility for the film's success. Whether in the flashbacks and fantasies, or staring into the camera with his drooling face, frozen and yet so eloquent, or as the voice-over, as another aspect of the Jean-Do, mischievous, sardonic, despairing, lyrical, at no time in this film can Almaric's credibility be questioned.
An exceptional cast of supporting actors and actresses all provide intense richness of emotions, acting with restraint, with hints of modesty and shyness, contrasting with Jean-Do's absolute and candid thoughts. In particular, the four women are superb. Schnabel seems to have made them a little indistinguishable, since for Jean-Do, connected to life mostly through women, they must each have represented the eternal, untouchable feminine.
Scriptwriter Harwood succeeds rather well in pacing the story between immobility and action. However, the key to his success is in making the camera become the man. This is not a new idea, but neither is it a melodramatic gimmick here, and at precisely the right moment Harwood's perspective changes, and his film follows a little more closely the demands of a traditional biography. Friends and family from Bauby's life are introduced one by one, but never in a predictable way, nor based upon clichés.
Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski is brilliant. Rarely has the subjective camera been so well handled: camera out of focus to express the blurring caused by tears; the fades out to black corresponding to the blinking of the eyelid; the occasional leaning of the camera and the brusqueness of some trackings harmoniously fade the shots into the subjective camera. The sets are all spectacular. The image is at times out-of-focus, sometimes brilliant and colorful, sometimes blinding and off-center: this is truly the work of Schnabel, the painter.
The film is also about what it means to be an artist. Sickness is a bit like genius, a source of misunderstanding and exclusion, and the artist, like the patient, is in constant battle against the outside world. To escape one's fate, society's cruelty and restraints, one can only rely on one's own intelligence, creativity, and heroism. By reaching deep within himself, Bauby extends his life beyond the limitations of his body by dreaming and creating a work of art. It's a face-off against himself, where the Superego, the butterfly, gains the upper hand over the Ego, the diving bell. Schnabel is a spiritual man, but not a religious one. He believes in the goodness of people, and in their capacity for being patient with their fellow humans and treating them well, just for the sake of it, the way the women in the film give freely of themselves, trying to help Jean-Do.
Finally,this film can make you realize how much you have taken a life ungranted and unappreciated.As Bauby says at the beginning of the film, the lesson is that we should experience life, living in the present, learning to recognize and appreciate the small moments of happiness as they come along, and most importantly, to love.
The following will reveal the story
Elle France editor Jean-Dominique Bauby, who, in 1995 at the age of 43, suffered a stroke that paralyzed his entire body, except his left eye. Using that eye to blink out his memoir, Bauby eloquently described the aspects of his interior world, from the psychological torment of being trapped inside his body to his imagined stories from lands he'd only visited in his mind.
"Only a fool laughs when nothing's funny" -
MCT:August 18, 2008
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is supreb movie!.
The camera techniques used made me feel how its like to live with a fully aware mind, and one working eye.
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MCT:August 8, 2008
a different type of cinematic experience with a wealth of thought-provoking introspection and challenging life situations. the first-person camera perspectives were unusual and hard to adapt to at first, but they really added to the overall sense of isolation. Bauby's transition from dry cynicism to empassioned acceptance is beautifully played by Amalric and captivatingly aided by a supporting cast in the worlds of reality, fantasy, and memory. quiet, simple, and a rich contribution to the art film genre.
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MCT:August 6, 2008
BEAUTIFUL MOVIE! TRULY MOVING..AFTER SEEING THIS I LEARNED THAT I HAVE NO RIGHT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ANYTHING IN THIS LIVE. THE SIMPLE ACT OF BEING ALIVE IS GOOD ENOUGH.
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MCT:August 5, 2008This one was really hard to enjoy. If you rated this one above 4, please stay away from me as your to strange or maybe its me thats strange, let a buddy rent this one then make up and excuse to go hoome if you don't like it.
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MCT:August 4, 2008
Brilliant!!! C'est un film d'originalite. Love how the camera take the angle, WOW!! It went deep in2 the main character. Bravo pour ce film!! Je suis tres fier du film francais
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MCT:August 4, 2008
You might think that a film about man who suffers a stroke and is forced to live out his life, unable to move, even unable to speak, would be depressing. That's what I figured going in to The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. I knew what it was about, but wanted to see it because it had been getting rave reviews and my wife, a lover of everything French, and I needed a night out together. The film begins with sadness, but after it's over you feel full of life, ready to face the world in a whole new light.
Right from the start, the film puts you into Jean-Dominique Bauby's head, the first scene is filmed completely from his perspective. You wake up in a hospital, you don't quite know what's going on. Your eyes won't focus, doctors and nurses stream in and out of the room, and when you talk to them, they don't hear you. They tell you that you've suffered a stroke, that they're not quite certain of the damage yet. But it is soon quite apparent that it is catastrophic; you have what they call "locked-in syndrome". Information comes in through your senses, but you are unable to communicate with the outside world.
Your eye is going septic, you watch as they sow it shut; an incredible scene. The only thing you can think about is dying. Because what good is life, if you can not travel through it, are only able to see it through one pathetic eye, and unable to tell anyone what you are feeling. What good could possibly come of it? The film does an impeccable job of putting you into Bauby's state-of-mind, gives you a slight feeling for what he must have gone through. You're left feeling hopeless as he is; but then it all begins to lighten up. Bauby meets a beautiful nurse who teaches him how to speak by blinking his eye. It's an incredibly torturous way to communicate, but when it's your only choice, you must make do.
That's the power of The Diving Bell and The Butterfly. That it makes you appreciate life, even from the perspective of someone who is almost completely unable to do so. He makes new friends, connects with his family and father in a way that he couldn't before, and learns more about who he is than anyone could probably imagine. If you're stuck in your head 24/7, than you fill your life with memories, good and bad; relive your childhood, correct mistakes, and become a better person. He has so much wanting to get out, that he decides to write an auto-biography, which he must do one slow letter at a time.
Director Julian Schnabel has crafted a true masterpiece out of real-life; gorgeously photographed, full of wonderful sights and sounds, and completely heart-warming, without ever being preachy or schmaltzy. I haven't seen a lot of them, but I imagine this will remain my favorite foreign film of 2007. It was a crime, that it was denied a slot in the Academy Awards Best Foreign Language; in all honesty it should have been up for Best Picture over the cutesy Juno. (But they needed at least one popular film in there.) Do yourself a favor and see this film when it's released on DVD, you'll be glad you did.
Originally posted on What I Watched Last Night -
MCT:August 3, 2008
Utterly beautiful.
This movie may reach 4.5 stars for me over time. I'll just play it conservative for now. -
MCT:August 2, 2008güzeldi duygulandik sonunda beklemedigim bir sondu hikayeyi bilmiyordum. Mathieu Amalric i de beyendim.
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MCT:August 2, 2008Boring and exhausting with no considerable creativity in making or sense beauty in the story. Its not successful to arouse the sense of sympathy (the most probable intention of the director).
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MCT:August 1, 2008
Poetic and thoughtful, but not enough true character development. I've realized that if I don't fall for the protagonist, I'm probably not going to fall for the movie.
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MCT:August 1, 2008
Despite some flaws, more in the second part less more powerful than the first one, the movie is simply incredible, we go so deep in the mind of the character, there's some scene that's simply touch me powerfuly, like I didn't think it would. Beautiful music, awesome direction. A must-see!
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MCT:July 31, 2008
Um filme muito bem dirigido sobre uma história que emociona. As sensações que o filme proporciona são incomodas, as vezes provoca nauseas provavelmente propositais, tentando transportar, nem que de muito longe, para uma simulação das sensações indiziveis da vida do personagem que só conseguia mover - e enxergar com - um olho em todo o corpo.
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MCT:July 31, 2008
Full of imagination, metaphors and poetic shots. A very moving adaptation. It is depressing, but uplifting at the same time. It depends on how you look at it, juat as the falling glaciers can be undone by imagination.
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MCT:July 30, 2008
A unique vision on how people can life happy no matter what. The cinematography is amazing and the music is perfect. It's a love story, it's a drama, it's a dark comedy, it's all in one. Good from the beginning to the end.
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MCT:July 29, 2008
An intense, personal look into the mind of a man suffering from locked-in syndrome. He was completely paralyzed by a stroke except for his left eye, which he uses to communicate with others through blinking. What follows is an introspective trip through his memories as he judges and regrets choices he had made.
The camera work of the film coupled with narration from Jean-Dominique make this very personal and intimate. You feel as if you are locked in his body and listening to his thoughts. It is quite an experience, and the direction allowed you to connect on both this personal level, and as an outsider looking in. This gives you the full picture of this man's life, his personal thoughts, and the experience of his friends and family.
It is really quite astounding that he was able to "write" an entire book in that state, and we are lucky to have such an intimate, detailed description of what it's like to be trapped like that. Very good film. -
MCT:July 28, 2008
Mathieu Amalric did an amazing job considering he had to narrate for most of the time, making me feel for his character and those around him. Still, even though I was never once bored during this film, I never felt too involved either. Expecting I would love it, I can only say I liked it.
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MCT:July 26, 2008
Like many french movies I have seen in the last months this movie starts out great but then tends to slow down with creativity.. still worth a look, but does not reach the level of "my left foot" or "mar adentro"..
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MCT:July 24, 2008
Made me sad, and humble. Could be called depressing, but it's rather bittersweet and of course a very important movie to raise awareness on so many things, CVA's patients specially, because you are forced to put yourself in Jean-Do's shoes (if that's even possible), who wrote a whole book with the movements of one eye (and the incredible dedication of his care-givers...) The kind of story (a true one) that makes you realize how important, and precious, those little, everyday moments we tend to overlook in life, are. Memory, and imagination, Jean-Do said, that's all he was left with. And he embraced them.
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MCT:July 24, 2008
Sad and beautiful. The title is really confusing until you watch the movie and was actually one of the reasons I hadn't watched it until now. But it's a great film.
