Movie: Diving Bell And The Butterfly

During my last excursion to the Angelika theatre, my eyes flittered over an opaque poster of a foreign film. It really caught my attention but in a puzzling way. Alex and I were late to see “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead” and I couldn’t wait a moment to focus on the poster. Walking out, I saw the name of the film and I knew I’d probably have to see it. If you haven’t figured it out by now, the movie was “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”. I believe it’s ONLY playing at the Angelika on Houston & Mercer, which surprises me. In a city as big as New York, it’s a sobering thought that a movie this beautiful hasn’t been picked up by another major theatre. No problem, however, as it gives me an excuse to enjoy the vibration of the subway under my seat.

The poster, a blonde, lazy gazing girl and a man driving a car, piqued my interest, then I saw a trailer, then I heard an interview about “Diving Bell” on the 11.30.07 edition of my favorite NPR program, “Fresh Air”. All of these events culminated in my fandango-ing the movie and convincing my friend Laura to accompany me last Monday (12.3.07).


So we’re on the same page, I am a dedicated cinematophile. When I watch movies, I want art, texture, design, air, beauty, and color in all its fantastic, psychedelic exposures. Sometimes movies are absent of color and only present it to express a point or make an emotional connection with the audience (see: “Schindler’s List”, “Sin City”). Sometimes films are drained of their saturation and all that’s left is a drab canvas on which to tell the story (see: “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”) I think, and I could be wrong, that these movies permit the story to fully form, with a beautiful backdrop on which to contrast the human condition with physical existence.

During Fresh Air’s exploration of “Diving Bell and the Butterfly, I got to learn more of the backstory of this beautiful film. Julian Schnabel of “Basquiat” and “Before Night Falls” fame, is the director. In “Diving Bell”, Schnabel takes on Jean-Dominique Bauby’s memoir of living as a stroke victim with “locked-in syndrome”. He is paralyzed, only able to communicate by blinking with one eyelid, but completely aware of his situation. He cannot speak, which is frustrating; we, the patient audience, must listen to him painstakingly create words and sentences with his speech therapist when we have already heard his internal dialogue. Left alone much of the time with scattered friends, his three children and their mother as his only visitors, what we eventually figure out is that this guy is trapped in his immobile body but his mind is as imaginative as ever.

He was the Editor-in-Chief of French Elle, and the frequent flashbacks really emphasized what has been lost here. He was adorable; the kind of French bohemian vulnerability us American girls are ga-ga over. Boyish, flirty, sexy, he comes off so likeable that you’re crushed by his fortunes. He’s not all down about his luck though. He has two attractive female speech therapists, one more tiresome then the other, but what does he mind when they are fawning over him? Living inside his mind with him, we can laugh at his funny jokes (mostly at his own expense) and be sympathetic towards his communicative shortcomings. This isn’t an uplifting, power-of-the-human-spirit, bogusly inspiring film. There are no fake feelings here. To me, it can only be described as an honest portrayal of our own mortality.

Of course, cinematography can, and always, be only as good as the cinematographer. In this case, it’s famed and brilliant Janusz Kaminiski, of “Munich”, “Minority Report”, “Saving Private Ryan” and other critically acclaimed blockbuster classics. I wonder why he took on this job when he’s clearly attained the level where he doesn’t “need” to do indie films anymore. Much of the film is shot claustrophobically with mostly point-of-view shots in an alarmingly realistic sense. We are invited directly into Bauby’s mind. When he blinks, the screen cuts to black. Maybe it’s overstylized, maybe it’s gimmicky, but it works. If the true intent of Schnabel’s film is to be a way for us to come to terms with our mortality and humanity, Kaminski’s cinematography allows us into the “locked-in” mind daringly. Many other cinematographers might not have the same bravery.

To close, I loved the music in this film. From U2 to Tom Waits to my new obsession, Ultra Orange (hopefully iTunes will put them in the store!) the music is integral to the film. I’ve taken these songs from the blog “The Playlist”. Hopefully they won’t mind.

Songs Used In “The Diving Bell & The Butterfly”
“Theme for ‘The Diving Bell & the Butterfly’” by Paul Cantelon
“La Mer” - Performed by Charles Trenet (opening credits)
“Je Chante Sous La Pluie” (French adaptation of “Singin’ in the Rain”)
“Chains of Love” - Performed by the Dirtbombs
“Concerto for Piano in F Minor, BMV 1056 - Largo” (J.S. Bach)
“Napoli Milionaria” (Nina Rota)
“All the World is Green” - Performed by Tom Waits
“Pauvre Petite Fille Riche” (Vline Buggy/Hubert Giraud)
“Lolita Love Theme” (Robert J. Harris)
“Ultra Violet (Light My Way)” - Performed by U2 (Lourdes flashback/Day scenes)
“Don’t Kiss Me Goodbye” - Performed by Ultra Orange with Emmanuelle (Lourdes flashback/Night scenes)
“Pale Blue Eyes” - Performed by the Velvet Underground
“Happy Birthday to You” (Patty & Mildred Hill)
“Quatre Cents Coup” - title track from the Francois Truffaut film
“Ramshackle Day Parade” - Performed by Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros (End credits song #1)
“Green Grass” - Performed by Tom Waits (End credits song #2)

You can find the trailer on “The Playlist” as well.
Enjoy.