Last night I watched the film "Le Scaphandre et le papillon" (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) – and what a moving experience it was. The way the story is portrayed, the imagery, direction and the acting is magnificent. I have to admit I have a soft spot when it comes to films done in the French language, but as the director Julian Schnabel says in an interview (bonus on the disc), it wouldn’t have been correct (in any way) to make this French story that happened in France, in another language. (The script was originally written in English by Ronald Harwood.)
The film is based on a book by Jean-Dominique Bauby and depicts his own experiences after suffering a stroke which made him (almost) completely paralyzed; only his left eye was not affected. As the film commences only we (the audience), understand that behind the shell that has enveloped Bauby, his mind and memory are still working. Through vivid – and extremely effective – camera-work the audience only see what the main-character sees for about the 20 first minutes. Via Jean-Do’s perspective we experience his frustrations in not being able to respond to and communicate with doctors and other persons that come to see him at the hospital. Slowly he learns to communicate by aid of a specially composed alphabet – where letters are arranged in an order depending on the frequency they appear in words. By aid of a highly motivated and patient speech-therapist he slowly develops an ability to convey his thoughts.
An amazing story and amazing film making.
More:
Wikipedia – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly [the film]
Wikipedia – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly [the book]
IMDB – Le Scaphandre et le papillon [the film]
