An accomplished film, but the tedium and sadness . . . can take an emotional toll on viewers.
Johnny Depp was originally slated to play Bauby, but his would have been underused. We're well into the 40-minute mark before the camera finally pulls away from Bauby's point of view and lets us see the invalid from an outside perspective. Though we retain the voiceover that conveys Bauby's thoughts, being able to escape his body, his diving bell, is a much-needed relief. It's hell, experiencing what Bauby went through, even if it's only vicariously accomplished through the positioning of a camera. And while it's amazing that Matthieu Amalric is able to hold his face in such a slack-jawed manner, his only emotion can be conveyed by that single, wide eye.
There are far fewer flashbacks than I would have imagined, and again that's a decision that forces viewers to more closely experience the constriction of Bauby's life. Same with the restricted third-person point-of-view camerawork that keeps us always close to Bauby's wheelchair. Schnabel says in one of the bonus features that he did this film in order to help him deal with his own eventual death. His father died at 92 totally terrified of death, and he didn't want that to happen to him. But I'm not sure how much this film can prepare anyone for death. As we watch Bauby cling to life, no matter what the quality, and as we feel his regrets and inability to make corrections now, it's hard to view this as a primer for dying with grace. But it does feel like a long goodbye. There are poignant-no, sad--moments showing Bauby's son's reaction to seeing his father for the first time, and similar scenes between Bauby and Céline, Bauby and his therapist, Henriette (Marie-Josée Croze), and Bauby and his "Papinou" (Max Von Sydow).
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is rated PG-13 for nudity, sexual content and some language--all of it brief.
Video:
For a DVD, the level of detail is very good. The film is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, and the colors, when Bauby's vision isn't blurred, are bright and reasonably saturated. No complaints here.
Audio:
This is mostly dialogue and mostly interior monologue, and all the speakers really don't get much of a workout. But the French Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is sufficient, with just the slightest bit of scratchiness detected. Subtitles are in English, French, and Spanish. For those who can't stand subtitles, there are also dubbed versions in English and Spanish.
Extras:
Four bonus features are included: a making-of featurette, "A Cinematic Vision," a Charlie Rose interview with Schnabel, and Schnabel's audio commentary. Schnabel's commentary covers the usual ground, and in low-key fashion, and Rose goes through his usual Larry King dramatics . . . but still manages to get a good interview out of Schnabel. Though the making of features on the filming and behind-the-scenes action are worthwhile, the Rose interview told me more about what I wanted to know.
Bottom Line:
In his theatrical review, Jason P. Vargo noted that "there´s nothing fun about this nearly two-hour experience." "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is an accomplished film, but the tedium and sadness and that feeling of a long goodbye make it a film that can take an emotional toll on viewers.
There are far fewer flashbacks than I would have imagined, and again that's a decision that forces viewers to more closely experience the constriction of Bauby's life. Same with the restricted third-person point-of-view camerawork that keeps us always close to Bauby's wheelchair. Schnabel says in one of the bonus features that he did this film in order to help him deal with his own eventual death. His father died at 92 totally terrified of death, and he didn't want that to happen to him. But I'm not sure how much this film can prepare anyone for death. As we watch Bauby cling to life, no matter what the quality, and as we feel his regrets and inability to make corrections now, it's hard to view this as a primer for dying with grace. But it does feel like a long goodbye. There are poignant-no, sad--moments showing Bauby's son's reaction to seeing his father for the first time, and similar scenes between Bauby and Céline, Bauby and his therapist, Henriette (Marie-Josée Croze), and Bauby and his "Papinou" (Max Von Sydow).
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is rated PG-13 for nudity, sexual content and some language--all of it brief.
Video:
For a DVD, the level of detail is very good. The film is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, and the colors, when Bauby's vision isn't blurred, are bright and reasonably saturated. No complaints here.
Audio:
This is mostly dialogue and mostly interior monologue, and all the speakers really don't get much of a workout. But the French Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is sufficient, with just the slightest bit of scratchiness detected. Subtitles are in English, French, and Spanish. For those who can't stand subtitles, there are also dubbed versions in English and Spanish.
Extras:
Four bonus features are included: a making-of featurette, "A Cinematic Vision," a Charlie Rose interview with Schnabel, and Schnabel's audio commentary. Schnabel's commentary covers the usual ground, and in low-key fashion, and Rose goes through his usual Larry King dramatics . . . but still manages to get a good interview out of Schnabel. Though the making of features on the filming and behind-the-scenes action are worthwhile, the Rose interview told me more about what I wanted to know.
Bottom Line:
In his theatrical review, Jason P. Vargo noted that "there´s nothing fun about this nearly two-hour experience." "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is an accomplished film, but the tedium and sadness and that feeling of a long goodbye make it a film that can take an emotional toll on viewers.
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[release]23245[/release]