The DVD Dissection: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Posted by Chad Webb on 04.30.2008

One of the most moving stories in years makes its way to DVD! How does it stack up?

Mathieu Amalric: Jean-Dominique Bauby
Emmanuelle Seigner: Celine Desmoulins
Marie-Josee Croze: Henriette Durand
Anne Consigny: Claude
Patrick Chesnais: Dr. Lepage
Max von Sydow: Papinou
Niels Arestrup: Roussin
Olatz Lopez Garmendia: Marie Lopez
Jean-Pierre Cassell: Pere Lucien/ Vendeur Lourdes
Marina Hands: Josephine
Directed By: Julian Schnabel
Written By: Ronald Harwood
Theatrical Release Date: November 30, 2007
DVD Release Date: April 29, 2008
Running Time: 112 minutes







Rated PG-13 for nudity, sexual content and some language.

The Film

Over the years, and after numerous films, I have seen and heard many stories of heroism, tragedy, and courage. Many of them are inspirational and moving, but few will be as harrowing and poignant as The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. This is so imaginatively shot, so profoundly beautiful, and so surprisingly humorous that you will really appreciate the gift of life, and be grateful for everything you have. Director Julian Schnabel and his crew work miracles in what is one of the most gloriously uplifting pictures in some time.

This is the true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric), the wealthy and charismatic editor-in-chief of the French Elle magazine. He is a man who seemingly has a fantastic life with three wonderful children, women who love him, fast cars, and the list goes on. One day, in December of 1995, his world is turned upside down after a massive stroke leaves him paralyzed from head to toe. At the age of 43, he is diagnosed with locked-in syndrome, and can only move one eyelid to communicate. A speech therapist named Henriette (Marie-Josee Croze) is appointed to help him form sentences and thoughts. It begins with one blink for a "yes" response, and two blinks for "no." After having many visitors, and struggling through various forms of therapy, he begins to write a book about his experiences by only fluttering a sole eyelash. Through his memories and fantasies, he takes his life to extremes he never thought possible, while simultaneously discovering a lot about himself.

Already announced as the next James Bond villain, Mathieu Amalric conveys more depth and soul merely by narrating in an immobile body than most actors do for the most dramatic performances. The audience becomes immersed into his existence. Of course most of us could not fathom what Bauby endured, but this film comes close to transporting the viewer to his perspective with his confined sight from the prison that was his exterior. Despite his condition, Bauby has a mistress who won’t visit him, and he initially refuses to have his kids see him in his restricted state. Amalric has completed one of those eternally memorable portrayals that will touch everyone who witnesses it. Even the scenes shown when he is healthy cause us to sympathize with Bauby as a normal human, not as a fictional victim.

The entire cast is superb, especially Max von Sydow as Bauby’s father, who is unable to leave his apartment due to limitations of his own. The exchanges between Amalric and Sydow are both stirring and gut-wrenching in nature. It is hard to fight back the emotions when Papinou calls Bauby’s room, and can only send messages through the blinking communication technique. Compliments are definitely in store for Marie-Josee Croze (The Barbarian Invasions), who is delicately fabulous as Bauby’s attractive speech therapist. She is unrelenting, yet gentle and polite through the whole ordeal. Claude, played by Anne Consigny, is the woman who assists him with the book. Her position is called an amanuensis. Through each letter of the alphabet, arranged from most commonly used to least, she is by his side.

Director Julian Schnabel has recruited Spielberg cinematographer Janusz Kaminski for some truly astonishing shots. For the first portion of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, we are looking through Bauby’s eyes. His interior monologue guides the audience, but we hear and behold all that he does. The most unforgettable moment occurs when the doctors are forced to stitch up one of Bauby’s eyes because of its risk of becoming infected. To call it discomforting would be an understatement. You won’t be able to shake these images from your mind. The complex methods applied here were exquisitely conceived, and masterfully employed.

Originally, screenwriter Ronald Harwood (The Pianist) wanted this film to be in English, and as some added trivia, Johnny Depp was in talks for the lead, but could not sign on due to scheduling conflicts with Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. It was Director Julian Schnabel who persuaded Pathe studios to remain true to Bauby’s story and film the feature in French. Harwood’s script captures the intimate, heartbreaking, and most buried notions and brainstorms the man contemplates. He evokes Bauby with realism, not as flawless hero to which we will worship. Bauby has made mistakes, and accomplishes exceptional feats as we all have. Based on the memoir Bauby wrote, Harwood stays faithful to the source, yet expands on the last leg of his life after the book concluded.

If you shed tears during the course of this film, know that they are genuine and pure. This film does not beg for weeping because of the inspirational themes. Instead, the cast and crew leave that for you to decide. This is Julian Schnabel’s third effort as a filmmaker, and he has vision and aptitude that he has not even fully attained yet. After watching this, it is exciting to imagine what he is capable of. His manner of altering focus and clarity, the manipulation of light and shadow, and the semi-distorted texture are attuned, sensitive, and magnificent.

It took over 200,000 blinks for Bauby to finish his book, and each word took two minutes to decipher. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly premiered at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, and has since racked up dozens of awards and nominations. It isn’t done yet. This is simply a great film, one of the utmost bravery and power. It should be shown to the sick, injured, and dying all over the world as a means of dealing with their predicaments.

The Video

The picture of this film is something no one will forget I’d wager. It’s not just memorable, it’s a permanent imprint on one’s mind. The hospital scenes do not display many colors, but during the flashbacks and moments when Bauby is outside, the transfer exudes a stark, natural, and arresting allure. Cinematographer Janusz Kaminsky dazzles us with eye-catching and exciting images, yet also painful and stirring ones. This is video quality that was deliberately constructed to be anything but crystal clear. The picture shakes, is blurry, and also grainy, but that is the point. We are placed into the eyes of Bauby. These are not flaws, but strengths which emanate a breathtaking and irreplaceable method of filmmaking. Nevertheless, I cannot rate this as if the picture is on the level of a pristine film either. This is presented in anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1.

The Audio

The sound is relatively calm during this movie, as should be expected with a drama where the main character communicates with on eye. However, music composed by Paul Cantelon is exquisite and lovely. It not only compliments the fragile material, but instills an added layer of motivation for the audience. The dialogue is clear and lucid. All the spoken word is understandable for those who speak French. The subtitles are yellow, hence they are easy to follow. My volume knob rested at a comfortable position. This dual-layered region 1 DVD includes a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, as well as other tracks in English, Spanish, and French. It also contains subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.

The Packaging

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was distributed in a standard black keep case with security clips on the side and a cardboard slip sleeve cover on top of that. Inside is a chapter listing sheet with an advertisement for Becoming Jane on the reverse side. The artwork is the movie poster, which suits me just fine. This must have been extremely difficult to market, but they did a superb job all things considered. The menus are easy to navigate.

The Extras

Audio Commentary - Thankfully, Director Julian Schnabel supplied this track. I enjoyed it because I like the film a lot, but truth be told, Schnabel is rather monotone as this unravels. Additionally, since it is only one person, numerous dead spots are integrated. He does discuss the various methods applied, the actors, and information on the locations. Overall, this is a nice bonus, and shows how dedicated he was to the project.

Submerged: The Making of the Diving Bell and the Butterfly (12:39) - This is your typical “making of” and “behind the scenes” featurette, only a tad shorter than I would have preferred. This includes interviews with the cast and crew such as the director, screenwriter, producers, and so forth. They cover the basic areas from how Ron Harwood got the idea for the script to Julian Schnabel’s hiring and all the normal stuff these extras delve into. Honestly, it was just awesome to see how exactly they filmed this, and I wouldn’t want to spoil it for anyone planning on seeing the DVD. It is impossible to appreciate the final result more.

A Cinematic Vision (7:12) - This explores the system of filming this unique screenplay further with Schnabel’s thoughts on how he approached it, as well as other cast and crew members. Almost the entire cast was acting directly in front of the camera, which is interesting, while Amalric was in a sound proof booth reciting his voice over lines. The glorious editing of Juliette Welfling is also praised, and rightfully so.

Charlie Rose Interviews Julian Schnabel (20:42) - Rose establishes an intimate and personal rapport with his guests better than most interviewers. Apparently he was a friend of Schnabel’s anyway. This commences with the trailer, and then the two chat about the book, the man Jean-Dominique Bauby, what resonated with the audience, and much more. A few clips are also shown and then discussed. On a side note, Schnable makes mention of how he wanted to originally helm Perfume. He goes on to put down the film that was made. What separates this interview from the ones on Late Night is that Schnabel has time to share deep feelings such as how this was a self help device for his fear of death. I liked this extra the most, and highly recommend checking it out.

Previews - When you insert this DVD, a short commercial against smoking comes on from “Infect Truth” (:35), followed by the sole trailer for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2:39).

The Film: 10.0/10.0
The Video: 8.5/10.0
The Audio: 8.0/10.0
The Packaging: 7.5/10.0
The Extras: 8.0/10.0

The 411: If you failed to see The Diving Bell and the Butterfly in theaters, which is understandable, make an effort to rent it. Do not worry about the subtitles. This is a brilliant, inventive, and uplifting true story that deserves a wider audience. The nominations and award wins did not spread the word to my liking. While the theatrical presentation is indeed superior, the DVD does not diminish any of the power. The technical specifications are top notch, and the bonuses are pretty average. At least a commentary track and some cool fatuities were included. With luck, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly not one of those foreign films that is forgotten after a year. It deserves to be remembered for decades.

Final Score:  8.5   [ Very Good ]