THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY – WEEK 8 SCREENING CHECKLISTS

Overall Look:

The overall look of this film is obviously taken from the point of view of the main character Jean-Dominique Bauby, portrayed by Mathieu Amalric. Lying in bed after suffering a stroke that has left him completely paralyzed, save the use of one eye. It is from this aspect the majority of the movie is shot.  The film, shot in color, is a lot of times washed out, almost over exposed, the colors more gray and softer like when you first wake up and the sun is bright in your eyes. Dutch tilt and low camera angles along with handheld movement give you this sense that the Jean’s world is not quite right and he is very much helpless.     

Images:

There are some things, images used in this film like all of the items on the wall of his hospital room, the boxing gloves, pictures of his children and places and the butterfly in a glass case that tell us here is a man that was vibrant, loved to live life and had a lot of experiences before he met this tragic event.  

Shot Length:

Long running shots seem to be the norm in this film.  In some cases the long shots seem to state that we as the audience are being held captive by a situation much like Jean. 

Shot Types:

The vast majority of shot types in this film are middle close up to extreme close up.  It conveys that Jean’s world is not much more than the length of his bed.  He is no longer concerned with what goes on beyond that.  There are exceptions like when he is on the beach or the balcony but the ocean or the countryside is usually out of focus as if he no longer considers these things a viable or obtainable. There are some shots out of focus or hazy to let us know that he is tearing up or crying.

Camera Angles:

A lot of the shots in the film are low angle, Jean is for the most part feeling helpless, at the mercy of doctors and nurses.  At times he is eye to eye with some characters as it is apparent his comfort level with them has risen.  The Dutch angled shots demonstrate that Jean’s world is completely off kilter.  That everything in it is not right and he has no control of what is going to happen next. 

Composition:

Most shots in this film are in my opinion deep space compositional shots.  And the rule of thirds for most of this film is out the window.  The close up techniques used really don’t allow for the application of the rule of thirds.  I think that the deep space shots allow us to focus on the action as seen through Jean’s eye.  For him and us the peripheral world really does not exist when interaction with most of the other characters.

 Camera Movement:

Handheld camera is most defiantly one of the main styles used in this film, again to show the new world that Jean lives in where he has no control being shuffled about by nurses and his therapist.  The tilt shot is also use extensively with a pan of about 45 degrees to show us that as he lay in bed or his wheelchair Jean’s can only view his world through whatever his one good eye can see.

Cinematography Style:

I absolutely think that the style of cinematography says look at me. It has to in this film.  You are seeing the world through the eye of a stroke victim and with very few exceptions in this film are you not viewing life from his view point.  If director chose a different way to show this story I don’t think it would have had the punch it does.  Remember this film was based on a book written by the main character from his bed after the stroke.  I think this was the best way to have the audience relate to his plight.   

COMPOSITION

DIRECTOR JIM JARMUSCH FILM STILLS

DEEP SPACE COMPOSITION

 In this shot from "Mystery Train"  Luisa, played by Elizabeth Bracco, has left a Memphis Diner and is confronted by two men who were also in the diner.  The man on the left, played by Tom Noonan, who had spoken with her inside asked if he can speak with her again.  She declines his offer and walks away.  The Tom Noonan character along with the second man, played Richard Boes, start to follow, looking like some not so well meaning characters.  As she walks away the men become further back in the shot and fuzzy.  The expression on her face is not one of concern but one of strong confidence.  I feel the psychological effect of this shot is one of no worry in the least and to her the men are meaningless.   

                    
                                                                                                                       

RULE OF THIRDS: LEFT-CENTER-RIGHT

In the above shot from "Mystery Train" Johnny, played by Joe Strummer, has just shot the late night store clerk, played by (yes) Rockets Redglare.  As Charlie (far left), played by Steve Buscemi, and Will Robinson, played by Rick Aviles, watch helplessly.  The men and the store clerk balance the right and left sides of scene and the 38 pistol in the center screen has dictated the action of the scene, with a little help from Johnny. The emotional impact of the event is evident on the faces of the men as surprise, horror and fright.  The clerk is an expression of pain after being shot. 

                                                                                                            

RULE OF THIRDS: FOREGROUND-MIDDLE GROUND- BACKGROUND

This scene from "Dead Man" is seen from the eyes of the Johnny Depp character William Blake as he is laying down in his funeral canoe and drifting away from shore.  In the foreground we see the tip of the canoe from the inside with the spruce branches he is resting on.  Middle ground is occupied by his American Indian companion, Nobody, played by Gary Farmer.  The back ground  formed by the rugged shoreline and coastal hills of the north western United States.  The emotional situation of this scene appears to be one of fond farewell as Nobody says goodbye to William Blake who is now on his way to the afterlife.       

RULE OF THIRDS: TOP-CENTER-BOTTOM

This "Mystery Train" shot was just after Luisa (Elizabeth Bracco) has gotten out of her cab and is left standing in the middle of a street in front of the Schwab's Drug store.  The drug store sign dominates the top portion of the shot, Luisa the center and her long shadow on the street the bottom. The reason for this point of departure from that cab is not known and it appears that she has no reason to be here. She looks back at the store with mild interest and the long shadow and the closed store state that its getting late in the day. 

SYMMETRICAL BALANCE

I chose this shot from "Mystery Train" to illustrate the topic because I felt it unique as compared to an exterior scene or landscape.  The characters Jun (Masatoshi Nagase) on the right and Mitzuko (Youki Kudoh) on the left have just finished having sex and it appears as if Jun is having a touch of post-coital tristesse.  He asks Mitzuko a off the wall question about hair and the couple argue.  In this shot they are somewhat angry at each other and have turned there backs to the other. The two of them are of similar build and skin tone with black hair. The positioning of their arms and with the white sheets and dark frame of the floor to me give balance the shot well.

 

EYE ROOM or LEAD ROOM

This "Mystery Train" still shot has Mitzuko (Youki Kudoh) and Jun (Masatoshi Nagase) walking from the train station to Sun Records through a run down area of Memphis.  The shot illustrates the concept well as it has our characters entering the scene from the left, moving to the right.   

COMPOSITIONAL STRESS

In this shot near the end of "Dead Man" Johnny Depp's character, William Blake, is drifting out to sea in his funeral canoe looking at the sky.  Its at this moment I think he actually realizes that he is about to die.  The shot is arranged to focus on that fact.