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.