It begins as if underwater, and only gradually does a small hospital room in Berck-sur-Mer swim into focus. The patient is Jean-Dominique Bauby and for the whole first reel we, like him, are paralysed in place, experiencing the symptoms of a rare condition - "locked-in syndrome" - which means we can see and hear and think, but can't move or speak.
Fully conscious but paralysed everywhere except his left eye, Bauby could only communicate by blinking but nevertheless succeeded in creating a memoir of his experience that was eventually published to huge acclaim just days before his death.
Julian Schnabel’s The Diving Bell & The Butterfly is a bold attempt to re-tell Jean-Dominique Bauby’s story from the author’s perspective. The diving bell represents the body in which he ended up and the film unfolds from his perspective – blinking whenever he blinks, or turning to face or hear who-ever Bauby is communicating with.
Yet in spite of employing a device that could seem limiting and being based on a true story that’s actually quite depressing, the film emerges as a genuinely life-affirming piece of work that inspires and impresses as much as it makes you feel sad.
The camera-work takes a little bit of getting used to, particularly early on as Bauby adjusts to his new state and surroundings, but it quickly helps viewers to empathise with his predicament and makes Bauby’s achievements all the more amazing.
