The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) Analysis

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly tells the story of Jean-Domininique Bauby, a French magazine editor who, after suffering a massive stroke, is left with a rare condition known as Locked-In Syndrome. Completely paralyzed save for his left eyelid, Bauby decides to dictate a memoir describing his experiences with Locked-In Syndrome.

The cinematography in the film is excellent, with much of the movie being shot from Jean-Do's first-person perspective. This unusual choice allows the audience to literally get inside Bauby's head and offers a unique perspective: inside the mind of a person who is all but cut-off from the outside world. The position, along with hearing Bauby's thoughts, also convey the powerful sense of isolation Bauby felt at not being able to move or even effectively communicate with the outside world. In addtion, the first-person scenes were all shot with a hand-held camera, giving them a rawer, more natural feel and bringing the audicence closer to being inside Bauby's head.

Even when the camera shoots from the third-person, Bauby's feelings of isolation are still clearly highlighted. Many shots of him in his wheelchair only show him, often set against the wide-open background of the sky or coastline. There is at least one memorable shot of him in his wheelchair sitting on an isolated platform raised above the crashing waves of the incoming tide, literally cut off from the outside world.

What are probably the most memorable shots in the entire film are scenes of Bauby floating in an old diving suit (the titular Diving Bell) completely alone in a featureless, noiseless sea. While these scenes may not make sense at first to the audience, they are actually Bauby's own depiction of his situation: complete and total isolation from the rest of the world.

The superb cinematography in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, in addtion to providing the audience with a unique viewing experience, also serves to expertly highlight and depict the massive isolation that Jean-Do Bauby experienced during his struggle with Locked-In Syndrome.