Movie Analysis Essay on The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Introduction

The movie, Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Julian Schnabel is a biographical film that is based on an examination of the real-life of Jean Dominique ("Watch The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) Full Movie on FMovies.to"). In the movie, the protagonist struggles from the condition of being in metaphorical imprisonment. The film is based on the writings of the book by Jean Dominique, who had a stroke and was left paralyzed except for his eyelid. Jean writes his biography by communicating with only the blink of his eyes. The movies utilize various elements and have a picture of fantastic acting and surreal imagery. Janusz Kaminski does the cinematography in this film. Kaminski styles and cinematography techniques to show how Jean is caged through him being paralyzed and how he tries to communicate with the outside world to retain humanity. This paper focuses on reviewing the elements, styles, and cinematography in the film, 'the Driving Bell and the Butterfly."

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Elements

The movie is an autobiography, and its setting is in the 1990s in France, when the author suffers from a terrible stroke. The narrator is the author, whose story is told from his perception. The mood and tone of the movie are both optimistic and sorrowful. In the film, Bauby is the protagonist, while the antagonist can be his stroke that left him in a pseudo-coma. The movie attains its climax when the narrator grunts a song about a kangaroo, that shows his improvements. Personification exists at the end of the film when Jean wonders if he will ever come out of the coma by personifying the cosmos abilities and intentions ("Watch The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) Full Movie on FMovies.to"). There is a paradox when Jean despairs in his situation but hopes at the same time. Imagery is attained through the narrator's world appearing so small, like a microscope, and is visualized through one eye.

Cinematography and Style

In the film, there are attempts by Jean to communicate with the outside world and to retain humanity. The story is narrated through an extensive point of view shots that utilize skewed framing, selective focus, and hand cranking to illustrate how Bauby sees the world through his eye. Distinct camera techniques are being used in the film to make the audience fit in Bauby's place, including the Tint lens system and the ARRI Shift, and the frame rates and shutter angles; to put the images out of focus partially. The story allows image alteration in the way in which the character has an impaired vision, and he regains consciousness ("Watch The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) Full Movie on FMovies.to"). The character has flashbacks and makes use of these imaginations to survive, giving the audience immense visual opportunities. The movie makes use of tools to reflect the story, and the techniques utilized are per the aesthetic and emotional impact that it wants to convey to its audience. Most parts of the movie use photo-chemical and traditional-in-camera techniques. The digital methods enhance blinks in the film.

When Private Ryan gets saved, Kaminski uses various techniques to make the movements look choppy, and he takes away the protective layers of lenses to create high leaks. The story is conveyed through the use of experimental techniques with a focus on the experience of the first person, who is caged by being paralyzed. It showcases how the mind of the human being can easily escape into fantasy and imagination. Kaminski makes use of the exposure and harsh shifts, to stimulate Jean's wandering eye, as he looks for interaction space around him. While the shots might sound surreal, Kaminski manages to make them seem like reality; he captures the strangest details in the corners and the weird light that is hard to find unless proper filming is done. The shots are dreamlike and surreal, but they still connect to the context, fits the mood of the scene that surrounds it, and feels entirely logical ("Watch The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) Full Movie on FMovies.to"). The surreal imagery is based on reality, and the audience can understand where the image comes from.

Conclusion

The cinematographer, Kaminski, tells the movie through the non-verbal language of the cameras' eye. The director of the film, Julian Schnabel, and the cinematographer, Janusz Kaminski, makes use of the most visually unique films to tell the story of Jean. The movie does not just emphasize on good focus and seeing the actors, but it ensures that its audience perceives it in a certain way.

Works Cited

"Watch The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) Full Movie on FMovies.to." FMovies | Watch Movies Online Free on FMovies.to. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2019.