Thursday, February 28, 2008
"The Diving Bell And The Butterfly" or "Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon".
On Monday night I was watching the Oscars. (Well, I was, until Virgin or Sky pulled the plug on the coverage at 4am. Cheers guys!) One of the talking heads was discussing the fact that neither "Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon" or "La Vie En Rose" were on the shortlist for Best Foreign Language movie. It was explained that the Academy rules dictated that every foreign country choose a single movie to represent them, and that neither "Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon" or "La Vie En Rose" were considered suitable or good enough to represent the great French nation.
Le grandees français de film est tels idiots.
I cannot comment on "La Vie En Rose". I have never seen it, and so should not express an opinion one way or another on the quality of that movie, but I have no doubt that if it had been eligible, "Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon" would have won the Best Foreign film Oscar. It is a wonderful film.
The film details the struggles of the French writer Jean-Dominique Bauby who, at the age of 42, became victim to Locked-in Syndrome. That is, nearly complete paralysis, except for the ability to control his left eyelid. After a method is devised to allow Bauby to communicate by moving his eyelid, he decides to fulfil the commitment made, prior to his illness, to write a book.
Strange as it may sound, and shot through with frequent despair it may be, but this is a feelgood movie. Through his memories and his imagination Bauby roams freely through time and space. Memories of good times with his wife and children, his beautiful mistress (the gorgeous Marina Hands) and fantasies of the Empress Eugénie de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III. Bauby is not a saintly figure. He is sometimes rude, sometimes impatient and he enjoys checking out the cleavages of the nurses who tend to him. (Good lad.) He is a man and he is alive.
"Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon" is a testament to the power of the human spirit and the drive to survive and, after a fashion, to live.
Must see.
On Monday night I was watching the Oscars. (Well, I was, until Virgin or Sky pulled the plug on the coverage at 4am. Cheers guys!) One of the talking heads was discussing the fact that neither "Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon" or "La Vie En Rose" were on the shortlist for Best Foreign Language movie. It was explained that the Academy rules dictated that every foreign country choose a single movie to represent them, and that neither "Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon" or "La Vie En Rose" were considered suitable or good enough to represent the great French nation.
Le grandees français de film est tels idiots.
I cannot comment on "La Vie En Rose". I have never seen it, and so should not express an opinion one way or another on the quality of that movie, but I have no doubt that if it had been eligible, "Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon" would have won the Best Foreign film Oscar. It is a wonderful film.
The film details the struggles of the French writer Jean-Dominique Bauby who, at the age of 42, became victim to Locked-in Syndrome. That is, nearly complete paralysis, except for the ability to control his left eyelid. After a method is devised to allow Bauby to communicate by moving his eyelid, he decides to fulfil the commitment made, prior to his illness, to write a book.
Strange as it may sound, and shot through with frequent despair it may be, but this is a feelgood movie. Through his memories and his imagination Bauby roams freely through time and space. Memories of good times with his wife and children, his beautiful mistress (the gorgeous Marina Hands) and fantasies of the Empress Eugénie de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III. Bauby is not a saintly figure. He is sometimes rude, sometimes impatient and he enjoys checking out the cleavages of the nurses who tend to him. (Good lad.) He is a man and he is alive.
"Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon" is a testament to the power of the human spirit and the drive to survive and, after a fashion, to live.
Must see.
Labels: Movies
# posted by Pynchon @ 10:24 am 
