Everyone makes mistakes…even me. I apologize to all 3 of my readers, I did not do my research. There is one film I forgot to mention in my Oscar Season thread. I could have sworn this film was scheduled for Feb. 08 release…but enough excuses.
The Diving Bell and The Butterfly – http://imdb.com/title/tt0401383/
Trailer:
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a film I first noticed a year or so ago. Johnny Depp was originally set to play the main character, naturally this was very exciting. I noticed that Depp had dropped out some months ago due to a scheduling conflict, and that was the last I checked into the project. Then about a month ago I checked into it again, just for the hell of it, and I read the plot outline again, and knew that this project had the potential to be something special.
The trailer is a bit ambiguous so I’ll attempt to explain without giving too much away. Jean-Dominique Bauby was the editor of Elle Magazine (yes that’s right all you fashion babes out there) in the early 1990’s. Bauby was very well known around the world and especially around the fashion powerhouse that is Paris. He lived an extravagant life, and had it all (as they always do in movies). Then in 1995, at age 43, Bauby had a massive stroke. When I say massive, I mean pretty huge, like massive. Bauby was left completely paralyzed, well almost. Bauby’s brain stem had been damaged in the stroke and was no longer active. The only part of his body he could control…was his left eye lid. Ridiculous, I know. But wait, the plot thickens…using this one eye-lid, he BLINKED OUT, yeah–fucking ridiculous, BLINKED OUT, his memoirs. How could you not want to see it just on that fact alone? True story, swear to it. I won’t give away anymore, I may have already spoiled some of it, but I don’t think so. If you feel that way, can it, and read something else. Anyway, the film covers his life before and after the stroke, including the blinking out of his memoirs. It’s equally insane no matter how many times I type it out.
I should add that the film was entered into the Cannes film festival this year, and it collected the best director award, a pretty impressive feat. The director is Julian Schnabel, who received a lot of praise for Before Night Falls, staring Javier Bardem (yay!) and Johnny Depp (always great).
It should be noted that this film is in French, with English subtitles, but that shouldn’t deter you too much, unless you’re lame. But hey, who wants to read when they go to a movie, I understand. Tough it out, see this film. Coming to a theater near you, probably. Look for this film in spring next season as France’s contribution to the Oscars.
Release date: November 30th, 2007 (limited)
Gold Soundz 