Each shot in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was so beautifully crafted that it was truly art in motion. At times, I was almost pulled out of the movie illusion because certain scenes were so captivating visually that I wanted to stop and analyze it artistically. Despite those occasional moments, the cinematography contributes to, or rather creates, the poignant emotion in the film and draws the audience in to the world of Jean-Dominique Bauby.One truly remarkable scene was a flashback taking place in Bauby's mind, taking the audience back to the day of his stroke. He is in Paris, and is driving away from his apartment in a brand new car. The scene shows the face of Bauby's wife, then actually transitions into her point of view (I believe this is the first time it is the first-hand perspective of anyone besides Jean-Do) as she watches him drive away. Instead of typical pan shot following a car driving away, the camera tilts until it is completely horizontal. It recreates the exact perspective of the wife as she was standing on the balcony looking down and leaning out to keep the car in view as it speeds off. To me, the shot seemed to have several layers of meaning. Because it was shot from the perspective of Bauby's wife and lasted until the car was out of sight, it seemed to reinforce the alienation between them that began on that day. Also, the unexpected twist of the camera was almost a foreshadowing of the abrupt nature of the stroke he was about to experience.
There are many examples in this film of excellence in cinematography, but this one scene seems a fair representation of the careful consideration put into each shot. Not only was this film aesthetically pleasing, but each moment of artful camera work had a clear purpose of conveying the emotional struggles of Jean-Do.
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