Comments on: Book Review: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (1997) http://www.myinnerfrenchgirl.com/2008/02/06/book-review-the-diving-bell-and-the-butterfly-1997/ The Art of Living Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:21:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: My Inner French Girl http://www.myinnerfrenchgirl.com/2008/02/06/book-review-the-diving-bell-and-the-butterfly-1997/comment-page-1/#comment-760 My Inner French Girl Sun, 10 Feb 2008 01:16:00 +0000 http://www.myinnerfrenchgirl.com/?p=153#comment-760 Dear <b>WendyB</b>, <br/><br/>Bonjour! Excellent. Then I look forward to seeing it this week. Merci, and I hope you're having a great weekend!<br/><br/>Salut,<br/>Marjorie Dear WendyB,

Bonjour! Excellent. Then I look forward to seeing it this week. Merci, and I hope you’re having a great weekend!

Salut,
Marjorie

]]> By: WendyB http://www.myinnerfrenchgirl.com/2008/02/06/book-review-the-diving-bell-and-the-butterfly-1997/comment-page-1/#comment-747 WendyB Fri, 08 Feb 2008 04:15:00 +0000 http://www.myinnerfrenchgirl.com/?p=153#comment-747 I loved this book and I thought the movie absolutely did it justice. I loved this book and I thought the movie absolutely did it justice.

]]> By: My Inner French Girl http://www.myinnerfrenchgirl.com/2008/02/06/book-review-the-diving-bell-and-the-butterfly-1997/comment-page-1/#comment-732 My Inner French Girl Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:50:00 +0000 http://www.myinnerfrenchgirl.com/?p=153#comment-732 Dear <b>Tanya</b>, merci for your detailed and very welcome comment! Okay, I <i>must</i> see this film. I hesitate sometimes because of the grave nature of the subject. It's a bit like how one sometimes hesitates to visit very sick friends and family, no matter how close one is to them, you know? There's this sense that, if we're not there, it's somehow not happening. We can turn away from the tragedy and pretend that everything is okay. <br/><br/>But what moved me about Dauby's book is just how much he wanted everyone to shift their attention from his condition to the greater world around him. He didn't want their pity, just their attention. <br/><br/>I also heard somewhere that he wasn't always a very nice person before the "accident," which I think adds even more depth to his writing. <br/><br/>I'm like you with films that touch me so. There are certain films that I see whose endings are familiar to me, and yet each time I keep thinking, <i>This time, it'll be different</i>. Of course, it never is, but maybe that's just the human capacity for hope rearing its head.<br/><br/>Okay, I just received confirmation that our local theatre will be showing a limited engagement of the film from the 8th through the 14th. I'll definitely check it out and will report back soon!<br/><br/>Can't wait to hear what you think of Bruni's music. I know that a few purists aren't crazy about her, but frankly I love the songs. Need to hear more of it to form a better opinion, though.<br/><br/>Salut,<br/>Marjorie Dear Tanya, merci for your detailed and very welcome comment! Okay, I must see this film. I hesitate sometimes because of the grave nature of the subject. It’s a bit like how one sometimes hesitates to visit very sick friends and family, no matter how close one is to them, you know? There’s this sense that, if we’re not there, it’s somehow not happening. We can turn away from the tragedy and pretend that everything is okay.

But what moved me about Dauby’s book is just how much he wanted everyone to shift their attention from his condition to the greater world around him. He didn’t want their pity, just their attention.

I also heard somewhere that he wasn’t always a very nice person before the “accident,” which I think adds even more depth to his writing.

I’m like you with films that touch me so. There are certain films that I see whose endings are familiar to me, and yet each time I keep thinking, This time, it’ll be different. Of course, it never is, but maybe that’s just the human capacity for hope rearing its head.

Okay, I just received confirmation that our local theatre will be showing a limited engagement of the film from the 8th through the 14th. I’ll definitely check it out and will report back soon!

Can’t wait to hear what you think of Bruni’s music. I know that a few purists aren’t crazy about her, but frankly I love the songs. Need to hear more of it to form a better opinion, though.

Salut,
Marjorie

]]> By: Tanya http://www.myinnerfrenchgirl.com/2008/02/06/book-review-the-diving-bell-and-the-butterfly-1997/comment-page-1/#comment-726 Tanya Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:36:00 +0000 http://www.myinnerfrenchgirl.com/?p=153#comment-726 Hi Marjorie, <br/> Thanks for the lovely book review. I went to see the movie a few days ago, and I was amazed at how much emotion is in the film. It's filled with emotion that is not explicitly stated, a lot of it is the music, or camera angle, flashbacks, facial expressions, etc. The film also plays on the interaction between him and others around him. It pulls you in and I quickly found myself hoping that he would recover, thinking that surely this couldn't have really happened. I was convinced he would fully recover and bounce back into his life and we would get to see a happy ending. Overall, I was overwhelmed by the film. I knew very little of the story and had not read the book. I tried very hard to hold back my tears, but I eventually just gave in, and was in tears for quite some time. In my opinion, it is a very moving film. <br/>I also read somewhere (might have been wikipedia, so take it with a grain of salt) that the director originally wanted to make the movie in English, but decided against it, and learned French in order to make the film. <br/>I hope you get to see it soon, be sure to let us know your thoughts on it! <br/>ps: I plan to check out some of Carla Bruni's music this weekend! Hi Marjorie,
Thanks for the lovely book review. I went to see the movie a few days ago, and I was amazed at how much emotion is in the film. It’s filled with emotion that is not explicitly stated, a lot of it is the music, or camera angle, flashbacks, facial expressions, etc. The film also plays on the interaction between him and others around him. It pulls you in and I quickly found myself hoping that he would recover, thinking that surely this couldn’t have really happened. I was convinced he would fully recover and bounce back into his life and we would get to see a happy ending. Overall, I was overwhelmed by the film. I knew very little of the story and had not read the book. I tried very hard to hold back my tears, but I eventually just gave in, and was in tears for quite some time. In my opinion, it is a very moving film.
I also read somewhere (might have been wikipedia, so take it with a grain of salt) that the director originally wanted to make the movie in English, but decided against it, and learned French in order to make the film.
I hope you get to see it soon, be sure to let us know your thoughts on it!
ps: I plan to check out some of Carla Bruni’s music this weekend!

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