You probably have not seen anything quite like this before nor would you want to see lots more based on a similar theme. But for the moment this turns out to be quite intriguing, rather original and so absorbing that it seems that you yourself are actually a part of the proceedings. Just imagine, if you can, lying helpless completely paralyzed except for the fact that you can blink just one eye. Would you welcome a quick death or would you want to communicate with others if such an event were possible?.
This film portrays a man bent on publishing a book by the slow process of choosing letters that are spoken to him simply by blinking his eye once for yes and twice for no. The words are written down by a secretary, the words become paragraphs, the paragraphs pages, the pages chapters. A slow process to be sure but what an accomplishment.
At one stage I thought I saw his lip quiver, a slight noise in his throat. Could it be possible I thought that he might be at the beginning of the road to recovery? A wishful thought indeed. A stupid thought. Here was a man imprisoned in his own body like a mariner in a diving bell.
The story line is limited. Not much can happen to a paralyzed man lying in a hospital bed. But he can hear the doctors and carers talking and his memory can take full flight as he recalls happier days. There is a scene where two men from the telephone company come to connect a telephone to his bedside so that he can hear his wife speak. The sarcastic remarks of the installers are cruel indeed.
Enjoyment is hardly the word to describe this film. Involvement is the word I think. When the film is over and the credits roll you will be a somewhat different person having become so involved in the details of his care.
Much praise must be given to the script writers who had the job of presenting the story in an interesting way. I found the dribbling of saliva from the twisted lips a down to earth detail and the rolling of the eyeball an amazing interpretation of frustration (and a little bit scary).
The reverse motion cinema-photography at the end puts everything back together again Or so it seems. If only our problems could be fixed so easily. This is a true life story and the man involved died soon after his book was published.
A quite remarkable thoughtful film. Congratulations to all concerned.
This film portrays a man bent on publishing a book by the slow process of choosing letters that are spoken to him simply by blinking his eye once for yes and twice for no. The words are written down by a secretary, the words become paragraphs, the paragraphs pages, the pages chapters. A slow process to be sure but what an accomplishment.
At one stage I thought I saw his lip quiver, a slight noise in his throat. Could it be possible I thought that he might be at the beginning of the road to recovery? A wishful thought indeed. A stupid thought. Here was a man imprisoned in his own body like a mariner in a diving bell.
The story line is limited. Not much can happen to a paralyzed man lying in a hospital bed. But he can hear the doctors and carers talking and his memory can take full flight as he recalls happier days. There is a scene where two men from the telephone company come to connect a telephone to his bedside so that he can hear his wife speak. The sarcastic remarks of the installers are cruel indeed.
Enjoyment is hardly the word to describe this film. Involvement is the word I think. When the film is over and the credits roll you will be a somewhat different person having become so involved in the details of his care.
Much praise must be given to the script writers who had the job of presenting the story in an interesting way. I found the dribbling of saliva from the twisted lips a down to earth detail and the rolling of the eyeball an amazing interpretation of frustration (and a little bit scary).
The reverse motion cinema-photography at the end puts everything back together again Or so it seems. If only our problems could be fixed so easily. This is a true life story and the man involved died soon after his book was published.
A quite remarkable thoughtful film. Congratulations to all concerned.