Analysis of Memento

Analysis of Memento (Nolan, 2000, US)

When watching the Opening sequence of Memento there is a range of features that are noticeable. These come under the titles Sound, Cinematography, Mise-en-scene and Editing.

First of all there is sound. Sound is very important in this scene because it creates meanings and expresses emotions. The scene begins with very sad, slow music which makes you feel as though someone is hurt or lost or can’t find their way out. It is quite a depressing sound but it definitely catches your attention and makes you want to discover what is about to follow.  It suggests a funeral or death and makes the audience very anxious of what they are about to see. This is therefore creating a very tense atmosphere which is trying to communicate to the viewer that something bad has happened and someone is reflecting on what has happened. Furthermore this results in emotions of sadness and anxiety being expressed. This music has a long slow note which creates quite a mysterious feel where nobody knows what’s to come. It is the scene of the unknown. Without even glancing at the screen your ear drums instantly become aware that this film/scene is not going to be happy or perhaps unpleasant to the eye.  All of a sudden the music changes when we see the man so the music suddenly goes quiet. This expresses that there could be only one thing on the man minds so there is only one instrument playing. Furthermore this could suggest that the man is trying to process what has just happened and why it happened. Sound is an essential part in this opening sequence and without it the same feeling wouldn’t occur. There would be no sense of urgency and worry to find out what’s happened so the composer has been extremely clever to use the music to make the scene what it is.

Next there is Cinematography which is the shot types visible in the sequence. The first shot we see is just a plain black screen which features the titles on it. This lasts quite a long duration and then an image of a hand holding a photograph appears. This shot is a close up and the image in the photograph gradually disappears. Therefore this is effective because it is displaying how someone has been hurt but now it is being re winded to find out how and why. This is displayed in the screen grabs below where the image starts in colour and then fades away. I feel this is effective because it confuses the audience slightly about what is happening and makes them want to discover more. The colour in this shot is effective because in the first shot the red is extremely bold and represents blood and is visible against the white frame but as the colour fade is turns from yellow to white and eventually disappears which can sometimes indicate “death” and even a dream. The photograph plays an important part in the Mise-en-scene because it starts the scene off so is also similar to an establishing shot where we are able to notice the relationship between the men and realise it didn’t end in a good result. This was a very slow shot where even though it changes the image it was a long duration shot meaning a slow pace was used. This was used purposely so that directors can control what we are seeing and decide what happens next. Furthermore we don’t get to see the character when they are holding the photo because they want the audience to keep guessing.

This also displays a medium-close up of the man holding the camera. This is interesting because it highlights how the time is going backwards. You see him put the photo back in the camera and then take the image meaning it is all in reverse. In addition it makes you question as to why he is taking a photo, why is it in reverse, who is he and what has happened. I like this technique of putting it into reverse because its making the audience more intrigued as to what has happened but it also makes the audience try to work it out themselves too. This is very low key lighting where everything around him is in darkness and even the camera is black meaning we are drawn to his face. The camera is of a very old style so could indicate that this is happening in an old place or somewhere nobody would ever find. It creates that spooky and mysterious feel to it where everything has a shadow and suggest that you never know who's watching you.

The next shot is another close up of the man’s face. It is visible that a lot of close ups are being used to allow use to see the intensity of the situation and the emotions expressed. This shot below conveys how there has been a fight or shooting because of the blood dripping down his face. The intensity of his facial expression expresses how he could be distressed and angry but also overwhelmed by what he has just done. He is looking down as if trying to work out an answer for himself and you also get that hint of sadness coming from him and perhaps regret. Again this shot displays low key lighting with only a slight brightness on his face. His image creates that feeling that he has done something wrong and perhaps has been preparing for it. This is noticeable in the sharpness of the red lines of blood down him face, indicating that violence has taken place.

The following shot is an extreme close up of the blood dripping however it is moving upwards because everything is in reverse. I feel this shot is very effective because it breaks away from the shots of the people and makes it extremely clear that a violent act has happened and someone is extremely hurt. The powerfulness of red colour is so bold in the extreme close up that you instantly become worried of what’s to come. The bold redness contrasts with the dark black colour in the rest of the scene and directly draws you to it. The blood highlights the seriousness of the attack. The editing cuts between close ups of the blood, glasses and other items. The blood is obviously used to show the violence but the glasses could demonstrate that someone vulnerable has been targeted. Perhaps the man thought of him as a “nerd” which is stereotypical for someone wearing glasses. This is clever because it allows you to see the setting and how one thing has meant everything has partly “exploded” and now the setting is ruined. This is seen with the blood in the background of the shots which highlights the intensity of the situation. Obviously the gun is also a major part of this scene and the way it flies back up into the man hands could portray how quick the process was. As the camera cuts between these shots the pace of the editing is speed up. This happens along with the change in music which therefore makes us more worried and scared about the situation. The reason this happens is because it is building up to a climax so we see these entire close ups and eventually then see more action within the frame.

There is also a low angle shot of the man holding the gun which is done for a range of reasons. It highlights how superior he is to the other man and expresses his height and strength in the situation. Additionally it displays how he is in control and nobody can stop him doing what he wants. The way he is standing displays how he is looking down to the other man as if he means nothing to him and doesn’t care about anything. Additionally the fact that he is wearing a suit portrays him as a work man who is perhaps high up in society and better than everyone else. Also the way the lighting has suddenly picked up could indicate that he is the “main man” who people are perhaps scared of and don’t want to mess with. The editing is very fast here and is becoming more dramatic meaning something serious is going to happen.