Memento (Nolan, 2000, USA) Analysis 2

Film Title:

The film title is displayed to the audience in a very simple way which allows there to be no clues to what's going to happen and as a result leaving the viewers immediately isolated. The film title is portrayed in a blue coloured normal font with a black background, this is simple but effective because it makes the audience ask questions about what the film is about making them watch on. Also it gives a sense of isolation and a sense of unknown to the audience, unsettling them and joining with the blue coloured font to create an eerie feel.

Setting/Location:
The opening sequence seems to be set in two places: a motel and a building. The setting being in a motel explains to the audience that maybe this man isn't in his home or his place of comfort suggesting that he is lost or that he doesn't come from the place he is staying in, this then links to more questions like for example, why is he there? All these questions make the audience inquisitive and want to watch on drawing them in for the entire film. The setting are also effective because they are in normal places which the audience can relate to creating a sense of fear because this could happen where they are.

Costumes/Props:

The man is dressed very formally suggesting he is a man of business or a man of importance whereas as the second man seen is dressed in more casual clothes suggesting he is a normal everyday man. This suit could suggest many things to an audience because if they believe he is a man of business then they could believe certain stereotypes of business people such as them being persistant in a task at hand and ruthless both a combination capable of tracking someone down and killing them which is what the film is based on. We see in the first instances a Polaroid camera on the mans waist telling the audience that he travels everywhere with this camera but it makes them ask the question why? As you go on in the opening sequence it would seem to be that the camera represents the mans memory suggesting to the audience this man has some sort of memory disorder and as a result he has to photograph vital and representitive pieces of information.

Editing/Camera Work:

The shot that was most effective was the video fx used in the first instances. The effect is of a Polaroid camera taking a shot in the reverse before showing the whole process also in reverse. This says to me that the film is retracing the steps of what has happened in order to produce the polaroid picture, this is effective on the audience because it confuses them and throws the off as they wouldnt expect to see this happen. As a result it tells the audience the film as a sense of disorder and that could link back to some sort of loss of memory. Based on camera work the shot tha twas most effective was the high angle black and white shot of the man sitting on the bed. Instantly it told me that this man was not a power figure, he wasnt in control of the situation but i could only gather this by the use of the high angle.

How The Opening Sequence Sets Up The Story:

The opening sequence sets up the story because it tells you that there is a man involved who has killed another man for reason which we dont know and that the film is going to tell us how this came to be by retracting or re telling the story back to front. This help the audience understand that all the question they are asking at each time will be answered at some stage in the film as a result keeping them ingrossed in the film. It also sets up the story by giving mild hints throughout the opening sequence such as the polaroid camera, the constant flashbacks and the polaroid pictures constantly being in the mans possession, also making it apparent that he relys on these photos for certain pieces of information, linking to the fact that it appears that he has some kind of memory disorder. This sets up the story because it enables the audience to know that the rest of the film is going to be calculated and a film where the thoughts and questions of the viewers are vital in order for them to continue to watch more.

Genre:
Memento is a thriller because it follows conventions and stereotypes of that genre being; eerie sountracks, simple titles, a sense of isolation, fear and unsettling behaviour. These are all combined to make it a good and effective film on the audience.

Memento (Nolan, 2000, USA) Analysis 1

Why is the film a thriller?

Immediately you can tell this film is a thriller because it follows certain conventions which you would expect to see in a thriller film; one being the eerie orchestral music which gradually raises in loudness and creates a sense of tension on the audience telling them that this film isn't a happy film but the opposite; overall this sets the tone of the film and creates the conventional mood of a thriller. Another convention the film follows is the colour used for the writing of titles, they're blue on a black background. Conventionally blue is associated with thrillers because it is supposed to represent the stereotype of eerie, chilling and mysterious behavior. The black background is also a convention of thriller because it creates the stereotype of being isolated and being in the dark.

Parts that interested me based on the micro-elements and why:

Cinematography:

The shot that interested me most was the high angle black and white shot of the man sitting on the bed. Instantly it told me that this man was not a power figure, he wasnt in control of the situation but i could only gather this by the use of the high angle.

Sound:

The opening soundtrack interested me due to the fact that its very effective in the way it sets the tone. It sets the tone because the orchestral music builds up tension for the opening sequence and in terms of analysis it creates a negative tone on the audience which creates a sense of fear and isolation.

Mise en Scene:

The prop that interests me based on mise en scene in the extreme close up of the bullet shell. It interests me because it allows questions to be asked by the audience such as; what has happened? Why was a gun fired? Who was it fired at? And, who shot the gun and why. All these questions allow the audience to build p various scenarios in their imagination making them persuaded to watch on as it draws the viewers in.

Editing:

The shot that i like based on editing is the a video fx used in the first instances. The effect is of a Polaroid camera taking a shot in the reverse before showing the whole process also in reverse. This says to me that the film is retracing the steps of what has happened in order to produce the polaroid picture, this is effective on the audience because it confuses them and throws the off as they wouldnt expect to see this happen. As a result it tells the audience the film as a sense of disorder and that could link back to some sort of loss of memory.