Memento Analysis

The opening two minute sequence of the film “Memento” immediately opens with very slow classical music. The sound of a piano playing continues throughout the whole of the opening scene. This builds up a lot of tension and suspense like a typical thriller film. The word “MEMENTO” starts off the credits in a bold pale blue colour which stands out on a black background. The way it is also in capitals shows that it is more important in comparison to the rest of the credits which are much smaller. They also fade out very slowly which ties in with the slow pacing effect.

The background then changes to some ones hand holding a photograph and consists of very low key ambient lighting which links in with the way we want to create the opening scene to our film. The photograph has blood on it, which creates a psychological effect on our minds and gets us thinking about the reason for this rather than showing violence. This continues through most of the opening scene. The photograph is also taken with an old fashioned camera as we can tell from the style of the photograph it’s self. This gives it quite an antique effect rather than using a very modern digital camera. This part of the scene is shot using extreme close up so we get to see all the detail we need. There are no other types of shot at this part for example long shot as they wouldn’t give the same dramatic effect on the scene.

At about 30 seconds in we get the impression that the scene has been created backwards. As the handshakes the photograph the sharp red begins to fade within seconds after it. The picture after being taken would normally become clear but instead becomes a very dirty colour white. This is very unusual along with flashbacks for an opening of a film. We then see the photograph going back into the camera and a photograph is taken. At this point the credits fade out completely and the low key lighting effect changes to become brighter.

We then see the man who took the photograph he is also in extreme close up. The worried confused expression on his face shows us that he is unsure of maybe what is happening. His face makeup looks very dirty which has been deliberately done draws attention to the sharp red cuts on his face. This again gets us thinking psychologically about why he has this and what is happened. He looks quite shocked and worried almost as if he doesn’t really know or understand what is going on. As the camera moves very slowly it builds up a lot of tension.

The low key ambient lighting is still continued. We then have an extreme close up of dark red blood dripping backwards on the wall, however in does seem very clear in comparison to the photograph of what has been taken. We then see a man that has just been shot. This all happens very quickly and there is no time for the man to do anything. This is very unusual opening to a film as films do not normally start backwards. As we see the man on the floor which has been shot in a close up we get a look of part of the room, which looks very plain and basic like a rundown building, the floor looks very dirty and uneven. This could possibly have been shot this way so that a claustrophobic effect is created.


At the end of the opening the colour style changes to a black and white tint which links in to the very old fashioned camera effect as the camera slowly moves up his face. This is the point where the man hasn’t been shot and psychologically makes us think about what is going through the mans mind, as he has no expressions on his face to show what he is about to do or in this case “has just happened” due to the opening being backwards. This could suggest that maybe the man is so psychologically harmed inside he doesn’t understand the effects of what he is doing. This part is in extreme close up and continues to the end of the opening scene.