The film centres on Leonard's constant search for whoever killed his wife, his search is hindered by the fact he cannot remember more than 15 minutes into the past. Any more than that then his mind wipes clear, he cannot remember anything since his wife was murdered and he sustained a head injury, this provides a division for the film, 15 minute part of the film, a film- noir black and white flashback sequence of the same phone call before beginning another sequence which the last few seconds of the previous at the start provides a recap so the audience can string the plot together. This non-linear time frame is usual of Film Noir, especially key to older Noir films, in the 40's and 50's, where they would often play, both in reverse or in flashback form.
Memento is similar to other Nolan films, such as Inception. Inception is very similar in the fact that both contain scenes referring to their past controlling their future and also some mentions of the wife being connected to the reason they are in trouble now. Inception being because his wife killed herself and his guilt due to this fact, and that he has been suspected of her murder. Memento being because of the two men raping and potentially murdering his wife- he is now brain damaged and cannot remember more than 15 minutes into his past before his memory erases itself. This links to them using their wives as the reason they cannot do anything about their situation. Memento is about the protagonist relentlessly hunting his wife's 'murderer' and not doing anything about his present-destroying his own wellbeing in the process. Inception has the protagonist doing his job- going into dreams- however he uses the memory of his own wife as the reason to stop him from doing it. This hinders his own work, and stops him from moving on. Another Nolan film Memento is comparable to is his Batman trilogy, the first film has Bruce Wayne loses his parents, and so grows up an orphan, he has a phobia of bats, and he uses his phobia as his power. His circumstance shows he is also a "broken" man similar to the protagonist in Memento.
In the scene I am analysing, which begins with a stereotypical Noir scene, with the protagonist- Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) speaking on the phone, as he does for every black and white scene which shows before every 15- minute clip. The black and white clip is linear and is shown as progressing from start to finish whilst the colour clips are shown as travelling from the end to the beginning. The phone conversation is describing Sammy Jenkins, a significant plot
The colour scene begins with a mid shot of Leonard sitting down, examining some papers. He is looking significantly scruffy, another stereotype of the noir genre, the mise-en-scene is a normal house, in a normal road. This normality means that it could be down any road and the urban environment and is a key part of the Noir genre. As Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss) enters, there is a two shot as she closes the curtains, dimming the natural light streaming into the room and also creating an isolated environment by shutting out the outside world. There is fast, snappy dialogue between Leonard and Natalie, another convention of the Noir genre. She is on her feet putting pens away, the camera follows her hands and we see where she places the pens, the only time the film features pens are scenes with Leonard. This put me on edge because I am wondering what she could be doing and if there is something wrong. As the dialogue reveals, she is clearly very angry at Leonard, but it is as yet as unclear to us as it is to Leonard why, there is another two shot, with the camera positioned behind Leonard's shoulder [Fig 1]. The entire conversation uses these shots, which the camera snapping back and forth between them [Fig 2].
The next few lines let us know, that all is not what it seems between Leonard and Natalie. It is revealed that she is the Femme Fatale of the film, she is control of the relationship, as she can remember what has previously transpired between them.
She hurls abuse at Leonard, after asking him to kill Dodd for her, because he is asking her for the money Jimmy had. When he refuses she is furious and begins to insult him and is very angry that he has refused to do something for her, the audience is left completely in the dark about exactly who Jimmy, her boyfriend is. The relationship is show as Natalie being completely in control- she knows all about their relationship prior to this point. It is obvious to me that she is trying to get him to hit her, knowing he will forget and think that Dodd did it, as is mentioned in the section previous to this. Leonard says: "Hey, don't say another [expletive] word" To which Natalie replies "About your whore of a wife?" Leonard grabs her mouth and pushes her away [Fig 3], she looks at him, mouth bleeding, not reacting as someone who had just been hit would usually act, but pleased. She begins encircling him like an animal stalking their prey, this shows the . She is superior to him and she is aware of it. This is the first shot with the camera not positioned over one of their shoulders. When Natalie reaches the front of him again, he punches her in the face, knocking her onto the floor, and knocking her out of the two shot. The camera switches between them quickly as she falls to the floor, so we see Leonard's reaction. The camera switches back to mid-shots as Natalie gets up and walks to the door. She says "I'll see you soon" and we already know that he will, this is dramatic irony, and makes us sympathise with him .
The film now switches from diagetic to non diagetic sound as Leonard starts his inner monologue. This is another key part of a Noir film, with the inner voice describing what it is that is going through his mind with his fight to not lose his memories, so he cannot be used by Natalie. There is a point of view shot of Natalie walking toward her car, the camera switches from Leonard, to what he can see: Natalie sitting in her car [Fig 4]. The camera follows Leonard around the room as he tries to find a pen to make a note of what he needs to remember "gotta find a pen, gotta find a pen"
His thoughts, and the monologue is interrupted by him hearing the car door slam, and his thoughts erase themselves. He gazes at Natalie, with a Point- of-View shot, completely unaware of the previous few minutes, as she makes up her own story. We are left with another piece of the jigsaw of the film [Fig 5].
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| Fig1 |
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| Fig2 |
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| Fig 3 |
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| Fig 4 |
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| Fig 5 |
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