Looking at the opening sequence to 'Memento'

Film: Memento (2002)

Lead actor: Guy Pearce

Director: Christopher Nolan

Titles: The titles are in a light blue font, all in capitals. They fade from one too the next slowly, fitting with the music in the background. The blue font helps to emit a cold feeling. The darkening of the font as it fades makes us sense a dark storyline. Colour connotations.

Shots: Close-up of the Polaroid, allows us too get a clear view of the picture. The shot makes us wonder who is holding the photo, builds suspense as the clip lasts a long time. Quick editing of the bullet and change in colour makes us realise the beginning is a flashback.There are lots of close ups to replicate the feeling of intensity, disorientating as you can’t see the full room. The high angle shot allows us to feel that we are watching/spying on him. Makes the audience feel powerful, as we have the ability to watch a murderer. The high angle makes him appear vulnerable, as does the black and white…the colour has gone from his life and so on.

Movement: The camera stays still for the first shot of the Polaroid, but is at a canted angle so we feel disorientated. It moves smoothly, zooms slowly and follows the character.

Generic themes: The film plays with narrative order, the end at the beginning. The first scene goes backwards inside of forwards. Introduces a sub genre of action with the gunshot, introduces a sub genre of horror as you see the blood. You only see the corpse partly, presenting a feeling of mystery. The beginning offers a range of narratives for the film, it could be a dream, a flashback, what happens in the future. The lead male doesn’t seem panicked as he waits for the Polaroid to develop, despite the fact he just killed somebody. Makes you wonder what his job is. You know the beginning scene is the end of the film because the man he kills is alive in the next scene.

Sound: Diegetic sounds such as the Polaroid being shaken, the gunshot, the bullet hitting the ground. Non-diegetic sounds such as the music in the background. Tense and sad music, rises to a climax as the first clip of the Polaroid is shown. Realistic in terms of sounds and small details, traffic outside, Polaroid being shaken. This introduces the main male character, as you see what he sees and hear what he hears. Creates a set up of the story.

Mise-en-scene:The beginning scene is gritty and grey. The costumes are… He appears in a grotty hotel room, appears anonymous and quite poor. Props such as guns and cameras present us with a feeling of mystery.