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Component 2 - Section D ("Memento") - In Its Entirety - Coggle…
Component 2 - Section D ("Memento") - In Its Entirety
Experimental cinema
A "nebulous" term
Texts which subvert the common filmic expectations, does not conform to traditions which are presented in Classical Hollywood
The common expectations of a film
Linear narrative
Clear, distinguished character roles
Follows conventional narrative structure
Used for entertainment
Key traits
Unconventional narrative structure
Often not driven by direct profit
Subjective and abstract themes
Film Noir
Style present in the 40s and 50s
Examples
"The Maltese Falcon" (1941)
"Double Indemnity" (1944)
Created as a response to the paranoia and anxiety present in a post war America
"Neo Noir"
Films made outside of the 40s and 50s, but they display film noir traits (e.g "Bladerunner")
Traits
Isolated protagonists
Moral complexity
Alienation
Fatalism
Inner turmoil ( / psyche)
Underbelly of American society
American cities presented as "gritty"
The idea of community does not exist
"femme fatale"
Archetypal character role throughout the style of cinema
Often present as a protagonist but manipulates the male protagonist to get what she wants
MANIPULATION
Narrative in "Memento"
The FABULA and the SUJET
Fabula
The plot / narrative present in the film, and how this is told in chronological order
Sujet
The directors choice to convey this order of events, whether it is fragmented or told in the correct order
Narrative conventions in "Memento"
Fragmented / fractured narrative structure of the film is one of its main features
Colour vs Black and White sequences
The story's events are told in order, but they are "INTERCUT" within the hotel room
Told with adjacent narrative of Sammy Jenkis (who is actually Leonard)
Postmodernism
What is modernism?
1900- 1930
Industrialisation + urbanisation
Fear of advanced tech
Move from religion to science
Traits of modernism
Emphasis on objective truths
References to other media
Aware of its own self
Filmic traits of postmodernism
Scepticism towards grand narratives
Relativism
Question the "truths"
Deconstruction
A method of analysing texts and revealing internal contradictions of texts
Intertextuality
Referencing other texts in relation to itself
Irony and Playfulness
Fragmentation
Rejection of objectivity
Homage, pastiche, and self-awareness
Postmodern elements in Memento
Fragmented narrative structure
The non-linear narrative structure forces the active spectator to piece together the story, which
REFLECTS POSTMODERN SCEPTICISM
about a singular truth
Unreliable narrator and subjective reality
Leonard condition makes him unreliable as a narrator
Deconstruction of identity
The prop photographs and reliance on tattoos undermine his sense of self and explore the instability of identity
Metafictional elements
The audience is aware of the storytelling process
Self-referential quality
is a hallmark of postmodern works
Hyperreality and
the simulacra
Leonard's system of tattoos and notes creates a simulacra of his own world, and this synthetic concept guides his own actions
Theorised by
Baudrillard
Simulacra
Idea that something is a copy of something else, Leonard uses this copy in order to make sense of his surroundings
Ambiguity and open-endedness
Auteur theory in Memento
Traits
Fractured narrative (e.g "Oppenheimer" is non-linear)
Post-modern playfulness
Shown in "Inception" (e.g dreams within dreams and characters having self-reflexivity)
Fragmented narrative
Shown in "Dunkirk" and "Tenet"
Central focus on non-linearity
"Tenet"
Sad ending
Also shown in "Prestige" and "Interstellar"
Ideas regarding philosophy and memory
"Oppenheimer" and "Tenet"
SFNPCI = FINSPC
Cultural contexts
Postmodern narrative structure
"Memento" reflects the rise of the millennium, concerns about digital tech and data storage
This is shown in the films concern with physical memory, memory manipulation and external notes
Trauma and post 9/11 mindset
Film includes themes of trauma and paranoia, trouble with recognising deception
Other Nolan films
Tenet
Dunkirk
Dark Knight Trilogy
Oppenheimer
Interstellar
The Prestige
Key Sequence - "Testing Sammy Jankis"
Cinematography
Kuleshov effect used as he looks as it his tattoos
Over-shoulder shot of Leonard to the mirror, shows duplicity, reflecting on whether is Sammy Jankis / discussing
Reflection seen in glass door, shows alignment with Sammy, and how this subtly points to Leonard being Sammy
Shaky camerawork, makes it seem more intimate and more lifelike / realistic, HANDHELD CAMERAWORK
Tracking shot + continuous presence of the phone in the film (aligns with auteur theory trait of Nolan regarding ideas of a significant prop)
Editing
Editing of close ups quickly / fast paced editing, showing complexity of the procedure
Sammy Jankis failing sequence is repeated in order to emphasise his failure
Fade to black transition shows the length of time Leonard spent on the phone, and how he has blips in his memory
Sammy Jankis and his wife fighting scene juxtaposes Leonard's scene as he is calm and collected throughout
Mise-en-scene
Close-up of Leonard, shallow depth of field, black and white / monotonous colour palette
Chiaroscuro lighting used throughout to show stark contrast between light and dark elements
Telephone is shown to be a vital prop throughout, e.g tracking shot
Sammy Jankis and his wife have aggressive gesture codes towards each other
Use of close up shots shows intimacy between audience and the characters
In the repeated sequence dress code changes to show length of time
Removes shirt at the start of the scene to show tattoos on his body, his own simulacra of his world
Lighting of Leonard
Half-face shadowed / half not, showed further duplicity when looking into mirror
Sound
Ringing / ambient sound across sequence
VO narration of Leonard throughout, aligns audience with inner psyche of protagonist
VO louder than the dialogue itself, more importance placed on this, or maybe he is unable to remember the dialogue at the time
Eerie non-diegetic sound used throughout
Lack of diegetic sound / dialogue being emitted from phone, demonstrates Leonard's further isolation and confusion throughout
Lack of non-diegetic sound throughout this scene
EMPHASISES VERISIMILITUDE