Memento Opening Scene

Max Phillips

Setting The setting in the opening titles is hard to distinguish right away. Not much is being shown in the surroundings of the clip and this adds some what of a ‘mystery’ to the beginnings of this movie, drawing the audience in.

Most of the clips are close-ups of various objects, in different angles. This makes it harder to show what’s going on and adds somewhat of a suspense to the whole scene, making it hard to identify the environment the clips are shot in.

Clues to CharacterThe first glimpse we are given of this character is after the actors title names are shown on screen. What is seen is a man holding a camera and seeming to photograph some sort of evidence. This may lead the audience to believe he is part of a crime scene or somewhat. After several close up shots of objects covered in gore, and a reverse editing technique, it becomes clear this man murdered somebody. This reverse editing technique used to depict the story and reveal the character adds a shock factor to the scene and suspense to the rest of the movie itself.

NarrativeThe narrative becomes clear quickly. Not in it’s entirety, but for the opening scene itself. It is clear that some sort of murder has occurred because of the picture being held, and the reverse events which depict the murder itself.

This scene adds a gory yet mysterious sense of opening to start the movie.

SoundThe opening scenes play various types of audio to suit the setting. The first sound which is heard is a soundtrack played alongside the scenes of the opening titles. This slow music gradually builds more and more emphasis the longer it plays which builds suspense to the images shown on screen.

After the opening titles are over, the reversed scene which depicts the murder is shown and a subtle, ambient sound effect is played in the background while shooting the environment to add to the suspense. The suspense is soon drawn and the murder is played out on screen. The built up sound of the bullet dropping and gun shot is heard and the final scream finalizes the scene.

Cinematography

The cinematography used throughout the scene is all close-up shots of the environment and key objects. Close-ups add more suspense to the scene and creates a build up of tension due to the lack of knowledge the audience has of the surroundings. This creates a unique effect which helps depict the narrative.

Editing The editing is very slow. The title fades in along with the first clip and from then onwards the editing is subtle.The clips are quite lengthy and depict the surroundings. This slower type of editing can add to the effect which is trying to be created, one of which is mysterious.It becomes evident that the scene is reversed. This can psychologically help the viewer identify smaller details easily and adds more of a thrill around the entirety of it.The clips slowly begin to speed up and the shot is fired suddenly going into a black frame.