Have you ever thought that a movie was too complex or too smart for you? Inception was one movie that many viewers were confused by and the calls into radio talk shows expressed the confusion and complexity of the dream within a dream within a dream concept for the film. The visual nature of Inception amazed viewers but overwhelmed their minds. I wonder if they had ever watched Memento?
The movie Inception is a favorite and very understandable to this girl's brain, and Memento is a film that reminds me of the complex nature of the plot and the method of storytelling. However, Memento was a challenge and I unfortunately was only able to watch the movie three times. That may sound like enough viewings but the first was just to watch and it was confusing. The unfolding of the movie in reverse with parts that were forward telling. The second viewing was to understand the story but more importantly begin to identify the purpose of watching this movie in relationship to the text. The third was only to realize that I needed to watch this a few more times to really understand it.
Memento has the story within a story like Inception but is presented in a way that mimics the injury of the main character Leonard. There are moments you feel like you have been hit in the head because you are as clueless as the main character appears to be. While trying to process the presentation of the film which is now not only requiring my right side of my brain, it is demanding left brain usage as well, but with all this thinking going on the Excedrin bottle is calling. Lighting, scenery, color, design, and cinematography are elements that need identifying in the movie. All of these elements and the complex nature of the film require multiple viewings of the dominantly right-brained individual such as myself.
Color is not a part of this week's text reading but I did read further into the text to get some insight to the usage of color or the monochromatic theme throughout the film. Let's talk about that first. The film has distinctive usage of color. The black and white sequences are the part of the movie that is forward and separate from the colored sequences which are unfolding the movie in reverse. The colored sequences have some parts subdued or haze to them. The color palate is monochromatic in blue hues and I think is intentional by the director to give the feel of sameness. Is this Leonard's mind? It is difficult to remember the scenes moments before because they are the same in texture and feel. It is the same over and over, bland and isn't as distinguishable. I am not sure that last statement even makes sense. Let's try again. The director films a sequence in the blue monochromatic scheme, breaks away to black and white, goes back to monochromatic scheme with a splash of color which houses a new "clue" as to what happened before, back to black and white and this continues throughout the film. You are trying to make out yours and Leonard's memories like Leonard is trying to make them out following the clues he has left and the moments that happened before that you are seeing after. I should include a flowchart.
There is a lot of information in this movie in regards to the techniques used, and I am not certain if I will be able to touch on all of them. The lighting in the black and white sequences are notable. The black and white scenes have depth but represent his memories that he can recall.
The camera angles used are notable. You see Leonard's point of view seeing Teddy through the windshield of the car. Viewing his victims, Jimmy and Teddy. The close ups of his tattoos, the photos. The flashback's of his wife suffering which are in color are also extreme close ups. The memories of his wife are in color which are different from his Sammy recollections.
One thing to mention is the voice over in the film. You are watching Leonard but he is not talking to the camera, we are allowed into Leonard's thoughts and listen to Guy Pierce guide us through the film.
I am hoping that with more viewing that I can pick up even more notable filming techniques. There is a lot of information and I haven't even touched on the editing. The transitions are abrupt and when you hear Leonard speaking you know that you are about to be confused and will have to sequence the events you just watched in order to make sense of what is happening next that was in the Leonard's past moments which could have been anytime from the time he last dozed off or unfocused.
It was a good movie, but I want to be able to study the film more and look for all of the filming techniques in our text. There is so much information that I am afraid that my short term memory may be failing as Leonard's but I am thankful that it ignorance can be taught, poor Leonard is stuck having to purchase a digital camera.
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