Memento, written and directed by Christopher Nolan, is a very unusual movie. The movie disembodies from the traditional Freytag’s plot, which by definition, is dividing a story into five parts, like the five acts of a play, which flow in chronological order. Instead, Nolan utilizes a “backwards” narrative with chronological jumps, reflections on alterations of memory and brazen conceptions of a person’s individuality. Memento takes the viewers out of the dimension of “normal” films, and even into the dimension of the movie itself. The movie cannot be seen as moving “backwards” in the general sense, because color scenes that incorporate most of the plot move the narrative backwards, while black and white scenes, which are essentially the beginning of the narrative, move forward throughout the movie and converge with the color scenes. The story, thence, is moving in numerous directions at once, and cannot be inferred simply as “backwards”. Every scene is linked on each side not in sequence, be it forwards or backwards, but to scenes going the opposite direction in the narrative. Memento can therefore be seen as a fragmented narrative, and because of this it makes unanticipated associations and leaves itself open to be approached for analysis from many contrasting sides.
Most criticisms of the movie, Memento, have taken its multiplicities and shortened them in order to make the movie easier to understand. The movie is much more than what it appears to be on the exterior, and the key to appreciating Memento calumniates not just in considering what the “truth” of the movie is, but taking into account how Leonard is a creation within and as a part of his world, what the film does to its viewers, and what the viewers do to the film. The...
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...olves much more than “discovering” an answer within a text; it involves analyzing how the film is working on multiple levels, or from many diverging directions, it involves examining more than one question.
The pleasure in Memento and in literary analysis as a whole, involves bringing contexts conflicting with each other in unique ways; Memento is not only a post-modern composition to be interpreted, it is much more than that, it is Christopher Nolan's vocalized message to force innovation to the neo-noir genre in the future. Critics and viewers make the mistake of trying to put the film in chronological order and “finding” the answers hidden within the film. This is a wrong way of looking at the film, the viewer must enjoy the movie solely for the gratification of watching it; it is truly a masterpiece and deserves all of the critical acclaim that it has received.
The only real way to truly understand a story is to understand all aspects of a story and their meanings. The same goes for movies, as they are all just stories being acted out. In Thomas Foster's book, “How to Read Literature Like a Professor”, Foster explains in detail the numerous ingredients of a story. He discusses almost everything that can be found in any given piece of literature. The devices discussed in Foster's book can be found in most movies as well, including in Quentin Tarantino’s cult classic, “Pulp Fiction”. This movie is a complicated tale that follows numerous characters involved in intertwining stories. Tarantino utilizes many devices to make “Pulp Fiction” into an excellent film. In this essay, I will demonstrate how several literary devices described in Foster's book are put to use in Tarantino’s film, “Pulp Fiction”, including quests, archetypes, food, and violence.
In The Pathos of Failure, Thomas Elsaesser explains the emergence of a new ideology within American filmmaking, which reflects a “fading confidence in being able to tell a story” (280) and the dissolution of psychologically relatable, goal-oriented characters. He elaborates that these unmotivated characters impede the “the affirmative-consequential model of narrative [which] is gradually being replaced by another, whose precise shape is yet to crystallize” (281). Christian Keathley outlined this shape in more detail in Trapped in the Affection Image, where he argued that shifting cultural attitudes resulted in skepticism of the usefulness of action (Keathley). In Robert Altman’s McCabe & Mrs. Miller and Roman Polanski’s Chinatown, this crisis of action is a key element of the main characters’ failure, because it stifles the execution of classical narrative and stylistic genre conventions.
It is a concurrent agreement in the film industry that Alfred Hitchcock is nothing less than a legend when it comes to the suspense and thriller genres of film. That being said, many filmmakers unsurprisingly aspire to adopt his style in more recent films. Movie critique Andrew O’Hehir suspects that this is the case with Mark Pellington’s production, Arlington Road, which follows the story of a man taken with the idea that his neighbors are terrorists. Although Pellington’s production possesses distinctively Hitchcock-styled qualities in its editing, storyline, and themes, O’Hehir argues that it is “…ultimately just another maddeningly ill-conceived tribute placed at [Hitchcock’s] feet.” However, it cannot be determined if Pellington meant for Arlington Road to be a tribute at all. The film may have a multitude of resemblances to Hitchcock film, but its finale fundamentally distinguishes itself unique to O’Hehir’s assumption.
Christopher Nolan did an excellent job writing and directing this film, he was very creative by started the film out with Leonard looking at a faded polarized photo rather than one that begins to develop. As the film went on, we learned that his wife was murdered and he was trying to solve the case. It is evident that Nolan put much thought and consideration into the casting for this film. The actors and actress made the story believable, by embracing their characters and allowing themselves to fully act out each characters story. If one was just watching the movie without knowing anything about the Anterograde Amnesia, they would walk out of the theatre trying to figure out who murdered Leonard’s and they would have some knowledge of what Anterograde Amnesia is and how it effects the victim. Even though this movie was filmed in 2001, the movie kept my attention and I was able to follow the plot.
Sex, love, depression, guilt, trust, all are topics presented in this remarkably well written and performed drama. The Flick, a 2014 Pulitzer Prize winning drama by Annie Baker, serves to provide a social commentary which will leave the audience deep in thought well after the curtain closes. Emporia State Universities Production of this masterpiece was a masterpiece in itself, from the stunningly genuine portrayal of the characters of Avery and Rose, to the realism found within the set, every aspect of the production was superb.
Citizen Kane has earned the prestigious honor of being regarded as the number one movie of all time because of Welles’ groundbreaking narrative and plot structures that paved a path for the future of the film industry. Though critics have viewed the film with such prestige over the years, a present day viewer might encounter a great amount of confusion or difficulty as to why Citizen Kane is the number one movie on the American Film Institute’s top 100 movies of all time. Especially considering the modern day film industry, Welles’ production does not measure up to the amount of thrill and entertainment audiences experience today. Not even considering the possibilities with special effects and technology, Citizen Kane seems to lack an exciting plot that might involve some action or twists instead of the gossip of a man’s life that we no longer appreciate. In 1941, the general public could greatly appreciate the connections between Kane and William Randolph Hearst unlike young adults watching the film now.
The thing that will firstly strike the viewer about the film is the the dynamism of the film and the multiple levels of meaning at which the film operates. This film can be very much seen as Stanley Kubrick’s critique of modern culture and society, and a clear voice against the corruption of man.
Film and literature are two media forms that are so closely related, that we often forget there is a distinction between them. We often just view the movie as an extension of the book because most movies are based on novels or short stories. Because we are accustomed to this sequence of production, first the novel, then the motion picture, we often find ourselves making value judgments about a movie, based upon our feelings on the novel. It is this overlapping of the creative processes that prevents us from seeing movies as distinct and separate art forms from the novels they are based on.
The psychological phenomenon explored in the film Memento (2001) is Anterograde amnesia. This is the loss of ability to create new memories after the event responsible for the memory deficit that caused his amnesia ("Anterograde Amnesia | Simply Psychology", 2017). The Inability to recall the recent past while long-term memories from before the event remain intact. Brain areas implicated are the temporal cortex including the subcortical regions and the hippocampus. With Anterograde amnesia, there is often limited recovery and patients are left with a debilitating or permanent condition ("Anterograde Amnesia | Simply Psychology", 2017).
Director Christopher Nolan′s film Memento (2000), is loosely based from the concept of a short story named Memento Mori written by his brother Jonathan. This story is about a man named Leonard Shelby who is suffering from anterograde amnesia, which is a loss of ability to create new memories after the event that caused the amnesia, leading to a partial or complete inability to recall the recent past, while long term memories from before the event remain intact. Leonard was hit over the head during an attack which resulted in his wife being raped and murdered. With the help of contact named Teddy and a bartender named Natalie, Leonard set out for revenge. Since the attack Leonard has set out to exact revenge on the man who has caused him suffering. He helps himself by writing notes, taking photographs, and tattooing himself with important notes and facts. An analysis of the film Memento reveals the use of film techniques such as editing, non-linear storytelling, symbolism, director's style, musical score, color, and cinematography that creates an intellectual stimulant that has the viewer deciphering a puzzle in a reversed chronological order.
The characters are not conform the general image of Americans, but that has a lot to do with the fact the audience does not know whether they should trust Leonard’s story or Leonard’s friends. Teddy does not look like an ordinary cop, and Natalie is not a standard bargirl, but the way they are portrayed is too mysterious, to really know who and what they are. The whole story does not fit any description of American culture, but that is what makes Memento a unique movie.
Through most of the characters’ passion for filmmaking, this movie teaches the audience the great significance of film history. Many people in modern day tend to take film and its history for granted, but they do not realize the depth and effort that mankind has put into such a development. In Hugo, the theme of film history revolves around the entire production, and the audience sees flashbacks of Georges Méliès’ past that reveal his vital role in movie-making. By investing a deep meaning to the tale, viewers start to understand the great emotional and intellectual characteristics of movies. Additionally, Hugo himself delivers a message to his counterpart characters, which also serves as a lesson for the onlookers. He shows the audience that everyone has a part and purpose in this world. Protagonist Hugo Cabret says that “everything has a purpose, even machines. Clocks tell the time, trains take you places. They do what they’re meant to do.” Voicing through Hugo, the filmmakers illustrate how every individual has a reason to live and discover their calling. With a statement about the forgotten grandeur of film history and a valuable message to the crowd regarding one’s purpose, Hugo inspires and presents itself as a noteworthy and unforgettable
Take his film Memento for example that start scene of the film right at what seems to be the end. This non-liner structure fits as the main protagonist, Leonard suffers Anterograde amnesia. It shows his inability to remember. The film displays this by showing things to be a mix series of events. It makes the audience feel as though as they are part of the main character themselves, try to figure out the pieces just as much as the character himself.
“Entertainment has to come hand in hand with a little bit of medicine, some people go to the movies to be reminded that everything’s okay. I don’t make those kinds of movies. That, to me, is a lie. Everything’s not okay.” - David Fincher. David Fincher is the director that I am choosing to homage for a number of reasons. I personally find his movies to be some of the deepest, most well made, and beautiful films in recent memory. However it is Fincher’s take on story telling and filmmaking in general that causes me to admire his films so much. This quote exemplifies that, and is something that I whole-heartedly agree with. I am and have always been extremely opinionated and open about my views on the world and I believe that artists have a responsibility to do what they can with their art to help improve the culture that they are helping to create. In this paper I will try to outline exactly how Fincher creates the masterpieces that he does and what I can take from that and apply to my films.
He made his first long film, ‘Following’ in 1998 which is a black and white film. He served as director, producer and writer of the movie. His non-linear story telling in this movie helped him to gain interest from other people in the business and propelled him to his next film ‘Memento’ Released in 2000. ‘Memento’ was a critical success and this was b...