The movie Memento is a psychological thriller directed by Christopher Nolan. It was nominated an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing starring Guy Pearce and Carrie-Anne Moss (Stroeter). It’s about a man, Leonard, searching for his wife's murderer having a short-term memory loss. The movie’s quality was made through the specific camera angles and editing. Camerawork was done in a low angle, a camera place below the subject, pointing up (Lewis,88) and a high angle, a camera above the subject, angled downward. The low angle can confer authority, royalty, even divinity (Lewis,88). At the beginning, the camera shoots back to the close ups of the blood, bullet, glasses and head which is in reverse(Stroeter). The camera also shoots, when he woke up in his hotel room to his tattoos and the camera zooms in back to Leonard reading them to the audience. The movie had ambience and diegetic music during the black and white scenes, which …show more content…
after that you get used to it. The place of the editing is relatively slow until it is reversed to the action point which is also reversed (Stroeter). For example, at the beginning of the movie we see the reverse of the killing scene when Leonard shot Teddy. The lighting was creating a flattering, often amnesia look, because the movie is based on losing short term memory. The film alternating between black and white and color sequences which made the lightning kind of bright. The movie had internal diegetic sound in it when a character’s thoughts and memories, heard but not spoken (Lewis,154). The dialogue wasn’t heavy even though it had curse words in it. For example, at the beginning when he wakes up in he’s hotel room, the narrator which is Leonard is talking, but you don’t see him speaking it out to the
After evaluating the 2081 movie, it is apparent the film elements and techniques are important when defining the mood. The four main techniques used throughout the film were lighting, music, sound, and dialogue.
But not only is the film so similar in darkness, the scenes are short, reflecting the shortness of the panels. Unlike a more “normal” movie, the scenes change quite frequently and not only by perspective. The movie is constantly changing both viewpoint and scenes. Although this is common in action movies, it is used more widely in this film unlike in action movies that tend to use this form of filmography during very high tension scenes.
In the shot of Vera’s room, the camera is in a fixed position. This the fixed camera position gives the viewer adequate time to view the entire room, the clothes the characters are wearing, and the facial expressions the character. The camera angle makes it almost seem like the viewer is sitting in the room with the characters watching the argument between the prince and Vera unfold. When the scene flashes back, the transition is cut very sharply, catching the viewer by surprise.
Human beings are fascinated by heroes. Joseph Campbell believes that throughout history heroes have followed a hero’s journey model or monomyth. This means that there are common patterns that can be found in many hero stories. Time after time, people have read about heroes leaving the ordinary world to complete the quest that will change mankind and better the hero. While many tasks and challenges may lie in the hero’s way they always return victorious. The Hero serves a dual purpose. Heroes are smart, brave and resilient. They show the world what is possible through hard work and perseverance. Heroes also reflect the fears and limitations that people are faced with. Heros inspires people to be the best versions of themselves. Chihiro the main character in Hayao Miyazaki’s film Spiri
Thus the relationship between visuality, the body, and knowledge can been understood as an exploration to find the truth and of truth, as the responder finds out, truth is ultimately subjective. The visuality of the film creates a sense of uncertainty for both Leonard and the audience. The main narrative in the film is shown backwards in vibrant colour. Not only is the inversion of the narrative progression symbolic of Leonard’s preoccupation with the past and his struggles with it, it also serves to ... ... middle of paper ... ...
The use of camera angles was a clear way of defining a characters personality. The warden, Norton, is often seen from a low angles which highlights his high status in the prison and his authority.”Your arse belongs to me”. This effective way of showing Norton's position of power allows the audience to understand the significance of him. The prisoners, however are frequently shown from a high angle which emphasizes their lack of power and authority. The ...
Many people enjoy a good film and at the end, they have the potential to judge the film by the content and delivery it had provided. In some films, the screenwriter chooses to portray one of the many psychological disorders. The audience of the film will try to focus on how well the disorder was portrayed and how well the movie played out. Whether the intention of the film maker was trying to expose the public about such psychological disorder or choosing to make a film based on the disorder, some viewers will argue if the film has portrayed the disorder accurately and whether the public has taken notice to the disorder. Screenwriter, Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, portrayed the psychological disorder, Anterograde Amnesia, in their film “Memento.”
The next shot (shot 4) is composed so that we see Annie and Karin on the porch swing as if the narrator is standing out in the field watching them from afar. The following shot (shot 5) begins similarly, looking down on the corn field, but dollies and turns to follow Ray (indicated in shot 5.1 and 5.2) for a close-up amidst his crops as he first hears that famous line. He quickly looks around: shot 7 consists of a quick pan across the skyline — there’s nobody there. The movement of the camera in these opening shots makes it very clear that the camera is acting as a watchful and knowing presence, and it can easily be argued that the camera takes the point of view of the spiritual figure guiding the plot’s events. Shot 14 in particular, in which Ray exits the frame entirely and re-enters at the sound of the voice, reveals the camera to be a narrator with omniscient knowledge. The camera doesn’t follow Ray because something else is about to happen right where he was standing. It’s also important to note that in shot 5, the camera begins high above the landscape and then delves into the field so that the shot is almost overrun by the corn growing through the edges of the frame — the spiritual
I think the movie does accurately depict how we view people with memory loss such amnesia or Alzheimer’s. In important ways, Memento depicts amnesia more accurately than most major films. The disorder is marked by an inability to create memories of facts and events. Forgetting things like what happened to you yesterday, the name of someone you met on the street, the town you just arrived in the previous day. In the movie to make up for his loss of declarative memory, Leonard has facts essential to his investigation tattooed on his chest and snaps numerous Polaroid photos of important places he's been, people he has met, and things he has seen. Amnesia is mostly used to set up a mystery and draw the viewer and is essentially a plot device. However, the films does use amnesia in an interesting and realistic ways to tell a compelling and complex story. The film gives a more dramatized version of the life of people with short-term memory or amnesia but it an impactful story that makes you question you're on humanity and if what you believe is real is the truth. Memento is a high point in the history of amnesia in media for the simple reason that it shows so dramatically the devastating effect of losing one's ability to remember even the most mundane events of daily life. Memento is a movie which brings to the forefront the subject, amnesia, or in this case more specifically, short-term memory loss. The movie is both quite fascinating as well as confusing as it puts the viewer in the shoes of someone with memory loss. The confusing nature of the movie is what makes it so relevant. During that time and even today society had a limited understanding of people with amnesia. Neuroscience is still one of the most limited science in terms of information as new things are being found out all the time. This move shows a main character and people
A few of the camera angles used are long shot, medium shot, high angle and bird’s eye view. A long shot to show the link between characters/subjects and their environment and draws the audience’s attention to a particular aspect of the surroundings. It can also indicate the atmosphere of the film. A medium shot shows a characters facial expression and body language, and for us to get to know the characters and how they relate to each other more closely. A high angle shot makes the person or object look weaker, inferior, under pressure or vulnerable. Lastly, a bird’s eye view gives the audience an overview of where the character or subject is positioned and enables the audience to see what is going on away from the characters immediate
I spent a lot of time considering what movie I would watch to write this essay. I listed off the movies that I would like to watch again, and then I decided on The Notebook. I didn’t really think I could write about adolescence or children, so I thought that, maybe, I could write about the elderly. The love story that The Notebook tells is truly amazing. I love watching this movie, although I cry every time I watch it.
Entrails torn from the body with bare hands, eyes gouged out with razor blades, battery cables, rats borrowing inside the human body, power drills to the face, cannibalism, credit cards, business cards, Dorsia, Testoni, Armani, Wall Street; all of these things are Patrick Bateman’s world. The only difference between Bateman and anybody else is what is repulsive to Bateman and what is repulsive to the rest of the world. Bateman has great interest in the upper class life, fashions, and social existence, but at the same time he is, at times, sickened by the constant struggle to be one up on everybody else. On the other hand Bateman’s nightlife reveals a side of him never seen during the day. Bateman is relaxed, impulsive, and confident while torturing and killing. He doesn’t have to worry about being better than anyone else. The only competition he has is his last victim. Torture and murder are the two true loves of Patrick Bateman.
Few movies have been panned by critics but widely accepted by viewers across the nation. National Treasure is one of them. Even after receiving sub par reviews including only two stars from Roger Ebert, National Treasure won over the public, earning almost $350 million worldwide. Even though the movie is under the Walt Disney Company and has a PG rating, this movie is not just for children. Superb acting and action from beginning to end will keep people of all ages glued to their seat as they follow one man’s quest for a hidden treasure.
Therefore, it is possible to notice how the cinematography, the mise-en-scene and the editing are used to resemble the peculiarities of the space in which the actions are taking place. For instance, the first part is characterized by long pan or tilt shots, the camera is steady but still manages to follow the characters actions. The editing points to the linear occurring of the events. Also, the characters and the objects are usually methodically placed in the scene. All of the elements are used to convey the rigid organization, efficiency and control typical of the military environment. On the other hand, in the second part, there are usually shorter shots and steadicam shots. The camera is free to investigate the space of action. Here, the editing is used to create a dynamic perception of the events. In this way Kubrick is able to bring in the spectators’ minds the chaotic reality of the war. Moreover, colors become another tool to communicate to the audience this sort of split within the film. In fact, after Pyle’s death the viewer can notice how those metallic and cold colors, that are present at the beginning of the film, shift into wormer colors. It is actually through Pyle’s suicide that the the spectator gets this switch. In that scene the dark red blood stains, and ideologically violates, the cold white tiles of the bathroom. This film is also different on
Klein, Andy. “Everything You Wanted to Know About Memento.” Salon.com ArtsEntertainment June 2001. Mar 2004