Presentation script

Presentation Script: Memento as a Film Noir

Projector: A black and white image of Leonard Shelby from Memento in his motel room (topless, displaying his tattoos)




Presenter: Christopher Nolan, director of Memento, classes the film as part of the Film Noir 'phenomenon'. The aesthetic feel of Memento combined with the non-chronological narrative and clever characterisation make it easy to consider Memento as Noir. In the book Film Art: An Introduction, David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson describe Film Noir as "a phenomenon that is, in one way or another, aesthetically, culturally, ideologically or historically important"

Projector: Opening sequence of Memento (7 minutes)


Presenter: The opening sequence of Memento is a perfect example of some of these 'defining features'.
The scene opens with a hand shaking a polaroid photograph. This appears fine, until the photograph begins to fade instead of developing, rewinding itself. This momentarily confuses the audience but straight away introduces a narrative style that, although the film does not run backwards, will be present throughout the film. This opening scene then cuts to a black and white scene, introducing the theme of parallel narratives in the film. Black and white sequences are conventional of Film Noir pictures, as are voice-overs/narrations, which are also present within this sequence. This narration seems completely out of context in the opening scene, providing another layer of confusion, but also a basis for the parallel narrative that we see. The parallel narratives, although not typically conventional of film noir, are often used in film noir pictures to distort the story and tell more than one point of view, something that film noirs can often rely upon in order to keep the audience enthralled.

Projector: Image of a polaroid that Leonard discards.

Presenter: The restricted narrative used in Memento is particularly effective, as not only is the protagonist withheld information, the audience are dependent on the ‘unreliable narrator’ of Leonard. His polaroid pictures, tattoos and notes are permanent aids to Leonard, but can easily be taken out of context. Leonard therefore chooses what is more important, and this is all that the audience are shown. Memento challenges the idea that film noirs are typically non-linear in narrative, as this is not the case with Memento. In an interview, director Christopher Nolan tells us that "the film is not non-linear, it is linear, but reversed”. Film Art: An Introduction supports this challenge, with Bordwell and Thompson saying that "narratives in noirs are typically presented in a non-chronological order", not non-linear. Although Memento does not follow the basis of start, to middle, to end, all three components are present. Essentially, once the film is shown completely, we see it as end, to middle, to start. Nolan continues, saying that "you cannot take out one scene" as they each influence the next. The film, therefore, could be seen as cause and effect despite the non-chronological order that the scenes run in.

Projector: Image of Leonard and Natalie together

Presenter: Characterisation is a key element of film noir. Film Art: An Introduction tells us that "the characters focused on are mentally and emotionally vulnerable", whilst also highlighting the function of the female characters. This is perfectly illustrated by the scene shown, where Natalie ‘shows her true colours’ to Leonard. Firstly, Leonard definitely falls into the bracket of being both mentally (due to his condition) and emotionally (due to his wife's death and his quest to find the killer) vulnerable, establishing an empathetic connection with the audience. The female characters can be "viewed as a function of male dilemas and male anxieties" which suggests that they serve a purpose to the male. This is easy to see within Memento, with Natalie seemingly around to help Leonard and further the story, but we later realise that is not the case. Furthermore, the female characters can "divide neatly into two basic types" within the film noir genre. Memento is an interesting basis for observation on female characters, as there are only 4 female characters throughout the film, and only one (Natalie) has a stand out role. Film Art: An Introduction describes the female characters as either "alluring and dangerous femme fatales" or "dependable, respectable, safe and undemanding partners, wives and girlfriends".

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Presenter: 
Interestingly, Natalie fulfils both of these 'types' as the film progresses. We initially see her as the 'dependable, respectable, safe' woman who aids Leonard, in the previous scene, we see that she is merely using and manipulating Leonard, rooting herself in the femme fatale category.
The lack of other prominent female characters satisfies the typical characterisation of film noir, supported by the character of Leonard, who is mentally and emotionally vulnerable. This is noted by director Christopher Nolan who, in an interview, said that he "definitely" saw Memento as a film noir, and more specifically a "psychological thriller". In terms of characterisation, he mentions the "unreliable narrator" and how he wanted to put the "audience into the head of the protagonist", therefore he had to make Leonard vulnerable and accessible. Finally, he mentions how, as well as letting the audience access the protagonist, he wanted to create a "changing relationship with the central character (and the audience)". He achieves this by once again using the vulnerability of Leonard and the actions of the likes of Teddy and Natalie to make us empathise with Leonard, even when we realise that he is essentially fooling himself and letting himself kill innocent people.

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Presenter: In the scene where Leonard kills Jimmy, the longest black and white scene in the film, we are given several great examples of how characterisation, visual style and narrative can combine to influence the film and the audience. First and foremost, we see how Leonard is being 'played' and manipulated by Teddy for Teddy's own gain, Leonard's aforementioned vulnerability once again being brought to the forefront. As well as this, the long black and white tone of the scene gives a dark, almost sinister feel to the scene, like we know something bad or damaging will happen. It is possible that this connotes Leonard's mind; it is slightly blurry and dark, unsure of everything. This is supported by the fact that the black and white scene is intercut with colour shots of Leonard's wife, suggesting that Leonard's memories are all he knows, everything else that he experiences is a blur, something that will soon become old and therefore is black and white. This supports the idea of the typical film noir 'whodunnit?', as we are literally 'left in the dark' through the uncertainties (in this case, Leonard's knowledge, or lack thereof) but are aware of what has gone before (Leonard's life before the incident).