SSC Film Studies

Projector – Video clip of first black and white scene in Memento

 

Presenter -  Memento was the first screenplay written by Christopher Nolan, and uses some of the main conventions of Film Noir as a way of creating a sense of mystery surrounding the main character within the film, Leonard.  Throughout the film, Nolan creates a fantastic mood and tone to create the mystery of film noir through his use of black and white flashbacks, and the non-diegetic narrative gives the feeling that the character Leonard is talking directly to the audience. It also allows the audience to feel the same confusion that Leonard does, as us as the audiences know as little as Leonard does about what he has done in the past.

 

Projector – Picture of Natalie, Leonard and Teddy

 

Presenter – The use of Mise En Scene throughout the film is intentionally dull. An example of this is the clothing of the characters; Leonard throughout the film is wearing the dull colours of grey and blue, and both Natalie and Teddy wear similar, perhaps even duller clothes. These colours are reflective of film noir as it casts a grim atmosphere throughout the coloured scenes in the film. While perhaps it isn’t as dull or gritty as many other films within film noir, it still uses dull, soft colours.

 

Projector – Leonard Tattoos

 

Presenter – The tattoos that Leonard sports are most important props throughout the entire film. They create a sense of mystery as each new tattoo and fact is revealed. The sense they give is important in the film as the audience knows as little as Leonard does, and the unknowingness that is given out is a major part of the film noir genre.

 

Projector – Clip of Leonard strangling John G. (M Genre 3 5:00 – 5:22)

 

Film Noirs conventions can include several things such as murder, crime and death. In the Film Noir book, Borde and Chaumenton talked of film noir. Apparently “They stressed the importance of crime, violence and death” within film noir. This is shown in Memento, as there is a lot of the three within the film.