Scene Analysis_3734_LIMING GUO
**Posted by Mandy_3734 at 11:10 PM
3734_Limin Guo
Scene Analysis
August 13, 2010
Memento
Christopher Nolan
Montage taken from
00:05:24 & 00:17:41
Scene Analysis
August 13, 2010
Memento
Christopher Nolan
Montage taken from
00:05:24 & 00:17:41
I. Overview:
Memento tells two separate stories of Leonard, portrayed by Guy Pearce, who has a condition of short term memory loss.
One story flashes back once every few minutes to bring out Leonard’s revenge against a man named Teddy, the other tells the story of his past revealing more each time about his memory condition. The two stories are chronicled in an interwoven manner and converge in the end of the film.
The first scene which we will discuss is that of Leonard’s shot upon Teddy and their suggestive dialogues before that shot at the very beginning of the movie. It can be divided into two parts, each of which contains a sequence of shots. The first sequence is that of Leonard’s attack on Teddy’s head behind his back and the other one comprises of a short dialogue between the two characters and a final shot with scream.
Moreover, I will discuss about the scene of Leonard’s talk with Natalie who is portrayed by Anne Moss and his memory of his wife throughout that talk.
Memento tells two separate stories of Leonard, portrayed by Guy Pearce, who has a condition of short term memory loss.
One story flashes back once every few minutes to bring out Leonard’s revenge against a man named Teddy, the other tells the story of his past revealing more each time about his memory condition. The two stories are chronicled in an interwoven manner and converge in the end of the film.
The first scene which we will discuss is that of Leonard’s shot upon Teddy and their suggestive dialogues before that shot at the very beginning of the movie. It can be divided into two parts, each of which contains a sequence of shots. The first sequence is that of Leonard’s attack on Teddy’s head behind his back and the other one comprises of a short dialogue between the two characters and a final shot with scream.
Moreover, I will discuss about the scene of Leonard’s talk with Natalie who is portrayed by Anne Moss and his memory of his wife throughout that talk.
II. Scene Analysis:
Shot 1: 1.5 seconds, 32 frames
Shot 1: 1.5 seconds, 32 frames
Shot Type: This is a medium to close-up shot; we can see both actions and expressions of the two characters clearly.
Camera Angle: I think this shot is taken from an even angle, no high or low angle is used.
Camera Movement: The camera doesn’t remain stable throughout the shot. I note that it shakes with Leonard’s action to increase a sense of reality.
Depth of field: The shot focuses on the two actors, so macro settings of DOF are used to create a blurred background effect so as to draw more focus of the audience to the performances of the actors.
Sound: The background music is very slight in this scene, so we can hear the clashes clearly.
Character Movement: In this shot, Leonard uses his gunstock to strike on Teddy’s head suddenly behind his back.
Mise-en-scene: The scene takes place in an abandoned building and Leonard and Teddy are the only two characters in this scene.
Colours: No special or dominant colour is used in this scene. I feel the stage a little pale because it is in an abandoned building.
Shot Type: This is a close-up shot; the focus is on Teddy’s face.
Camera Angle: I think this shot is taken from a high angle. We see Teddy’s face the same way in which Leonard does. Also, in some other shots within the scene, low angles are used to show Leonard’s face. I think this kind of uses of angles are purported to increase sense of reality for the film.
Camera Movement: the camera doesn’t remain stable throughout the shot. I note that it shakes with Leonard’s action to increase a sense of reality.
Depth of field: same as Shot 1. The shot focuses on the two actors, so macro settings of DOF are used to create a blurred background effect so as to draw more focus of the audience to the performances of the actors.
Sound: The background music gradually arises and the shot, also the scene, is ended sharply with the sound of the gun shot and the scream by Teddy.
Mise-en-scene: The scene takes place in an abandoned building and Leonard and Teddy are the only two characters in this scene.
Colours: same as Shot 1.
Character Movement: In this shot, Leonard puts a pistol to Teddy’s head and finally shots
him.
Dialogue: Before the final shot, there is a short conversation between Leonard and Teddy. I think this piece of dialogue important, as the conversation takes place in the very beginning of the movie and it includes several hints and also leaves some questions to the audience.
Editing Style: The scene is full of series of short shots. Actually, the camera shifts between Leonard and Teddy when they are talking. I also note that the camera shifts quicker when the characters talks quicker.
Transitions: Most of the transitions are jump-cuts while in the end of the whole scene it fades to black after the final shot and scream.
Scene: restaurant conversation between Leonard and Natalie
Shot 3: 1 second, 38 frames
Shot 3: 1 second, 38 frames
Shot Type: The shot begins with a close-up face of Natalie wearing a large-sized sunglass which covers almost one-third of her face. As this is the first time Natalie appears in this movie, not showing her entire face makes the role more mysterious.
Camera Angle: Even angle is used.
Depth of Field: Background is blurred so that the two characters are highlighted.
Shot 4: 2 seconds,15frames
Shot Type: It is an extreme close-up shot of Natalie’s hands.
Character Movements: In this scene, Natalie fidgets with her folk and knife before she gives Leonard some files which she has deliberately prepared to mislead him.
Camera Angle: The shot is taken with a high camera angle which makes the audience see the action the same way Leonard would see it.
Shot 5: 3seconds, 35 frames
Shot Type: This is an extreme close-up shot of Leonard’s wife.
Editing Style: All pictures except the last one shift quickly in order to give the audience an impression that Leonard can only remember some bits or pieces of his past life while a close-up picture of his wife’s face stays for more than 3seconds in the end.
Camera Angle: The last picture is taken in a way which makes the audience see the face in the same way as Leonard, emphasizing on the reality of his memory which makes the audience more surprised to learn that Leonard totally makes up his memory and has killed his wife incidentally by himself in the end of the movie.
Currently have 0 comments: