I: Overview

Memento is a 2000 American psychological thriller film written and directed by Christopher Nolan, adapted from his younger brother Jonathan's short story "Memento Mori".

It stars Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby, a man with anterograde amnesia which renders his brain unable to store new memories. During the opening credits, (which portrays the end of the story) it is shown that Leonard kills Teddy (Joe Pantoliano) for the rape and murder of his wife based on information provided by Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss).This film is often used to show the distinction between plot and story.

The film's events unfold in two separate, alternating narratives — one in color, and the other in black and white. The black and white sections are told in chronological order, showing Leonard conversing with an anonymous phone caller in a motel room. Leonard's investigation is depicted in color sequences that are in reverse chronological order. As each sequence begins, the audience is unaware of the preceding events, just like Leonard, thereby giving the viewer a sense of his confusion. By the film's end when the two narratives converge we understand the investigation and the events that lead up to Teddy's death.

In this scene analysis, I would choose scene 1:39:02 – 1:40:33 for me to analyse. At this scene, Leonard is kill Jimmy and take everything from Jimmy after that he drags Jimmy down stairs and recognize about something.



II: Shot Analysis


Shot 1: 35 seconds






Sound:
The sound in this shot is mostly the music that we hear feel like solitude a little bit in the short time when Jimmy almost dead and the others
Have only fighting sound and sound of movement


Contrast Dominants:
This shot is in black and white scene hard to distinguish any contrast


Character Movement:
Leonard punch Jimmy at first and drags him on the floor.
He strangulate Jimmy until he died and take picture on him and take the cloth too.

Camera Movement:
The camera moves between Leonard and Jimmy cut shot by shot and they move within the frame of the shot

Camera Angle:
The angle of the camera is looking straight at Leonard and Height angle when they are fighting.

Lens Used:
I feel as this is a normal lens was being used for thisShot and adjust to black and white.

Mise-en-scene:
this shot told us why Leonard take the cloth of Jimmy and change with his cloth. Its mean he think he will be a hero when who kill someone and take his cloth that’s look like he more powerful than the other one.

Depth of field:
they choose over the shoulder shot and everything in the whole scene look clearly in focus.

Lighting:
The lighting in this shot is low and soft in black and white color and steady until end of this shot

Color Usage:
In the beginning of this shot the colors are black and white after Leonard kill Jimmy and take a picture on him after that when the picture appear the scene changes from black/white to color and fits into the next scene

Shot type:
they use a mix type not a long shot i think purpose that they choose this because this shot will go to join together between color timeline and black and white timeline.



Shot 2: 56 seconds




Dialogue:
only one Leonard talking in this scene and talking to himself.


Sound:
The sound in this shot I think I hear a wind sound and have only sound effect all of the scene


Character Movement:
Leonard drags Jimmy downstairs after he kill Jimmy and take his cloth already
After that he look surprised because he confuse about Sammy in this situation when he look at Jimmy death body. Leonard look closely to Jimmy body.


Camera Movement:
The camera moves follow in the front view Leonard when he drags Jimmy body and i think they use handheld camera

Camera Angle:
The angle of the camera is at eye view at the beginning and then when go down the stair they cut to side view low angle and cut to very low angle zoom into Leonard feet and then cut between Leonard and Jimmy use low and height angle switch back.

Mise-en-scene:
this shot show us Leonard have a real problem with his anterograde amnesia because he confuse about Sammy

Depth of field:
they zoom in to the face of the characters and look clearly in the focus.

Lighting:
The lighting in this shot is low and soft the sun light shine into a house.

Color Usage:
This scene use a color one that’s mean this is a forward timeline.

Shot type:
The director has been using close up and jump cut in between scene.