Monday 17 January 2011

Analysis of Memento opening

We are introduced to a medium close up of a hand cautiously gripping onto an edge of a Polaroid film, making sure his/her fingers doesn't interfere with the main image.  This point of view shot looks like a photograph taken from a crime scene, (the Polaroid film would be ideal for Detectives/Police to use for investigations as it would be quicker to retrieve them rather than having to develop it.) From the Mise en Scene, I am able to identify what has just happened.  There seems to be a body, and surrounding it is a type of red fluid splatted around the body (blood?) and on the tiled walls in front of it.  The body is facing down  with the blood which could suggest the person is injured or dead.  The suspense starts to build as we are left curious, what happens?, who is the person holding the photo?


Then the hand repeatedly shakes the film a couple of times.  As he/she does this the image starts to distort and the image in the Polaroid starts to become elusive and cloudy.  Usually when a photo is taken from a Polaroid camera, you have to shake it to activate the image.  The colour has now changed from deep shades of blue and red to yellow.  Yellow symbolizes sickness, decay and caution and these characteristics could be associated with the killer and his thoughts of killing this person and also the murdered man.
Still, the face of the photographer is still hidden and we are only shown a medium close-up of his/her hands.  Unexpectedly, the film goes back up into the Polaroid, which is strange and abnormal. This demonstrates that the opening of the film is shot retrospectively.

We see the flash, and a medium shot of a mans face is revealed, exposing scratches and grazes showing he could have struggled with his victim.  Suspense rises, as I know want to know how the bruises got there. In order for me to know this, I would  have continue watching until the end of the film (to know what happened at the beginning)

Blood is trickling upwards on the wall, with bubbles forming on it.  Probably to show that it wasn't long ago that he was shot and we also feel the warmth and discomfort.
The camera then focus a mid shot of the killers forehead which shows he is thinking which has to do with the title "MEMENTO."

Titles:
Memento is in bold, Blue font, flashing slowly across the screen.  The letters are spaced out in Block capitals behind a black screen to create effectiveness and to stand out.  The serif font used connotes seriousness, sophistication and hardness.


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