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As far as cinematography is concerned, the black and white sequences offer a very objective view of Leonard’s character. The audience watches the protagonist in his hotel room from a third person or security camera point of view. Each shot is very accurate in every detail

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in the colour sequences there are more different camera distances than in the black and white scenes. Close-ups, extreme close ups, especially from the main character, and over the shoulder shots are preferably used in the colour scenes. It seems that the camera is always over Leonard’s shoulder or right behind him. The point of view shot is also used quite often since details and characters are seen from Leonard’s point of view for the most part of the film. The camera perspective is strongly connected to Leonard’s subjective perception considering his environment. The use of long shots or medium long shots in order to create orientation in the film is very rare. Since Leonard has no overview of his environment, it is the audience who is forced to see the world from his point of view due to the limited camera shots

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The opening sequence of the bullet returning into the pistol chamber is an element of reversed film speed, which shows the audience that the film is not sequenced properly = thereby indicating a non-linear narrative from the very start.

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The story shot in color represents the realm in which facts are either deduced or discovered. The story shot in black and white represents opinion and conjectur
e that are obviously subjective and uncontested, yet sometimes shot in with an objective point of view.

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We get a POV shot from Leonard looking around the room, as if he doesn’t know where he is. This can again show confusion, but on Leonard’s side, as he doesn’t remember how he got in the hotel room. This lets the audience identify with Leonard’s memory problem and helps us to understand, what it is like for him.

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- The varied uses of Close Ups, Medium Shots and Long shots.
In most of the scenes with relating to his past/memory, we note the use of close up shots, particularly with the polaroids, tattoos and notes, and flashbacks pertaining to his wife/past, most of the shots are close up to establish intimacy and a sort of focus/tunnel-vision.
- The use of varying colour in the flashback scenes and the present-day scenes create a stark juxtaposition between Leonard's states of mind. This interspersing of colour creates a form of disillusionment; and a detachment from reality. The inability to differentiate between reality and fantasy, past and present through clashing tones and colours throughout the movie lead to a fractured experience, both for the viewer and Leonard, effectively serving as a medium of reflection for Leonard's memory-loss.

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Color and Black&White
- Wife's depictions are in color →idealised depiction of wife (fake? Unreliable narrator? Memory is unreliable)
- Transition between black and white sequence to color

Use of close-ups (eyes/hands/polaroid/tattoos)
- look at persons eyes/hands to 'read' them
- our perspective is also limited (clue us to what's missing) -- parallels us watching the colored sequences

Camera movement
- eg. First Clip when Lenny finding the pen, camera is shaky and breaks the 180degree rule often -- parallels his frantic state of mind

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- camera consistently focused on Lennerd to the effect that we are not sure "which" Lennerd we are looking at - whether his memory has reset or not --> adds to suspense
- editing (ordering of sequences) mimics Lennerd's capacity of memory and experience of time

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-less to do chronology itself but dissects the notion of chronology (breaking down the use of chronology in films)
- see into Lenny's state of mind
- some of the scenes are played back to back even though the order is in reverse
-parallels drawn between Lenny and Sammy (are they one and the same?)
-Misc en scene: props and small details help audience to draw connections
eg writing on the polaroids-- show us when it was written
-puzzle motif: we are trying to solve a puzzle together. Extreme close ups lead to us feeling like we are trying to piece things together
-more so about editing than cinematography possibly
-a lot of POV shots
-but for majority of the movie we are at eye level with Lenny (puts us in his shoes, helps us to sympathise with him more and possibly relate to him as well)

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-the placement of the tattoos serve to build on his self identification
-use of mirror

most detective thrillers are clue based, slowly building up
-film shots follows what the detective sees, the person who shares their monologue
-cut on his face serves as clues for the chronological order

-not allowed to see full clues (the tattoos on his chest)

-shots are unstable--> helps us to understand the instability in his mind

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Breakout Room 1&2: How do the cinematographic techniques used in the film create elements of a detective thriller in Memento?

How are clues scattered and revealed throughout the film?

How does the film simultaneously hint to the audience that there is a bigger truth to be uncovered while still hiding this truth?

Breakout Room 3&4: What does Nolan’s use of cinematographic elements reveal about Leonard’s state of mind?

Think about the difference in how Leonard’s thoughts are portrayed in “present” scenes and flashback scenes

Breakout Room 5:
How does cinematography play a role in the viewer’s understanding of the chronology (or lack of thereof) of the film?

How does the film indicate that the scenes are happening at different points in time?