Analysing the opening sequence of Memento

Analysing the opening sequence of Memento

Memento (2000)

Memento's opening title sequence begins with showing the film's production companies name in blue against a black background. At this point, the sound of a soft violin can be heard quietly playing in the background. More blue titles begin to fade in and out slowly and this corresponds with the sound of the violin. 

Once the title 'Memento' appears on screen there is then a fade from black to reveal a point of view close up shot showing a polaroid photograph that someone is holding. The orchestral music continues to play and this adds a sense of sadness to the shot. 

The shot then shows the picture being shaken, as you would with a polaroid picture, however now the image appears to be fading to white and it then becomes apparent this shot has been reversed through editing. This then adds to the already present mystery of why there is a picture of a blood covered floor as the audience will now be questioning why it is in reverse. This may make them wander things such as if the storyline of the whole thriller will be told backward.

Once the image has faded completely to white, the shot then straight cuts to another close up, instead this time it doesn't appear to be a point of view shot as it shows a mans hand placing the polaroid back into the camera. This allows the audience to know that the shot is still in reverse, which again creates many questions for the audience as they will be wandering who this man is and why the shot is shown backwards.

The camera then tilts and the mans face is revealed, however the mystery remains as it still unknown to who he is. Within this shot more questions are added such as why does the man have scratches on his face and why is he taking pictures of what appears to be a crime scene. The music at this point also changes, much like the shot, as previously the music had been melancholy but now it has become eerie and quiet creating a higher sense of mystery. 

A series of straight cut edits then appear which give more insight into what's happened. Firstly, blood is seen moving up a wall followed by a shell casing on a floor. These two shots indicate that someone has been shot and corresponds with the earlier shot of the polaroid image of a bloody floor. A shot of glasses lying on the ground covered in blood is then shown which reinforces that someone has been shot, knocking their glasses off onto the ground. The final shot out of the series of four shows the back of a mans head against a blood covered floor and the three shots before have been a series of indicators to this final 'reveal' that someone is dead. Also, within each of these shots, low-key lighting is used creating a dark and gloomy effect which matches the images being shown on screen.

The use of putting the shot in reverse is still being used when the shots which led to the man being dead on the floor are shown. These include, a man holding a gun, the glasses going onto the 'dead' mans face as he turns around to see the gun being pointed at in. At this moment point, a large rumble sound is heard along with a gun shot and the some of the mystery of the scene is lost however, the audience will still be asking questions about who the man with the gun is.