Analysis of ‘Memento’ and How it Impacted My Screenplay ‘Amygdala’
My screenplay: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SM-EqRAisszWltuZg--KBPkexH8An4MYlyQoXKdOick
Christopher Nolan's 'Memento' provides unique aspects to the screenplay, presenting a narrative which is essentially told in reverse and holds classic tropes to its genre. While studying its screenplay, I gathered a range of knowledge on how scripts can be formed and executed, in addition to how to elevate their creativity. These assisted in developing my own screenplay called 'Amygdala'; focusing on a young man volunteering for a scientific experiment to help conquer his fears which proves to be challenging.
Firstly, 'Memento' is perceived as an innovative screenplay when observing its story and theme; meaning an accounting of events of the narrative, which are connected with a set of values. The story shown follows Leonard Shelby, who is suffering from Short Term Memory loss after being attacked by a man classified as 'John G', seeking revenge for his wife who he believes was murdered in the same attack. However, he faces obstacles as he cannot keep a grasp of reality due to his inability to grasp memories. The narrative's logline demonstrates the film's values; Memory, Identity, Personal Expedition and Revenge, which can be tied together to illustrate more developed observations of the film which are known as the themes. To elaborate, one can conjugate the values provided when breaking down the story to identify the theme of 'Expedition of Revenge destroying Identity'. This suggested theme holds a syntax which correlates with 'Memento', demonstrating the significance of themes and story in dissecting the screenplay. These underlying themes are important as 'When thematic statements become the central organizing principle of a screenplay, they can serve as an analytical tool for reading and evaluating for coherence and unity' [1], thus, it is the themes stemmed from the values which grant opportunities to understand cinematic text in an advanced manner by becoming critical approaches. One sequence which displays this theme is the one in which Leonard and his companion, Teddy, are discussing his work on 'John G'; inviting the values of Revenge and Identity into the sequence. The technique of dialogue is used to convey the themes illustrated here; Leonard states that he is determined to catch 'John G' as he 'Took away my [his] memory. He destroyed my [his] ability to live'. When Teddy tells him he is still living, Leonard retorts with 'Only for revenge', thus, underlying the theme in question as Leonard now believes his only reason for living is to achieve his revenge. It is also important that here, the theme is represented in his ideology. This is significant as the narrative allows opportunity for this ideology to change since 'every story is ultimately a record of value-changes' [2], therefore, the themes of the film are held together by the ideology and values associated with them which can change. We find this theme being developed when we learn that Leonard has spent the film's plot chasing a man whom he has already killed, but because he cannot remember it, Teddy has used him to kill other criminals by letting Leonard believe they are 'John G'. Teddy tells Leonard that he 'gave him a reason to live', which echoes the previous statement Leonard gave on only living for revenge. Teddy has granted Leonard a purpose orientated around a vendetta which Leonard invests his life in, despite being false and not connected to Leonard's past. One must consider that the conversation in the café chronologically takes place after this reveal of information but the non-linear structure exchanges the order in order to heighten dramatic effect. As a result, the values of Revenge and Identify have been changed in the screenplay's structure on the spectator's part; they have realised that Leonard is trapped in a repetitive cycle of his false expedition which is stealing his original identity. After doing so, they are left to question the goal and existence of these values as Leonard is unable to do so. Overall, story and themes are significant to the screenplay in representing the film's core areas for analysis. They cooperate to elevate the screenplay with relation to the critical or analytical conversations it can generate, thus, defining Nolan's skills of writing a screenplay with cohesive thematic structure.
In addition to this, the form of which 'Memento' takes offers evaluations to be made in order to understand the film and its screenplay. By form, we are referring to the cinematic elements which combine to perform the complete systems (cues) spectators experience when viewing. These elements consist of many aspects such as the literary design of the story ideas, the visual design of mise-en-scene and cinematography. These elements are essential ingredients to establishing a film, such as 'Memento', with cinematic credit, specifically demonstrating the rhythmic progression of the plot. Rhythm is key to the execution of a screenplay because 'the aim of rhythm is to provide a unity of experience' [3], thus, a screenwriter has created a successfully entertaining film if the narrative follows a precise rhythm. This comes from 'a creation of patterns within the narrative' [4] and one significant pattern 'Memento' uses lies in the props of the photographs Leonard takes to provide visual marks he needs to remember. The photographs represent important sights or people and some have notes on the back, thus, they are a vital prop to the film in serving as Leonard's memory. Their purpose provides a pattern to the film's plot: any time an important person or place comes into Leonard's life, he captures it on camera and solidifies its importance. As a result, spectators are conditioned to observe the film using this pattern represented in the props to identify characters that will influence what happens in the story. In addition to this, the notes on the back provide clues or predictions that will be developed later on, thus, engendering anticipation and assumptions in the viewer, also feeding into the pattern of the narrative as seeing the photograph on screen with the notes signifies the assumptions. Overall, the narrative is grafted within these photographs by gathering up as a motif of significant stages and developments of the plot.
These props used in 'Memento' which serve as a narrative element also correspond with the film's conventional genre, that is, they convey how a 'screenwork is a set of disparate images' [5]. The film's genre can be classified as a psychological crime thriller after observing the previous logline and the values it demonstrates. There are psychological aspects with the value of memory and how the plot is orientated around Leonard's thought processes. Furthermore, he is trying to solve the crime of his attack and wife's 'murder' in a journey which elicits moods of suspense and anticipation. The photographs Leonard takes during his expedition not only consist of places and people he needs to remember, but also evidence of what he has done, echoing pictures taken of a crime scene. Spectators also observe Leonard taking photographs of crimes he has committed, such as the murder of the real John G which took place before the plot. Therefore, the photographs are not only important in engendering a rhythmic pattern in the plot as an element of form, but they also act as visual codes to the psychological crime thriller as the film's genre; acting as the 'disparate images' to the screenplay to highlight genre. Furthermore, genre is significant to the screenplay of 'Memento' in terms of giving it a structure to be written in, despite the non-linear narrative, which is also linked with the style of the film. Screenwriting relies on 'the combination of genre and style' as it 'provides the unifying framework for all...narrative elements' [6], thus, the conventions which convey the crime thriller genre such as the photographs are vital in defining what is featured in the screenplay with relation to mise-en-scene and plot events. To elaborate, writing a crime genre screenplay such as 'Memento' would require specific sequences and characters which correlate with that genre in question, for example, a villain character type who needs to be brought to justice in a climatic sequence. As a result, there is some level of a structure to the screenplay which can still be identified by both the writer and the spectators watching the final picture. This can be made evident when observing Leonard's hunt for 'John G' to bring him to his interpretation of justice, in the form of a murderous vendetta. The screenplay can be structured with the possibility of a successful capture of 'John G', which can be predicted by spectators as they observe his expedition which in turn provokes the moods of anticipation a thriller needs from an audience. Nolan provides a unique aspect to the structure of a crime thriller screenplay with 'Memento' using the non-linear narrative to play with ideas of when this plot event will take place. As the sequences are displayed in a non chronological or reverse presentation, spectators will undergo a different experience when watching Nolan's take on a psychological crime story, in terms of not being able to predict when which conventional event to a crime thriller; the capturing of the criminal, will take place. The reveal to spectators that Leonard actually fulfilled his revenge against 'John G', who fulfils the role of the villain or criminal, before the spectators were invited to experience the narrative is an example of this innovative experience. Audiences are not granted the chance to witness John G being brought to justice by the protagonist as a plot event because of the value of memory and mental health conveyed in Leonard, thus, elevating how the screenplay of 'Memento' provides a diverse take on the crime thriller genre.
Gathering all the previous identifications and analyses of the screenplay of 'Memento', I was able to draw inspiration from it when developing my own screenplay 'Amygdala' with relation to themes stemmed from values and cinematic techniques. To elaborate, the themes involving personal expedition and identity were significant to me in writing my screenplay, creating a mirroring between the protagonist of Leonard and my own named Xander. Similar to Leonard's journey throughout the plot to fulfil his goal of justice to regain some of his identity despite his memory issues, Xander undergoes his own personal journey of combating his deepest phobias in order to receive some development to his identity. There is a psychological aspect to both of these summaries; 'Memento' with memory or mental disorders and 'Amygdala' with phobias; psychology being a framework which captures my attention and creativity. Progressing this further, one value of 'Memento' is reality which clashes with memory; creating the theme of 'Memory influencing Reality' and this is presented in the same café sequence the theme involving expedition/revenge and identity is. Leonard articulates how 'Memory's not perfect....[they] can be distorted. They're just an interpretation. They're not a record', thus, conveying how he does not trust memories because he feels they manipulate reality. This ideology is echoed in 'Amygdala' with relation to the motif of the simulations Xander experiences. When facing his first phobia of germs (Mysophobia); manifested in a mirrored reflection of him covered in dirt, that contrasts with his real clean self, it is realising that the germs are exaggerations in his mind which help him defeat it. He then struggles to combat his biggest phobia of abandonment on the first try because he becomes overwhelmed and believes it's real, only to be told by doctors to find an anchor in how it isn't reality and is 'all in his head'. Once he processes this, he faces this phobia manifested in a simulation version of his mother telling him she is leaving and conquers it by firmly telling her she won't leave him. This conveys the presence of reality and illusion in both screenplays as they not only fight each other but also merge in the process. Furthermore, props and visual design to progress the story was also present in my work caused by the influence of Nolan's 'Memento'. Likewise to Leonard's photographs of things to remember with the notes highlighting significant narrative events and information to spectators, my protagonist comes across photos and notes in his simulations which share insight into his story and identity. The photograph of his parents with the father's face scratched out placed next to the note from his mother which informs him she is leaving serve as vital examples of mise-en-scene assisting narrative, similar to Leonard's photos. This is because they explain events which have happened before the plot but are still important to understanding the story and Xander's character; he has a phobia of abandonment from his mother after his father did the same. This is all revealed to spectators through the props of the photo and letter, echoing how information of characters in 'Memento' is hinted at using the props of the notes and generates anticipation and assumptions. In addition to this, both examples of visual elements are representations of the psychological states of the protagonists; Leonard relies on his example of props as he cannot trust his own mind and Xander repressed phobias is what causes the props to exist. Overall, 'Memento' impacted the development of my screenplay by providing ideas related to themes and how to express them using cinematic styles.
Word Count: 2,195
Footnotes
[1]. Screenplayology, 2.5-Theme and Ideology, 2.5.5-Analysis and Interpretation
[2]. Screenplayology, 2.5-Theme and Ideology, 2.5.3-Broad vs Specific Themes
[3]. The Art and Science of Screenwriting by Philip Parker, Rhythm and Tempo, Page 132, 1998,Intellect Books,15 Feb 2006
[4]. The Art and Science of Screenwriting by Phillip Parker, Rhythm and Tempo, Page 132, 1998 ,Intellect Books,15 Feb 2006
[5]. The Art and Science of Screenwriting by Phillip Parker, Explorations of Genre and Style, Page 151, 1998,Intellect Books,15 Feb 2006
[6]. The Art and Science of Screenwriting by Phillip Parker, Explorations of Genre and Style, Page 151, 1998,Intellect Books,15 Feb 2006
