Comments on: Memento - in chronological order http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/ Film Forensic Investigations & Autopsies Our Specialty Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:37:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Skizelo http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-21438 Skizelo Sun, 28 Oct 2007 03:03:00 +0000 http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-21438 Apart from your interesting preliminary understanding of the premise (which sounds like a sequel to Primer), I'm fascinated by all the solutions you propose to dilemmas I never noticed. My reading of the film is that Gammell had mixed motives; while he does enjoy giving Shelby these brief moments of happiness, he also used him as an assassin to bump off mobsters and live off the money stolen, and that the late John G.'s missus was keeping him around to use for much the same reasons as Gammell, to kill Dod and, eventually, the more culpable of her John G.'s murderers. Any further nuance is because she is a sympathetic character, rather than any plot point. I also accepted the "he insulined his wife to death" explanation, mainly because of the occasional clever cut (in some of the flashbacks, Guy Peace takes the other guys place for a half-second). Apart from your interesting preliminary understanding of the premise (which sounds like a sequel to Primer), I’m fascinated by all the solutions you propose to dilemmas I never noticed.
My reading of the film is that Gammell had mixed motives; while he does enjoy giving Shelby these brief moments of happiness, he also used him as an assassin to bump off mobsters and live off the money stolen, and that the late John G.’s missus was keeping him around to use for much the same reasons as Gammell, to kill Dod and, eventually, the more culpable of her John G.’s murderers. Any further nuance is because she is a sympathetic character, rather than any plot point. I also accepted the “he insulined his wife to death” explanation, mainly because of the occasional clever cut (in some of the flashbacks, Guy Peace takes the other guys place for a half-second).

]]> By: Joshua Nite http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-20104 Joshua Nite Tue, 09 Oct 2007 21:10:11 +0000 http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-20104 I've only watched the movie in reverse order, but the impression I got was that Gammell wasn't a friend at all -- he was cynically exploiting Shelby's disability, essentially using Shelby as a hitman, never letting him find peace. I’ve only watched the movie in reverse order, but the impression I got was that Gammell wasn’t a friend at all — he was cynically exploiting Shelby’s disability, essentially using Shelby as a hitman, never letting him find peace.

]]> By: Fieari http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-19934 Fieari Mon, 08 Oct 2007 03:57:42 +0000 http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-19934 As the above anon said, the movie isn't in "strict" chronological order. The bits in black and white are played, in correct time, interspersed throughout the movie. The last scene is the one where "his friend" tells him that he's the one that killed his wife with the insulin, making that scene stand out so much more. Seeing it in the "release" order does a few things to you. One, it makes you hate Natalie. Because early in the film, you feel like she's this great friend who is helping him out of the kindness of her heart, and then halfway through you discover she's using him, and cruelly too. Secondly, it gives you lot of great "A hah!" moments, where you see him writing things down he used earlier. As the above anon said, the movie isn’t in “strict” chronological order. The bits in black and white are played, in correct time, interspersed throughout the movie. The last scene is the one where “his friend” tells him that he’s the one that killed his wife with the insulin, making that scene stand out so much more.

Seeing it in the “release” order does a few things to you. One, it makes you hate Natalie. Because early in the film, you feel like she’s this great friend who is helping him out of the kindness of her heart, and then halfway through you discover she’s using him, and cruelly too. Secondly, it gives you lot of great “A hah!” moments, where you see him writing things down he used earlier.

]]> By: Anon http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-19903 Anon Sun, 07 Oct 2007 21:05:21 +0000 http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-19903 "The final scenes, being the short black and white ones where he wakes up in the motel room, would seem to lead nowhere at all. There isn’t a big moment at that end of the film." Don't worry, the movie is not in strict reverse cronological order and the ending really is good in the original. “The final scenes, being the short black and white ones where he wakes up in the motel room, would seem to lead nowhere at all. There isn’t a big moment at that end of the film.”

Don’t worry, the movie is not in strict reverse cronological order and the ending really is good in the original.

]]> By: Hops Splurt http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-19690 Hops Splurt Fri, 05 Oct 2007 19:00:38 +0000 http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-19690 The colour flashes with a woman during the b/w part are probably mistakes in the re-cutting of the film. From the description they belong in the colour part in Natalie's house between where she provokes him into hitting her and when she comes back claiming that Dodd hit her. The colour flashes with a woman during the b/w part are probably mistakes in the re-cutting of the film. From the description they belong in the colour part in Natalie’s house between where she provokes him into hitting her and when she comes back claiming that Dodd hit her.

]]> By: Jason http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-19679 Jason Fri, 05 Oct 2007 17:04:30 +0000 http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-19679 Wow... don't tell your friend the video editor that there's a chronological version already on the DVD as an easter egg. :) Wow… don’t tell your friend the video editor that there’s a chronological version already on the DVD as an easter egg. :)

]]> By: winstoninabox http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-19361 winstoninabox Tue, 02 Oct 2007 07:33:45 +0000 http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-19361 I've watched both versions. The original cut twice, then the reordered version as per the DVD. The second time I watched the original cut I then watched the reordered version immediately afterwards. The reordered version does help understand everything a little clearer, but I much, much, much more preferred the original cut. You don't have to have everything 100% squared away to enjoy the film. Putting it all into place is one of the rewards of a repeat viewing. And in the cinema that final scene with the car skidding and the voice over was just fantastic. One of the few films I've finished watching and wanted to turn around and go straight back in to watch it again. Nice to see another poster. Thanks for your thoughts David. Hope you enjoy it the second time around. I’ve watched both versions. The original cut twice, then the reordered version as per the DVD. The second time I watched the original cut I then watched the reordered version immediately afterwards.

The reordered version does help understand everything a little clearer, but I much, much, much more preferred the original cut. You don’t have to have everything 100% squared away to enjoy the film. Putting it all into place is one of the rewards of a repeat viewing. And in the cinema that final scene with the car skidding and the voice over was just fantastic. One of the few films I’ve finished watching and wanted to turn around and go straight back in to watch it again.

Nice to see another poster. Thanks for your thoughts David. Hope you enjoy it the second time around.

]]> By: shellshear http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-19360 shellshear Tue, 02 Oct 2007 07:07:57 +0000 http://www.filmforensics.com/autopsy/2007/10/02/memento-in-chronological-order/#comment-19360 There you have it - a fascinating look at Memento! Before anyone else comments, I'd like to point out a few things. David intends watching the film again in the intended order, and will write up his conclusions after having seen that. Secondly, and fairly obviously, his comments about the structure of the recut film are not intended as a criticism of the film as released. Also, his friend had created his own recut version without realising that there is, in fact, a recut version on one of the collector's edition DVDs. There you have it - a fascinating look at Memento! Before anyone else comments, I’d like to point out a few things. David intends watching the film again in the intended order, and will write up his conclusions after having seen that. Secondly, and fairly obviously, his comments about the structure of the recut film are not intended as a criticism of the film as released.

Also, his friend had created his own recut version without realising that there is, in fact, a recut version on one of the collector’s edition DVDs.

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