Analysis of a thriller opening

In this opening for Memento, we are given an insight into the plot and the characters and how these are estbalished in the opening sequence. Through the mis-en-scene, we first see a man holding a photograph of a murder scene. Straight away we are give clues that is a crime film that the man holding the picture is likely to be solving the crime and he may be studing the scene

Further in, we then begin to see that the events are edited to play in reverse. This gives us the impression that the events are being looked at in retrospect, or thought over. The viewer gets the idea from this that the film could be about a memory of the killing. Confusion and mystery is also created by the events playing in reverse, hinting that the film is a thriller.

As the clip continues, we see the protagonist kill the man in the photo, suggesting that he may in fact be a criminal, and the film could be about him getting away with the crime rather than trying to solve it. The victim is killed when they are down on the floor, suggesting they are vulnerable and where targeted as opposed to a gunfight scenario. This now sets up the mystery aspect of the film, as we as the viewer are left confused as to why this murder has happend, why the killer has taken a photo and what the motives are. The film is now depicted as a crime thriller because of this mystery estbalished in the opeing 2 minuets.

The music throughout is dark, and eventually, dies down until there is very little sound besides sound effects. At the point of the music dieing, we are shown the full events of the murder, begining with the scene in more detail than the polaroid photo, and ending with the firing of the gun. The music ends when the viewer first gets the impression that the protagonist may have commited the murder, as he is at the scene rather than looking at a photo of it in a different location. This therefore helps ensure the viewer is left confused by the outcome of the opening scene, as the music is conventional, until the true turn of events is presented.

Jonny Hucker