Momento Opening Scene Analysis

The opening titles of Momento are very unconventional in the fact that they are black on blue which is different to those on many thrillers which tend to be white on black or red on black. These unconventional title connotates a sense of loneliness or sadness. The music starts right at the beginning of the film giving of a somber and pensive sensation to opening as if he is reflecting on the photo of what he has done.

The editing withing the opening scene helps the mise en scene by making apparent that there is something wrong with Leonard (character on screen) because of the non linear editing because It doesn't play in chronological order, which creates a sense of confusion because theoretically the end of the film is being shown, but at the start this gives a sense that Lenny is mentally inapt and there is something wrong. Also the picture shows blood which you perceive that there is much danger or death from connotations of the colour red, and the Clicking of the gun and the gun shot itself has been emphasised to make it more dramatic and intense, almost to prove a point this, also shows that the film is a hybrid of a genre mixing crime and drama.

 Leonard has a Black and white flashback of what looks his past. Instantly, the mood of the film reveals negative connotations, which links into the dark colours used in the mise-en-scene, which is being shown at the same as the scene with the flashbacks is shown, there is a quiet ticking in the background which is also emphasised. This could be portraying the after effect of an injury or that time is running out.