Film Project Genre Research - Memento

Memento Promotional Poster

The film is in the genre of a mystery and thriller. The opening is played with the sequence of events in reverse. It establishes a character that has committed murder and photographed his victim. A Polaroid picture is shown as an insert shot and this functions as an immediate symbol. Most of the film is focused on the insert, but it afterward reveals the character with a vertical tilt to a close-up. Afterward, there were multiple short takes of varied inserts as well as a low angle shot and a canted angle shot. A fade-in was used when the title "Memento" was revealed. Incidental music, as well as the ambient sound, was used throughout the opening sequence. The listed job titles are of casting, music, costume designer, editor, production designer, director of photography, co-producer, co-executive producers, executive producer, produced by, screenplay by, and director were introduced. This sequence of job titles is very similar to the other films of this genre I have viewed. The film had a budget of $9 million with total earnings of $40 million worldwide. The film was nominated for 2 Oscars and had an additional 55 nominations and 56 wins.