Memento - A Case Study in Contemporary Noir

by Ian Long

Film Noir can be an elusive genre. A lot more people have probably said, "let's see a Thriller," (or a Western, or a Comedy) than "let's see a Film Noir" when planning a trip to the cinema.

But Noir continues to cast its spell on audiences, whether they know it or not.

When Memento, Christopher Nolan's breakthrough film, was released (in 2000), it was rightly hailed as a brilliant and original departure.

Without using expensive resources, it put Nolan and his brother/collaborator Jonathan on the map, paving the way for the larger-scale puzzles of The Prestige and Inception.

Most people who saw Memento probably didn't think too deeply about its genre, but it was solidly based on ideas straight out of the Noir canon - cleverly twisted and heightened for maximum contemporary impact.

Where was the Noir in Memento?

Let's look at some of the Noir ideas in Memento which caught our imaginations so strongly.

1. A damaged protagonist. Memento's Leonard Shelby has a brain injury which makes him unable to store new memories.

Noir often features addicted, psychotic or disturbed central characters, barely able to comprehend their own quests or motivations.

2. A twisted time-scheme. Memento's backwards chronology puts us directly into Shelby's experience, living from one short section of time to another.

Time is always an enemy in Noir. Flashback narrative structures or the tension of 'real time' give us the sense that the protagonist's future is radically foreshortened.

3. A complex, confusing plot. At the end of the film, there is still much room for conjecture about the meaning of what we have seen - competing explanations aren't entirely resolved.

Noir's plots are often complex and labyrinthine, designed to raise more questions than they answer - the mystery can remain even when the story is over.

4. A betrayal of trust. At first we (and Shelby) see the bartender Natalie as a sympathetic character; later, her true attitude to him becomes clear.

In Noir, the protagonist is nearly always betrayed by someone they trust, frequently (but not always) a woman, often in the guise of a 'femme fatale' archetype.

5. The trap of self-delusion. At the end of the film we discover that Shelby's quest isn't quite what we (or he) understood it to be, and that he may be caught in a trap of his own devising.

Self-sabotage and self-delusion is a basic theme of Noir, and one which can be put to endless variations.

Come to the Film Noir Workshop!

If you come to our Film Noir workshop, you'll leave with an outline for your own contemporary story in a Noir vein.

To achieve this, we'll:

* Look in detail at the themes and ideas which give Film Noir its special character.

* Watch clips showing how these have been used in imaginative and inspirational ways.

* See ways in which the genre has been updated and renewed.

* Think about how these ideas can be applied in a specifically UK context.

If you haven't seen Memento, it's recommended as a study in the possibilities of contemporary Film Noir.

See it in a cinema if possible, and immerse yourself in the world of the story - then get the DVD, which has some useful extras, and watch it again with these thoughts in mind.

Click here to find out more and to book.

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THIS WORKSHOP, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT:

ian.long@euroscript.co.uk

Ian Long is a screenwriter and Head of Consultancy at Euroscript. He has developed a number of courses, including the acclaimed workshop Creating Fear in Films and Hitchcock's MacGuffin talk which he has delivered for Euroscript and the British Film Institute.

When and Where?

VENUE

Derbyshire House, St Chad's Street, Kings Cross, London WC1H

DIRECTIONS

Cross Euston Road from King's Cross station. Follow the road which has a branch of Burger King on its corner. St Chad's Street is the first on the left.

Click here for Map.

DATE AND TIME

Tuesday June 4
Registration: 6.00pm
Course: 6.15m to 9.30pm

PRICE

�45 (�41 concessions)

We are offering concessionary rates to members of WGGB, DGGB, ITF, Directors UK and WFTV.

Click here to book online now.

FURTHER DETAILS

Click to e-mail Ian Long or phone: 020 8455 6166.

enquiries@euroscript.co.uk