I am comparing two films by Christopher Nolan, ‘Insomnia’ and ‘Memento. There are many conventions in the opening titles of ‘Insomnia’ which are similar in many ways, using the conventions of a thriller, as the opening titles of ‘Memento’. The setting of Insomnia is reflects on the title of the film itself. As the titles appear on screen in a blurred fashion, producing the feel of tiredness and an obscured vision, the black and white background fades and brings a distant focus on another shot. The setting appears in a polar region, a classic thriller setting, this creates a strong undergo of discomfort. The film Memento is set is a completely different prospect as it is a simple and tedious room. Again this is a characteristic setting of a thriller. The titles of Memento appear different to Insomnia as instead of a blurred, tired feel, they are fast paced and stills. When the title ‘Memento’ is shown the titles slow down to speed and the music creating great tension. The non diagetic sound of the opening in Insomnia is made by using classical music from string instruments. The music becomes quite loud, this creates an image of uncertainty and panic of what is about to happen. The non diagetic sound in Memento is similar using the string instruments again but in a quieter approach, this still gives an uneasy vibe, however it also makes the viewer feel restless and dreamy, which greatly contrasts with the title Insomnia.
The cinematography of both films is extremely similar. In Insomnia, a close up of a cloth with red blood seeping onto the fabric gives a thrilling feeling, leaving you wondering where the blood is from. As the blood seeps further into the fabric, it darkens creating a serious vibe. In Memento the close up of a man holding a Polaroid picture and shaking also gives the feel of a serious but thrilling matter. Similar to Insomnia the Polaroid makes the audience want to continue with the film to find out the consequence of it. The two films all in all are very similar in the conventions of a thriller, this could be because of the director, however it proves that thrillers can have similar conventions, but still have a completely story to each and contain the same quality of thrill.The opening to Insomnia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m70eyk6xr3s
The Opening to Memento.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z87iY8rPJF8
Christopher Nolan Talks about making Insomnia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGw1VYpDFI4&feature=related
Christopher Nolan Talks about making Memento.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYbNFxtG8H4&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYO-zUdUoTE&feature=related
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