Talk:Memento (film)

References to use

Please add to the list references that can be used for the film article.

• Kania, Andrew (2008). "Memento". In Livingston, Paisley; Plantings, Carl (eds.). The Routledge Companion to Philosophy and Film. Routledge Philosophy Companions. Routledge. pp. 650–660. ISBN 0415771668.
• Laytham, Brent D. (2006). "Time for Hope: The Sixth Sense, American Beauty, Memento, and Twelve Monkeys". In Griesinger, Emily; Eaton, Mark (eds.). The Gift of Story: Narrating Hope in a Postmodern World. Baylor University Press. pp. 69–84. ISBN 1932792473.
• Litch, Mary M (2002). "Free Will, Determinism, and Moral Responsibility – Films: Gattaca and Memento". Philosophy Through Film. Routledge. pp. 141–162. ISBN 0415938759.
• Litch, Mary M (2002). "Personal Identity – Films: Being John Malkovich and Memento". Philosophy Through Film. Routledge. pp. 67–86. ISBN 0415938759.
• Nungesser, Verena-Susanna (2009). "I Forgot to Remember (to Forget): Personal Memories in Memento (2000) and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)". Mediation, Remediation, and the Dynamics of Cultural Memory. Media and Cultural Memory. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 3110204444.

Amnesia or Not?

I want to say that I think it is relevant to discuss the question as to whether Leonard has amnesia at all. On my 5th watch of this movie, I noticed something early in the script. When Leonard is first talking to the Motel Attendant (Mark Boone Jr.), Teddy arrives and calls Leonard, 'Lenny'. It is not so subtle on the re-watch, but Leonard says, and I paraphrase "I told you, I hate when people call me 'Lenny'. Only my wife called me that". In one of the opening scenes, Leonard has a memory, and I would like to see this discussed further in the description, because even though it is a spoiler, it does change the meaning of the movie. 100.14.203.240 (talk) 05:28, 5 September 2017 (UTC)

The film makes it pretty clear that Leonard has amnesia. He says the last thing he remembers is his wife "...dying", so it would make sense that he remembers events prior to that - including the nickname used by his wife or his work as an insurance investigator. I doubt he would drink a beer knowing that everyone in the bar spat in it, or suddenly start running toward someone trying to shoot him. Hoof Hearted (talk) 17:07, 11 May 2021 (UTC)

Amnesia

This was removed from Twist Ending as being out of place. Are any of the sources useful here?

Amnesia (particularly retrograde amnesia, the inability to recollect long-term memories) is often used to create mysteries in which the protagonist must attempt to recover his or her identity. The film Memento alters the standard technique slightly, using reverse chronological order to depict a character with anterograde amnesia. Repressed memory and Lacunar amnesia may also be employed in a similar fashion.

References

In an interview with Chuck Stephens...

I would strongly suggest checking the context of these Nolan quotes, because they purport to give a definite answer and eliminate the ambiguity--something Nolan has played with. He has given unambiguous CONTRADICTORY statements on this point to feed both sides. Of the two footnotes given for that paragraph, one is the commentary track on the original DVD and Nolan recorded two of those: One states absolutely that Teddy is to be believed, as in the statement quoted here, and one states absolutely that the audience should credit the photograph's instruction not to believe his lies. If this quote appears completely kosher in the Klosterman article and isn't simply lifted from the DVD commentary, I would search very carefully because Nolan probably gave someone else an interview around the same time saying the opposite.

False Statement

As of the 26th of October 2022, this Wikipedia page stated "... a series in black-and-white that is shown chronologically, and a series of colour sequences shown in reverse order,,,". There are several scenes in the film that show this statement to be false, but the best one to consider is the photographs. It's a key moment in the film when Lenny takes a photo of Teddy stood by the pickup truck because it's the first time you see Lenny do this and you wonder what it's about. In the final scene we see Lenny flicking through his photos, one of which is of Teddy. But hold on a minute - if "[the] series of colour sequences [are] shown in reverse order" then how does Lenny have a photo of Teddy effectively taken at the end of the sequence of events? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.187.174.46 (talk) 07:38, 26 October 2022 (UTC)

Memento Limited Edition DVD Commentary Track.

I think the article should mention that the DVD's Commentary Track has 4 endings; given how much of an anomaly the DVD release is in the first place, such an addendum would help further clarify its impact. However, I'm worried that this addition would be too superfluous. Any thoughts? Dunton Delray (talk) 20:12, 16 May 2022 (UTC) Dunton Delray

Infography

https://foundationdesign.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/memento-scene-timeline.png Backinstadiums (talk) 21:46, 22 September 2022 (UTC)

GA Reassessment

Memento (film)

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

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Article (edit | visual edit | history) · Article talk (edit | history) · Watch • Watch article reassessment page • GAN review not found

Result: Delisted. ~~ AirshipJungleman29 (talk) 02:35, 25 January 2024 (UTC)

Several uncited statements and an overreliance of blockquotes. Z1720 (talk) 22:51, 17 January 2024 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

“short-term memory loss”

removed a bit in the intro that said Shelby has short-term memory loss, as its my understanding that he has only lost the ability to form new long term memories, but maintains his short term memory – as is the case for anterograde amnesia. Let me know if this is wrong though. Willyoustopthat (talk) 21:23, 3 May 2026 (UTC)

Language

"Caused him to sustain the condition." This is technically correct, but semantically suspect. You don't in usual parlance sustain a chronic condition. You can sustain an injury, but I don't think it's standard English to sustain amnesia. I could be wrong, hence why I'm kvetching here rather than editing the article. ~2026-33747-82 (talk) 07:35, 7 June 2026 (UTC)