Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1679 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-01-14
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 109 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
An absolute stunner of a movie, Memento combines a bold, mind-bending script with compelling action and virtuoso performances. Guy Pearce plays Leonard Shelby, hunting down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The problem is that "the incident" that robbed Leonard of his wife also stole his ability to make new memories. Unable to retain a location, a face, or a new clue on his own, Leonard continues his search with the help of notes, Polaroids, and even homemade tattoos for vital information. Because of his condition, Leonard essentially lives his life in short, present-tense segments, with no clear idea of what's just happened to him. That's where Memento gets really interesting; the story begins at the end, and the movie jumps backward in 10-minute segments. The suspense of the movie lies not in discovering what happens, but in finding out why it happened. Amazingly, the movie achieves edge-of-your-seat excitement even as it moves backward in time! , and it keeps the mind hopping as cause and effect are pieced together.

Pearce captures Leonard perfectly, conveying both the tragic romance of his quest and his wry humour in dealing with his condition. He is bolstered by several excellent supporting players including Carrie-Anne Moss, and the movie is all but stolen by Moss' fellow Matrix co-star Joe Pantoliano, who delivers an amazing performance as Teddy, the guy who may or may not be on his side. Memento has an intriguing structure and even meditations on the nature of perception and meaning of life if you go looking for them, but it also functions just as well as a completely absorbing thriller. It's rare to find a movie this exciting with so much intelligence behind it. --Ali Davis, Amazon.com

On the DVD: this amazing movie looks crisp and clean in a good anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) picture accompanied by Dolby 5.1 sound. The menu is almost as baffling as the movie itself, but once you master the navigation you'll find interviews, biographies, a tattoo picture gallery and the shooting script among other extras. Most mind-boggling of all, however, is the "Memento Mori" option in the special features menu, which allows you to play a specially re-edited version of the movie in chronological order, beginning with the end credits running backwards! --Mark Walker

Video Description
DVD Special Features:
Original theatrical trailer
IFC interview with writer/director Christopher Nolan
Director and cast biographies
Memento Mori by Jonathan Nolan
Tattoo gallery
Shooting script
Interactive menus
Website material
Special hidden feature: The Beginning of the End
Language: English, Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English for the hard of hearing
2.35:1 widescreen 16:9 version

Synopsis
MEMENTO, the second feature by writer-director Christopher Nolan (FOLLOWING), is an intricately constructed film noir that masterfully inverts time to comment on the foggy relationship between memory and truth. MEMENTO tells the story of Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a former insurance investigator who witnesses a brutal attack on his wife. Knocked unconscious, Leonard wakes up with a rare brain condition--he no longer possesses short-term memory. He can remember his name and all the details of his past, but he can no longer make new memories. Armed with a careful system of remembering details (he compulsively snaps Polaroids and scribbles notes, then tattoos the important facts directly onto his body), the distraught Leonard goes on a manhunt to avenge his wife's death. To illustrate the unique and frightening state of the protagonist's mind (he cannot remember what happened even seconds before), Nolan takes a brilliantly successful risk in telling the story backward. The film begins with Leonard killing the man he's looking for. From there MEMENTO unravels a compellingly disconcerting trail back to the start. As the layers of the story are peeled back scene by scene, Leonard's involvement with two enigmatic friends--who both claim to be helping him--complicates the mystery.
Based on a short story by the director's brother, Jonathan Nolan, MEMENTO is an incredibly original film that is so wonderfully puzzling and eerily ambiguous that it will surely warrant repeated viewings.

Customer Reviews

Wonderful stuff, but forget the hidden extra
There's not much to add to what's already been said about this truly excellent movie. It works because of the way it's made - the trick of telling the story in reverse puts you right inside the head of Leonard and leaves you as confused as he is. My only gripe about this DVD is the thing most other people seem to like - namely the hidden feature which plays the scenes in forward order. I'd seen the film 5 times before I watched this 'forward' version and each viewing was a splendidly confusing experience; the film made more and more sense every time - each viewing held new revelations. Now, having watched it 'forwards' and having had my deductions confirmed, I've rather lost the will to watch the 'normal' film again which I think is a great shame.
So, buy the disc, watch the film again and again, but only watch the 'forwards' version if you're totally confused.

Monumental film
Memento is the compelling story of a man attempting to find and kill the murderer of his wife. His problem is that he has short-term memory loss. The story is well told through a jumble of non-sequential vignettes, which reflect the fragmented perspective of the protagonist (Leonard). Leonard attempts to overcome his problem by constructing a world of notes and tattoos in place of memory. Leonard pieces together the evidence with his notes and as the detective mystery unfolds a shocking outcome is revealed in perhaps the greatest cinematic twist of all time.

As well as maintaining a non-didactic plot, the film manages to ask the important philosophical questions, how can we know our actions have consequences? Does the world stop existing when its not being perceived?

This is not an easy watch; nevertheless it is a highly rewarding one. All the characters are flawlessly acted by a superb cast that includes; Guy Pearce, Joe Pantoliano, and Carrie-Anne Moss, who gives a much better performance in this then her awkward performance as Trinity in the Matrix trilogy. The directing is first rate, orchestrating the complex parts portrayed so well by the actors and the filming augments the feeling of disorientation throughout.

On plot and delivery alone, perhaps my all time favourite film.

**** VERY CLEVER ****
Guy Pearce gives an excellent performance as Leonard Shelby, a man trying to find the people who brutally raped and murdered his wife and left him unable to make new memories, in this complex thriller told backwards by writer-director Christopher Nolan.

Because of his condition Leonard has to continually keep notes, on paper, with polaroids but also with tattoos and notes written on his body, as his only ways of retaining any new information. From day to day he has to rely on his notes to remind him of his progress and trust that they are correct. His life is permanently lived in present-tense and his only purpose is to find those responsible for his wife's murder.

What makes this movie really intriguing and keeps you on the edge of your seat is the fact that the story is told from the end backwards, each segment of the movie revealing a little bit more of what has previously happened. Who is a friend who is an enemy? This is what keeps you interested, this what keeps you guessing. I saw this movie at the theatre and what made it a great movie first time, apart from the excellent story and excellent acting from all concerned, is the surprise element and whilst if you are watching this movie for the first time it really is a rewarding experience, my concern with buying it on DVD, is that like many great thrillers it's maybe not so good for repeated viewings. Despite the fact that it is undoubtedly excellently crafted and has top notch performances from Guy Pearce, Joe Pantoliano and Carrie Anne Moss, it's the intrigue that holds the movie together, and hold it together it does very well, for this is an excellent, very intelligent movie. I just feel that once you know the end of the movie (the beginning of the story) it might not hold the same allure (or your attention) second or third time around. If you haven't seen it though and you like slow-burn, complex, intelligent thrillers, this comes highly recommended. However, if you are looking for something upbeat or fast paced this probably wont be for you...