Topic 2

 Kate Yvon 

Prof. Saphire

Com 126-1

10/28/20

    In the movies Memento and Adaptation there were many common themes. The characters from each movie are established through using specific narrative structure. The movie Memento is in the noir genre, which has common elements such as devastating traumas to the characters, and alternate realities. In the movie Adaptation, the characters go through many different difficult changes as well and this contributes to the theme of the movie which is adapting and realizing yourself. The thematic elements are shown through the narrative structure which includes the characters, setting, conversations, visuals, etc. 

    In Memento, the sequence of the movie can be described as first scene, last, second, and penultimate scene. This movie is unusual in the way it is pieced together because it starts with the end of the movie and goes back from there. This means, we as viewers see things the characters might not and we know more than the characters might know. Lenny, the main character is a broken directionless character because he suffers from memory loss due to a brain injury. Lennys memory is that he and his wife were attacked and she was killed, but what he doesn't know is that its was really him that killed her because he gave her too much insulin on accident. The viewer knows this but Lenny does not, he goes on a mission to find the people who he thinks killed her. Throughout the film there are many instances where the audience knows more than Lenny. For example Teddy, a character we meet later, uses Lenny's memory loss to help himself and to make Lenny do his dirty work for him. Lenny is on the search for "John G" throughout the first parts of the movie, but it is later revealed that Teddy is "John G". In order to not forget Lenny writes his license platte down and then this is where we see the "final scene" of the movie which is actually the start of the main plot of the film.He realizes the person he should actually be looking for is Jimmy Grants. Lenny meets Natalie, Jimmys partner, who the audience isn't sure if they can trust or not. Natalie also uses him for her own benefit and leads him to Jimmy. Lenny finds Jimmy and kills him and steals his clothes and then the film shows him growing older and hat the hunt starts all over for him in a vicious cycle. The plot of the film and the order of the scenes contributes to the narrative element in the film and creates suspense. The audience doesn't know who to trust and sometimes knows that Lenny shouldn't be trusting someone. The diegetic and non dietetic elements the film contribute to when and where the scene is set and where and when we are in the timeline of the movie. 

    In the movie Adaptation, there are similar moments of suspense and unknowing. The film opens with multiple voice overs with Charlie Kaufman. We learn he is trying to adapt a book about orchid thieving into a movie. Charlie is stuck in a rut in his life and is feeling unsuccessful in many ways compared to his brother Donald. Donald succeeds in his sex life, writing his own screen play, and making money but Charlie feels stuck. This is similar to how Lenny felt isolated and confused in his own life in Memento. Susan Orlean, the writer of the book he is trying to adapt, goes on trips to Florida to search for the ghost orchid and these scenes are crossed with Charlies failings to show how they are in different points in their lives. Charlie and Donald meet Susan and then Donald convinces Charlie to go to Florida with him. This is where the movie switches into a thriller full of action packed scenes. As the film goes on the characters begin their own struggles and Susan turns to drugs and sex. Susan eventually wants her life back after this tumultuous time. Thee movie morphs into the movie that Charlie is making which creates an extremely meta theme. Charlie eventually meets with an executive named Natalie and she tells him he's a genius and he initially tells her he doesn't want any violence or action in the movie but with his new chaotic life he has, he decides to include action and violence because it is now what he really cares about. Throughout the entire film the theme of adapting is present in Charlie because he is being pushed to adapt to his surroundings and has to learn to overcome challenges and become who he really wants to be. 

    Both movies Adaptation and Memento had similar narrative elements and used many similar techniques to show the characters. Both protagonists went through a big change in their life and had to learn how to overcome it and grow with it. Narrative structure is very important to film and the creation of characters.