On episode 153 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter discuss the next film in their Christopher Nolan series, Memento (2001).
Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema’s greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you’ve got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love.
After making his debut film and showcasing it at film festivals around the world, Christopher Nolan caught the attention of audiences and studios, given small prizes and a chance to level up with his next film with resources needed to make his latest mind trip work. In getting those resources, he was able to make Memento, a crime thriller spliced together within the present and the past that showcases a broken man recreating a mystery over and over again to run away from the trauma he inflicted years ago. With this second feature, Nolan announced himself as a force to be reckoned with, as Memento is a deeply personal, heartbreaking looking in the mind of someone who simple wants to forget. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the film, Leonard’s secrets past and his plan to keep his secrets at bay, Nolan’s use of black and white photography mixed with the scenes of color and how they play with time, the incredible performance of Guy Pearce, and the morality found within the shocking ending.
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This podcast runs 2h05m. The guys will be back next week to continue their series on the films of Christopher Nolan with a review of his next film, Insomnia. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let’s get into it.
Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).
