Analysis of Memento-Is it a good opening sequence?

Is the opening sequence to Memento a good opening sequence?

I think that the opening sequence for Memento is a very good opening sequence as it ticks all the boxes of what an opening sequence should be. It is slow paced which gives the audience a chance to settle into the cinema and prepare for the film that is approaching. The fact that it is slow paced also means that the audience are 'lead' into the film and not dropped straight into the action and the information that the film contains isn't too fast for the viewers to process so they understand the plot so far.

The opening credits inform the audience of who is starring in the film and the team that never get seen- the director and the others that are in charge of the special features such as costumes, lighting, producers and editors. These are all crucial people to the making of the film.

Most opening sequences familiarise the viewers with the setting however in Memento the name of the film is emphasised with the first shot of the character holding a photograph. The fact that the photo is gruesome shows that the character in the frame is quite a sinister, violent character and perhaps creates danger.

The film establishes a certain mood or tone by conveying to the audience the first shot of the main character holding the photograph of a man dead in an abandoned warehouse. This creates a sinister, violent aggressive mood which are all qualities of the main character 'Leonard' possess. As the audience see the photograph that the man is clutching, they may want to avoid this certain character and hope that he does not cause anymore destruction to any objects or any opposing characters that we discover later in the film. The fact that the man is holding a photograph to remember that particular incident could suggest to the audience that this man has mental problems and relies on souveniers to help his memory.

The soundtrack that is being played during the opening shots has a slow tempo which could represent the mood of the shot. The fact that the soundtrack is being played by strings that are playing at a lower octave which emphasises the melancholy atmosphere.

As the main character is holding a photo of a dead man, the audience will want to ask questions such as 'Who is the dead man?' and 'Why is he dead?' and perhaps what the main character has to do with the major incident.