Christopher Nolan’s Memento (2000) exemplifies Steven Shaviro’s concept of post-continuity cinema by redefining how audiences engage with fragmented storytelling. Shaviro highlights a separation from traditional continuity editing, favoring disjointed structures and affect-driven narratives. In Memento, these techniques are used not for spectacle but to immerse viewers in the fractured mental state of its protagonist, Leonard Shelby.
At its core, Memento really challenges linear storytelling. The film’s dual narrative structure: one unfolding in reverse chronology and the other in standard sequence—disrupts temporal continuity, forcing viewers to piece the story together alongside Leonard. This fragmented approach reflects Shaviro’s notion that modern cinema prioritizes emotional and sensory engagement over logical coherence. In this case, the audience truly feels Leonard’s confusion and desperation, creating an authentic connection to his experience.
Memento also embodies Shaviro’s discussion of cinema as affective rather than representational. The disorienting shifts in time and perspective mimic Leonard’s amnesia, creating a hallucinatory experience. Each scene’s lack of clear context shows his struggle to discern truth from deception, making the film as much about feeling lost as it is about solving his mystery.
The fragmented narrative in this film elevates themes of memory, identity, and truth, offering profound engagement beyond visual spectacle. By prioritizing affect and emotional resonance, Memento challenges audiences emotionally and intellectually, forcing us to confront the fragility of perception and the unsettling realization that truth is often subjective. Personally, it left me questioning not only the reliability of memory but also how deeply our understanding of reality depends on what we choose to believe. This emotional and cognitive tension is what makes Memento a masterclass in using post-continuity techniques to deepen storytelling in a uniquely cinematic way.
Omi Lu (33754147)
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Steven Shaviro, ‘Post-Continuity: An introduction’, Post-Cinema: Theorising 21st Century Film, 51-64
https://medium.com/@sean_platt/memento-fractured-genius-from-a-visionary-filmmaker-48d377931e7e
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