DEAN COSTELLOE
CENTRE NUMBER: 14715
CANDIDATE NUMBER: 9058
THEME
MEMORY
Memory is the faculty by which the mind stores and recalls information and is a common theme throughout film. In many ways, we are defined by our memories, as we are moulded by our past experiences, of which memories represent. Memories sometimes manifest in the form of flashbacks which allow us to better understand a character and their motivations, though other times they are simply expressed through exposition. Amnesia is also an incredibly popular theme in filmmaking; the loss of a character’s memory either gives them an excuse to be developed less or provides them with the obvious motivation of regaining it. Either way, memory often offers a relatable and interesting way to develop characters.
Alain Resnais’ Hiroshima mon amour, written by Marguerite Duras, pioneered the use of flashbacks to display quick flashes of memory. The technique is used well, as it shows the oftentimes painful ways that memories may persist with us, despite our desire to forget them. The story features a French actress and a Japanese architect who have had a brief relationship and are now separating. The two debate memory and forgetfulness before she begins to leave, comparing failed relationships to the Hiroshima bombing. When narrating flashbacks, often the male will interject and state that the woman is wrong; “you are not endowed with memory.”
The loss of memory is an incredibly common theme throughout films. The story of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind involves two former lovers undergoing a procedure to remove their memories of their relationship. The film ends with them beginning their romance again, despite discovering that it ended terribly. Similarly, in Total Recall, Arnold Schwarzenegger has troubling dreams about Mars and a mysterious woman, inspiring him to purchase a holiday from Rekall Inc., where they sell implanted memories. However, this makes him remember a past that was wiped from his memory, as he actually used to be a secret agent who fought against the evil Mars administrator Cohaagen. While in the latter, the memory removal was not consented to, both have the engineered loss of memory as what provokes the plot.
In Memento, the protagonist suffers from anterograde amnesia – the inability to recall the recent past. As such, he must record his progress in an investigation so as to not forget his progress. This unusual illness is often used as a plot point as it can allow for engaging story lines involving short term memory loss. A similar but fictional illness to anterograde amnesia is seen in Fifty First Dates, as Drew Barrymore’s character wakes up thinking every day is the 13th of October the year before. Short term memory loss is a source of comedy in Finding Nemo, as the character of Dory finds it hard to recall much information, being incredibly proud when she memorises an address. The character was so endearing in the film that a sequel is in production starring her.