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The Making of Memento [Paperback]

James Mottram (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)


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Book Description

April 18, 2002
A behind-the-scenes look at the cult film that's taken critics and audiences by storm.

Christopher Nolan's Memento--the deceptive, ambiguous tale of a man with short-term memory loss consumed by the need to avenge the rape and murder of his wife--has already been hailed by critics as "a new classic" (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone), provoked more discussion than any other film of 2001, and in a near-instant established Nolan as a major player in the industry.

In The Making of Memento James Mottram aims to take the reader--backwards, of course, like the story's structure--through the complete process by which this watershed film was brought to the screen. Utilizing interviews with Christopher Nolan and his brother, Jonathan (author of the short story on which the film is based), as well as members of the cast and crew, including Guy Pierce and Carrie-Anne Moss, Mottram details life on the set and the experience of filming. He also looks at the critics' reactions, explores the film's themes, and discusses its place in cinema history. In addition, a full set of credits is included along with a plot summary and the complete text to the original short story, as well as a look at the process by which it was transformed into a screenplay.

All totaled, The Making of Memento is the perfect companion to what is sure to be regarded as one of the first great films of the new century.

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Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A behind-the-scenes look at the cult film that's taken critics and audiences by storm.

Christopher Nolan's Memento -- the deceptive, ambiguous tale of a man with short-term memory loss consumed by the need to avenge the rape and murder of his wife -- has already been hailed by critics as "a new classic" (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone), provoked more discussion than any other film of 2001, and in a near-instant established Nolan as a major player in the industry.

In The Making of Memento James Mottram aims to take the reader -- backwards, of course, like the story's structure -- through the complete process by which this watershed film was brought to the screen. Utilizing interviews with Christopher Nolan and his brother, Jonathan (author of the short story on which the film is based), as well as members of the cast and crew, including Guy Pearce and Carrie-Anne Moss, Mottram details life on the set and the experience of filming. He also looks at the critics' reactions, explores the film's themes, and discusses its place in cinema history. In addition, a full set of credits is included along with a plot summary and the complete text to the original short story, as well as a look at the process by which it was transformed into a screenplay.

All totaled, The Making of Memento is the perfect companion to what is sure to be regarded as one of the first great films of the new century.

James Mottram is a journalist and the author of two previous books on cinema, The Coen Brothers: A Life of the Mind and Public Enemies: The Gangster Movie A to Z. He lives in London.

About the Author

James Mottram is a journalist and the author of two previous books on cinema, The Coen Brothers: A Life of the Mind and Public Enemies: The Gangster Movie A to Z. He lives in London.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Faber & Faber; 1st edition (April 18, 2002)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0571214886
  • ISBN-13: 978-0571214884
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,020,427 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Remember Sammy Jankis, May 28, 2002
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This review is from: The Making of Memento (Paperback)
Mottram's book offers a fascinating account of how Memento came into being, the trials its creators went through to get it distributed, and offers several interpretations of the film's meaning. It's also filled with interesting vignettes from movie set. The book roughly parallels the movie in that its chapters work backwards toward the source material, Nolan's brother's shortstory Memento Mori. However, its primary focus is on the construction of the movie itself, and how the disparate elements (acting, direction, writing, sound, music) came together to form the first truly great film of the 21st century. Mottram's writing style is clean, focused, and never overwraught. He doesn't make the mistake of overintellectualizing or overinterpreting the the film. This is a must have for Memento fans and offers keen insight as to how independent movies are made.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and intriguing look into the making of a classic, January 2, 2003
This review is from: The Making of Memento (Paperback)
James Mottram's "Making of Memento" is an interesting and intriguing look into the making of the modern day classic Memento. Offered up are excerpts from conversations with director/screen writer Christopher Nolan and actors Guy Pearce, Carrie Anne-Moss, and Joe Pantoliano, while offering a few different interpertations on the film itself. Mottram's style is crisp and clear and he never seems to go too far from his source material while offering up some interesting little known facts (the fact that Brad Pitt strongly considered and wanted to do the role of Lenny came as a shock and I have more respect for him now than I ever did before) that keep the reader interested for most of the time. Also included is the original short story by Jonathan Nolan (brother to Christopher) that inspired the film. All in all, consider this an essential companion piece if your a fan of the film or are trying to tie up some loose ends.
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars This guy doesn't know anything, November 4, 2010
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This review is from: The Making of Memento (Paperback)
First third of the book provides unfounded, fallacious and misleading theories, subsequent two thirds is boring production details like what was shot on which day and obvious production details like the cast and what not.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
A Polaroid photograph, clasped between finger and thumb, showing a crude, crime-scene flash picture of a man's body lying on a decaying wooden floor, a bloody mess where his head should be. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
tattoo parlour, colour sequences, derelict building, derelict house
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Sammy Jankis, Jennifer Todd, Guy Pearce, New York, Los Angeles, Chris Nolan, Joe Pantoliano, The Matrix, Wally Pfister, Emma Thomas, Aaron Ryder, Carrie-Anne Moss, Patti Podesta, Mark Boone, Memento Mori, Point Blank, Blade Runner, Jonah Nolan, Christopher Nolan, Nicolas Roeg, Team Todd, Boiler Room, David Julyan, Discount Inn, Joey Pants
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