'Vertigo' versus 'Memento': Page 9

DISCLAIMER: All images and screen captures in this work remain copyright of their respective owners and are under fair use here as part of criticism, comment, scholarship, and research. All commentary, diagrams, and visualizations remain copyright © Paidi tis Vrontis and Thunderchild Insights. DO NOT REPOST in full or in part anywhere.

I do not consent for any portion of my articles to be used in any for-pay work of any kind or in any type of academic publication without prior written authorization (click here to read why). Contact me via any of my contact links to discuss.

321:

Vertigo 1:57:54 vs.

Memento 1:22:29

I mean it – answer me!

The phone rings again, in Memento.

322:

Vertigo 1:57:57 vs.

Memento 1:22:58

A late woman, with something on her face.

This is Leonard’s response when Natalie, someone he doesn’t know, asks him what is his last memory. Love that they're looking in opposite directions.

323:

Vertigo 1:58:00 vs.

Memento 1:23:10

You might want something else, the woman says.

Judy offers to change their dinner venue – and Natalie, realizing that Leonard’s a pawn in someone else’s game, takes away the tainted drink without letting him take another sip.

To maintain the logical cadence of the movie’s monochrome forward action vs its color scene mixed action, there’s a scene where Leonard answers the phone and protests that he’s done nothing wrong, couldn’t remember if he did, and that no one believes a man with his condition. Honestly this could match the “no, no” at the start of the next beat – but that feels a bit like slicing hairs.

324:

Vertigo 1:58:04 vs.

Memento 1:23:40

Ernie’s vs Ferdy’s.

325:

Vertigo 1:58:09 vs.

Memento 1:24:03

The blonde’s already got their order going.

326:

Vertigo 1:58:18 vs.

Memento 1:24:19

Look, you’re gonna have to help her out with this one.

327:

Vertigo 1:58:23 vs.

Memento 1:24:23

Oh, I’ve got it now.

328:

Vertigo 1:58:25 vs.

Memento 1:24:56

How do you work this thing?

Scottie’s fumbling with the clasp, and Natalie’s firing a rapid series of questions trying to figure out the nature of the con that Leonard is a part of.

329:

Vertigo 1:58:27 vs.

Memento 1:26:27

Can’t you see? the woman says.

Judy’s teasing Scottie about not being able to clasp the necklace, and Natalie befouled the drink in front of Leonard’s eyes… to see if he’d still be willing to drink out of it once he “forgot.”

330:

Vertigo 1:58:29 vs.

Memento 1:30:02

Now, there you are.

The moment that everything starts to tip; the instant before the truth is revealed… or is it? Scottie’s fastened the necklace – but for the briefest instant we see Leonard installed in Sammy’s chair in the institution. Literally in this moment: there you are.

331:

Vertigo 1:58:31 vs.

Memento 1:30:47

I’m just about ready.

Leonard's explaining to Teddy why he hasn't left town as they previously agreed.

332:

Vertigo 1:58:34 vs.

Memento 1:32:40

Don’t believe their lies.

This is the moment that Scottie sees the necklace – and Leonard sees his note to himself about not believing Teddy.

333:

Vertigo 1:58:38 vs.

Memento 1:33:15

I had it a minute ago.

Judy’s looking for her lipstick… and Leonard’s sneaking out the back to avoid Teddy. Neither are where they’re expected to be.

Bonus: Both the center stone and the window are square with a gold frame.

334:

Vertigo 1:58:48 vs.

Memento 1:33:35

Wearing a stranger’s clothes…

Natalie obviously expects to see the man wearing Jimmy's clothes and driving Jimmy's car... to be Jimmy himself.

335:

Vertigo 1:58:53 vs.

Memento 1:34:01

I wonder if it’s here.

336:

Vertigo 1:58:58 vs.

Memento 1:34:12

I’m ready.

Love how it’s mirrored profiles here.

337:

Vertigo 1:59:01 vs.

Memento 1:35:35

(Don’t) be careful with my face.

Judy wants to be “mussed” but Teddy’s very particular on where and how Leonard photographs him. It’s also a call-back to Scottie saying “come here” earlier, for the purposes of mussing Judy.

338:

Vertigo 1:59:05 vs.

Memento 1:38:06

Love is death and a kiss is a strike… but soon you’ll realize you’ve got the wrong person.

Important to note that in Memento the shots of Leonard waiting for the kill are interspersed with his wife in similar poses.

339:

Vertigo 1:59:08 vs.

Memento 1:38:40

The blonde really has you now, don’t they?

Judy thinks she’s triumphed at last over Scottie’s obsession – and Jimmy realizes that Leonard’s utterly serious about killing him.

340:

Vertigo 1:59:13 vs.

Memento 1:38:47

Bargaining with the blonde.

Scottie negotiates having dinner somewhere down on the peninsula – and Jimmy tries to save his own life by offering Leonard the cash in the trunk of his car.

341:

Vertigo 1:59:20 vs.

Memento 1:38:55

What do you want?

342:

Vertigo 1:59:24 vs.

Memento 1:39:00

Then the blonde goes in for the kill… and really gets their face mussed this time.

343:

Vertigo 2:05:57 vs.

Memento 1:40:28

OUT OF ORDER, but such a specific image I feel it does merit inclusion: Dragging feet up/down a set of rough wooden stairs.

Bonus: both characters being dragged have a “J” name.

344:

Vertigo 1:59:29 vs.

Memento 1:40:49

The car pulls up.

345:

Vertigo 1:59:38 vs.

Memento 1:41:01

The blonde’s silent monologue asks “what have I done?”

We have to infer Judy’s thoughts again but I feel it’s a fairly solid read.

346:

Vertigo 1:59:39 vs.

Memento 1:41:06

I’m going to pretend I don’t know what’s going on, and maybe you’ll slip up.

347:

Vertigo 1:59:41 vs.

Memento 1:41:14

Yeah, well – two can play at silly buggers.

348:

Vertigo 2:00:07 vs.

Memento 1:41:21

What the hell’s actually going on, here?

There’s a locational aspect to both questions.

349:

Vertigo 2:00:14 vs.

Memento 1:41:28

One final thing I have to do.

Both of these men are, in their own way, striking out at someone who put them up to the murder of an innocent person.

350:

Vertigo 2:00:18 vs.

Memento 1:41:33

I contributed to the past situation that brought us both here.

351:

Vertigo 2:00:41 vs.

Memento 1:41:45

The blonde’s got an important question.

Kinda feeling like that round steering wheel is echoed in the round windows behind Teddy, especially with Leonard’s hands up near it.

352:

Vertigo 2:00:48 vs.

Memento 1:41:48

It’s all about the horrors of your past.

353:

Vertigo 2:00:57 vs.

Memento 1:41:52

Two very important names; one way more formal-sounding than the other.

Judy and John G. rhyme, I am just now realizing.

354:

Vertigo 2:01:11 vs.

Memento 1:42:06

And we’re both going to gain from it.

There’s a tight, threatening clench of one main character to another in this scene.

355:

Vertigo 2:01:20 vs.

Memento 1:42:11

Over there is where the action happened.

356:

Vertigo 2:01:23 vs.

Memento 1:42:21

You lose me/use me – with an interjection from the other.

357:

Vertigo 2:01:38 vs.

Memento 1:42:24

What I told the dead person.

358:

Vertigo 2:01:51 vs.

Memento 1:42:32

Great story. Gets better every time you tell it.

Scottie’s recounting the story of Madeleine’s death, one that he had already recounted for the authorities a year before – and of course Leonard’s very open with the story of Sammy.

359:

Vertigo 2:01:58 vs.

Memento 1:42:39

The blonde would really rather not remember what happened.

360:

Vertigo 2:02:29 vs.

Memento 1:42:48

The man says there was a second chance… but was there, really?

Scottie’s ongoing actions doom both Judy and himself; there’s no true second chance here. From a number of various pieces of evidence, I believe that Teddy’s lying about Leonard’s wife surviving the assault and everything else that follows -- and I'll share my proofs with you when we reach the summary.

Go To Page 8

Return to Main Page

Go To Page 10