4. Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) to Memento (2000)
Hiroshima mon Amour is a film that defied many of the established principles of cinema. As written in Naomi Greenes The French New Wave: A New Look, Jean-Luc Godard himself compared Alain Resnais mastery of editing to that ofSergei Eisenstein [] (due to) [] the demand (of) new modes of thought and expression (2007, p. 46). The film has an innovative editing style in which constant flashbacks and flash-forwards mirror the images flashing through the protagonists head; whenever a present image reminds her about an image of her past, a nearly identical shot of her past flashes onto the frame. Later in the film, the protagonist shares her innermost tales at the bar, and the film switches back and forth with straight cuts from the past and the present as she speaks. However, these flashes to the past occur without ever leaving the present, giving the viewers the feeling of remembrance rather than one of time travel. The entire movie has non-linear editing, which is clear influence on Christopher Nolans Memento. Nolans film starts in its ending, and the film continues with scenes edited together to appear as if the narrative occurs in reverse-chronological order. Nolan developed a story that could fit the parameters of this original concept, just like Resnais Hiroshima is arguably the first film to defy the invisible editing style at a time where French cinema was on decline. Both offered a fresh new look on cinemas true potential. The theme of memory is nearly unnecessary to clarify at this point. The editing allows both films to explore their views of recollection. They honor how the past is can be both painful yet necessary to keep. Both protagonists cannot move on from what has haunted them for so long in order to cherish the good times. Their innovative use of editing and the theme of memory relate both movies, even if their plots and genres are nothing alike.
Which is better? Both movies are important pieces of cinema, but Hiroshima changed everything as soon as it was released. He reinvented editing and paved the way to the extremely influential French New Wave directors. Hiroshima is definitely a close predecessor of the renowned cinematic movement. It also became a necessary film in a daunting post-WWII period, a time that many were hoping to forget. Resnais proves why that is no solution. Memento is a mere cinematic experiment in comparison, though a very important one at that. Hiroshima takes the cake this time but not by far.