Memento, Music for and inspired by the film
The challenge for young filmmakers tackling genre pieces is often considerably more than breathing new life into old familiarities. In the tradition of John Boorman'sPoint Blank, Quentin Tarantino'sPulp Fiction, and Steven Soderbergh'sThe Limey, sophomore English director Christopher Nolan's film noir whodunit doesn't so much deconstruct traditional narrative as shatter it outright, challenging viewers to examine the broken pieces from fresh perspectives. Musically, Nolan has again turned to David Julyan, the young Brit composer who also scored the director's debut,Following. The musician seizes the opportunity to both literalize the noir label and trash its various sonic clichés, infusing the film with an ambient electronic score that's as deliciously moody as it is modern. Julyan's tense soundscape is cannily seasoned with a well-chosen, equally modern slate of club and rock tracks fromRoni Size,Thievery Corporation, Monc,Moby,Peace Orchestra,Paul Oakenfold,Radiohead,Björk, andDavid Bowie, an eclectic mix that meshes perfectly with the film's nothing-is-what-it-seems sensibility.--Jerry McCulley