All the thanks goes to Mils1234, Nautiluswirl, Tedracat, AZ, Calendos, VAgirl and everyone else who took part in the discussions for these fabulous insights into the artwork and the significance.
A big thanks on this post goes to Tedracat!!
"Our fingerprints don't fade from the lives we've touched"
Is there a more perfect quote for this film?
Memories play an important part of the film, even in small ways - Ally's mom memorizing the muggers' faces, Aiden remembering Neil Craig, who in turn, remembers Aiden, Charles remembering that it was Tyler's 22nd b-day.
From the name to many big and little things that were included in the film, Remember Me has the theme of remembrance running all through it. And it's just not about remembering Tyler, but also about the memories of Ally's mom and Michael Hawkins.
- The framing with doors and windows acting like picture frames. New memories created every day.
- Caroline's sketches - her memories of bothe her father and brother
- Yearly visits to the graves and the stones to mark the years
- Tattoos Both Tyler's and Aidan's are constant reminders of those who they lost
- Journal Tyler keeps the momory of his brother closer by writing to him
- Framed photos - the Craig house, Diane's house
- Camera (at the bar)
- Answering Machine with Ally's message
- Charles' screensaver
Regards sur le film Remember Me
...Remember Me Saturday
...Spunk Ransom
...Let Me Sign
...Thinking of Rob
...Emilie de Ravin Fan
...Dedicated to Emilie Blog
...Gregory Jbara Official Web Site
...Respect Robert at LetMeSign.com
12 comments:
I do so enjoy these analyses.
Yes, memories, because they are all we have left after we've lost someone. They are sacred. They are essential. Without them--unless the deceased has produced lasting art, memoirs, off spring--without memories, it would be as if the person had never existed. And that must never be allowed to happen.
I also remember all the photos of Michael at Tyler's apartment. This is significant because, in a place he was sharing and which might have guests, like Ally and toothbrush girl--poor thing, I didn't even see her leg first time I saw it--photos were on display for anyone to see. This means that Tyler wasn't afraid to have Michael's photo there every day or to have guest ask about it, as Ally does.
It's almost as if he wants others to ask so that he can acknowledge Michael's existence verbally, out loud. Saying something out loud legitimizes it, hardens its truth. So every time Tyler looks at the book shelf, every time a guest asks, Tyler acknowledges his brother. And everytime there is a possibility that the guest probe a little deeper so that Tyler will be forced to go to that internal place again.
It's interesting because in a way he is leaving himself open to the callous comments others might make and is also trusting that the person who will take him into his pain will be sympathetic and help him. He deliberately leaves himself vulnerable.
He deliberately keeps the door to grief open. This is something he has to do, partly to get throught the issues I think, but, regardless, it is still a very brave thing to do.
A young man that age, unmarred by such a life altering event, would be all about bravado but not bravery, invincibility not vulnerability.
Kat,
Is there a little club for the discussion group?
Not that I have any bright ideas, but want another voice?
Oh memories of Tyler deserve a poem:
Remember
by Christina Rossetti (english poet)
Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you plann'd:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.
I loved this post ... I thrilled with the movie, even today I am touched ... and this post reminded me of details I did not even remember.
Thank you Kat, you rock!!
I loved reading this post, every little thing I read about the movie just makes me love and appreciate it even more. I haven't been able to get this movie out of my head since the first day I saw it, which was during the first weekend it came out. I think you can tell a lot about a movie by how much it stays in your memory after you see it. I can honestly say I've never had another movie stay with me for this long.
Thanks so much for all these posts, they're so insightful!
jessie
No real formal discussion group. Some of us used to discuss the film on the Remember Me IMDb board, but not so much anymore. Honestly, it's more active here right now on actually looking at the film.
Thanks you and you are all welcome! Just glad that you all enjoy the site.
@jessegirl - This is a wonderful analysis, I just can't find anything else to add. I hadn't thought about this - that Tyler would know visitors would ask about Michael, as Ally does, and that he would have to confront his grief answering their questions. I had a different take on the pictures but it only completes what you have to say, adding another perspective. To me it's striking that all these pictures are black and white - like really old photographs, devoid of all the colours of life - and that they all represent Michael playing music. I thought they were a sign that Tyler got somehow stuck in the past, and that he couldn't accept his brother's suicide. There's so many pics of Michael in the flat,and so many of his things (the guitar, some music equipment piled in the corner, old records)- it's almost like a museum for Michael. Tyler is still very much haunted. Michael is such a powerful presence that I even thought for a fleeting moment that Tyler and Aidan might be living in what was Michael's flat, but I guess that would be too weird.
Cool, really cool.
You have an artistic eye and are very observant. I didn't know so much other stuff in the apartment was Michael's. And yeah, why would he have b&w photos? Of course one of the problems is that Tyler can not accept Michael's suicide.
Add to my comment. When he talks about Michael to visitors who ask about the photos, it is like he is keeping his brother alive. Speaking the name is a magical resurrection, do you see?
When my son was gone I needed others to speak his name aloud so badly.
Some people do the opposite of what Tyler does; they hide photos, remove evidence, or close the door on it.
Did you all also notice the Dali print behind the bike hanging on the wall?
soozy....Dali print, Rob in Little Ashes..hah. You smartypants--and I say that in the nicest way. My knowledge of art is pretty rudimentary. I must say, it's hard for me to move past Rob's face. What a doofus.
@soozy, can you tell me more about the Dali print? I'm collecting any information I can about art and pictures in this film (I've started a blog about RM and want to go in that direction). Can you give more details? I didn't recognize the print but then I'm not familiar with Dali at all. It would great if you could tell me more!
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