Spellbound, 1945, Suspense, 150 min, Alfred Hitchcock
A handsome young doctor, "Dr. Edwards" (Gregory Peck), arrives to assume directorship of Green Manors psychiatric hospital, only to be revealed as a fraud using the assumed identity of a murdered man. Psychoanalyst Dr. Constance Peterson (Ingrid Bergman) is convinced that he's not a murderer ("We'll look at some sane trees, normal grass and clouds without complexes"), and seeks to help him regain his memory with the aid of her former professor and Freudian analyst, Dr. Brulov (Michael Chekhov - "Good night and happy dreams which we will analyze at breakfast."). The patient recounts a dream sequence (designed by Salvador Dali), which Drs. Peterson and Brulov decode to discover his true identity as well as the truth behind the disappearance of the real Dr. Edwards. Velvety shadows a la Hitchcock and Oscar winning musical score by Miklos Rozsa enhance every moment. Excellent in every way - acting, directing, suspense - this movie is sure to hold all its viewers spellbound.
Clean Slate, 1994, Comedy, 106 min, Mick Jackson
Following an explosion, private detective Maurice Pogue (Dana Carvey) has lost his memory. He can't remember anything before the accident or anything afterwards for more than a day at a time - in other words, whenever he wakes up, it's a brand new life. To remind himself of important information and whom he can trust, he makes notes to himself on a mini tape recorder and little slips of paper. To make matters worse, he's got to testify against the bad guys in court in a few days, but who can he trust?
Compare with Memento: type and reliability of note-keeping - how do they resolve conflicting information
Memento, 2000, Thriller, 113 min, Christopher Nolan
Following a brutal attack in which his wife was killed and he was injured, a severely amnesic man (Guy Pearce) resolves to track down his wife's killer. However, the attack has left him unable to form new memories, so he ritually takes polaroid pictures, writes notes and even tattooes himself with information pertinent to his investigation. The film tells the story in backwards fragments, starting at the end. Also, your assessment of the characters and their motives shifts with each new revelation. This film will generate PLENTY of discussion.
Regarding Henry, 1991, 108 min, Mike Nichols
Henry Turner is a despicable and ruthless trial lawyer whose life is turned upside down when he is shot in the head during a robbery. He survives the injury with significant brain damage and must re-learn how to speak, walk, and function normally. He has also lost most of the memory of his personal life, and must adjust to life with the family that he does not remember. To the surprise of his wife and daughter, Henry becomes a loving and affectionate man.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 2004, 108 min, Michel Gondry
A couple undergo a procedure to erase each other from their memories when their relationship turns sour, but it is only through the process of loss that they discover what they had to begin with
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