The Memory Remains Shot By Shot Analysis

Track: The Memory Remains Artist: Metallica feat. Marianne Faithful Director: Paul Andresen Date: 1997
Guitarist/Vocalist: James Hetfield Guitarist: Kirk Hammett Drummer: Lars Ulrich Bassist: Jason Newsted
Notes: Spin mechanism refers to the room where the walls and ceiling spin to give the illusion that the platform is spinning vertically.
There are two versions of this video with the only difference being within the first five seconds.
Shot number Shot type Shot length (secs) Description Edit to next shot
1 Long shot 5 A flash of light reveals Newsted who strums once before slowly grinning at the camera and leaning back. He is standing on a tilted floor which gives the illusion that he can lean further than physically possible. The camera tilts up slowly. Straight cut
2 Close up 2 Hetfield leans into the camera to say his lyrics. Slight camera blur. The rest of the band are visible. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
3 Establishing shot 2 Funeral procession is on spin mechanism while camera is fixed on wall. There is a slight time gap half way through the shot. Straight cut
4 Mid shot 1 Faithful ushers off-screen people towards her with cup in her hand. Straight cut
5 Long shot 0.5 Faithful ushers Ulrich towards her while other band members are on stairs in background. Straight cut
6 Two shot 0.5 Ulrich passes by her. Straight cut
7 Close up 0.5 Hand deposits coin into cup. Straight cut
8 Two shot 0.5 Hetfield walks by ready to deposit coin. Straight cut
9 Establishing shot 1.5 Funeral procession is on spin mechanism while camera is fixed on wall. Shot rewinds slightly during itself. Straight cut
10 Two shot 0.5 Hammett ready to deposit coin to off-screen Faithful while Newsted waits his turn. Straight cut
11 Two shot 0.5 Hammett passes Faithful with coin out. Straight cut
12 Close up 0.5 Hand deposits coin into cup. Straight cut
13 Close up 1 Faithful smiles to camera while two unclear band members are in background. Straight cut
14 Low angle shot 2 Camera is on the platform of the spin mechanism. The band plays on the spin mechanism while the room spins behind them. Straight cut
15 Close up 1 Ulrich drumming. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
16 Close up 0.5 Hetfield laughs facing away from camera. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
17 Long shot 5 Camera is on the wall of the spin mechanism. Band plays as platform swings into camera. Straight cut
18 Long shot 4 Camera is on platform of spin mechanism. Band plays. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
19 Close up 1 Ulrich drumming. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
20 Low angle shot 2 Camera is on platform of spin mechanism. Band plays. Shot begins with camera going in and out of focus. Straight cut
21 Close up 4 Hetfield’s face with Hammett in the background. Hetfield shakes his head as he sings. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
22 Low angle shot 3 Camera is on platform of spin mechanism. Band plays. Straight cut
23 Close up 0.5 Camera focuses. Hetfield blows kiss to camera. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
24 Establishing shot 2 Camera is on the wall of the spin mechanism. Band plays. Straight cut
25 Close up 0.5 Hetfield sings. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
26 Close up 0.5 Ulrich drums. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
27 Long shot 0.5 Out of focus shot of band from behind drums. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
28 Mid shot 2 Newsted plays bass while Hetfield’s head is visible. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
29 Establishing shot 3 Camera is on the wall of the spin mechanism. Band plays. Straight cut
30 Close up 1 Ulrich drums. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
31 Establishing shot 0.5 Camera is on the wall of the spin mechanism. Band plays. Sped up. Straight cut
32 Mid shot 4 Band plays. Camera changes focus. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
33 Close up 2 Hetfield sings. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
34 Low angle shot 2 Band plays. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
35 Close up 3 Hetfield sings while his head regularly moves off camera. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
36 Mid shot 2 Band plays. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
37 Close up 4 Hetfield sings. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
38 Close up/Mid shot 2 Hammett plays guitar. As wall moves, James sitting on chair creeps into shot. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
39 Mid shot 1 Newsted plays bass. Hammett’s arm and guitar neck are visible. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
40 Long shot 1 Hammett plays guitar. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
41 Establishing shot 1 Camera is on the wall of the spin mechanism. Band plays. Straight cut
42 Close up 2 Ulrich drums. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
43 Long shot 1 Band plays. Hetfield kicks at camera. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
44 Long shot 1 Camera is on the wall of the spin mechanism. Band plays. Straight cut
45 Close up 0.5 Ulrich drums. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
46 Mid shot 1 Newsted plays bass. Hammett’s guitar neck and Hetfield’s face are visible. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
47 Long shot 1 Faithful observes band. Newsted, Hetfield and drums are visible. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
48 Low angle shot 0.5 Hetfield plays guitar. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
49 Mid shot 1 Hammett plays guitar. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
50 Long shot 1 Band plays in tilted room. Straight cut
51 Close up 1 Ulrich drums. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
52 Long shot 0.5 Band plays. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
53 Long shot 0.5 Band plays. (tilted room) Straight cut
54 Mid shot 2 Hetfield plays guitar and sings on his own. (tilted room) Straight cut
55 Long shot 1 Hetfield plays guitar and sings on his own. (tilted room) Straight cut
56 Long shot 1 Hammett plays guitar on his own. (tilted room) Straight cut
57 Long shot 1 Hetfield plays guitar and sings on his own. (tilted room) Straight cut
58 Long shot 2 Band play. (tilted room) Straight cut
59 Long shot 1 Newsted plays bass on his own. (tilted room) Straight cut
60 Long shot 1 Hammett plays guitar on his own. (tilted room) Straight cut
61 Long shot 2 Hetfield plays guitar and sings on his own. (tilted room) Straight cut
62 Close up 2 Hetfield sings. (tilted room) Flash
63 Long shot Split second Hetfield in centre of room alone. (tilted room) Straight cut
64 Close up 1 Ulrich drums. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
65 Long shot 2 Band plays. (Tilted room) Straight cut
66 Close up 2 Ulrich drums. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
67 Long shot 1 Hetfield plays guitar and sings on his own. (tilted room) Straight cut
68 Long shot 0.5 Newsted plays bass on his own. (tilted room) Straight cut
69 Close up 0.5 Hetfield gestures his ear towards camera. (tilted room) Straight cut
70 Long shot 0.5 Newsted plays bass on his own. (tilted room) Straight cut
71 Long shot 2 Band plays. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
72 Close up 1 Hetfield sings. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
73 Low angle shot 1 Out of focus shot of band. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
74 Long shot 4 Camera is on wall of spin mechanism. Band plays as they swing into the camera. Straight cut
75 Close up 1 Ulrich drums. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
76 Long shot 2 Band plays. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
77 Close up 1 Hetfield sings. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
78 Long shot 1 Band plays. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
79 Close up 1 Hetfield sings. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
80 Long shot 1 Band plays. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
81 Close up 0.5 Hammett plays guitar. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
82 Close up 1 Hetfield leans into camera. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
83 Tracking shot 7 Camera follows Hetfield as he sits in chair, spins and sings. (spin mechanism) Straight cut
84 Establishing shot 4 Camera is on the wall of the spin mechanism. Band plays. Straight cut
85 Long shot 8 Camera zooms in on Faithful in tilted room singing and playing music box. Straight cut
86 Establishing shot 13 Camera is on the wall of the spin mechanism. Band plays. Slowed down/ Fade out/Fade in
87 Close up 6 Faithful sings. Fade out/Fade in crossover
88 Long shot 1 Faithful sings. (tilted room) Fade out/Fade in crossover
89 Long shot 1 Faithful leaves tilted room Fade to black