Clint Mansell – The Fountain OST

Darren Aronofsky is an acclaimed film director. His work includes the cult hit Pi, the Academy Award-nominated Requiem for a Dream, and more recently, The Fountain (2006). His work is known for having a surreal edge to them, and in such a medium, the underlying musical score plays an integral part in creating the mood and atmosphere. Because of this, I can clearly see why Aronofsky has stuck with the same composer for most of his films, Mansell struck gold with his soundtrack for Requiem for a Dream, with one of it’s title tracks being used in countless movie trailers and promo commercials. For his score of The Fountain, Mansell has really outdone himself. He has succeeded tremendously in creating a score that intertwines melodies and moods that merge in and out of eachother throughout the course of the film. Mansell had the task of creating a score that weaves the story’s 3 seperate narratives into one creative piece. Thus, creating a truely timeless sound. Not only does the soundtrack support the images of the film in an unparalleled way, but the reverse is also true. After watching the film, whenever I was replaying an incredible scene in my head, I would remember thinking that the music was just as incredible. After seeking out the soundtrack (available on iTunes), my thinking was justified. If you close your eyes while listening to this soundtrack, images from the movie begin to play in your head. Clint Mansell has succeeded tremendously in writing music that fits absolutely 100% perfectly with the film. He was able to capture the emotion, the struggle, and the heartache of a film in it’s soundtrack.

To help Mansell perform the songs for The Fountain, he enlisted the help of San Francisco-based string quartet Kronos Quartet and Scottish post-rock band Mogwai. This mix of strings and rock instruments creates the perfect blend, quiet where it needs to be, tense where it needs to be. The melodies get traded from violins, to guitars, to drums coming in and out to add more and more intensity. There’s no sour patches on this album. It keeps a consistant ebb and flow from start to finish. Giving you breaks where they are needed, while never losing your attention. While the film has only being out for less than two years, the track ‘€œDeath is the Road to Awe’€ has already been featured in two Movie Trailers, I Am Legend and The Mist. If this soundtrack is any indication, the duo of Aronofsky/Mansell is something to watch out for.

Recommended Tracks: The Last Man, Death is the Road to Awe, Stay With Me

Rating: 4.2/5