Soundtracks do not get as much credit as they should. As a musically obsessed child, I’ve loved John Williams and Hans Zimmer ever since I was young. But recently my attention has shifted to a new composer; one who has been lurking in the shadows, unrecognized for his beautiful achievements. And as Tim Burton so frequently utilizes the skills of Danny Elfman, directing mind behind Requiem for a Dream and Black Swan uses the magnificent talents of one special man. Said directing mind is Darren Aronofsky, Oscar-nominated genius, and the composer he employs is none other than Clint Mansell. Aronofsky has never gone a single movie without using Mansell for the score ever since the duo’s acclaimed debut for Pi. Aronofsky has wowed critics time after time with his powerful, intense movies, and he owes nearly half of that success to the beauty of Mansell’s music.
Requiem for a Dream is perhaps Aronofsky’s best known work, with memorable performances from Jared Leto and Jennifer Connolly. The movie’s powerful theme of drug addiction won it fame and a very substantial cult following. But equally famous is the main title theme, “Lux Aeterna.” Latin for eternal light, the song has been used in shows and trailers, video games and online clips. Lord of the Rings: The Twin Towers, remixed the song for its own trailer, dubbing the new song “Requiem for a Dream” in honor of its source material. It is easily considered Mansell’s most famous composition to date, performed by the esteemed Kronos Quartet, whom Mansell frequently employs to perform his pieces.
However, I value Mansell for a very different movie. In 2006, Aronofsky directed The Fountain, starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. And naturally, Mansell handled the soundtrack. Unlike nearly all other scores, though, Mansell does something very unique with the music. Comprised of ten songs, nearly every one is built off of the same two melodic rhythms. Mansell changes the tone and speed of those rhythms in each song to create incredibly different pieces with each harboring its own distinct feel. Swinging from mysterious to sinister to heart-wrenching, each song seamlessly blends into the next while somehow acquiring a new layer to amaze the audience with.
The only song that breaks the pattern is the final one, the theme of the protagonist. Performed solely with piano, “Together We Will Live Forever” never fails to bring tears to my eyes with its maddeningly passionate notes and beautifully tragic tone. The rest of the songs all follow the perplexingly effective use of the same two rhythms. The climax of the soundtrack, “Death is the Road to Awe”, brings the whole thing to a glorious finale, with a majestic choir and a haunting timbre. The entire soundtrack is a true work of art, and not a single note goes to waste.
I have no doubts Darren Aronofsky will continue to make powerful, psychologically grueling films. And Clint Mansell will accompany him wherever he goes, hopefully. With every new movie, a new soundtrack will follow, with each rising above the mediocrity of nowadays scores. I never cease to be amazed with the works he produces, and The Fountain will always linger in my mind as my favorite soundtrack to date. Take a listen…I am sure you won’t regret it.
