Given the abundance of talent already discussed in this article, it is no small thing to say that Clint Mansell is the most affecting composer in modern cinematic history. It is in The Fountain, his third outing with Darren Aronofsky, that the composer has achieved his magnus opus. To say that Aronofsky's existential voyeurism in the film is so deeply ingrained in Mansell's OST, one only has to look at the tracks entitled 'The Tree Of Life' and 'Death Is The Road To Awe'. At this point you know that to imagine anyone else even attempting to capture the spirit of this film in a single score, would be like trying to imagine Buddha as the leader of the Catholic Church - or perhaps more fittingly, the Pope sat cross-legged on a lilly-pad. 'Death Is The Road To Awe' is the stand-out piece in a score with no obvious weak points. At eight minutes long, it builds and falls away, and builds again until hitting a crescendo of such emblazoned passion that you'd do well to resist throwing all your belongings off the nearest cliff before ripping your shirt and screaming to the heavens. Not to say that The Fountain is all clashing percussion and heavenly choir as Mansell demonstrates moments of perfected restraint, bubbling atmospherically away as the plot transcends its own earthly boundaries. 'The Last Man' (in this case, Hugh Jackman's lonely astronaut) is a delicate and self-reflective piece that epitomises Aronofsky's themes of love and death. If there were ever an experience to make shaving off your hair and floating across space in a bubble seem appealing, this score delivers it with such visceral aplomb. To watch The Fountain is to take a trip through the incorporeal and fortunately, there is no better guide to take your hand than Clint Mansell. Which are your favourite movie scores from the period? Share your picks in the comments thread below.
