Revisiting THE FOUNTAIN

[jo]

[jo]

"Oscar-worthy form"!

I will borrow that phrase


Jo

[jo]

Remastered version of Darren Aronofsky's Commentary on THE FOUNTAIN!

[jo]

FirstShowing.net

Darren Aronofsky Praises Hugh Jackman in The Fountain
by Alex Billington
November 14, 2006

At the press day last weekend for The Fountain in Los Angeles, director/writer Darren Aronofsky praised Hugh Jackman for his capabilities and work in the film. He talked about his story meeting him and bringing him on to the project and his emotional depth as well as incredible physical capabilities. Read on to hear what Aronofsky said.



In talking about the chemistry between Hugh and Rachel, the lovers in the film: "And they just completed connected, and it was just electric. It was one of those things as a director you hope happens in a casting room. Which rarely ever happens, where you see two actors look at each other and understand each other."




Darren also talks about the emotional level that Hugh displayed on screen. "How many male actors have you actually seen do emotional work? On the road, that's come up. I've been in 15 cities in the last 2-3 weeks, and a lot of different people, women, have said to me, I've never seen a man that vulnerable, on or off screen. I didn't really know what he could do, because when I first started this he wasn't on my list, because he had just done Wolverine - which he was fantastic as. He became a star off of, which is an amazing, difficult thing to do if you're a fan - just to step into that role out of no where and actually pull it off was a big accomplishment. But, I hadn't seen nothing else. Then when I saw 'The Boy From Oz,' I just saw an incredible amount of talent, it was undeniable. Outside of what he did in The Fountain, the guy can sing and dance. I mean it's really kind of upsetting. It's just remarkable what he did in this movie. And it's overlooked somewhat."



Praising Jackman's physical capabilities: "Physically you won't find a specimen on the planet like him. This is the type of guy that could have been an Olympic athlete, gold medalist, in so many different sports - who knows. So that was amazing. We had a stunt double - and I know it's kinda cliché that he did all his stunts - but we had a stunt double, but he was better than the stunt double. In everything - so he climbed the tree, that's him climbing the tree. Time after time after time, everything in the movie, the fights, just everything. And outside of that, emotionally, he just unleashed."

"And then I was at a hotel, we were staying at the same hotel, and I'm sitting there kinda during my curls, my 20 lbs. curls. And this guy is moving a machine across the room. He was pulling this thing and the machine's jumping. I'm like, 'what the hell, who is that freak?' And it was Hugh Jackman training for X-Men 2. And I went over and I said 'hey, how you doing' and so he stuck. Then he went from that type of size to, in 12 months, being able to get into full lotus position. Which if anyone's ever done yoga, I mean I've been doing it for 7-8 years and can't get into lotus position. But he got into full lotus and performed all those scenes, where he's in lotus, underwater."



Discussing his emotional capacity and depth of character while filming takes to get the perfect scene: "When you're first doing the emotional scene, you start off wide. That's the traditional way to shoot a scene - you start off wide because it establishes the lighting and then you go in for close-ups. We got the camera, and suddenly these faucets started to open. It's like 'ok cut; get the camera in as quick as you can.' We flew the camera in and we just went. And he would go until he was dry. And then we would take a 10 minute break and we would go again until he was dry. It was a bit abusive, but he loved it. So we enjoyed it. That was why the cut took so long, the editing took so long, because him and Rachel, both of them, played every scene on every note - every note imaginable. Usually the actor will give you just one kind of take on it. But then I was like, you know what, 'play it as Thomas, play it as Tom, play it sad, play it angry, play it a little bit angrier, ok play it now really happy.' And we just bounced around and tried different things and it was a joy."



From what I saw in The Fountain of Jackman's performance, I was mesmerized. It's one of the best roles he's ever taken in his career and is played just perfectly. The Fountain opens nationwide this upcoming Wednesday, November 22nd. Definitely go catch this in theaters opening day and you will be treated not only to an amazing film, but a mesmerizing performance from Jackman!

[jo]

A wonderful reunion between Hugh Jackman and Darren Aronofsky --

in this interview at VANITY FAIR!

www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/01/reunited-hugh-jackman-darren-aronofsky-conversation-awards-insider

REUNITED

Hugh Jackman and Darren Aronofsky Just Want to Surprise You

The Son star and the Whale director reflect on The Fountain’s lasting impact and when they’ll work together again.

BY REBECCA FORD

JANUARY 6, 2023
Hugh Jackman and Darren Aronofsky Just Want to Surprise You
PHOTOS FROM GETTY IMAGES.
In Reunited, Awards Insider hosts a conversation between two Oscar contenders who have collaborated on a previous project. Today, we speak with Hugh Jackman, star of The Son, and Darren Aronofsky, director of The Whale. They previously worked together on 2006’s The Fountain.

After many years of trying, Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain was all but dead until the writer-director met Hugh Jackman backstage after one of his Broadway performances of The Boy From Oz. Though the 2006 romantic drama, in which Jackman and Rachel Weisz play three different sets of characters bound by love across time, met a mixed reception, it would become a special memory for both of them—and one of their most discussed films with fans. The long collaboration process of the film also allowed the pair to form a deep bond, and a desire to work together again.



It hasn’t happened yet (Aronofsky almost directed The Wolverine, but stepped out of the project due to personal and production issues), but when we get them together for a Reunited call, both are happy to reflect on their current films and how they tie together—beyond being tear-jerking dramas. The Son and The Whale both deal with the strained relationships between a father and his 17-year-old child. In The Son, Jackman plays a father who is attempting to work with his ex-wife (Laura Dern) in helping their troubled son overcome his depression. In The Whale, Aronofsky tells the tale of an obese man (Brendan Fraser) riddled with grief who is attempting to reconnect with his daughter after many years.



For Jackman, the connection between the two films runs deep. “What I got out of The Whale was this profound sense of loneliness that we have, of how difficult it is to really meet,” he says during a Zoom call with Aronofsky. “All these barriers come in the way of just meeting, of just being with this other human being.” Here, Jackman and Aronofsky reflect on The Fountain’s lasting impact, the pitfalls of movie marketing, and how they’ve changed since they first met.



Vanity Fair: These two movies are real tearjerkers. Are you criers when you watch movies?


Hugh Jackman: I'm not a crier. Are you a crier at movies, Darren?

Darren Aronofsky: I love to cry when they do that to me. Absolutely. They're rare. I love the feeling of it. Such an amazing thing. I mean, I think people go to the movies for three reasons, to laugh, cry, or get scared.

Jackman: The first time I saw my dad cry was a movie that I remember, E.T. — later in his life. It was like it became a joke. It was daily. It was every dinner.

Aronofsky: My dad as well. It's interesting when it happens, huh?



Let’s go back to when you first met. Do you remember where and when that was?

Jackman: I seem to remember it was backstage at the Imperial Theater, and I was a little in shock. I don't know why Darren came back. I was doing The Boy From Oz in 2003. I remember you saying you see absolutely everything. And of course, I'd seen your movies up to that point, and I was just like, I wouldn't have picked you for a "I see every musical." I think you told me you literally see everything musical-wise.

Aronofsky: I grew up on musicals.

Jackman: We had a lovely chat and you were very complimentary, and it meant a lot to me because I was such a huge fan. You said, "I think I have something I'd like you to read."

Aronofsky: I had never met Hugh. I think I went into it not knowing what to expect. Of course, I had seen Hugh in the X-Men films. But I went in a non-believer. Then I saw the musical, and I was a complete believer because this character was so different, yet they both were just unbelievably convincing. The level of talent was just overflowing. So between the time of the show ending and going backstage and meeting him, I was going through my head going, "Wow, it might be possible for him to play Tommy in The Fountain," which was a project I had been dreaming about making for many years. I remember saying, "What do you want to do?" Because I could see that he could do anything you want. He said something like, "I want to do whatever you're doing," or something really nice. Then I was like, "I'll send you something to read right away." Normally when you send something to someone, it normally takes a very long time for them to read it. Within a day, he read and was like, "I'm in.





Jackman: I actually read it that night after the show, and I thought, "Don't start reading. There's no way you're going to finish." Because normally, I'm not one of those people who stays up all night. I never go out after the show and I'm often asleep an hour after I get offstage. I started reading, and I read the entire thing. I remember going, "Okay, my brain is not getting all of this, but my gut is completely getting this." I think I emailed you the next morning.

Aronofsky: It was an amazing gift that you gave me because you breathed life into something I really deeply believed in that I had been struggling to make for all these years. Because he had to play a neurosurgeon, we went to see some actual neurosurgery happening. And there's a bunch of tubes and pipes sticking out of this guy's brain. And the doctor turns to Hugh, and he is like, "You want take over for a second?" And he was like, "What?" You remember that?

Jackman: Totally remember that. It's so moving because with brain surgery, they have to keep the patient awake. Their scalp is off, the lid is open.



How did The Fountain affect your career trajectories from that point?

Jackman: It was a real turning point for me as an actor. I think maybe from the theater, the idea of working with a director on something is important to me. And you don't always get that in film. Sometimes it's very removed, actually. And we spent all that time before, not only getting to know each other, it felt like we were going into battle together. And I have had, and still have, an immense trust and honesty with Darren about everything, to the point where Darren would often be right next to the camera while we were shooting. It made me realize how much I want and rely on strength, vision, collaborators, people to help guide me that I can trust. And the experience confirmed to me that was the way I should go.

Aronofsky: Well, for me, it's a long journey that's still ongoing. I think there's a deep love for that film that I haven't gotten from anything else and that it keeps coming. When my dad was going through one of his rounds of cancer, we were up at Sloan Kettering, and we were in the waiting room. And there was a guy about my age, probably a bit younger than me, who's in a wheelchair, and he had two teenage girls and his wife was there. And he recognized me, and he said, "Are you Darren?" I said, "Yes." He basically said that The Fountain helped him figure out his life and his death. He got all emotional. And it was interesting for my parents who never really quite got that one. They got really choked up. So the impact of it in that way is so meaningful for me, that it really has touched a lot of people that have gone through loss.

Jackman: I. When people stop me, it's the most passionate response of any movie I've done. The ones who get it, have to tell me, and they have to tell me fully what it meant to them.



The two of you almost worked together again on The Wolverine, though it didn’t end up happening in the end.

Aronofsky: I would work with Hugh on anything if it aligned. That was a really tricky one, with the tsunami and just all the timing and the complexity of life. We haven't been blessed with time on set together, but we keep talking about it. We keep getting really damn close, and it will happen again. I have faith in that.


With both your current films, audiences benefit from not knowing that much going in. It feels like The Whale’s marketing has purposely done that, in a way. How much do you consider that aspect of how a movie is released?


Aronofsky: I think what was really important to my editor, and he kept reminding me, is how much humor and how much hope is in the film, which is very, very surprising for a Darren Aronofsky movie. So I just want people to know they're going to have a good time. A24 is really good at what they do. And I've learned over the years to get out of the way when you're working with masters, and so I like so far what they've been doing. We did cut a longer trailer, which we hopefully will release at some point. But then at some point, we put this teaser out, and it just made sense because it captured a lot of the energy of the film. Personally, one of the worst things in the world is when you watch a trailer and it gives away so much of a movie. I've noticed over the last few years as trailers have gotten almost desperate to get people in, where you're really seeing everything, and even a lot of the greatest moments because that's how much they feel they have to sell it.

Jackman: That is a pet peeve of mine. But the other pet peeve of mine is when a trailer is trying to pretend the movie is something it's not in order to attract an audience that they worry they won't get if you say it's something else. And I think certainly with The Son, it’s how to get people interested in the story, indicate that there's a cautionary tale aspect — which I think for this is important — and hopefully not giving too much away so that the conversations that spark from it are real.

Aronofsky: It's definitely important for The Son, and it's a huge challenge for these studios to figure out how to sell these things. But I think that's the best part of film is when people say to me, "Oh, I didn't know what to expect and it was just so this or that.” And that's been great. I've always liked that. I want people to be surprised in the theater.


Both The Fountain and The Whale took a very long time to get made. So, are you just the most patient man in the business, Darren?

Aronofsky: I'm kind of impatient, but what I do is I keep myself busy with lots of different projects. But for me, the projects that remain interesting over the years — that keep pulling me back and getting my attention — are the good ones that eventually I'll go make. I think that it's some way a test to see how good they are.

Jackman: Have you had any drop out that still break your heart?

Aronofsky: There are the ones that dropped out for me emotionally, but still had really interesting DNA. So we just made The Good Nurse this year, which came out great [Aronofsky, previously attached to direct, was a producer on the film]. And Tobias Lindholm came on and did a great job with it. But at a certain point, I couldn't figure out a way for myself. There was times on the making of The Whale when I nearly dropped out too. George Clooney almost did a version of it, and Tom Ford was interested, but then they didn't gel either. And so eventually, it became the right time for me to work on that material. It's strange how they all work out.




Hugh, have you had projects that were the ones that got away?

Jackman: Not in the same way. There's a few that went away beyond my control, timing, someone else got it, that I still am not able to watch. So I'm clearly like a jilted lover. But it's a slightly different, quicker process as an actor than it is for a director.



How are you most significantly different now than when you made The Fountain?

Aronofsky: Definitely, my hair is different, and Hugh's isn't. [Laughs]. What else? There's always stuff that's shifting, but I do think the work is the same. I think you get up, and you have the same challenges that you had back then. But really, the job seems to be the same, always for me. I only have done it since The Fountain with this type of passion five times. Hugh probably might have a different answer because he's done 50, 60, maybe a hundred times. I'm still sort of just getting started. How do you feel about that, Hugh?

Jackman: I feel more-

Aronofsky: Probably more relaxed, no?

Jackman: Yeah, more relaxed. Actually in some ways, when I think of us working together, I think, "Oh, I am really look forward to that." I'm more able to let go, to not try and control the scene or have a preconceived idea of where it would go. Although my experience with you was, you blew a lot of that away. I very much remember one day, we were shooting in the bubble, and I was exhausted. And I remember we called cut. I was crying, and then I had to walk off into the corner. I couldn't stop crying. Then they called lunch and I was sitting in the corner of the studio for 10 minutes, still crying. I was laying on the ground, and I was like, "Thank God that is done." And there was a knock on the door from second ADs going, "Okay, we're going to pick up, we're going to have another go at that one." I was just like, "I got nothing. I don't know. I got nothing." You said, "Let's just see what happens with that." I've learned from that. I'm more relaxed for sure, and more trusting in my instincts as well than I was.




Aronofsky: The spirit that Hugh brought to the set every day was so positive, and there are a lot of people that over complicate things in ways that don't need to be done. I think that's a big reason that I've wanted to work with Hugh—it's great when fun friends come together and collaborate and push each other to do better and better work.

I look forward to the next collaboration.

Aronofsky: It's going to happen.

Jackman: It's going to happen.

[jo]

I underlined the part which resonates with something I wrote after the article from the UK THE GUARDIAN. How he lay on the floor of his trailer and could not stop being emotionally spent after filming a very emotional scene.

It is the first movie of Hugh which made me sit up about his excellent dramatic skills.

Jo

[njr]

Regarding Hugh’s comment about brain surgery, as a 35+ year retired O.R. nurse who has been in on countless brain surgeries (and have personally had brain surgery to remove a benign meningioma tumor in 2011) 99.99% of the patients are asleep, under general anesthesia. Only ONCE in my career did we have an awake patient. (the brain itself does not feel pain if it is cut, but you can’t risk having the patient move!) In that case the patient was put under, then they woke him up in the O.R. and asked him to move his feet/toes (in Spanish as he spoke no English - I had to help ask him as a know a bit of Spanish - “Mueve tus pies!” and “ mueve los dedos de los pies”)

Nancy

[jo]

Twitter exchange on THE FOUNTAIN (in case you are a late FOUNTAIN enthusiast) --

3h
I need to rewatch the fountain. I remember loving the present day stuff with Rachel Weisz and Hugh Jackman but the time stuff don’t work for me. #FilmTwitter #movies

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JoAB
@joab46466753
·
2h
Replying to
@letstalkentmt
Darren Aronofsky himself writes that the story begins with the space-travelling Tom...and the medical doctor Tommy and the conquistador Tomas were recollections of past stories.
lets talk entertainment and media


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@letstalkentmt
·
2h
Replying to
@joab46466753

Thank you that’s very helpful. I need to definitely do a little research before I rewatch it

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JoAB
@joab46466753
·
2h
Replying to
@letstalkentmt

I will reprint the quotes from Aronofsky...and the link to the commentary he did when WBros did not allow a director's cut in the home video.

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lets talk entertainment and media
@letstalkentmt
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2h
Replying to
@joab46466753

Thank you so much for that I really appreciate it.


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JoAB
@joab46466753
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1h
Replying to
@letstalkentmt

This is the link to his commentary ( he had someone originally upload it...and someone else re-uploaded it).
youtube.com
The Fountain - Darren Aronofsky Director's Commentary Remastered
Darren Aronofsky's original commentary track, which was not included on any home video releases of his 2006 film The Fountain. Remaster by David Weisbrod. (S...

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JoAB
@joab46466753
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1h
Replying to
@joab46466753
and
@letstalkentmt*

Rizzoli published a beautiful book of photographs of scenes from The Fountain. The script of the movie was inserted as a special feature. In it Aronofsky wrote some notes 1/ 4

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JoAB
@joab46466753
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1h
Replying to
@joab46466753
and
@letstalkentmt

"The Fountain is about one man's journey from darkness into light. The passageway between them, which connects shadow to truth, is the struggle. It is the playground for Tom's fight against death, and ironically, as a result, his fight against life. 2/4


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JoAB
@joab46466753
·
1h
Replying to
@joab46466753
and
@letstalkentmt
We tried to visualize this by capturing him screaming out of black, stumbling through gold, and eventually finding a peace in white.
Tom's voyage begins in the vast loneliness of black space. He rises up into the body of a swirling golden nebulae, where memories of his life


JoAB
@joab46466753
·
1h
Replying to
@joab46466753
and
@letstalkentmt

... with Izzy haunts him. Eventually, he comes to understand his purpose as he breaks out of the celestial cloud and into the blinding truth of Xibalba, a dying white star." 4/4

[jo]

[jo]

Home Cinema Cinema News CinemaNews: DVD & Blu-ray Between science fiction and fantasy: This masterpiece starring Hugh Jackman is a visual trip through space and time - stream now on Disney+

Between science fiction and fantasy: This masterpiece starring Hugh Jackman is a visual trip through space and time - stream now on Disney+
04.02.2023 around 12:15
Michael Gasch

For Micha, nothing is more important than film poetry, making artful films like Zhang Yimou's "Hero" and Darren Aronofsky's "The Fountain" a very special place in his heart.

With "The Whale" Darren Aronofsky is on everyone's lips again. So it's worth taking a look at his Magnus Opus. Contrary to many who would call it "Black Swan", our author Michael Gasch pleads for "The Fountain".


"The Fountain" is included in the Disney+ subscription and our streaming tip for today. What it's about and why I recommend the unique mix of sci-fi, fantasy, history and spirituality, you will now learn in detail.

» "The Fountain" on Disney+*





THAT'S WHAT "THE FOUNTAIN" IS ALL ABOUT
In "The Fountain" we follow three parallel storylines that interweave over the course of the film:

The first storyline begins in the 16th century and follows the Spanish conquistador Tomás (Hugh Jackman), who is in search of the mythical tree of life.

The second storyline takes place in the year 2025 and shows Tomás' reincarnation. She works as a scientist to outsmart death. He tries to find a cure for cancer in order to save his dying wife Isabel (Rachel Weisz).

In the third storyline, which is set in the 26th century, we finally experience Tomá's last reincarnation as an astronaut. He travels in the universe to reach the cosmic source of eternal life.

SELDOM HAS CINEMA BEEN SO BEAUTIFUL
The fact that director Darren Aronofsky likes to deal with themes such as fragility and broken souls is not a new insight. "Requiem For A Dream", or "Black Swan" are the best examples. With "The Fountain", which came out in 2006, however, he went one better in terms of emotionality. This is achieved through the repetitive passion story of Tomás. Again and again he chases a way to escape death and save the women, who are also reincarnated.

The visuals are accordingly artful, which makes the drama occupy my personal place 1 of the most beautiful films of all time. Mayan temples, starry skies and a transcendent journey through the cosmos using macrophotographic shots are bursting with visual aesthetics. But not only that: Clint Mansell, who has already made a name for himself with the impressive leitmotif "Lux Aeterna" in "Requiem For A Dream", was also part of the party. Its contributed soundtrack, which brilliantly captures the constant melancholy, resembles music for eternity.

BEYOND SPACE AND TIME
When the credits of a movie kick in and you have to digest what you've just seen, that's usually a good sign. "The Fountain" is just such a movie, which may not only be due to the optics and the soundtrack, but also to the passion story itself. For example, if you only had the story about Tomás as a scientist, the drama would not work in this form. It stands out precisely because the characters as well as the audience have to relive the process of death, grief and loss several times, no matter how painful it may be.

Aronofsky captures a unique atmosphere that extends over a very long time. The search for the source of immortality is clearly at the center and shows a very exciting development over the centuries. Myth and legend are replaced by science, while in the 26th century it looks quite different again. However, the urge for immortality, but at the same time the realization that death is inevitable, lasts forever. It is a frightening poetry that Aronofsky presents to us here.

NO LIGHT FARE
Aronofsky's drama is not a simple film in any way. With the three parallel storylines, the general challenge of capturing cinematic poetry and the visual design, the director demands quite a lot from his audience. Since the best conditions are available to fall into the category "overwhelming", "The Fountain" resembles a cinematic challenge.

Because the emotional worlds are turned upside down and the story is peppered with themes such as spirituality, infinity, redemption and esotericism, this kind of science fiction may certainly not be for everyone. Due to the excellent narrative structure and interconnectedness of the strands, however, one is spared from a general confusion. This shows all Aronofsky's skills, who apparently likes to make it difficult for himself. This courage deserves more recognition.

StudiocanalHugh Jackman in "The Fountain".
"The Fountain" may be intellectual, cinematically demanding and slightly overwhelming over the course of the 100 minutes. On the other hand, the masterpiece is never exhausting, confusing or irritating, for example à la David Lynch. If you break it down strongly, Aronofsky's masterpiece is actually a classic love story. With poetic presentation, the fact that this romance can last for millennia, as well as the shown urge for immortality and redemption, the drama goes far beyond that. If you adjust to exactly this, this film pearl will occupy a very special place in your own heart. I speak from experience.

[jo]

'The Fountain': The movie that was "a real turning point" for Hugh Jackman
Arun Starkey
TUE 14TH MAR 2023 14.30 GMT

Individually, actor Hugh Jackman and director Darren Aronofsky have enjoyed highly successful careers. However, when the pair worked together on 2006’s The Fountain, it didn’t plan out as many had hoped. Despite its expansive plot and narrative, the time-spanning film failed to live up to its critical and commercial potential.

Of course, Jackman is the star of the X-Men franchise and is the character of Wolverine to many of us. Elsewhere, the actor has starred in acclaimed titles such as The Prestige, Australia, Les Misérables, Prisoners and The Greatest Showman. As for Aronofsky, he’s directed a host of modern classics such as Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler, Black Swan, and most recently, The Whale.




When it was announced that the pair would be working together on the sprawling epic romance, The Fountain, Hollywood was seeming abuzz with excitement. However, the film proved a commercial and critical flop, now holding a cult status amongst cinema aficionados. Despite the movie’s perceived failures, Jackman and Aronofsky are still very fond of their project.

When speaking to Vanity Fair in January 2023, both Jackman and Aronofsky discussed The Fountain and its place in their careers. Jackman even went as far as to describe the movie as “a real turning point for me as an actor”.

Jackman said that The Fountain “was a real turning point for me as an actor…I have had, and still have, an immense trust and honesty with Darren about everything, to the point where Darren would often be right next to the camera while we were shooting. It made me realise how much I want and rely on strength, vision, collaborators, people to help guide me that I can trust. And the experience confirmed to me that was the way I should go.”

Aronofsky explained: “Well, for me, it’s a long journey that’s still ongoing. I think there’s a deep love for that film that I haven’t gotten from anything else and that it keeps coming.”

Noting the aspects that profoundly impacted the audience, the director discussed how the film affected a man who was really sick. He revealed: “He basically said that The Fountain helped him figure out his life and his death. He got all emotional. And it was interesting for my parents, who never really quite got that one. They got really choked up. So the impact of it in that way is so meaningful for me that it really has touched a lot of people that have gone through loss.”

Jackman continued, expanding on The Fountain‘s importance: “When people stop me, it’s the most passionate response of any movie I’ve done. The ones who get it have to tell me, and they have to tell me fully what it meant to them.”

The very first movie where Hugh Jackman's dramatic acting ability was first recognized as exceptional ( I base this opinion on the discussions on IMDB when it had a discussion board)!

[jo]

[jo]

Someone asked for movies with "fish out of water" theme --

[jo]

I'm always glad to see positive responses to tweets on THE FOUNTAIN. It is when social media means to me as a link to people whom one is not familiar with but share similar interests. I have also discovered that I get these kind of responses more from male tweeters than female tweeters. Does THE FOUNTAIN appeal more to male movie fans?

I recently tweeted this to someone who likes THE FOUNTAIN.

[jo]

If I recall correctly, at that time when he made The Fountain, Hugh has said in an interview that it was the best movie he ever made. More recently Les Miserables, Logan and The Son have been added to that list.

Each one must have had a personal meaning for him.

*The Fountain - Hugh has always been introspective in life. This movie is such a deep and almost hard to define meditation.
*Les Miserables - Hugh has acknowledged that this is the first movie project, a dramatic musical, that he ever worked very hard to get. He asked for an audition even when Hooper had not formally signed for the role. This was his most challenging role - the character arc being very rich & complex and the difficulty of delivering the role is acknowledged.
*Logan - it had both a personal meaning to him ( as it was supposed to have been his swan song of the Wolverine role) and an artistic meaning to him ( as it became less of a superhero movie but more of a dramatic storyline & characterization.
*The Son - the 2nd role he personally pursued to get; it seems it has had personal significance and concern to him.

Drama - that seems to be the overarching consideration for him when he choses a role!


Jo

[jo]

[jo]

This was the first movie where there was universal recognition of Hugh Jackman's acting ability! Except in Venice filmfest where the movie was dismissed by people who misunderstood the creative aspirations of Aronofsky's work.

Of course there was the infamous story of how director Alfonso Cuaron ( who was there for CHILDREN OF MEN) challenged someone with a fistfight who was booing THE FOUNTAIN after the screening!

Jo

[jo]

@javieratus
Profundamente conmovido con la tercera película de Aronofsky, por el sountrack, por la historia, por el planteamiento del guión, por la radicalidad, por Hugh Jackman que tiene todo el peso de la película y hace un trabajo meticuloso y desgarrador y por Rachel Weisz claro.

Translated from Spanish by Google:

Deeply moved by Aronofsky's third film, by the soundtrack, by the story, by the approach of the script, by the radicalism, by Hugh Jackman who has all the weight of the film and does a meticulous and heartbreaking job and by Rachel Weisz of course .

[jo]

[jo]

Sinema Atlası
@moviejourneyhub
The Fountain: Zaman, Ölüm ve Sonsuzluk Dansı

Darren Aronofsky'nin yönettiği bu epik film, Hugh Jackman ve Rachel Weisz'in etkileyici performanslarıyla zamanın ve ölümün dokusuna dokunuyor. Sanat ve bilim kucaklaşıyor, ölümsüzlük arayışı bizi büyülü bir yolculuğa davet ediyor.


Translated from Turkish by Google:

The Fountain: The Dance of Time, Death and Eternity

Directed by Darren Aronofsky, this epic film weaves into the fabric of time and death with compelling performances from Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. Art and science embrace, the quest for immortality invites us to a magical journey.

Amazing how some reactions to this movie can view the movie either as inscrutable ... or magical, as in the above.

It takes a few viewings to start grasping the cinematic message.

Jo