The Fountain [Paperback]

Darren Aronofsky (Author), Kent Williams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 4, 2006

Darren Aronofsky proved himself a film maker to watch with his provocative debut, Pi. His follow-up, Requiem for a Dream, continued the accolades, receiving Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. His latest film, The Fountain, is presented here as a gorgeously painted, oversized original graphic novel about the timeless truths of life, love and death.The story cross-cuts between three very different time periods: 1535, where Thomas is a captain of a Spanish army that enters into a spectacular march through Mayan temples and Central American jungles in order to find the key to eternal life for his love, Queen Isabel; the present day, where Thomas is a doctor trying to find the cure to the cancer that is slowly killing his wife; and the far future, where Thomas is an explorer, traveling through space, trying to save the life of a tree that represents the memory of his wife.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

When his plans for the ambitious, millennia--spanning fantasy film The Fountain were derailed, Pi and Requiem for a Dream directorAronofsky recast the story as a graphic novel, and although the movie was subsequently revived (starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz; it's due out later this year), the comics version stayed on track. Its three parallel stories, set in sixteenth-century Central America, the present day, and the distant future, respectively, depict the same man as a conquistador, a scientist, and an interplanetary explorer, always trying to prevent the death of the woman he desperately loves. Aronofsky's epic boldly blends mysticism and science, which coalesce in the hero's discovery of the mythical Tree of Life. Williams' lush, painted artwork, stylistically and narratologically reminiscent of Sandman illustrator Dave McKean's work, perfectly matches the script's passion and challenging abstruseness. Not simply an adaptation of the movie--the screenplay that is its basis being significantly altered when the film project was revived--the lavish, oversize graphic novel ought to be fascinating to compare with the released movie. Gordon Flagg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (October 4, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401200583
• ISBN-13: 978-1401200589
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 0.5 x 11.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #122,569 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stuff., November 28, 2005

By 

N. Maranto - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Fountain (Hardcover)

I'm a big fan of Aronofsky's films and have been following the production of "The Fountain" since the beginning. I'm sure the endless delays will have been forth it after reading Kent Williams' comic adaptation of the script though.

I don't want to give anything away, because that would take away the joy of discovery. I'll simply say that it's a powerfully written, and exceedingly psychedelic story about love, death, and eternal life.

The art is wonderful. Broad water color looking strokes over sketches combined with at least two other styles of illustration. Very fitting for the story. Each section has its own visual continuity that can suddenly shift to reflect the mood. It's really quite an achievement. I paid well over what amazon is charging and I don't feel ripped off at all. It really is great.

If you have any love of good, powerful, character/idea driven science fiction I suggest you give this a shot. Yes, it's a graphic novel. Even if you're not versed in the particular vernacular of reading comics you'll still find much to love here. Something about the panel layout makes it feel more like a movie than any book I've read before. Go forth! Buy!

24 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, If A Little Confusing, January 21, 2006

By 

Andrew "Radaar" (Chicago, IL, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Fountain (Hardcover)

With the upcoming film version of The Fountain coming out soon, which is written and directed by Aronofsky, I decided to check out the graphic novel version, which has received enormous praise. Boasting a story by acclaimed writer/director Darren Aronofsky and artwork by Kent Williams, The Fountain tells the story of a man whose love knows no bounds, not even time.
Taking place across three different time periods (Spain and the New World in the 1500s, America in the present, and in a space-worthy pod in the distant future), Thomas Verde will do anything to save the love of his life Izzy. Drawing on ideas from the book of Genesis, Tom searches for the mythic Tree of Life in order to grant immortality to himself and Izzy, but when the tree begins to die, he must travel to a dying star in order to rejuvenate it.
While the story is simple to explain, it is a little confusing to read in the book. I should probably read it over again, just in case, though. A second reading is probably required.
The artwork is very distinctive, and, for the most part, very beautiful. The art from the past and the future is breathtaking, however, in my opinion, the stuff used for the story in the present is a little bland. It is fairly colorless compared to the brilliance of the 1500 storyline.
While the book wasn't everything I was expecting, it was still very good, and, now more than ever, I am eagerly awaiting the movie.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Misconceptions, September 26, 2007

By 

M. Gautier - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Fountain (Paperback)

Before buying this, I took the risk of finding out whether I would receive the photo book or the actual graphic novel. It turns out, thank God, that I received the graphic novel. (For those who are interested, it is pretty much perfect and just as intriguing and multi faceted as the movie.)

I just wanted to point something out. Some reviews have said that when they bought this item, they received the coffee table photography book (which I plan on buying due to the overwhelmingly good reviews). Be careful when buying this. Make sure this is the cover you see in the cart and not the one of the photography book.

As for a formal review of the graphic novel itself, that will come this weekend when I read it over for the second time.

I hope this was a little useful to all future buyers.