Customer Reviews

The Fountain

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Okay, so this arrived at my doorstep and wasn't what I expected. It's NOT the graphic novel that apparently preceded the film, as described by Amazon's blurb. Instead it's a lovely book of images from the film, and a copy of the film's script. Now I need to order the actual graphic novel, but I'm really glad I have this too! It's just the coffee table art book I've been waiting for, and a great reminder of the film's visual beauty.

(By the way, the same reviews are appearing under both books. I don't know what that's all about. I'm going to try ordering the graphic novel and hope I receive the right thing!)

The hardcover ISBN 0789314959 is instead a collections of imagery from the movie with a separate screenplay enclosed in a booklet in the back. Be aware when you order this.

Having originally missed The Fountain when it made its short theatrical presentation, I finally got a chance to see it, and after which I was compelled to do two things:

1.) Upgrade to the Blu-ray version, as this was a movie that deserved to be watched in the highest definition possible - not only is the story compelling but the cinematography is beautiful.

2.) Read the graphic novel that Aronofsky had adapted his screenplay into after his initial effort to get the movie made fell through.

Having said this you might be wondering why I'm writing a review for this item, as getting a 'picture book' wasn't part of one of those two things I was compelled to do. The answer to this question is, after briefly reading through the product description it was my understanding that this was a hardbound rerelease of the graphic novel to complement the movie. It was my surprise then, when I got my brown box from Amazon and removed the shrink wrapping from the contents within, that I found not a graphic novel but a book filled with stills from the movie. Initially I was distraught, as I had just paid $20 for the wrong book, and my first instinct was to return the item.

Having settled down a bit, I decided to give the book a chance and slowly thumbed through it. From the first few pages I found myself drawn into the artistically render adaptations of stills from the movie. The photographs in this book do a wonderful job of visually representing the thematic elements of the movie, and are simply gorgeous to look at. Never having seen this movie, one could pick up this book and find sunken into every page pictorial representations of the emotional context that made The Fountain so wonderfully appealing.

It was also my great surprise to find embedded in the back cover of this book a copy of the screenplay from the movie. Flipping through the screenplay was exciting, as it allowed me to see the manuscript from which the movie was born. Toward the end of the screenplay there is also a nice summation by Aronofsky about the thematic elements of the movie, and how they relate to the journey in which the protagonist undergoes. This would definitely be a book you would set on the coffee table when you invite friends over to watch The Fountain. While not a necessary addition, a nice addition nonetheless for fans of the movie.

This is an excellent art book (published by RIZZOLI) and companion piece to the movie! It is like looking at photographic essays of some of the most compelling scenes and close-ups from the film. It is meant to stimulate artistic reactions and it succeeds very well in doing that. You can place this on your coffee table and it will certainly encourage discussions of the movie, Hugh, Rachel, and even the artbook quality of this publication.

I also found the inclusion of the screenplay very useful in understanding and appreciating the movie. I have read and re-read parts together and it allowed me to recheck "facts" and the backgrounds from which the scenes emanate, which I missed from the fast-moving movie scenes ( even if the movie is not extraordinarily fast-paced), plus I have enjoyed the moments of reflection and introspection better.

I loved the movie and I think this book makes the experience even more exhilarating.

This hard bound stunning photo book, mostly contains beautiful and artistically altered scenes from the movie. Just as moving and stiring as the movie was just is book form. The back of this book also contains a enclosed script, so the reader can relive the movie through the directors eyes. For anyone who loved the movie or is simply an Aronofsy fan I would highly reccommend this beautiful book.

Got this as an anniversary gift for my boyfriend. He loved the movie and loved the book as much. Highly recommended. It's dazzling to the eyes. If only the prints came in poster size, I would definitely frame them!

I saw Darren Aronofsky's film The Fountain and was amazed by it's beauty , depth, and power so naturally I was interested in this. While it is not a novelization of the film nor the graphic novel that proceeded it, the book is a work of art in itself. It contains a copy of the original shooting script of the film which lets you look back and reflect on its themes in a quiet way and its pages contain some fantastic pieces of art inspired by the film itself. I think the book's greatest role will come in allowing you time to both meditate on some of the film's more powerful moments and ideas as well as allowing you to look at what you already saw through someone else's eyes. In a film like The Fountain, that is invaluable. Darrem Aronofsky gives you the type of film that you want to discuss as soon as you see it but you must sit with it first. You must give yourself time to meditate and reflect on what it offers. Those willing to do that will get so much out of the film. This book is a wonderful part of that process. The Fountain is the type of film that you will get more out of each time you see it and this book helps you to do that. I recommend this book to anyone interested in experiencing more of what an incredibly unique film has to offer. Plus--the art is just plain beautiful too!

This is a cool book to have if your really into art, photography, and the film itself. However, the description on Amazon is more then a little misleading. If you check out the first few lines in the editorial reviews section for this book you will see what I mean. When I ordered this book I was expecting that it would include the graphic novel director Aronofsky recast when the movie seemed like it wouldn't happen. In reality the book does not contain a graphic novel at all. What you are getting is a very high quality book containing many pages of art, photography, and stills from the film. As an artist I really love books like this because they help provide some inspiration when I'm feeling stuck. As a bonus you'll also find that the back cover of this book is very thick, this is because there is an area cut into it where you'll find a copy of the film's screen play. There isn't much to read about the film in this book and for the most part the only included text is the screenplay itself. So if your thinking about getting this book, hopefully this will help you understand exactly what you are buying.

Well apparently the reviews are mixed, but I own them both so here's what I think...

Graphic Novel

Very well done, drawings are very detailed and artistic. Really enjoyed the story, on a first run through, I think I missed some things, but it's an interesting story and concept!

The Fountain Companion

I thought this would have been more of an "Art of the Fountain" book, but it's just straight up pictures without accompanying text. I still really liked it, the pictures are cool, they are just stills, they are ehanced and altered as well. Also comes with a copy of the script. I'm a big fan of Darren and his work, so naturally, I enjoyed this book as well

This is one of the best "companion" books for a film ever made. Beautiful and brilliant film and beautiful and brilliant book to go right along with it. There are no words, it just places the serene imagery into printed form. It's best as a coffee table book or to adorn your collection of other movie books. It's even got a small version of the complete script in the back. If you're a fan of the movie, I can't suggest this book enough. You won't regret buying it, but don't think you're getting a novel or even a behind-the-scenes, as it's not that.