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Baker's Dozen

Immersion Through Disturbance: Clint Mansell's Favourite Film Soundtracks
Kiran Acharya , May 14th, 2014 11:46

The former Pop Will Eat Itself singer turned film score maestro tells Kiran Acharya about the 13 soundtracks that have inspired him most


Various artists - Picnic At Hanging Rock
Again, this would have been a BBC screening, I think. It's got the dreaded pan pipes on it, but they're so evocative, and the score is just amazing because it's sort of trippy, makes you feel a little bit foggy, and plays with your memory. It's so well done, it's beautiful and sincere, but it's also off, you feel like you're dreaming, and asking, "What did happen?" It captures this mindset. I did a film called World Traveller, years ago, and I woke up really early in the morning and I don't know if I was in a dream or whatever but the piece, in my head, I instantly got on a guitar and wrote the progression that was in my head.

Most times I find that I won't remember actually writing certain pieces of music. I'll think back, asking, "Where did that come from?" You can get into a sort of trance-type of state when you work a lot and you're writing, you kind of let it wash over you. My biggest thing is getting out of my own way, if you know what I mean. I remember reading Chuck D's book Fight The Power where he says, "analysis to the state of paralysis". Often if you think about things you don't actually do anything about them. Whereas just go, just do it.
