Lux Aeterna (Requiem for a Dream)

"Lux Aeterna"
Song by Kronos Quartet
Album	Requiem for a Dream
Length	3:54
Composer	Clint Mansell
Requiem for a Dream track listing
"Meltdown" (31) "Lux Aeterna" (32) "Coney Island Low" (33)

See also: Requiem for a Dream (soundtrack)

"Lux Aeterna" (Latin, Lux Æterna: "eternal light") is a composition by Clint Mansell, the theme song and leitmotif of Requiem for a Dream, and the penultimate piece in the Requiem for a Dream score. The popularity of this piece led to its use in popular culture outside the film, mostly in film trailers. A version of the track was re-orchestrated with a choir and full orchestra for The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers trailer.^[1] The piece, named "Requiem for a Tower", was made exclusively for the trailer and was not featured in either Requiem for a Dream or the The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. It was arranged by Simone Benyacar, Dan Nielsen, and Veigar Margeirsson. Although never intended for release, after considerable demand by fans this piece was made available as part of the Requiem for a Tower album release from Corner Stone Cues.

Appearances

Other films, trailers, and commercials which feature tracks, or re-mixes of tracks, from Requiem for a Dream include:

Film trailers

• I Am Legend
• Hitman
• 300
• The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers as Requiem for a Tower
• The Da Vinci Code
• Sunshine
• Zathura
• The Trials of Darryl Hunt an independent film released by HBO

It is often thought that the track was also used in the trailer for I Am Legend. The track in that trailer is actually "Fatal Fantasy" by Music Junkies.\ It was noted prior that the movie Smokin' Aces used this same melody for it's trailer but it is actually another piece by the Clint Mansell not unlike this one.\

Advertisements

• A version of "Lux Aeterna" by Fiachra Trench was featured in the Enda McCallion-directed advert "Epic" for the 2006 AIB Ryder Cup.

Other uses

• The documentary Future Focus: Patent for a Pig uses the un-remixed version momentarily.
• Paul Oakenfold extensively samples "Lux Aeterna" for his track "Zoo York" on his album Bunkka.
• The music was used to back an extended rant against aspirational television delivered by Charlie Brooker during the first episode of the second season Screenwipe.
• The trailers for three of the last five episodes of the third season of Lost – "D.O.C.", "The Brig", and "Greatest Hits" – featured "Lux Aeterna."
• Used by psychedelic trance music group GMS in the track "Juice", in their album No Rules.
• Sampled for "Throw It Up", the second track from the Lil Jon album Kings of Crunk.
• Sampled for various drum and bass tracks, such as "Shadows" by Unknown Error.
• Used in the cartoon series Team Galaxy (Aired on Jetix in the Netherlands) in the episode "Mini Marshalls".
• Has been used since early 2006 for a pre-match video shown at Madejski Stadium. The video is a compilation of Reading FC action edited to the pace of the song.
• Has been used when introducing the judges and contestants in the show Britain's Got Talent.
• Has been used in 2007 in trailers for BBC Four's Science You Can't See season.
• Used intermittently in BBC Two's Top Gear: Polar Special episode and other episodes in series 9.
• Since August 5, 2007, used as Sky Sports News' main theme.
• The band Bleeding Through used a similar keyboard part in the music video version of the song Line in the Sand in 2007.
• Numerous fan creations on YouTube (e.g. set to the Star Wars Trilogy, the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, the Last Samurai).
• This is the Boston Celtics presentation song before the player introductions when they play at TD Banknorth Garden.
• This is the theme song to the University of Alabama Crimson Tide's pre-game "Crimson Tradition" football montage.

References