Just before his tragic death in 2018, Jóhann Jóhannsson finished his swansong: the hopeful and tragic masterpiece Mandy.
Mandy has two distinct tonal halves: one of hope, innocence, and encroaching menace, the other loss, despair, vengeance. Although the second half received the most notoriety, the first provides the film’s emotional heart. The oft-repeated “Mandy Love Theme,” an almost unsettlingly tender synth melody full of warmth and optimism, tinged with a knowing and inevitable devastation, provides this emotion. It follows the titular Mandy as she innocently wanders the forests, unaware of the horrors yet to come.
The film’s tone then changes drastically. The second half introduces demon bikers, burning churches, and a chainsaw duel, all fueled with a constant stream of coke and psychedelics. Jóhannsson enlists the help of experimental musician Stephen O’Malley, of Sunn O))) fame, to create chaotic, carnage-filled synth and doom. The use of metal complements the film’s extreme visual aesthetic while also adding to its overwhelming, nonstop nature.
Like many metal albums, Jóhannsson alternates between tender and heavy moments, particularly with the continued use of the “Mandy Love Theme” amidst crushing doom metal riffs. This combination adds empathy and emotional stakes to the film’s over the top, grindhouse-styled action. Doing so elevates and gives meaning to what could otherwise be an empty experience.
