Donnie Darko is a 2001 drama/psychological thriller/science fiction cult film written and directed by Richard Kelly. The film had a small opening upon its release in the U.S., but gained newfound popularity upon its DVD release and a
cult following over the years.
Plot
The story occurs in the town of Middlesex, Virginia, during the time of 1988 presidential election campaign. Donnie Darko is an intelligent though
emotionally troubled teenager who sleepwalks, and in the medical care of a psychiatrist
with whom he discusses his deepest thoughts. One morning, a jet engine from a commercial
aircraft falls into Donnie's bedroom; he avoids death by obeying a voice in his head causing him to sleepwalk outside from his
room, corrupting space and time. The voice is that of Frank, an (apparently) imaginary
friend dressed in a man-sized rabbit costume. At midnight on October 2nd, Frank prophesies to Donnie that the end of the
world will occur in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds.
Frank instructs Donnie to perform further acts, provoking a certain chain of events allowing the finale to occur: he floods
his high school, giving him opportunity to court new classmate and potential love Gretchen Ross; he pursues time travel, leading to conversation with his science teacher, who gives him the book The Philosophy of
Time Travel, by Roberta Sparrow, an aged town resident known as "Grandma Death" among the neighborhood children; he and
Gretchen go to the cinema to watch a double feature, The Evil Dead and
The Last Temptation of Christ, she falls asleep, Frank
appears and shows him a wormhole portal in a cinema, where Frank reveals himself as a
teenager of the same age as Donnie, with a wound in his right eye. Frank incites Donnie to burn down the house of a
motivational speaker he ridiculed at a school function, thereby exposing a secret
kiddie porn dungeon. The motivational
speaker's arrest causes Donnie's mother to chaperone his younger sister and her dance group on
a flight to the talent hunt program Star Search in Los Angeles.
Donnie begins seeing ripples in space-time, depicted as water tentacles protruding from people's chests, brought on by the
corruption of the current timeline. The tentacles indicate where the person will travel in the near future: he sees one tentacle
snake into the room, followed by his younger sister skipping through the room. These singularities are described in Roberta
Sparrow's book. Another tentacle leads Donnie to a pistol in his parents' closet, which he takes and keeps.
On the night of October 29th, with Donnie's parents out of town, Donnie and his sister Elizabeth have a party to celebrate her
admission to Harvard University. Donnie takes Gretchen and two other friends for
advice from Roberta Sparrow when they are ambushed by two school bullies, who happen to be
robbing the house that night. In the struggle, Gretchen is pushed into the road and is run over and killed by a car, after which
the bullies flee; (it then is past midnight, so it is October 30th). The car that killed Gretchen stops, and Donnie sees the
driver. After seeing that the driver is Frank in a Halloween rabbit costume, Donnie shoots him in the eye, killing him; (earlier
foreshadowed when Donnie talked to Frank in his bathroom and he raised a knife, making stabbing motions to the right eye of
Frank's visage).
As the prophesied end of the world nears, Donnie takes a car and retreats with Gretchen's body to a hillside overlooking
Middlesex, where a wormhole portal opens in the sky. Donnie's mother and sister experience turbulence on their return flight
home; one of the airplane's jet engines (the metal vehicle needed for time travel) detaches and falls. The engine travels through
the time portal to 28 days earlier, crashes into Donnie's bedroom, causing a time travel predestination paradox; on that occasion, Donnie chooses to stay in bed.
The story ends on the morning after the jet engine accident. Donnie is dead and his body is removed from the house as his
family mourns. As all the people upon whom Donnie's actions had an impact (or rather, would have had an impact upon) sit stunned,
Frank, with a prototype bunny Halloween mask, unconsciously touches his right eye. Gretchen is alive and rides by on her bicycle.
Never having met Donnie, she talks with a neighborhood child about the sad accident. She waves to Donnie's mother; there is a
sense of recognition between them.
Cast
Production
![The "Carpathian ridge" scenes were shot on the Angeles Crest Highway.[1]](http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/d/d3/250px-Donnie-darko-8.jpg)
The "Carpathian ridge" scenes were shot on the Angeles Crest Highway.
[1]
Donnie Darko was filmed in 28 days on a budget of US$4.5 million.[2] It almost went straight to home video release, but was publicly
released by the production company Flower Films.[3]
The story is set in Middlesex, Virginia, but was filmed in California. Donnie's high school was portrayed by Loyola High School, a prominent Catholic school in
Los Angeles, California. Donnie awakens in a golf course in Burbank, California; the hotel where his family lodge is the Burbank, California, Holiday Inn; the Aero theater where Donnie and Gretchen watch the double feature is a cinema in
Santa Monica, California.[citation needed]
Score
-
In 2003, composer Michael Andrews and singer Gary
Jules found their piano-driven cover of the Tears for Fears' hit
"Mad World," featured in the film as part of the end sequence, at the top of the UK music
charts.[4]
A slightly remixed part of the song was used in the David Fincher directed TV
commercial for the 2006 Xbox 360 game Gears of War. The advertisement brought the song an increased level of popularity, propelling it to
number one in downloads at the iTunes music store in late 2006. This song has also
had a strong presence in Internet culture, as it has been used countless times for fan videos and trailers. The song was also
used in the opening scene of an episode of CSI.
Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division
also appears in the film. However, the version included was released in 1995, although the film is set in 1988.
Release and marketing
- The Donnie Darko Book (2003), written by Richard Kelly and introduced
by Jake Gyllenhaal, explains some of the film's details.
- NECA released a six-inch (15 cm) figure of
Frank the Bunny, and later, a foot-tall (30 cm) 'talking' version of the same figure.
Reception
Donnie Darko had its first screening at the Sundance Film Festival on January
19th 2001. Critic Andy Bailey billed Donnie Darko as a "Sundance surprise" that "isn't
spoiled by the Hollywood forces that helped birth it."[5]
Although critically acclaimed, the film debuted in U.S. theaters in October, 2001 to a tepid response. Shown on only 58 screens
nationwide, the film grossed $110,494 in its opening weekend. By the time the film closed in U.S. theaters on April 11, 2002, it had grossed $517,375.[6][7]
Despite the poor showing at the box office, the film had attracted a devoted fan base. Donnie Darko was originally
released on DVD and VHS in March of 2002. During this time, the Pioneer Theatre in New York City's East Village began midnight
screenings of Donnie Darko that continued for 28 consecutive months.[8] Strong DVD sales led Newmarket Films to release a "Directors
Cut" on DVD in 2005. Bob Berney, President of Newmarket Films, described the film as "a runaway
hit on DVD," citing US sales of more than $10 million.
As of August 25, 2007, Donnie Darko rates 8.3/10 and
ranks 112th on the Internet Movie Database Top 250.[9]
Awards and nominations
2001 — Richard Kelly won with Donnie Darko for "Best Screenplay" at the Catalonian International Film Festival and at
the San Diego Film Critics Society. Donnie Darko also won the "Audience Award" for Best Feature at the Sweden Fantastic Film
Festival. The film was nominated for "Best Film" at the Catalonian International Film Festival and for the "Grand Jury Prize" at
the Sundance Film Festival.
2002 — Donnie Darko won the "Special Award" at the Young Filmmakers Showcase at the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and
Horror Films. The movie also won the "Silver Scream Award" at the Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival. In 2002 Kelly was nominated
for "Best First Feature" and "Best First Screenplay" with Donnie Darko, as well as Jake Gyllenhaal being nominated for
"Best Male Lead" at the Independent Spirit Awards. The film was also nominated for the "Best Breakthrough Film" at the Online
Film Critics Society Awards.
2003 — Jake Gyllenhaal won "Best Actor" and Richard Kelly "Best Original Screenplay" for Donnie Darko at the Chlotrudis
Awards, where Kelly was also nominated for "Best Director" and "Best Movie."
2005 — Donnie Darko ranked in the top five on My Favourite Film, an
Australian poll conducted by the ABC.[10]
2006 — Donnie Darko ranks ninth in FilmFour's 50 Films to See Before
You Die.[11]
It also came in at number 14 on Entertainment Weekly's list of the 50 Best High School Movies, and landed
at number 2 in their "Greatest Independent Films of All Time" list.
Interpretation
Director's interpretation
Writer/director Richard Kelly does not deny personal interpretations, but
has expressed his own theories through the extra commentary on the two DVDs, his own (fictional) book The Philosophy of Time
Travel, and in various other interviews.
According to Kelly and his Philosophy of Time Travel, at midnight on October 2 a
Tangent Universe branches off the Primary Universe around the time when Donnie is called
out of his bedroom by Frank, immediately before the appearance of the Artifact, the faulty
jet engine. The inherently unstable Tangent Universe will collapse in just over 28 days and
take the Primary Universe with it if not corrected. Closing the Tangent Universe is the duty of the Living
Receiver, Donnie, who wields certain supernatural powers to help him in the task.
Those who have died/will die within the Tangent Universe (and would not have died otherwise) are the Manipulated Dead
(Frank and Gretchen Ross). Manipulated Dead Frank, at least, is also given certain powers in that he is able to subtly understand
what is happening and have the ability to contact and influence the Living Receiver via the Fourth Dimensional
Construct (water). All others within the orbit of the Living Receiver are the Manipulated Living (e.g. Ms. Pomeroy,
Dr. Monnitoff), subconsciously drawn to push him towards his destiny to close the Tangent Universe and, according to the
Philosophy of Time Travel, die by the Artifact.
There are two "Franks" in the story: the living boyfriend of Donnie's sister Elizabeth, and the Manipulated Dead Frank who
appears to Donnie as a premonition from the future in the disturbing rabbit suit (the second Frank is dead, or undead; at
the end of the film he is killed by Donnie). Dead Frank is aware of Donnie's fate and destiny.
The director has also said that the depiction of the high school in the film was meant to reflect his own personal experience
during his high school years.
Director's cut
The director's cut of the film was released on May 29,
2004 in Seattle, Washington at the Seattle International Film Festival, and later in New York City and Los Angeles on July 23, 2004. This cut includes twenty minutes of extra footage, an altered
soundtrack, the director's interpretation and visual excerpts from the book The Philosophy of
Time Travel. The director's cut DVD, released on February 15, 2005, included the new footage and more soundtrack changes, as well as some additional features exclusive to the
two-DVD set: excerpts from the storyboard, a 52-minute production diary, "#1 fan video," a "cult following" video interviewing
British fans, and the new director's cut cinematic trailer. The director's cut DVD was released as a giveaway with copies of the
British Sunday Times newspaper on February 19 2006.
Differences
In the director's cut:
- The opening-scene song was changed from Echo and the Bunnymen's
"The Killing Moon" to INXS's "Never Tear Us Apart". The INXS song was the intended original number. "The Killing Moon" later
replaces "Under the Milky Way" by The Church
during the party scene, although it's a remixed version of the song. "Under The Milky Way" now plays on the radio in the car
scene with Donnie and his father.
- In the original cut, when Donnie walks into the kitchen at the end of the first scene, the opening music fades and the "The
Killing Moon" is playing on a radio in the kitchen. Yet this is not so for "Never Tear Us Apart" in the Director's Cut.
- Donnie follows a transparent "sphere" while watching the football game; the sphere does not form a finger and beckon him, as
in the original.
- Donnie's psychiatrist informs him that his pills are placebos, and tells him that he is an
agnostic, and not an atheist as he thinks.
- The Holiday Inn scene is longer.
- The scene with Cunningham in the school is longer. Cunningham goes through the kid's problems in greater detail
- Several scenes in Ms. Pomeroy's classroom are re-inserted: Donnie reading his own poetry about Frank in class, the teacher
announcing the banning of Graham Greene's The
Destructors and its replacement with Watership Down, and the class
later watching the animated adaptation of Watership Down.
- Frank does not apologize in the theater during The Evil Dead.
- Karen Pomeroy's firing is shorter, while the scene in which Donnie asks her about the words "cellar door" is longer and contains almost entirely different dialogues.
- Various transition scenes show chapter excerpts from Roberta Sparrow's The Philosophy of Time Travel.
- There is more of Donnie and Gretchen, including an arcade scene with Donnie playing the race-car game Outrun. In the game the car is red, as is human Frank's car.
- In a new scene, Donnie's mother and father are eating dinner in a restaurant as they discuss Donnie's situation.
- Donnie and Elizabeth are shown carving jack-o-lanterns. Donnie carves his into the
shape of Frank's mask. In the original version, this lantern is still present on the kitchen bench but is not seen being
carved.
- The shot of Donnie's eyes bulging as his face enters the sphere at the Halloween party is removed.
- A series of fireworks, clips from the animated film Watership Down, and shots from
the Outrun video game are superimposed over the montage at the end of the film.
- The scene in which Frank first wakes Donnie is longer.
- Certain events first appear as images within Donnie's eye, described as deus ex
machina by director Richard Kelly in the audio commentary for the Director's Cut. The first image of Frank flashes in
Donnie's pupil as Frank wakes him; the second image is that of rushing water to represent the flooding of the school; and there
is a shot of fire in Donnie's eyes before Frank tells him to burn Cunningham's house down (instead of a full-screen shot of
Cunningham's house on fire). The eye appears every time Donnie is commanded to do a task.
- Near the beginning of the movie, when Donnie's mom comes into his room, "Voices Carry" by Til
Tuesday is playing in the background.
- The deleted scenes (included in the first DVD release) are hidden as easter
eggs.
Stage production
Marcus Stern, Associate Director of the American Repertory Theatre, will present a staged adaptation of Donnie Darko at the Zero
Arrow Theatre in Cambridge, MA in the fall of 2007. It will open the weekend
before Halloween and will run from October 27 to November
18, 2007. An article written by the production dramaturg, Sarah Wallace, states that Stern
and the production team plans to "embrace the challenge to make the fantastical elements come alive on stage."[12]
In 2004, Stern adapted and directed Kelly's screenplay for a graduate student production at the American Repertory Theatre's
Institute for Advanced Theatre Training (I.A.T.T./M.X.A.T.).
References in popular culture
- The film was parodied on the Australian movie show The Bazura Project in
episode 2.06 as part of the episode's opening sequence.
- HORSE the band's song "Kangarooster 4057" on the album R. Borlax Re-Release has a sound clip from the film.
- Sage Francis' album Sickly Business
contains several references to Donnie's confession about his dog dying under the porch, as well as a sample from the movie.
- In Ultimate Spider-Man, "cellar door" is the keyword said by Shaw that
causes Harry Osborn to forget certain actions, notably anything involving his father's
actions as the Green Goblin. It is later revealed that Shaw is really a figment of Harry's
mind.
- In 2004, drum and bass producer Cartridge released "End of the World" as the A-side to his FREAK007 EP on
Freak Recordings. The track includes samples of Donnie's sessions with his
psychiatrist.
- The Australian hardcore act Carpathian admit to stealing their band's name from
a chapter name on the DVD.[citation needed] "Carpathian Ridge" is also a track on the soundtrack.
- American rock band Alter Bridge named their first album One Day Remains, after a chapter in The Philosophy of Time Travel.
- In an episode of the British soap opera programme Coronation Street,
Sarah Platt referred to her brother as "Donnie
Darko" upon seeing him sat depressed and playing loud music in his car.
- Rapper MC Lars parodies the embracing of the film by Brooklyn hipsters in his song "Hipster
Girls", with the refrain "Donnie Darko makes no sense!"
- The hardcore punk/ska band No Cash sampled Donnie's comments about "The Destructors" in class, in the song "Run Your
Pockets"
Notes
References
-
Kelly, Richard (2003), The Donnie Darko Book, Faber and Faber, ISBN
0571221246.
External links
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