Donnie Darko

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Loved the film. After watching it I have to admit I went and downloaded 'Mad World' by Gary Jule. I had no idea it was originally by Tears For Fears, even though this bloke was in that band but this acoustic version is far better than the original which I downloaded first by accident :eek:
 

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My favourite movie.

I have the DVD and the commentary is excellent. The best commentary ive heard for a movie. Explains basically everything.

There are scenes that they cut out which i thought were 100% vital to piecing the story together. For instance they cut out a lot of the dialogue between Frank and Donnie at the beginning of the movie which explains the whole story line and makes the whole movie make sense. Maybe this is why they cut it out of the final piece tho.

I love movies that keep you thinking long after you watch it and this has done that more than any other movie ive seen.

There was a website i found that had a full explanation of the movie on it. Ill find it and put it on here.
 
ok i found it.

http://www.tonystuff.co.uk/darko-spoilers.htm

This is just one persons take on the movie but it is basically the same view of the movie given on the movie commentary.

'quote from website':

2. So What Happened?
A jet engine from the future crashes into Donnie's house and triggers a parallel world, which will end in 28 days. Frank is sent to warn Donnie of the end of the world, and help guide him into a position where he will send the engine back through time, closing the parallel time frame, and saving the world. Frank is basically a premonition from the future, as Donnie kills Frank at the end of the film. Donnie is manipulated into situations which will eventually leave him no choice but to send the engine back through time. He meets Gretchen, which proves to him that he doesn't have to die alone (one of his fears), and makes him less scared of death. He burns down Cunnighams house, which leads events to making his mother go on the trip with his sister, thereby setting up the plane in the correct position to deposit its engine into the black hole. His shrink also admits that Donnies medication are placebos, indicating he's not as mad as he thinks (this is on the DVD as a deleted scene). As the climax begins to unfold, Donnie unwittingly gets Gretchen killed, and realises that his mother and family will also die if he doesn't close up the black hole. In closing the black hole, Donnie sacrifices himself, saves Gretchen from being killed, and because he doesn't burn down Cunninghams house, saves his mother from being on the plane (as the other mother could take the kids on the trip instead). He also doesn't kill Frank. In closing the black hole, everybody then wakes up on what would be back on the 1st of October (the start of the movie) and to the news that Donnie has died from a jet engine landing on him.

3. Events Explained By The Philosophy Of Time Travel
The book explains of the Primary Universe (real life) and a Tangent Universe (like a parallel universe). When the fourth dimension of time is broken, a Tangent Universe occurs, and is unstable. Hence the world ending in 28 days time. If the Tangent Universe ends, then the world ends, the Tangent Universe basically swallowing the world up in a black hole.

The Tangent Universe occurs when an Artifact passes into the Primary Universe. The Arifact (as explained in the book) is usually metal, and its whereabouts cannot be explained. The jet engine that crashes into Donnie's house is the artifact. Obviously the engine has come from the future, and triggers a Tangent Universe, which Donnie has to close to enable the world to return to normality.

Donnie is identified as the Living Receiver, as the person nearest to the vortex when the engine appeared. Its Donnies job to send the artifact back through time to close the Tangent Universe black hole. Apparently he has "special powers" - is this to do with his time-manipulation and visions, or just cos he's schizophrenic? It would also help explain how the axe got in the bronze statue.

Everyone around him become "The Manipulated" and are basically there to guide Donnie (as the Living Receiver) on a path to make sure he uses his powers to close the black hole. Karen (Drew Barrymore), Monotoff (Wyle) and Roberta Sparrow are manipulated living, Karen dropping some large clues for Donnie throughout (again, see Drews deleted scenes on the DVD for more stuff). Frank is The Manipulated Dead, a premonition from the future used to give Donnie guidance. His job is to put Donnie into a position where he has no choice but to save the world. The Ensurance Trap is set when not only Gretchen is killed, but when Donnie realises his mother and sister will die in the plane crash, and when he kills Frank (revealed as Elizabeths boyfriend). If he sacrifices himself, everyone else will live. Gretchen is also a Manipulated Dead, though less obvious than Frank. She too dies within the Tangent, and is there to help Donnie (see Gretchen's Comment below).

In closing the rift, and being killed by the engine, the Manipulated all awake from the parallel time frame back at the start of the movie (or 1st Oct). The appearance of the engine will never be explained.

5. The Time Line Explained
The Tangent Universe/time line in the movie works in a straight line, and not a loop. The jet engine opens the Tangent Universe on October 1st. Everything that then happens in the movie is within the Tangent Universe. Donnie has to close the universe to stop the world from being destroyed. The Tangent Universe is closed by sending the original artifact (jet engine) back through the black hole created by the Tangent. So when Donnie sends the engine back, when it finally crashes into his bedroom for the second time, the Tangent Universe is closed. The time line goes back to Oct 1st and carries on in a completely different time line. Everything that happened in the Tangent Universe is "cancelled". The engine won't crash again, people won't be killed. However, this does mean Jim Cunninghams secret may not be discovered (however, see details from the Donnie Darko site below).





6. Gretchen's Comment
Twice in the movie, Gretchen makes reference to going back in time, and placing good things in the past. The second time this happens is before Donnie drives off in the car, before placing the engine in the black hole. Possibly misconstrued as a throwaway comment on first viewing, it becomes more significant second time round, especially when you realise whats actually happening.

Thanks to Jude Ortega and Kermit for added input on this page.

7. Additions
(i) Why did Donnie flood the school?
Basically, if he didnt he wouldnt have hooked up with Gretchen, as Donnie says "he was glad the this happened today" as he "never would of had this conversation"

(ii) Do "The Manipulated Living" know what happened in the tangent universe ?
Memory of life within the Tangent Universe could be explained as deja vu - for example, in the newspaper articles referenced at Donniedarko.com, Jim cunningham killed himself on the 12/10/1988...10 days later.

"Police searched Cunningham's expansive Middlesex tudor mansion for a suicide note, but were surprised to find all of his furniture and other belongings removed from the empty house"

Which would include all evidence of the 'kiddy pr0n dungeon'. This suggests that there was some memory of the tangent universe but could only be seen as a premintion or feeling of guilt on Jim Cunninghams behalf resulting in his suicide.

Thanks to Leigh and Dave for the above info.

(iii) What is Cheritas role as a 'manipulated' and how does she guide Donnie?
General thoughts are that Cherita is another person proving to Donnie he is loved. She obviously worships him, helped by the fact that he's one of the only kids who talks to her like a normal person. When she drops her notebook at the end, she has his name written on the cover. At the end of the movie, when Donnie tells her "everything will be alright", he knows that he is going to save the world, and its in part thanks to her, as one of the "manipulated" helping him to realise that he won't die alone.

thanks to Daniel, Carey Nismo and Aaron Angel for the above thoughts.

8. Why Does Donnie Die?
This is a question I get asked a lot, and I'm not really sure of the answer. The DVD commentary gives some ideas, but Kelly's thoughts on this are vague, and not much different from mine. Seeing as how the rest of the DVD commentary is extremely inciteful, I think Kelly would like his audience to take what they can from Donnies death, and not worry about it.
My take is just this - Donnie dies, live with it. Some films have sad endings, some films have happy endings. Its the way it goes.
To give more options for those that aren't happy, here are a few points:

(i) Before Donnie is killed, he smiles. This could be to do with the fact that he realises he has saved the world and isn't actually mad (re: the placebo medication). Kelly actually goes as far to point out that because he is happy, he actually forgets to get out of bed!

(ii) Because he has closed the tangent, he hasn't actually left his bed from the beginning of the film. Because the tangent closure sends the story back to the start of the movie, Donnie would be in exactly the same place he started. And as Frank wouldn't exist in "rabbit form", he wouldn't be called outside. Could it be that as Donnie closes the tangent, he has the same "deja vu" take on events like everyone else?

9. Donnie as a Superhero
I may have mentioned this earlier, but just to clear this up. Donnie has super powers. This is how he moves the engine into the correct position to close the tangent. His powers are manifested in these ways:

(i) Manipulation of water - flooding the school. And when he's outside Jim Cunninghams house, he sets off the sprinklers. He also views timelines in liquid form.
(ii) Manipulation of metal and super strength - the axe embedded in the bronze statue. Positioning the engine into the black hole.
(iii) Manipulation of Time - I think this is obvious...without it, no film.
 
Donnie Darko: Directors Cut

Was listening to triple J and heard something mentioned about the new Donnie Darko - Directors Cut released in Melbourne and Sydney on thursday 12th august.

Does anyone have any information on what it is? Is it a new film at the cinemas or just a new DVD?? Didn't get to hear much detail, but yeah... I loved the original, so any info would be great!

Cheers
 
Re: Donnie Darko: Directors Cut

about 20 minutes of extra footage. Currently playing at the Nova in Melbourne. Saw it last week. Mostly fills in on character development and most of it works pretty well. Actually makes the film feel shorter and a tad less enigmatic. Worth a gander if you are a fan or wait for the SE DVD.
 
Re: Donnie Darko: Directors Cut

Geez a single release of 'Mad World' would go OK now, assuming it hasn't been tried already, i liked the original when i was a kid but Gary Jules version welded me to the spot when i first heard it last year!!
 
the amount of times i have seen this movie mentioned on big footy is ridiculous, and i've kept my mouth shut about it until now. how can people actually find this movie enjoyable? its about a boy who has visions of a demonic rabbit! :confused: if there was a worse movie ever made i'd like to hear of it.

anyway thats just my opinion, you're all entitled to your own *waits for abuse*
 

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I'll try not to abuse :)
In my two or so years here, I've never heard it mentioned, my bad if the topic has been exhausted, I thought I would raise it, what with the Director's Cut currently being shown here.

I understand what you're saying about the amount of discussion, has become quite the cult film.

I just find it interesting to see what different people take away from the film/their theories

Oh yes, what with asking for discussion, should probably warn about spoilers, this is the sort of film you wouldn’t want spoiled.
 
Rodan18 said:
the amount of times i have seen this movie mentioned on big footy is ridiculous, and i've kept my mouth shut about it until now. how can people actually find this movie enjoyable? its about a boy who has visions of a demonic rabbit! :confused: if there was a worse movie ever made i'd like to hear of it.

anyway thats just my opinion, you're all entitled to your own *waits for abuse*
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Couldn't agree more. I didn't get it. :confused:
 
I love this movie. The best type of movie is one which makes you think, and is unique in it's own way.

Some of my favourite movies are Donnie Darko, Memento, Being John Malkovich and Cube. As you can see, a specific genre of "thinking" movies, ones that are more than just your average action movie or love story.

The movies I don't really like are movies that try to be too far out there but still using real concepts, like action movies which only have a stupid plot eg. president is being tracked by a gang or ******** like that.

Much prefer movies like the ones mentioned earlier which have out there plots which just make you think what the hell is going on rather than "as if that would happen" Oh well i don't even know what i'm on about now. I'll shut up
 
i havn't seen it yet, but i want to. it looks interesting.
i hear only good things....except for from this one friend. but her sanity is much debated. :p
 
let me assure you sophie, you're friend is clearly sane. at least, much saner than the boy who has visions from an evil rabbit that tells him the world is going to end in 12 days, 7 hours blah blah blah. don't waste your time seeing it
 
There's a little bit more to it than that.
Watch it a couple of times or, failing that, as Shaitan said, read some reviews.

Another point raised by Shaitan, it's not for everyone, most of the time it's a hit or miss.
 
Rodan18 said:
ajackett110 said:
The movies I don't really like are movies that try to be too far out there /QUOTE]

sounds a lot like donnie darko to me...
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Without trying to be real and believable. I mean Donnie Darko is far out there, but it is philisophical and makes you think. I'm trying to think of movies that I mean, but maybe it's just movies like action movies, which try to be too far out there while capturing reality, which just throws the story out and makes it hard to believe. Man... I've got three uni tests this week and now somebody has to post a topic about Donnie Darko... My brain is dead from study but i feel obliged to reply... don't know what brain is thinking at the moment! please don't abuse me! :eek:
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Rodan18 said:
ajackett110 said:
The movies I don't really like are movies that try to be too far out there /QUOTE]

sounds a lot like donnie darko to me...
Click to expand...

Whilst being "out there" this sort of thing does actually happen to real ppl quite often (well the seeing things bit anyhow).

Me thinks that you dont actually understand the movie. My suggestion would be to watch the DVD with the directors comments on.
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I loved the movie, I get sick of predictable storylines where you know what's going to happen next, can't wait for the release of the Directors cut, or has it already been released. :confused:
 

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