Donnie darko doesnt get along too well with his family, his teachers, and his classmates. Donnie darko is the titular protagonist of the 2001 film, donnie darko. Kelly came to the project with a grandiose vision, and poster served as translator to a. I was 23, just graduating from film school, and in a panic trying to write a screenplay to get my career started. Dec 12, 2016 donnie darkos town was inspired by midlothian in virginia, where i grew up in the late 1980s, though donnie is a little older than i would have been. It stars jake gyllenhaal, jena malone, maggie gyllenhaal, drew barrymore, mary mcdonnell, katharine ross, patrick swayze, noah wyle, stu stone, daveigh chase and james duval. Donnie darko, released in 2001 and directed by richard kelly, stars jake gyllenhaal, maggie gyllenhaal, james duval and patrick swayze. Oct 16, 2019 although donnie darko was filmed in the very early 2000s, the film itself takes place in the 1980s. Donnie darko is a 2001 film, the first by writer and director richard kelly. He retorts by asking how thats even possible, before theres a pause, followed by both of them laughing. Donnie darko is a crazy film about donnie, a young fellow who ends up being in the centre of a story full of bizarre happenings. Donnie darko is, among other things, a horror film, and in the pretortureporn era, horror films depended on functional ignorance to create their horrifying effects.
Donnies father, eddie darko, chokes out a chuckle at the he told me to forcibly insert the lifeline exercise card into my anus line. In addition, let us go through the chapters of philosophy of time travel. Earlier in the film, donnie argues with his sister and she tells him to suck a fuck. In the films timeline, this glitch occurs shortly before the jet engine. That being said, i have seen this film a number of times and would like to offer my personal opinion of the events, using both material provided. Donnie darko with critic ren zelen the pick of the. The film follows the adventures of the troubled titular character as he seeks to find the meaning behind his. All 33 songs from the donnie darko 2001 movie soundtrack, with scene descriptions. The directors cut isnt any more entertaining the original, and for some fans, might be a. An impressive directorial debut, the movie proved that kelly had the ability.
Director richard kelly has spent the past year revisiting the film. The plot coils back on itself in intriguing mind puzzles, and. A story told on multiple levels separating donnie darko s deeper meaning from its surfacelevel narrative is imperative. First, there are some aspects that are intentionally left mysterious, or for the viewer to interpret. Donnie darko 2001 soundtrack complete list of songs. Apr, 2018 separating donnie darko s deeper meaning from its surfacelevel narrative is imperative. Donnie darko is the protagonist and central character, who was a troubled teen living in middlesex, virginia during the events of the movie starting in october 2 of 1988, donnie is visited by frank, a mysterious being warning of impending doom. Donnie darko, released in 2001, is a science fiction film dealing with time travel. From 26 yearold first time writerdirector richard kelly comes the provocative donnie darko, a genre busting fable that blasts the american suburban drama into a. Donnie darko s little sister samantha and her best friend corey are on a crosscountry road trip, but soon find themselves entangled in a dangerous glitch in the timespace continuum. As far as film trajectories go, donnie darko followed one of the. The handmaids tale, donnie darko and the mephisto waltz. It works as a curio, and fans may appreciate the extra insight, but darko redux is hindered rather. His sister, maggie gyllenhaal, plays his sister in the film elizabeth darko.
He lives with his parents and two sisters, to whom all he is actually caring nonetheless. Donnie darko, a perfect reminder of the weirdness of reagans america, returns. Director richard kelly is thinking about a big and ambitious donnie darko sequel. Oct 26, 2001 the film stars jake gyllenhaal, from october sky, as donnie darko, a high school student whose test scores are intimidating, whose pose is to be likable and sardonic at once, and who occasionally forgets to take his medication, for unspecified but possibly alarming reasons. Director richard kelly reveals francis ford coppolas hidden hand in shaping the movie. The story is set in the town of middlesex during the 1988 presidential election campaign. The films that made me richard kellys donnie darko. Donnie is also visited on occasion by frank, a monstrous sixfoot rabbit that. Oct 24, 2002 donnie darko has the conventional leafysuburbiaplushighschool setting of films such as carrie and halloween, to which it glancingly alludes.
Superficially, its the story of wideeyed and neurotic teenager donnie jake gyllenhaal, as he struggles. Its the jukebox soundtrack and crisp, inventive photography you remember, but whats perhaps most remarkable about donnie darko a decadeandahalf on is how kelly manages to take a. Drew barrymore, who plays teacher karen pomeroy, also lent her support to the project as executive producer. Apr 20, 2019 if you ask around, you will realize you are not the only person that had trouble comprehending the ending of the film donnie darko. Richard kelly wants to make a true donnie darko sequel film. Donnie darko was the first feature film from writer and director richard kelly. Jan 24, 2005 its hard to deny that writerdirector richard kelly has ridden donnie darko for all its worth since its 2001 release. It shows the audience absolutely everything, and bears the same relationship to actual horror as porn does to romantic comedy.
This particular decade is obviously and extremely important to the overall aesthetic and vibe of the movie. Straighttodvd sequel to the cult 2001 film donnie darko. There is a kind of movie that calls out not merely to be experienced but to be solved. Apr 17, 2018 first, there are some aspects that are intentionally left mysterious, or for the viewer to interpret. Mar 30, 2017 director richard kelly has spent the past year revisiting the film. Sign up to our email newsletter for updates on new videos, fun film trivia, news on giveaways. Richard kelly revisits his cult thriller donnie darko with a directors cut that tries to offer a clearer vision.
The movie takes other random favorites like patrick swayze, mary mcdonnell, noah wyle, and drew. Figuring everything about this incredible film requires some research and extracurricular knowledge. Each love we had, that there was repression in every school and every sacrifice we had to do to fix something in our lives. Quite a cult of hardcore fans has developed around it, and for those folks, the film is essentially immune to criticism and reinterpretation. Donnie darko was the first feature film from writer and director richard. On this weeks episode of the pick of the flicks podcast, film critic ren zelen stops by to dissect the bizarre enigma of richard kellys baffling noughties scifi tale donnie darko. Many people ive encountered seem content to take donnie darko 2001 at face value, appreciating its artistic value, but no one else seemed willing to admit that they mayve felt like there was a cohesiveness to the plot that felt just out of reach. Donnie darko is a youngster in middlesex, virginia, who has been under psychological attention and medication.
After our initial 118minute cut, we proudly got it down to 104 minutes. Separating donnie darko s deeper meaning from its surfacelevel narrative is imperative. He has a compassionate psychiatrist, who discovers hypnosis is the means to unlock hidden secrets. Listen to and download the music, ost, score, list of songs and trailers. Nov 24, 2014 lessons from legendary donnie darko cinematographer. We locked picture and sent out our perfectly formed film to festivals. All these years after its release, debates around donnie darkos true meaning. With daveigh chase, briana evigan, james lafferty, ed westwick. Donnie darko was a box office flop when it first hit theaters in october 2001 a film about a jet engine falling from the sky didnt seem particularly palatable in the wake of sept. Donnie darko 2001 is writer and director richard kellys original vision of a coming of age story, a psychological drama, a horror story, and a science fiction fantasy film all cut into one demented masterpiece and the only notable film from kelly. Her role is especially important since one aspect of donnie darko is that it is a love story. Mar 31, 2017 donnie darko was a box office flop when it first hit theaters in october 2001 a film about a jet engine falling from the sky didnt seem particularly palatable in the wake of sept. Its not just the direction that makes donnie darko.
How donnie darko captures the spirit of lent the 2001 cult film is a surprisingly ideal movie for the christian time of reflection leading up to easter sunday. Cult flick with sophisticated themes, great cast, but meh story released in 2001 and writtendirected by richard kelly, donnie darko is a dramafantasy starring jake gyllenhaal as a troubled california teen dogged by apparitions of a man in an evil rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit several crimes, after he narrowly escapes a peculiar accident concerning a jet engine falling. Tell me where the story and where the character and the art come for you. Donnie darko is a 2001 american science fiction psychological thriller film written and directed by richard kelly. The explanation heavily revolves around the book donnie gets from his teacher, the philosophy of time travel written by roberta sparrow grandma death. The film later ended up as number 2 on empire magazines list of the 50 greatest independent films of all time. Oct 30, 2001 donnie darko is a stunning technical accomplishment that virtually bursts with noise, ideas and references, but its fundamentally a gracefully crafted movie thats about human beings and not. A detailed plot analysis and explanation of the ending of the film donnie darko. The main character, donnie darko, is a troubled teenager whom has vision of a giant bunny rabbit named frank. The story follows the titular character donnie as he weaves his way through strange and existential scenarios.
I discuss the tangent universe, the primary universe, the. Lessons from legendary donnie darko cinematographer indiewire. First screened at the 2001 sundance film festival, donnie darko was released by newmarket films later that october a little more than a month after 911. First screened at the 2001 sundance film festival, donnie darko was released by newmarket films later that october a little more than a month after 911, which decimated the already. It spans a number of genres and leaves itself wide open to interpretation. The biggest surprise to me was that the bulk of donnie darko is a realist drama.
Its concept is smart and jake gyllenhaal delivers a great performance, however, not all aspects of the story really mesh together. Sixteen years later, donnie darko makes an eerily prescient. I know its a cult film, and hated by many people, i guess. It is part teen drama, part science fiction, part horror, part love story, part messianic tale, part social commentary, and more. Yes, we also acknowledge donnie darko is quite complicated, not to mention intriguing, thanks to richard kellys directorial genius. And while he succeeded in creating a more understandable movie, donnie darko. Donnie is a troubled teen haunted by visions of a figure in a disturbing rabbit suit. Donnie darko was his first feature out of film school and was nominated for 21 awards, winning 11 of them. He wants to tell another story set in that world with the right recourses. Donnie darko is an emotionally troubled teenager who sleepwalks and visits a psychiatrist with whom he discusses his deepest thoughts throughout the film. How donnie darko captures the spirit of lent the atlantic. Directed by richard kelly, starring jake gyllenhaal and jena malone. The book is a fictional one but some of the pages were in the film s web site and included into the directors cut version of the movie.
1041 958 156 1153 1169 811 739 1203 703 1003 1572 1335 1238 1248 701 442 169 158 180 436 744 338 1072 1114 1349 393 1016 1318 594 1358 1151 832 752 965