Donnie Darko

Donnie Darko
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Richard Kelly
Produced by	Adam Fields Nancy Juvonen Sean McKittrick Drew Barrymore
Written by	Richard Kelly
Starring	Jake Gyllenhaal Jena Malone Mary McDonnell Katharine Ross Drew Barrymore Patrick Swayze Maggie Gyllenhaal Noah Wyle James Duval
Music by	Michael Andrews
Cinematography	Steven B. Poster
Editing by	Sam Bauer Eric Strand
Studio	Flower Films
Distributed by	Pandora Newmarket Films
Release date(s)	October 26, 2001 (2001-10-26)
Running time	113 minutes (Theatrical) 133 minutes (Director's cut)
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$4.5 million[1]
Gross revenue	$4,116,307[2]
Followed by	S. Darko

Donnie Darko is a 2001 American psychological thriller-fantasy film directed and written by Richard Kelly. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Noah Wyle, Jena Malone, and Mary McDonnell, and depicts the reality-bending adventures of the title character as he seeks the meaning and significance behind his troubling Doomsday-related visions.

The film was initially slated for a direct-to-video release before being picked up by Newmarket Films. Budgeted with $4.5 million^[1] and filmed over the course of 28 days, the film missed breaking even at the box office, grossing just over $4.1 million worldwide.^[2] Since then, the film has received favorable reviews from critics and developed a large cult following,^[3] resulting in the director's cut receiving a two-disc, special edition release in 2004.^[4]

Plot

In October 1988, teenager Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) has been seeing a psychiatrist because of his troubled history. Donnie sleepwalks, and he has visions of Frank (James Duval), a menacing rabbit. Frank tells Donnie that, in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds, the world will end. While Donnie is outside, a jet engine crashes through his bedroom. The next morning, Jim Cunningham (Patrick Swayze), a motivational speaker, finds Donnie sleeping on the golf course and wakes him. Donnie returns home to find police and firemen at his home. After an initial investigation, no one knows where the jet engine has come from. The following day, Donnie meets Gretchen Ross (Jena Malone), a new student, who becomes one of the few people with whom Donnie can share his visions.

Donnie's father, Eddie (Holmes Osborne), takes Donnie to his therapist, Dr. Lillian Thurman (Katharine Ross), and nearly runs over Roberta Sparrow (Patience Cleveland), a seemingly senile old woman known as "Grandma Death". Afterward, Dr. Thurman increases Donnie's medication and begins hypnotherapy. Frank continues to appear to Donnie and manipulates him to commit a series of crimes and, also, tells Donnie about time travel. Donnie floods the school, steals his father's gun, and burns the home of Jim Cunningham, where firemen uncover a "kiddie porn dungeon."

Donnie, along with his older sister, Elizabeth (Maggie Gyllenhaal), decide to throw a Halloween party while their mother, Rose (Mary McDonnell), and younger sister, Sam, (Daveigh Chase), are away at a dance competition. Gretchen comes to Donnie's house for safety because her mother has suddenly disappeared, likely because of her threatening stepfather. At midnight, Donnie realizes that the 28 days have passed and that only 6 hours remain until the end of the world. Donnie leaves to visit "Grandma Death" along with Gretchen and two friends. While there, they are assaulted by the high school bullies (Alex Greenwald and Seth Rogen). Gretchen is knocked unconscious and thrown into the street. An approaching car swerves to avoid "Grandma Death" standing in the road, but runs over Gretchen, killing her. As the bullies run off, a man wearing a bunny rabbit suit, Frank, emerges from the car. Frank starts yelling at Donnie, who shoots Frank with his father's stolen pistol.

Donnie carries Gretchen's lifeless body to his home, places her in his family car, and speeds away. Donnie watches from nearby as a tornado forms over the city. For once, Donnie seems at peace now as a vortex engulfs the jet his mother and sister are returning home in. The storm damages the plane causing an engine to fall off back-in-time to 28 days earlier. This time, though, Donnie chooses to stay in bed, and Donnie laughs and turns over as if to sleep just as the jet engine crashes through his bedroom, killing him. As his body is taken away the next morning Gretchen passes by on her bike and is informed by a neighborhood boy about what has happened. Gretchen tells the boy that she never knew Donnie as she waves at Rose.

Cast

• Jake Gyllenhaal as Donald "Donnie" Darko
• Jena Malone as Gretchen Ross
• Mary McDonnell as Rose Darko
• Katharine Ross as Dr. Lilian Thurman
• Drew Barrymore as Karen Pomeroy
• Patrick Swayze as Jim Cunningham
• Maggie Gyllenhaal as Elizabeth Darko
• Noah Wyle as Dr. Kenneth Monnitoff
• James Duval as Frank
• Holmes Osborne as Edward "Eddie" Darko
• Daveigh Chase as Samantha "Sam" Darko
• Beth Grant as Kitty Farmer
• Stuart Stone as Ronald Fisher
• Alex Greenwald as Seth Devlin
• Seth Rogen as Ricky Danforth
• Patience Cleveland as Roberta Sparrow ("Grandma Death")
• Jolene Purdy as Cherita Chen
• Ashley Tisdale as Kim
• Jerry Trainor as Lanky Kid
• David St. James as Bob Garland

Director's interpretation

Writer/director Richard Kelly does not deny the validity of personal interpretations, but has expressed his own theories through the extra commentary on the two DVDs, and in various other interviews.

According to Kelly and his fictional 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 die within the Tangent Universe and would not have died otherwise are the "Manipulated Dead" (Frank, Gretchen). Frank, at least, is also given certain powers in that he is able to subtly understand what is happening and 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.

Frank appears in the story in two guises (three guises if we assume that he "never" dies on account of the restoration of the Primary Universe through the negation of the Tangent Universe). First, there is the Manipulated Dead Frank who appears to Donnie as a premonition from the future of the Tangent Universe in the disturbing rabbit suit. Dead Frank is aware of Donnie's fate and destiny, and impels him to realize it so that the Primary Universe can be restored at the point where/when the Tangent Universe branched off from it. Second, Frank appears alive as Donnie's sister's boyfriend, whose fate unfolds within the Tangent Universe by means of Donnie's successes in realizing his mission. This living boyfriend is fatally shot by Donnie towards the end of the film, a killing which was foreseen by Donnie.

Production

Filming

The Long Beach, California home used in Donnie Darko as the fictional, upscale home of motivational speaker, Jim Cunningham

Donnie Darko was filmed in 28 days on a budget of $4.5 million.^[1] It almost went straight to home video release but was publicly released by the production company Flower Films.^[5]

The film was shot in California. The "Carpathian ridge" scenes were shot on the Angeles Crest Highway.^[6] Loyola High School, a prominent Catholic school in Los Angeles, California, was used as Donnie's high school. The house where the Darko family lives is located in Long Beach, California. Donnie awakens in a golf course in Long Beach, California; the hotel where his family lodges is the Burbank, California, Holiday Inn; and the Aero theater where Donnie and Gretchen watch the double feature is a cinema in Santa Monica, California.

Music

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, and the song was the UK Christmas Number One single in 2003.^[7]

One continuous sequence involving an introduction of Donnie's high school prominently features the song "Head Over Heels" by Tears for Fears, Samantha's dance group, "Sparkle Motion", performs with the song "Notorious" by Duran Duran, and "Under the Milky Way" by The Church is played after Donnie and Gretchen emerge from his room during the party. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division also appears in the film diegetically during the party and shots of Donnie and Gretchen upstairs. However, the version included was released in 1995, although the film is set in 1988. The opening sequence is set to "The Killing Moon" by Echo & the Bunnymen. In the theatrical cut, the song playing during the Halloween party is "Proud to be Loud" by Pantera, a track released on their 1988 album, which would coincide with the time setting of the film. However, the band is credited as "The Dead Green Mummies".

In the re-released Director's Cut version of the film, the music in the opening sequence is replaced by "Never Tear Us Apart" by INXS; "Under the Milky Way" is moved to the scene of Donnie and his father driving home from Donnie's meeting with his therapist; and "The Killing Moon" is played as Gretchen and Donnie return to the party from Donnie's parents' room.

Release

The limited release of the film occurred during the month after the September 11 attacks. It was subsequently held back for almost a year for international release, where it garnered more favorable reviews. From this point, a large cult following for the movie began. Its DVD release gained an increased American audience for the film.

Marketing

• The Donnie Darko Book, written by Richard Kelly, is a 2003 book about the film. It includes an introduction by Jake Gyllenhaal, the screenplay of the Donnie Darko Director's Cut, an in-depth interview with Kelly, facsimile pages from the Philosophy of Time Travel, photos and drawings from the film, and artwork it inspired.
• NECA released first a six-inch (15 cm) figure of Frank the Bunny and later a foot-tall (30cm) 'talking' version of the same figure.

Home media

The film was originally released on VHS and DVD in March 2002. Strong DVD sales led Newmarket Films to release a "Director's Cut" on DVD in 2004. Bob Berney, President of Newmarket Films, described the film as "a runaway hit on DVD," citing United States sales of more than $10 million.

The film was released in the US on Blu-ray on February 10, 2009.

The film was released as a 2-disc Blu-ray special edition in the UK on July 19, 2010 by Metrodome Distribution and featuring both Original and Director's Cut. Also including commentaries from Director Richard Kelly and Jake Gyllenhaal, Richard Kelly and Kevin Smith and Cast and Crew including Drew Barrymore.

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, and visual excerpts from the book The Philosophy of Time Travel.

The director's cut DVD, released on February 15, 2005, includes the new footage and more soundtrack changes, as well as some additional features exclusive to the two-DVD set: the director's commentary assisted by Kevin Smith, 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 trailer. The director's cut DVD was released as a giveaway with copies of the British Sunday Times newspaper on February 19, 2006.

Reception

Box office performance

Donnie Darko had its first screening at the Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2001, and debuted in United States theaters in October 2001 to a tepid response. Shown on only 58 screens nationwide, the film grossed $110,494 in its opening weekend.^[8] By the time the film closed in United States theaters on April 11, 2002, it had earned just $517,375.^[2][8] It ultimately grossed $4.1 million worldwide.^[2]

Despite its poor box office showing, the film began to attract a devoted fan base. It was originally released on DVD and VHS in March 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.^[7]

Critical reception

The film received widespread critical acclaim—Rotten Tomatoes gave the film an 84% rating (the Director's Cut received 91%),^[4] while Metacritic gave it a 71 out of 100 (the Director's Cut received 88 out of 100). Critic Andy Bailey billed Donnie Darko as a "Sundance surprise" that "isn't spoiled by the Hollywood forces that helped birth it." Jean Oppenheimer of New Times (LA) praised the film, saying, "Like gathering storm clouds, Donnie Darko creates an atmosphere of eerie calm and mounting menace -- stands as one of the most exceptional movies of 2001."^[9] Writing for ABC Australia, Megan Spencer called the movie, "menacing, dreamy, [and] exciting" and noted that "it could take you to a deeply emotional place lying dormant in your soul."^[10] At first when the movie was released, Roger Ebert gave the film a less than positive review but later gave a positive review of the director's cut.^[11]

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. 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.^[12]

2006 — Donnie Darko ranks ninth in FilmFour's 50 Films to See Before You Die.^[13]

It also came in at #14 on Entertainment Weekly's list of the 50 Best High School Movies and landed at #2 in Empire's "Greatest Independent Films of All Time" list.

Sequel

A 2009 sequel, S. Darko, centers on Sam Darko, Donnie's younger sister. Again played by Daveigh Chase, Sam begins to have strange dreams that hint at a major catastrophe. Donnie Darko creator Richard Kelly has stated that he has no involvement in this sequel, as he does not own the rights to the original.^[14] Chase and producer Adam Fields are the only creative links between it and the original film. The sequel received mostly negative reviews.^[15][16]

Adaptations

Marcus Stern, associate director of the American Repertory Theater, directed a staged adaptation of Donnie Darko at the Zero Arrow Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the fall of 2007. It ran from October 27 to November 18, 2007, with opening night fittingly scheduled on Halloween.

An article written by the production drama team stated that the director and production team planned to "embrace the challenge to make the fantastical elements come alive on stage."^[17] 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.).

A 60 second version was created for the Empire Film Awards by Tea Fuelled Art.^[18]

References

• Commentary with Kevin Smith (2003). Donnie Darko Directors Cut. Faber and Faber. ISBN 0571221246 

External links

• Official website
• Donnie Darko at the Internet Movie Database
• Donnie Darko at Allmovie
• Donnie Darko at Box Office Mojo
• Donnie Darko at Rotten Tomatoes
• Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut at Rotten Tomatoes