Donnie Darko
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I've just seen this film 17/4/03 and it is amaizing, I'm not a film Studies Student/Critic but a practising Magician.
The Uk rental DVD has a commentaty but not by the Director, obviosly the Directors commentary clears up a lot of the confusion (heres hoping we get it on R2)
My Twopence worth.-Without hearing the Directors Commenty or seeing the Deleted scenes.
Gretchen still Dies - If she wasnt going out with Donnie then she may be at home on the night Oct 31'st when her stepfather tracks her mother down.
Drew Barrymores character. I think she is Roberta Sparrows grandaughter she has a lot of knowlege "Cellar Door" and her Boyfreind has the Book.
Cherita- is she a Angel/Observer from another dimsion or just a girl who fixates on Donnie because he shows her a litte bit of kindness? I ask this question becase there are no wasted scenes or characters in the film, so what is her role? Thinksing specifically about the Dance she does before the Sprakle Motion dance troupe and Drew Barrymores reaction to her dance.
Donnie's Superhuman Stenght and chaotic actions. At the begging of the film he can only prefome these actions whne under the influence of Frank by th end he has learned to manupulate (control) his powers - Myabe he is becoming s Super Hero?
>>By GrimlyFiendish (Thursday, 17 Apr 2003 23:19)
Grimly- Roberta Sparrow never married (according to the DD website) so Drew's character couldn't be her grand-daughter. Maybe Drew & the science teacher were students of Sparrow's from when she taught at the high school. If so, perhaps they went into teaching, to await the Living Reciever, after Sparrow retired. That's presuming Roberta knew who the Living Reciever would be. I still want a prequel telling Roberta Sparrow's story! :)
Speaking of Gretchen & her family, i wonder about her
story about her mom, her stepfather, and her choosing
Gretchen Ross as her name cause it sounds cool. Do these things mean anything special to the movie? Maybe
i'm just reading into it too much.
>>By rogue (Friday, 18 Apr 2003 00:29)
bishop..i had assumed the group was with the mom and sister. i don't think she would have left them there unattended but they arent' really important to the movie at that point.
rogue..i wonder about gretchen's life more as well.
>>By Alora (Friday, 18 Apr 2003 02:54)
Rouge- Opps missed that one. Ok so Roberta Sparrow didn't marry. Yes she could have been an ex-student of the school-makes sense.
Lets talk about Rabbits-Frank/Harvey/Bill Drummond. The Rabbit is a magical symbol and seems to be popping up in the media consiousness a lot lately (Maryalyn Manson's tanited Love and Chritina Agulera Dirrty videos) The film DD has a track by Echo and the Bunnymen, Bill Drummond the manger of Echo&TB sent the band on a tour of scotland, the locations off all the bands gigs made the shape of a rabbit-This is true event and is documented in early 80's pop literature. Also Echo+TB used Rabbit images on the cover of their records.
>>By GrimlyFiendish (Saturday, 19 Apr 2003 09:34)
Brand Spankin new here! Okay, so I read all the posts and heard all of the theories. It's so great to find a movie that you can really talk about. I've never watched anything that made me think this much.
I've thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue here, but I think that some of you are thinking way too much about some things . . . or rather, one thing. When the teachers are hanging out and say "Donnie Darko, huh" I assumed it had something to do with the assembly that the school had in the next scene. When the kids come up and ask Cunningham their questions it seems to me that they would need to be screened before asking him anything. In these situations, that's what typically happens. I'm sure that the teachers found out that Donnie Darko was chosen to talk to JC and thought that it was odd. Nothing more.
Okay, I am now prepared for an arsenal of insults.
>>By Bunny (Sunday, 20 Apr 2003 05:19)
Ok, so towards the end of the movie we have Donnie and his dead/unconscious wench on top of the hill he originaly cycles down at the start, with Donnie guiding the artifact from the Tangent Reality through a portal into the Primary Reality so that it will kill his primary self -- is this the same self we see riding down the hill at the start, and isnt he crying on his way down?
I still Frank is evil -- all logical arguments aside - Just LOOK at the sod...
Creepy...
...Oh, of course.. Hello People ;)
>>By Stoned Gorgon (Sunday, 20 Apr 2003 16:20)
ive just read up to page five of all the stuff you guys've been saying and i'm overwhelmed by your brilliance. i too loved the movie, but just saw it yesterday, so i am still working out the plot. Your insights have been incredibly helpful. My only question right now is if you go with the story of donnie darko as a parallel to jesus, who is the judas character? Is it Gretchen ("betraying" donnie to his death with a kiss) or is it Frank (who leads donnie to his own destruction)?
>>By watching the shadows (Sunday, 20 Apr 2003 22:27)
"I might have know what you would find"
>>By joey (Tuesday, 22 Apr 2003 22:26)
What is the reason that sparrow knows so much???
Did she have a similar experience and choose to live??? knowing full well that someone had to make the sacrifice to collaspe the world... writing the book for such a person.. thus giving her a second chance of not living alone, not giving in to her fear and making the sacrifice??? Hey just another thought...
(p.s Started at page 8.. so might have missed some stuff)
>>By JB (Wednesday, 23 Apr 2003 04:29)
hi, on the left there are like 6 links to buy donnie darko, why are there 6 and why are 2 of them by drew barrymore and why is the vhs one by drewbarrymore over 100 dollars to buy?
>>By waht the hell (Wednesday, 23 Apr 2003 16:28)
If you watch the movie again, pay attention to the music. Nothing in this movie is put in at random, it all means something (or maybe it all means nothing!), music included. The reason we are put into certain moods throughout the movie is largely because of the music. Frank wouldn't be very scary without the eerie music and many moments would not be as momentous without the music. The seen with the liquid sphere's is more intriguing because of the strange music. When Donnie and Gretchen first kiss, the music is hopeful sounding. So just pay attention to how the music makes you feel. One can watch the entire movie and just listen for this and come away with new ideas and thoughts that they wouldn't have previously entertained.
-Getit
>>By Getit (Wednesday, 23 Apr 2003 21:13)
Ok, after watching this movie twice and reading a couple of reviews, here is my final breakdown...
Donnie, being a schizophrenic has somehow got the ability to see the given path of any living thing. He does not see the future, more like he can see the trajectory of what is going to occur... like throwing a tennis ball and knowing the outcome by seeing the trajectory of it before it lands. Anyway the whole Die Alone thing is to do with God not being there to safeguard you or comfort you in death. Donnie fears this loneliness. But more to the point when he discusses time travel with Dr. Carter (yeah I forgot his name) he mentions "god's channel" which Donnie thinks of as a path that God predistines for everyone.
Generally, if God did exist then by default being the creator of all, God would have predifined the fates/paths of everyone and everything in the universe. In doing so, Donnie realises (with the help of Frank and his ability to see the predifined) that he can travel through to any point in time because it already exists and always will... i.e. time exists on a set path which God creates and oversees. So if you can see the defined outcome of something, this means it is pre-defined... which in turn proves God exists. This is why Dr. Carter could not take a conversation including God further as he would be voilating his conduct as a science teacher.
So where does Frank fit in? Well the whole 28 day thing represents a loop in time: from the 2nd of Oct to the 31st. At the beginning the jet engine crashes into Donnie's room but doesn't kill him. On the 31st Gretchen is killed along with Frank. Frank, being dead now travels back in time to guide Donnie through the 28 days to perpetuate the time loop. However Donnie can see the predistined fate (at the end he can see the loop in time), and decides to "create a time machine" by opening a portal himself (he realises how to do this when his head gets caught in Gretchens "path" at the party). He takes himself back in time and puts himself just before the engine crashes. And by time travelling within his "path" works on "God's Channel" (the ability to change fate and destiney - something only God can do) and sacrifices himself for the better of 2 innocent people - Gretchen and Frank, who will now live having never met Donnie.
Another small point to note is that although Donnie falls in love with Gretchen he realises at the end when Gretchen dies, that she died alone, and to perpetuate the 28 day loop everyone will die alone (not realising God exists). And so, by sacrificing himself and taking God's Channel proves to himself that God exists... he figures: how could he possibly time travel from one point in a set path to another if God did NOT make those paths? And finally realising God exists, and that he won't die alone... laughs and turns on his side to accept his death.
In regards to the Cellar Door, I think it was part of an ellaborate set of "coincidences" set up for Donnie by God/Frank. Remember, that if his path is pre-written then one thing will be there as a guide or prop to start another thing... much like a chain reaction - again perpetuating the loop (without the Cellar Door reference the loop would not be complete). Other minor coincidences include him finding Jim's wallet after reading "wannita finds a wallet, keeps the money etc..." in class.
I know most of this wont make sense but it's how I saw the movie not f__king up my mind.
Kip.
>>By Kip (Thursday, 24 Apr 2003 02:58)
Kip, I completly buy your theories. I've been reading these for about a month now, and think you are well on track. Awesome work and explanation. Do you have any of your own thoughts about the significance of Cherita, The Teachers, or Roberto Sparrow?
>>By wallaby (Thursday, 24 Apr 2003 03:18)
Hm. I was reading an entry from "Top Dog" about how the character's names sort of tie in with thier Personalities. He mentions how John Chillingworth implies somethign suspecious, for example, Chillingworth in the "Scarlet Letter" is actually the antagnoist of the story. In addition, John Chillingworth is mentioned to work with the CIA on the website. There has to be a greater significance, or at least side story to his being.
Any thoughts, anyone? I think the whole CIA aspect of his character has been dismissed thus far. But awesome thoughts and conversation.. I adore reading the thoughts and theories.
>>By pyradmid (Thursday, 24 Apr 2003 03:22)
Roberta Sparrow was a nun before writing the book on time travel. I read somewhere that sparrows are associated with biblical writing or something, maybe you might like to look into this? Grandma' Death here obviously has significance with the whole "Die Alone" thing and also aptly names the woman who opens the door for Donnie (i.e. wrote the book and phrase "all living things die alone").
I cant think of anything for Cherita, all that springs to mind is "chut up!". I'll sleep on it and post back.
Thanks for the positive feedback.
>>By Kip (Thursday, 24 Apr 2003 21:58)
hey some ppl seem to be having trouble figuring out what the 4th dimention is time
its in the Steven Hawking book that his teacher shows him
hope that helps :)
>>By Iblis The Morning Star Reborn (Friday, 25 Apr 2003 08:06)
that the 4th dimention is time not what...sorry about that
>>By Iblis The Morning Star Reborn (Friday, 25 Apr 2003 08:39)
The Philosophy Of Time Travel" is the book given to Donnie by Noah Wyles science teacher. Although we never really find out what's in the book, the details can be found hidden in the official Donnie Darko website.
The details in the book directly explain the events of the movie.
The Philosophy Of Time Travel
Foreword
I would like to thank the sisters of the Saint John Chapter in Alexandria, Virginia for their support in my decision.
By the grace of God, they are:
Sister Eleanor Lewis
Sister Francesca Godard
Sister Helen Davis
Sister Catherine Arnold
Sister Mary Lee Pond
Sister Virginia Wessex
This intent of this book is for it to be used as a simple and direct guide in a time of great danger.
I pray that this is merely a work of fiction.
If it is not, then I pray for you, the reader of this book.
If I am still alive when the events foretold in these pages occur, then I hope that you will find me before it is too late.
Roberta Ann Sparrow
October, 1944
Chapter One: The Tangent Universe
The primary universe is fraught with great peril. War, plague, famine and natural disaster are common. Death comes to us all.
The Fourth Dimension of Time is a stable construct, though it is not impenetrable.
Incidents when the fabric of the fourth dime(n)sion becomes corrupted are incredibly rare.
If a Tangent Universe occurs, it will be highly unstable, sustaining itself for no longer than several weeks.
Eventually it will collapse upon itself, forming a black hole within the Primary Universe capable of destroying all existence.
Chapter Two: Water and Metal
Water and Metal are the key elements of Time Travel.
Water is the barrier element for the construction of Time Portals used as gateways between Universes at the Tangent Vortex.
Metal is the transitional element for the construction of Artifact Vessels.
Chapter Four: The Artifact And The Living
When a Tangent Universe occurs, those living nearest to the Vortex will find themselves at the epicenter of a dangerous new world.
Artifacts provide first sign that a Tangent Universe has occured.
If an Artifact occurs, the Living will retrieve it with great interest and curiosity. Artifacts are formed from metal, such as an Arrowhead from an ancient Mayan civilisation, or a Metal Sword from Medieval Europe.
Artifacts returned to the Primary Universe are often linked to religious Iconography, as their appearance on Earth seems to defy logical explanation.
Divine intervention is deemed the only logical conclusion for the appearance for the Artifact.
Chapter Six: The Living Receiver
The Living Receiver is chosen to guide the Artifact into position for its journey back to the Primary Universe.
No one knows how or why a Receiver will be chosen.
The Living Receiver is often blessed with a Fourth Dimensional Powers. These include increased strength, telekinesis, mind control, and the ability to conjure fire and water.
The Living Receiver is often tormented by terrifying dreams, visions and auditory hallucinations during his time within the Tangent Universe.
Those surrounding the Living Receiver, known as the Manipulated, will fear him and try to destroy him.
Chapter Seven: The Manipulated Living
The Manipulated Living are often the close friends and neighbours of the Living Receiver.
They are prone to irrational, bizarre, and often violent behaviour. This is the unfortunate result of their task, which is to assist the Living Receiver in returning the Artifact to the Primary Universe.
The Manipulated Living will do anything to save themselves from Oblivion.
The Manipulated Dead
The Manipulated Dead are more powerful than the Living Receiver. If a person dies within the Tangent Dimension, they are able to contact the Living Receiver through the Fourth Dimensional Construct.
The Fourth Dimensional Construct is made of Water.
The Manipulated Dead will manipulate the Living Receiver using the Fourth Dimensional Construct (see Appendix A and B).
The Manipulated Dead will often set an Ensurance Trap for the Living Receiver to ensure that the Artifact is returned safely to the Primary Universe.
If the Ensurance Trap is succesful, the Living Receiver is left with no choice but to use his Fourth Dimensional Power to send the Artifact back in time into the Primary Universe before the Black Hole collapses upon itself.
Chapter Twelve: Dreams
When the Manipulated awaken from their Journey into the Tangent Universe, they are often haunted by the experience in their dreams.
Many of them will not remember.
Those who do remember the Journey are often overcome with profound remorse for the regretful actions buried within their Dreams, the only physical evidence buried within the Artifact itself; all that remains from the lost world.
Ancient myth tells us of the Mayan Warrior killed by an Arrowhead that had fallen from a cliff, where there was no Army, no enemy to be found.
We are told of the Medievel Knight mysteriously impaled by the sword he had not yet built.
We are told that these things occur for a reason.
>>By GOD (Sunday, 27 Apr 2003 01:46)
Me and some friends watched this movie for the 3/4th ( for some of us times) Afterwards we had atleast a 2 hou dissucssion about the movie and the different meaning still thinking about it. Wonderful movie it's what filmmaking was all about.
>>By GIDGET (Sunday, 27 Apr 2003 04:06)
Hi,
I have watched the movie about three time, been to the website, and read some of the postings on this website. From what I understand, by Donnie sending the jet engine back through the wormhole in the tangent universe he saved the universe from collapsing. I was wondering did he also have to die to save the universe, or did he just chose to die so that all the bad stuff wouldn't happen(his mom, sister, Gretchen, and Frank dying)? Which would also mean that all of time is predetermined by God, but I don't believe that's too important. I would just like to see what some of you think, and I hope somone can answer that.
>>By Dosangh (Sunday, 27 Apr 2003 09:07)
Couple things, Why did Donnie have to go Grandma Death's house at the end ? If he had stayed at the party then both Gretchin and him would have lived. Also at the end why was the chinese girl drawing pictures of the bunny suite that frank wore and why does Donnie tell her everything will be ok ?
Good film as it makes you think , but then it also leaves so many questions that can't be answered and has loads of people trying to be clever cos they think they can answer the questions.
>>By BIlly (Monday, 28 Apr 2003 00:31)
I just wanted to point out that in accordance to "The Philosophy of Time Travel" Donnie was able to conjure up water and fire, eg: the flooding of the school, and the burning of Jim's house.
Queston: How did Roberta learn all this in her book and what made her go crazy?
>>By Muad' Dib (Monday, 28 Apr 2003 02:29)
I believe Roberta Sparrow learned everything about time travel by actually being in a tangent universe like Donnie. How long she was in the tangent universe I'm not sure, but that's also why she kept walking to the mail box, because she was excepting the letter from Donnie. The reason that Donnie went to Grandma Death's house is because, he was following the thing that came out of his chest. I guess he had to follow it because, like he said to the professor, time is predetermined by God: Therefore he had to follow the sphere coming out of his chest, because that is where he was supposed to go. Remember he also said that he could see where people were going, that’s what the spheres were. Well that's my theory anyway, I think it's right or at least some of it's right. Hope that made sense, let me know what you think.
>>By Dosangh (Monday, 28 Apr 2003 20:46)
Just watched this yesterday and it was absolutely amazing. It's really gotten under my skin. I'm not really one to get all excited about films, but it's just got me! I can honestly say it was the best film I have ever seen. Amazing. I don't know what else I can say...
Perhaps best of all was that line in the closing song "the dreams where I'm dying are the best I've ever had". Donny's Mum made me cry too. Perfect.
>>By I-79 (Monday, 28 Apr 2003 21:51)
Okay, obviously there are many different ways to look at how this movie works, it was written to be not 100% fully explained. Most of the best movies are written like that, i mean if you just up and told you why and how everthing happend, it wouldn't be half as interesting.
Also to add to the whole theory of the Donnie Darko movie and the web site, now i think the web site takes a parrallel path from the movie, the whole chosen Living Receiver thing, it works, but some of that is a stretch from the movie. See look at the movie and look at the site, the site for all we know could have nothing to do with Richard Kelly.
Here is a Link to a theory i thought was best, basing it just on the movie itself : http://www.metaphilm.com/philms/donniedarko.html
>>By Pony One (Monday, 28 Apr 2003 22:08)
i think the director may have had some of these ideas but maybe he just wanted to create something with no real answer it can make sense in many ways to different people with different beliefs. maybe he just wanted to make a film that every individual can apply there own values and ideas too. maybe he just wanted a huge bunch of people to have a discussion bout it. maybe he was a schizophrenic! haha
>>By ??? (Tuesday, 29 Apr 2003 15:42)
donnie darko is the second trueman show the metal artifact is from a plane flying in the real world get it? the fact that time donnie dies in one case and not the other is the director if the donnie darko show editing it so he doesnt lose ratings then after 28 days....... he gives up and lets the audience know he died when the engine fell from the real world and killed the lead role! Good init!
>>By do you believ me? (Tuesday, 29 Apr 2003 16:01)
by da way if you didnt get what i was talking bout i was linking da plane engine to da light dat falls from the sky in front of trueman in trueman show get it now or am i being offensive? basicly what im saying is da film is great and everyones trying to work it out. its a gimick though da website is a load of stuff dats not in da film and shouldnt be told it spoils it the audience should be left to its own devises to work out wot happened. look at x files the TRUTH in dat was not worth watching 9 serieses was it i would av rather not found out so i could make up my own little story bout wot da TRUTH was. why dont we ask kelly wot da film really means he probly didnt even want da film to mean all dis stuff but all da hype around it brought a website and more MONEY. its like poems wot do they really mean ANALYSING something allways brings different ideas and the only person who knows the real answers are those who made it.
>>By do you believ me? (Tuesday, 29 Apr 2003 16:08)
I have to agree with do you believ me.The movie has intentionnally left out certain facts, so that people come to their own conclusions. If everything was straight foward then people would not be discussing the movie, like we are doing.
>>By Dosangh (Friday, 2 May 2003 05:47)
ok i don't think that any one has mentioned the little asian girl. she is in the movie a lot, whether it be in the background or otherwise, what the poo is her significance? anyone? anyone?
>>By pooface (Saturday, 3 May 2003 03:47)
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