Donnie Darko

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Wheres the picture of Frank in the house?

Frank got Donnie to burn the house down so that Kitty couldn't escort Sparkle Motion so Donnie could have the party.....

>>By Jay   (Wednesday, 21 May 2003 14:49)



The painting behind Donnie as he starts the fire.

Could he be Cunninham's son or something? Cunningham talks about a Frank in his presentation to the school. They definately have a past together that wasn't happy.

>>By D   (Wednesday, 21 May 2003 15:31)



I thought that was a picture of Jim in the house from when he was younger. It shows his selfish side maybe.

>>By Alora   (Wednesday, 21 May 2003 19:51)



As I mentioned previously, the ongoing discussions, debate and "search for meaning" from this film mirror those we have about the existence of God, absolute truth and fate.

To Steve Mathardi, I say: Art does not exist merely as it is created, it also exists as it is experienced.

So, while it is of interest to know what Richard Kelly's original intentions were and his original thoughts surrounding the script and direction, I don't think that the interpretations of those who've experienced the film are any less "true."

The hand is also often guided by the sub-conscious, so there exists sub-texts Richard Kelly may not have even been aware of as he was writing the script.

The fact that this film is spawning this much interest and discussion bodes well for it "holding up" over time.

>>By Cinnamon Girl   (Thursday, 22 May 2003 11:14)



wow i haven't posted in a while. Wow....lots of people now. Alls i'm going to say is my theory again.

I think there is an underlaying theme of god in this whole movie. I believe Frank is like an angel lookin after Donnie as he completes the path he is on. I believe The tangent universe was caused by God and Frank was sent to fix it. God caused it to teach people a lesson and to show donnie that his life was worth something. In the book it said that people wouldn't really remember the tangent universe but the closer you are to the reciever the more you remember. This taught Gretchen that life was worth living even though ehr parents were having trouble. It showed donnie's mom that no one is perfect and she had to except donnie for what he was, it showed the teacher that you jsut cant change some things....etc etc etc. EVERYONE learned a lesson. This was God's meaning. Donnie died happy. It was all setup by GOD and Frank was the messenger.

As for sparrow...I believe she was a reciever herself that didn't die. That is why she knew all of this and wrote the book on it. The closer to the reciever you are the more you will remember...so the reciever herself remembred everything no?

The guy in the jumpsuit is from the FAA. He was the government influence keeping his eye on things.

well thats what i think. I am glad all you people have gotten an intrest in this movie cuz its one of the few movies out there that make you think. Peace out peoples....feel free to ask any questions you might have.....

>>By Kelvin   (Friday, 23 May 2003 21:20)



At the end of the film when Donnie Is in Bed Laughing, you see Donnies sister being dropped off from her date with Frank, he beeps his car horn. At the begging of the film the same scene, He dos'ent t sound his horn.
I rewatched this in the R2 DVD just to make sure.


Still no Idea about Cheirta though.

>>By GrimlyFiendish   (Saturday, 24 May 2003 18:57)



Yippee, I have my own copy of the movie now! And I watched it again last night.

Some things which jumped out at me this time, which I hadn't quite noticed before:

When Frank first says, "Wake up" and Donnie gets out of bed, there is a poster next to (slightly behind, actually) Donnie's lamp. It is a single large human eye!

Near the end of the film, there is a closeup on the poster and you can see the image of a skull in the pupil.

IWhatever else the movie may be about, I think that scene with Frank calling Donnie is powerful and significant. I remembered him saying to get up, but in fact Frank says "wake up"--in other words, he's asking not for a change in Donnie's location but a change in his consciousness. The lamp coming on in front of that large poster of an eye, in the middle of the night no less, is a great symbol of such an enlightenment.

When the parents were at the PTA meeting, and Donnie was conversing with Frank in the mirror (the "I can do anything" bit), Frank says something like, "They are in great danger". He doesn't indicate who "they" are (is it everyone who dies if Donnie doesn't go back to October 2 and ie?), but clearly at this point Frank is directing Donnie for a meaningful purpose. Frank knows, because he's from the future, what happens and he uses this knowledge to nudge Donnie into making it happen.

During the theater scene (which is one of my favorites), the camera opens on a narrow sliver of the marquee, framing the letters "ER". Noah Wylie is best known for his work on the show "ER". A little homage, kind of like the E.T. references and Drew Barrymore?

In front of Grandma Death's house, soon after he says, "Deus ex Machina", Donnie says something like, "I saved her". Then right after that Gretchen is killed by Frank's car. I'm convinced that Donnie was still figuring things out at that point. He knew that Frank was going to kill someone, because he told Dr. Thurmond that. He sounded like he wanted to help Frank when they left the party, after seeing Frank's note on the refrigerator. It really seems as if he's trying to get Gretchen away from Frank (after being immersed in Gretchen's "track"--he knew it was she who was going to die?). I don't think Donnie really understood until Frank got out of the car after hitting Gretchen.

At the end we see that Frank was an artist, and I'll reiterate what I've posted previously about the symbolism of losing one eye--mythologically, losing an eye physically can represent attaining an eye to see spiritually. Although Frank wasn't the only person to die in the tangent universe (Gretchen, Rose, Samantha at the very least). he was the only one who travelled back and communicated with Donnie. I think this is precisely because Donnie shot him in the eye--he opened Frank to a sort of vision that he otherwise wouldn't have had. As artists, both Donnie and Frank were trying to break through to the ultimate source of creativity (for instance, watch Donnie stab at the mirror with the knife). Donnie couldn't get that spiritual vision for himself, but he could give it to Frank who could then guide him in the past.

When Donnie asks about Frank's eye in the theater, Frank says "I'm sorry". Is Frank sorry because he killed Gretchen, or is he apologizing to Donnie because he knows Donnie is going to be the one to shoot him?

Anyway, has anyone else noticed how Frank's voice changes through the film, too? At the start, it is very otherwordly. Then in that small bit when Donnie finds Jim Cunningham's wallet and Frank says, "Now you know where he lives", Frank sounds like a normal human being. Then in the theater, even before he takes off the mask, Frank is almost whispering, a very soft, intimate voice.

Lastly, I've not seen anyone here discuss some of the major biblical images:

Near the beginning of the Gospel of Mark, as Jesus is baptized by John, the sky opens up ("the heavens were torn apart" in the NRSV). Near the end of Mark, as Jesus died on the cross, the Temple curtain rips in half. The Temple curtain (separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the profane world) was a large tapestry depicting the sky--once again torn open.

The sky opens twice in this movie, too, near the beginning and near the end.

Also in Mark, immediately after the heavens open up and Jesus emerges from the water, he goes out into the desert and is tempted by the devil. In some sense the tangent universe is a period of temptation (which the "Last Temptation of Christ" on the marquee hints at).

In Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist speaks of two baptims, one of water and the second of the Holy Spirit and fire. And of course Donnie first flooded the school and then set fire to Cunningham's house.

>>By truthquest   (Sunday, 25 May 2003 14:31)



I always thought Donnie whispered 'my Savior' after saying 'deus ex machina.'

>>By Alora   (Sunday, 25 May 2003 16:38)



Donnie says "Our Saviour", this is a reference to a deleted scene in which Drew Barrymore's character (Can't remember her name) explains the phrase Deus Ex Machina to Donnie. Its on the DVD, which if anyone hasn't seen GO DO IT!! It helps so much with the deleted scenes and commentary.

>>By Jay   (Monday, 26 May 2003 17:02)



The convo is
Donnie says "Dues ex Machina"
And the other guy says " WHAT DID YOU SAY!?!"
Then Donnie says " My Savior"

There are lots of different meanings for dues ex machina. He is obviously using the one that means "my Savior" dues ex machina can mean something saving someone from a very odd situation...Look it up in the dictionary. He says this because Frank is saving him from the situation of him getting his but kicked.

>>By Kelvin   (Tuesday, 27 May 2003 07:50)



What I'm getting from the movie...
At the beginning of the movie we are in the primary universe. What happens is that the artifact (jet engine) falls into Donnie's room thrusting all of Middlesex into a tangent universe (that will collapse in 28 days.....) Choosing Donnie as the Living Receiver he becomes lost in the search to find out what's going on... as the manipulated living all around him/manipulated dead also... help things move along smoothly to the final day.
I believe that why he sees frank is that ... (as it says in the "philosophy of time travel") whoever dies in the tangent universe can travel through that time line and (as the manipulated dead are more powerful than the living reciever) connect with the reciever... telling him what to do next... also theirs a lot to do with devine intervension in this movie! Those energy portals that extend from the chest cavities of people (only donnie is able to see) are actually entities... leading people unconsciously around to do the task of bringing the artifact back to the primary universe...

>>By darks_fear   (Tuesday, 27 May 2003 08:02)



anyone notice the little sticker on the punks locker? says "what would satan do?" - minions of the devil??instruments of evil

>>By cally8   (Tuesday, 27 May 2003 12:28)



I never noticed that before... damn! I'll have to look out for it next time!

>>By darks_fear   (Thursday, 29 May 2003 05:56)



I have greatly enjoyed immersing myself in your discussions, you all have interesting speculations and friendly methods of explanation.

My brain is so full of ideas, I feel unfit to write any down, so instead I will continue reading your fascinating arguments as a silent bystander. Like the 5th reader in Italo Calvino's If on a winter's night a traveler...

Someone said earlier if you liked this movie you should watch Mulholland Drive, it'll blow your mind. I completely agree. Anything seems easy to understand after watching that movie: it's absolutely the most bizarre thing ever.

Anyway, thanks for being stimulating conversationalists.

>>By Squishy Kitten   (Friday, 30 May 2003 19:48)



I haven't had a chance to read all the posts but . . . why is the chinesse girl in every sceen??? what does she represent?

Independent   (Saturday, 31 May 2003 18:09)



Okay...i am getting there..but who is that chinese girl - what is she up to? I wish i hadnt watched this film its given me a headache!!

>>By lis-e-p   (Sunday, 1 Jun 2003 03:07)



Cheritta Chen -> God ... I had it, I lost it... I have no idea... just there's one part that seems to make sense for her being there...
I mean you see that she's always made fun of and is quite a loner and then donnie comes up to her with the ear muffs on and he says that everything is going to be better or whatever (something like that) and she runs away...and the note book falls it has donnie and hearts and shit ... so... I don't know... it still isn't working... I hit my head real hard the other day... I'm a little concust.. I feel a bit like Donnie right now...

>>By darks_fear   (Tuesday, 3 Jun 2003 22:07)



Theory's about Cherita.
1. She's a Angel or a citizen of a higher universe, You have the FAA guy in the red tracksuit. Maybe she's a Observer of DD and Grandma Death. Sent from a Higher universre/place to see what transpiers in the Tangent universe.
2. She represents the Viewer in a kind of breaking the fourth wall, she observes but dosne't really interact with DD

>>By GrimlyFeindish   (Tuesday, 3 Jun 2003 23:08)



WOW! So much stuff! Ive got it on kazaa and that was really cool the way Frank's car passed in the very beginning! Also, I know this is random...but maybe it was on purpose. On the sign Donnie passes in the beginning, it says that the Halloween carnival thing is sponsored by MADD, mothers against drunk driving. And Frank was going to get beer, well, it's stupid, but just sort of funny I guess.

>>By Great Twitch   (Thursday, 12 Jun 2003 07:27)



Oh yeah, question: Do you think there's some deal with the repeated image of people jumping on the trampoline? They show that a lot between scenes.

>>By Great Twitch   (Thursday, 12 Jun 2003 18:11)



ANNNDD I just watched it again, and in the beginning, he DOES beep the horn. He beeps it in the beginning AND the end! Also...the whole Cunningham using Frank as the name is just odd...I'd like to see more theories on that...also, some people compared Donnie to Jesus on here...well remember Donnie called Cunningham the antichrist, which is just sorta funny becuz Donnie hated him so much, and if Donnie is compared to christ, Cunningham is compared to the antichrist heh.

>>By Great Twitch   (Friday, 13 Jun 2003 05:09)



Ok I know i'm going to sound like a complete idiot. But here goes: Anybody know what the Password is on Level one on the Donnie Darko Website? It's seriously driving me crazy!

>>By Furious George   (Friday, 13 Jun 2003 17:40)



YEAH! I can NOT figure out that website!! They aren't even telling me what I'm supposed to do!!!

>>By Great Twitch   (Saturday, 14 Jun 2003 03:00)



Thanks for all the great comments. I have a few questions related to symbolism in the movie:
- at the beginning of the movie the first scene is called " The Carpathian Ridge" Why Carpathian?
- one of the deleted scenes is "The impaling scene" it shows Donnie impalled by a piece of metal.
- Why did Grandma Death stopped being a nun and became a science teacher - science being the oposite of religion. Does this have anything to do with her dying alone ( as stated in her obituary), as opposed to Donny dying happy, maybe because he did the right thing and knowing that all is well.
- why did Roberta Sparrow die on the 25th of December ( the birth of Christ) and why did she teach for 33 years ( the age of Christ when He died)
- Any relationship between Donnie's Mom being called Rose, the same name as Cunnigham's street.
I appologise if these questions were answered before, I read most of the comments, but I haven't found them
Sivimic

>>By silvimic   (Monday, 16 Jun 2003 02:15)



It's either smurf or breathe
for the password to number one

>>By darks_fear   (Wednesday, 18 Jun 2003 05:30)



WARNING IF YOU WANT TO FIGURE OUT DONNIE DARKO WEBSITE ON YOUR OWN... DO NOT READ!!!

First Level --- 3 boxes to fill in
1st - sparrow
2nd - Smurf
3rd (and to get to level two) - Breathe

Second Level ---
In the second level there is a screen that if you don't click on your right mouse button and pick option "Play" You'll be stuck because it's on "Loop" until you get it!
Two exercises on Life Line both - Fear
Box 1 - Ling

Third Level password - Rose
If anyone exceeds over the Time is up, Donnie portion of the third level please tell me because I think that's all there is

>>By darks_fear   (Wednesday, 18 Jun 2003 05:47)



"When Frank first says, "Wake up" and Donnie gets out of bed, there is a poster next to (slightly behind, actually) Donnie's lamp. It is a single large human eye!

Near the end of the film, there is a closeup on the poster and you can see the image of a skull in the pupil!"

That's a very famous drawing, but I really can't remember who the artist is, can anyone remember? It's been bugging me for soooo long.

And about Frank beeping his horn at the beginning and at the end - he beeps it at the end to tell Donnie to get out of bed because he isn't there to wake him as a rabbit anymore. And he's trying to get him out of bed to stop him being killed by the jet engine. (sorry if that's been answered, but I noticed someone said something about it)

>>By Dolly Dagger   (Wednesday, 18 Jun 2003 16:50)



truthquest - wow, I hadn't thought about all the religious aspects of it. Thanks for writing all of that, I enjoyed reading it.

>>By Dolly Dagger   (Wednesday, 18 Jun 2003 17:05)



just wanted to say that this has helped me a lot in the confusion factor... i still dont completely understand the signifigance of cherita... there has to be some reason why she doesn't listen to anything (ie wearing the ear muffs and telling everyone to shut up). and why donnie tries to protect her... and why she's the only one smiling at the end when they show everyone waking up. i definately think that they all remember what happened in the tangent universe b/c frank obviously does... and so do the rest of them (gretchen rose kitty cherita cunningham ...) but why doesn't it show gretchen or rose waking up? is it because they wave to eachother in the end? this might have all been answered before but i only read the first 3 pages and then the last page... anyway i was also wondering how going into the cellar door gives donnie any answers as someone said before... all it does is gets donnie and gretchen beat up until gretchen dies. and as for frank honking so that donnie will wake up and get out of bed again... i seriously doubt that b/c frank knew what would happen if donnie doesn't die... therefore he wouldn't want him to wake up.
anyway does anyone know the name of the song when they first show donnie getting to school and they show everyone walking around (show bully guy snorting something)

>>By cellar door   (Saturday, 21 Jun 2003 23:06)



im highly doubting now that anyone still pays attention to this website b/c the movie is old i guess...hmm... i'll come back later to see if anyone else posts... if not... i assume im writing to myself right now haha

>>By cellar door   (Sunday, 22 Jun 2003 03:49)



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