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SIFF: DONNIE DARKO: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT review!!!
SPOILER ALERT !!
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with a review of the much anticipated (at least by people like me) director's cut of DONNIE DARKO, a film that I'm sure Richard Kelly made around my personal fetishes... I mean, it has both Jena Malone and Drew Barrymore, two girls that make this seaman's red go up, if you know what I mean... No, not that... I mean I have huge crushes on them both! Especially Drew... ever since I was a kid and saw a TV special she hosted on the 25th Birthday of Disneyland... Man, I loveses me my Drew Barrymore!
Sorry, got a little distracted there... Without any more lust-filled ramblings, here's the review!!!
Ahoy Quint,
I'm a long time reader, a first time contributer, a part-time video store employee and, for the three weeks that started last Friday, the 21st, a full-time SIFF moviegoer.
I've been in movie theaters for more hours this last week that I've been at home, so now seemed like a good time to pause and take accounts of just what I've seen.
For now, I give you my reactions to "Donnie Darko-The Director's Cut." I saw this yesterday at the press screening (which was open to full-series passholders), and I must first apologize to the Seattle Times revewer who was sitting directly behind me and was sprayed with pieces of grey matter when my mind was completely blown all over again.
It seemed unlikely that Richard Kelly would be able to improve on the stunning mix of regan-era teenage angst, superheros and hard sci-fi. And in fact the changes he did make are, for the most part, only cosmetic in nature. We do not learn anything that was not already in the movie or in the deleted scenes and other features on the DVD. Nor are the events as they occured in the original movie any different in the director's cut (no upbeat alternative ending, thank god.) *Nonetheless, spoilers below(?)*
The obvious changes are as follows: Pretty much all deleted and extended scenes have been reintegrated into the film. Also, some of Donnie's visions have been recut with better articulated editing and visual effects including a "Requium for a Dream"-style dialating eyeball that reacurrs several times. Likewise, our final trip through the wormhole is almost completely redone with a video-screen motif and a liquid tunnel effect replacing the "movie in rewind" sequence of the original. The video-monitor look of this sequence for some reason seemed to signal to me a more sinister involvement by the "FAA" guys than I had previously thought.
Some scenes are now preceded by glimpses of pages of the "Philosophy of Time travel" book that is given to Donnie and explains some of the things that are happening. All of this text is on the DVD and the movie's official web site, but now new viewers can hopefully understand the ins and outs of Kelly's "Tangential Universe" concepts more deeply upon their first viewing of the film.
*Spoilers End*
Like many people, I watched this movie when it came out on DVD in 2002 and was quickly becoming a legitimate cult hit. Since then the film has made up for its disapointing theatrical run (the weekends before and after 9/11/01) by grossing over $10 Million on video with no marketing to speak of. Even so, for the vast majoriety of its fans, "Donnie Darko" has been an exclusively home video experience.
Amazingly, Kelly has accomplished quite a feat, making his movie more accessible while still bringing it closer to his original vision. Still, the greatest thing about a theatrical release for DD-DC is that it would provide both fans of the movie and new viewers a chance to see a six-foot bunnyrabbit, projected thirty-feet high, looming over us as if accusing us of all the apathy, ignorance, and "negative energy" we have ever been responsible for in our miserable little lives. Boo-Ya! I say, and bring on the "Fuck-Ass!"
Call me Gooter The Bad Mamma-Jamma.
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+ Expand All
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Halloween.
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I am second and donnie darko can suck my ...
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I am so glad this is finally back in theaters after being fucked over by september 11th. However these changes are making me a bit nervous. The best thing about the movie was the tone and how confusing it was. I like that there really wasn't much to figure out. It felt like something that had tons more than met the eye, something you watch over and over again and each time, new things creep the hell out of you. By adding back in flashes of the book and "explaination of why things happen" I think you defeat the purpose of the film, or at least what I liked best about it. I think in the director's cut, too many people will waste their time "trying to figure it out", rather than the experience you have with the original version where you just let it wash over you and you're haunted for days. Plus I'm not sure if I like signifying when we're going to have druggie frank dialogues by dialating eyeball. Plus that signifies that Frank is in fact created by the drugs, and one of the coolest things about the original is that you weren't sure about that, it was just a possibility. Plus I'm a HUGE fan of backwards footage. HUGE. I guess I can't really complain until I've seen this, but as a Darko fan, I have to say this makes me nervous. oh, and I was first for the first time ever, by the way.
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May 29, 2004 4:17:22 AM CDT
I love this Darko movie..is this still playing in that NYC theat
by jon e cin
They would play it at midnight every saturday...wonder if people still go,,
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I've seen Darko about six times on DVD, but I would definitely see it on the big screen if it came through town.
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I always viewed the Philosophy of Time Travel not being in the film as this movie's major weakness. I'm glad that these theories will be given screen time so that viewers don't have to go to the website to properly understand the movie... although I'd recommend it anyway.
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/cant wait
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Yeah, yeah, I like DD as well but for fuck's sake it's about time Kelly started doing something new! What's up with all this script-writing for every single director in the biz? And why are none of his supposedly great scripts getting made? I small a conspiracy. Or maybe Kelly is just a one-hit-wonder and everything else he's done sucks ass. I guess we'll know if the rumors are true and SOUTHLAND TALES really starts shooting this July.
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Is it me or does this sound not that special other than reediting the already seen footage and some new FX shots?
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This should do well now that Jake Gyllenhaal (and his sis) have a huge fan base. Expect it to be sold with his name writ big.
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Darn.
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What I always thought was brilliant about Donnie Darko is the way that virtually all context was stripped out of the movie. Everybody who watches it ends up with a different interpretation of the events and why they all happened. This is certainly true of everyone I've introduced the movie too - we have discussions afterward of our varying interpretations of the events. So I'm afraid that re-editing the movie, to put back in the director's interpretation of the plot, is going to make it a worse movie. It doesn't NEED to be "more accessible." Literalism isn't necessarily a good thing in art, and I think Donnie Darko is definitely one of those cases.
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Seriously, what am I missing. I've watched this movie five times just to try and find that magic that all of you are talking about, but it just isn't there. It's an okay movie, but it isn't anything great. Maybe I'm wrong, but this is an above average movie at best. Memento is much better than this... Much, much better. (In my opinion.)
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...a few months before its shameful release, I thought it was going to be some kind of silly superhero movie.
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I think this movie is wildly overrated. And, I still think it's morally corrupt, for making a hero out of Donnie when he doesn't do anything to stop Patrick Swayze's character before allowing himself to kick the bucket. Kelly either forgot there was a child molestor on the loose, or didn't think it mattered.
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I thought "hard sci-fi" meant sf that was based relatively closely on scientific principles. Not a bunch of third act dues-ex-machina hand waving.
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Drew hosted the 30th anniversary special in 1985. That would make her 10 when you saw her and fell in love, Quint.
You're a kid-toucher! Gakgakgak! -
Watch the new trailer
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I agree with the guy who thinks this movie isn't as impressive as everyone else thinks. While it isn't a turd, it seems that the only people who think that this is a cinematic masterpiece about angst-filled teens are... well, angst-filled teens. Oh well: to each his own, I suppose.
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I had never seen DONNIE DARKO, but was at the press screening at SIFF on Thursday. This movie is so overhyped. It features a complete and utter lack of drama. And when I say drama I'm not talking about "stuff happening". Stuff happens, but for no reason other than Richard Kelly needed them to happen in order to move the "story" forward (most latent example are the two "thugs" hanging out in the cellar for no apparent reason). But there's no dramatic conflict in this film.
I think the reason people like this film so much is because it's what I refer to as ink blot cinema. It's like a Rorschach test. The filmmaker has no true vision, just throws a bunch scenes together, and it's up to the viewer to see whatever it is they want to see, but in reality it's a stain.
I also think people believe this film is "smart" because they don't understand it. It reminds me of a quote by Nietzche that goes something along the lines of "Poets muddy the waters, so you can't tell how deep they are." -
I thought all of us DD diehards were going to be "shocked" by this director's cut. Kirk and I were worried that in this version of DD, Donnie would turn out to be a robot or a space pirate from the tenth dimension. I think we're all breathing a little easier now that this director's cut isn't a nightmare of stupidity ala Ridley Scott's recent BLADE RUNNER schemes.
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This movie is pure horseshit. It's all about razzle-dazzle. Appearances. If it looks good, and the characters talk well, people will swallow anything.
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May 29, 2004 3:42:42 PM CDT
I thought the original Japanese verision was superior...
by trafficguy2000
American remakes SUCK! Fuckin nerds.
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May 29, 2004 3:43:28 PM CDT
I thought the original Japanese verision was superior...
by trafficguy2000
American remakes SUCK! Fuckin nerds.
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if donnie darko had been a robot or a space pirate this pile of dogshit would have been worth watching.
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Why does this site carry a torch for this movie? I seem to remember I was first drawn to DD the first time round due to the high praise from Harry and a number of his plastic-critics. Yeah, I know I should've known better, but I'm a genuine movie buff who was just hoping it would live up to the hype. And did it? Hell no. Great name, great visuals, lousy story with no punchline. The film wants to be taken seriously, but sadly ends up being a poor attempt at an arthouse Twilight Zone. I agree with Scotopia's comments when he likens it to an ink blot test: people want to see something in this that, frankly, isn't really there. I'm sure there will be plenty of you that think it's still one of the best things they've seen recently, and so the hype will continue, and the studio will make even more money out of a movie that doesn't deserve a new director's cut. Only thing is it won't disguise the fact that this film should be sent back to the so-called alternative dimsension to which it clearly belongs.
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A complete piece-of-shit movie gets hailed as masterpiece, and serves as a great way of separating the posers from the crowd. This is one of those movies. Not only doesn't the emperor have clothes, he's fucking a chicken.
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I've seen it, and found it to be on par with a first year student film. -
I guess people sometimes see beauty in odd places. I must be one because I found this movie absolutely amazing. So you don't get it? That's the point, subtlety man, you don't need things shoved down your throat all the time, take the sunrise for what it is and enjoy the damn thing. I'm looking forward to it, it's not going to diminish the original movie for me, I'll always have that to watch, but if I want something more, or at least Kelly's idea of what the film really wants to be, I'll watch the director's cut, where's the bad?
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Donnie Darko 2: Electric Boogaloo
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asshole cineastes decide that a movie becomes *too* popular to be any good. they cry themselves to sleep, wake up, eat their cornflakes, go to their miserable office jobs and instead of wasting time at work tooling with their screenplays they wast their time at work pouring out a prodigious volume of vitriol at projects that honestly don't deserve such bitter treatment. You fuckers are plainly jealous of success--it's not like this is a difficult film to criticize, it's certainly far from perfect, but the petty bullshit you lot tend to dwell on is fucking sad. I don't want to have to teach screenwriting 101 on talkback, but you might consider looking up the word "narrative" before you go using it. "Narrative" generally entails a protaganist, a series of obstacles, a climax, and a denoument in which protaganist is a different person than they were at the beginning of the story. Maybe you watched something else and you're just burning gas? How are those things absent in Donnie Darko. Yeah. Why don't you bitch about the 150m WB dropped on Troy, which by most accounts is a half-baked effort at best. No, no, keep picking on the success of the young that mocks your failure, you worthless shits.
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May 29, 2004 11:16:39 PM CDT
I echoe JED's sentiment on this... Like it or Leave it Alone...
by [unconcerned]
Frank(ly).... I'm none too wild about these changes... to Darko, but in the end, it doesn't matter much. I liked the original for what it was... a movie that I liked. I do wish he would put out more movies rather than tinker like Lucas with something that was essentially fine.
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Being released near 9/11 has nothing to do with the abject commercial failure of Donnie Darko (seriously one of the most gaiety-packed names for a movie since Hudson Hawk). This movie had needless pretension written all over it before it came out. That print ad with the serious Drew Barrymore (coincidentally the executive producer, too, who would've thunk it?)and that 'mo Jake Gyllenhall looking so vewwy sewious was strictly ass. The movie isn't really that bad, but good lord, enough already. The dude who runs Bloody-Disgusting said this is one of his favorite movies ever. WTF? It's really not that interesting. Fucking Repo Man is more mind-blowing, and the music's about 85 times better to boot. And to the knob who says people who don't like Donnie fucking Darko are fucked because it had "success", what the unholy fuck are you referring to? Its pathetic box office take? Its fair-to-middling reviews (at best)? Or could it be that when you toke on your soapbar hash out in Limeshitland you pretend that you're really deep and that this movie is too?
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May 30, 2004 6:51:22 AM CDT
Go ahead Harry, keep on dreaming and masterbating About Jena and
by darien fawkes
'cause it's the only thing you can do. They would puke to death if they meet you.
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I rented this for no real reason a couple of years ago, vaguely remembered it being referred to as a cult masterpiece so I was up for it. I think that I hadn't read every little article on this site relating to this movie at least left me with no real expectations. I liked it enough to pick it up when I found it on the Best Buy budget DVD shelf. I'll more than likely just rent this unless I find it really cheap somewhere. And last but not least, with all the independent films she does, who'da thought it would take this long to get a Jena Malone nude scene?(She turns 20 in November according to IMDB)
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...we'd go this long without having a Jena Malone nude scene.
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Does anybody have the Batman Begins script and be willing to 4ward? Im getting worried about some of the rumors and would like to check it out 4 myself! Cheers!
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i would be happy (and lucky) to catch this one on the screen. i bought DD about 4 weeks ago and was really impressed by the cool mysterious story, the actors, the use of music and just so much more that i watched it a couple of times in a row. the important thing that among other aspects makes this film that good is the fact that there are more questions than answers and the fim`s story is kinda "open" for different interpretations. i also really love the outcast element in the film. it is among the strongest moments if jake gyllenhall`s chracter just stands up and states his opinion...great! it was quite funny that now recently "mad world" got that famous. noone of these chart listeners though actually knew that it was a song from donnie darko. it would be great if more people got to see this one. i just couldn
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It was more than a MONTH after 9/11. The release was for Halloween.
I don't think even 9/11 can make up for the mere 500,000 it made in theatres. I think the problem was they were marketing it like a Halloween horror movie when it is nothing fo the sort.
Not to mention the limited release. -
I'm all for cult classics, but this movie doesn't deserve it...it makes no sense and even the director admits it in the DVD commentary.
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I am not crazy about this film, but I can appreciate the conversation and speculation it continues to generate. Just look at the messageboards and reviews on IMDB! In some odd way, DD reminds me of BLUE VELVET, a far superior movie. Plotwise, it is right out of OWL CREEK BRIDGE and CARNIVAL OF SOULS and JACOB'S LADDER. Or MULHOLAND DRIVE, for that matter. Is it a cult film? No. MULHOLLAND DRIVE is a cult film. But DD shares with MULHOLLAND DRIVE (another flick I am not crazy about) the ability to generate all sorts of interpretations among viewers. No harm in that, as long as you don't take any of this stuff too seriously. Reminds me of Donald Sutherland getting the college coeds all stirred up with the concept of the universe sitting on the head of a pin.
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