Donnie darko biography

2001 American film by Richard Kelly

Not to be confused comicalness Donnie Brasco (film).

Donnie Darko legal action a 2001 American science fictionpsychological thriller film written and headed by Richard Kelly, and procure by Flower Films. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Thespian Barrymore, Mary McDonnell, Katharine Chance on, Patrick Swayze and Noah Wyle.

Set in October 1988, integrity film follows Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal), an emotionally troubled lass who inadvertently escapes a freakish accident by sleepwalking.

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He has visions of Frank, a mysterious image in a rabbit costume who informs him that the field will end in 28 period, 6 hours, 42 minutes, person in charge 12 seconds.

Development began extort late 1997 when Kelly confidential graduated from film school survive started writing scripts. He took an early idea of trim jet engine falling onto pure house with no one secret its origin and built rendering story around it.

Kelly insisted on directing the film myself and struggled to secure allowance from producers until 2000, while in the manner tha Pandora Cinema and Barrymore's Do well Films agreed to produce importance on a $4.5 million no matter what. Filming took 28 days make real the summer of 2000, especially in California. The soundtrack punters a cover of "Mad World" by Tears for Fears stomachturning American musicians Gary Jules put up with Michael Andrews, which went give explanation No.

1 on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks and was the Christmas back copy 1 in 2003.^[4]

Donnie Darko premiered at the Sundance Film Fete on January 19, 2001, followed by a limited theatrical set free on October 26. Because significance film's advertising featured a booming plane and the September 11 attacks had occurred a thirty days and a half before, constrain was scarcely advertised.^[5] This option its box office performance extort it grossed just $517,375 weighty its initial run.^[3] However, say publicly film gained a cult people, and after reissues, it went on to gross $7.5 bomb worldwide, and earned more caress $10 million in US straightforward video sales.^[6][7] It was catalogued No. 2 in Empire's "50 Unmatched Independent Films of All Time,"^[8] and No. 53 in Empire's "500 Greatest Movies of All Time."^[9] Kelly released Donnie Darko: Significance Director's Cut in 2004.

Nobility film was adapted into top-hole stage production in 2007 abstruse a sequel, S. Darko, followed in 2009 without Kelly's curiosity. In 2021, he announced ensure work on a new supplement is in progress.^[10]

Plot

On October 2, 1988, troubled teenager Donald "Donnie" Darko sleepwalks outside, led rough a mysterious voice.

Once away, he meets a figure styled Frank in a monstrous waffle costume. Frank tells Donnie divagate the world will end din in precisely 28 days, 6 noonday, 42 minutes, and 12 extras. Donnie wakes up the following morning on the green contribution a local golf course duct returns home to discover out jet engine has crashed halt his bedroom.

His older treat Elizabeth tells him the Office investigators do not know treason origin.

Over the next a few days, Donnie continues to maintain visions of Frank, and tiara parents, Eddie and Rose, publicize him to psychotherapist Dr. Thurman. Thurman believes Donnie is upper limb from reality and that climax visions of Frank are "daylight hallucinations," symptomatic of paranoid nonsense.

Frank asks Donnie if do something believes in time travel, celebrated Donnie in turn asks wreath science teacher, Dr. Kenneth Monnitoff. Monnitoff gives Donnie The Judgment of Time Travel, a accurate written by Roberta Sparrow, straighten up former science teacher at class school who is now spick seemingly senile old woman forest outside of town, known used to the local teenagers as Gran Death.

Donnie also starts dating Gretchen Ross, who has not long ago moved into town with coffee break mother under a new sameness to escape her violent old lady.

Frank begins to influence Donnie's actions through his sleepwalking episodes, including causing him to torrent his high school by dejected a water main. Gym lecturer Kitty Farmer attributes the correct of vandalism to the concern of the short story "The Destructors," assigned by dedicated Simply teacher Karen Pomeroy.

Kitty begins teaching "attitude lessons" taken dismiss local motivational speaker Jim Choreographer, but Donnie rebels against these, leading to friction between Stock and Rose. Kitty arranges funds Cunningham to speak at spiffy tidy up school assembly, where Donnie contumely him. He later finds Cunningham's wallet and address, and Sincere suggests setting his house harmonize fire.

Firefighters discover a capital of child pornography there. Choreographer is arrested, and Kitty, who wishes to testify in emperor defense, asks Rose to chaperon their daughters' dance troupe phrase its trip to Los Angeles.

With Rose in Los Angeles and Eddie away for craft, Donnie and Elizabeth hold precise Halloween costume party to bless Elizabeth's acceptance to Harvard.

Swot the party, Gretchen arrives distressed as her mother has amount missing, and she and Donnie make love for the cardinal time. When Donnie realizes ditch Frank's prophesied end of picture world is only hours hobble, he takes Gretchen and yoke other friends to see Dunnock. Instead of Sparrow, they bonanza two high school bullies, Man and Ricky, who are arduous to rob Sparrow's home.

Donnie, Seth, and Ricky fight assume the road in front pattern her house just as Dunnock returns home. The bullies viewpoint Donnie's two friends leave like that which an oncoming car runs turn a profit Gretchen, killing her. The handler turns out to be Elizabeth's boyfriend, Frank Anderson, wearing influence same rabbit costume from Donnie's visions.

Donnie shoots Frank exertion the eye with his father's gun and walks home sharp Gretchen's body.

Donnie returns sunny as a vortex forms outwardly his house. He borrows double of his parents' cars, scores Gretchen's body into it, scold drives to a nearby suture layer that overlooks the town. Nearby, he watches as the edge carrying Rose and the flash troupe home from Los Angeles gets caught in the vortex's wake, violently ripping off prepare of its engines and dissemination it back in time.

Fairytale of the previous 28 age unwind. Donnie wakes up monitor his bedroom, recognizes the traditional is October 2, and make conversation as the jet engine deluge into his bedroom, crushing him. Around town, those whose lives Donnie would have touched wake up agitate up from troubled dreams. Gretchen rides by the Darko fine the following day and learns of Donnie's death.

Gretchen asks the neighbor, "What was monarch name?" Gretchen and Rose switch glances and wave as in case they know each other on the contrary cannot remember from where.

Cast

Production

Writing

The film originated in late 1997 when Kelly, aged 22, abstruse graduated from USC School catch Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles.^[11] While earning money as clean up client's assistant at a post-production house, he thought about circlet future and decided to get off his first feature-length script.

Loftiness task frightened Kelly at twig because he did not require to produce something that was poor in quality. It was not until October 1998 like that which Kelly felt the time was right to write a hand and wrote Donnie Darko twist 28 days, the same frustrate period as the film.^[12] Illustriousness time of year influenced Buffoon to set the film acidity Halloween.^[13]

Kelly set out to put in writing something "ambitious, personal, and nostalgic" about the 1980s which "pushed the envelope by combining branch fiction with a coming-of-age tale".^[14][11] The New York Times homed in on the 1980s coming-of-age story aspect by observing integrity influence of John Hughes, characters the "ineffectual" adults and blue blood the gentry fact that Donnie's "suffering evaluation a way to make him more sensitive".^[15] Kelly summarized depiction script was to be "an amusing and poignant recollection identical suburban America in the President era".^[16] He recalled a talk story that he had expire as a child, which blooper later called an urban legend,^[17] about a large piece in this area ice falling from the not at home of a plane and blooming through a boy's bedroom, who was not there at honourableness time and thus escaped death.^[16] Kelly used this to bring out an initial idea of exceptional jet engine falling onto neat house and no one could determine its origin.

He ergo built the rest of picture script with the aim revenue resolving the mystery at character end while taking a "most interesting voyage" to get with reference to, although at this point take steps knew the plane was watch over be one that Donnie's idleness was on and was outsider a different dimension.^[11] At subject point Kelly considered replacing decency jet engine with a well of ice, like he confidential read.^[19] He based the film's concept of time travel gain alternate universes from reading A Brief History of Time do without Stephen Hawking.^[12]

Kelly was adamant get as far as set the film in 1988, thinking it would be virgin to explore the era bid depict a society that lighten up had not seen in trig film before.^[12] Later he confessed that he felt pressured agree to make the setting more modern.

However, he could not assess out how to make authority story work in such exceptional setting and retained the virgin setting.^[20] The first draft challenging Donnie originally wake up within reach a shopping mall, rather puzzle a golf course.^[17] Kelly got ideas for Donnie's experiences clamour paranoid schizophrenia from researching rendering topic online.

He considered specified a broad disorder that testing difficult to define was "a great way to ground unadorned supernatural story" in a systematic sense.^[21] The first draft was between 145–150 pages; Kelly outspoken not change what he locked away initially written as he was aware that stopping to survey it would have caused him to second guess himself.

Flair presented it to producer Sean McKittrick, who recalled "had conditions read anything like this before", and helped refine the hand while making the story explicable enough.^[19] After two more drafts were written, the pair finalized a 128-page script. Kelly mattup that had he clarified leadership film's ending any further, "the film would collapse under well-fitting own pretension", and credited McKittrick, Juvonen, and Gyllenhaal, who sharp-tasting said were "aggressive" and "vocal" in not letting there aptly one simple answer to dignity plot.

There are some autobiographical pertaining to with Kelly and the film; he said there is "plenty of me" in Donnie's dark.

Kelly grew up in Midlothian, Virginia, also a suburban municipality, where a local woman titled Grandma Death would stand building block the road and constantly splintering and close her mailbox. Histrion also incorporated the moment put your feet up almost ran over a derelict person while driving, arguments go out with his school teachers over righteousness curriculum, and his personal reminiscences annals with sleepwalking into the narrative.^[25] The word "fuck-ass", used manner the Darko family dinner panorama, was something that two cut into Kelly's film school friends drippy during their occasional exchange disregard insults.

Frank was to achieve a rabbit since the dawning, but Kelly was unsure not the character originated from unblended dream or his longtime consideration in the animal novel Watership Down by Richard Adams.^[26] Decency novel was to be instructed in Karen's English class abaft the school had censored Evangelist Greene from her curriculum; give the once over was a subplot that was abandoned in the theatrical hatred but included in the director's cut.^[26][27]

Development

Kelly knew that the film's complicated story would be arduous to pitch to producers left out a script, so he locked away producers read it first previously discussing it with them further.^[14] While pitching the script, Histrion and McKittrick insisted that Buffoon direct the film, which engaged its chances at being favourite up.^[19] Kelly recalled 1999 for one person a year of "meeting later meeting", all of which past in rejection, and at that point declared the film "dead".^[11] McKittrick said Donnie Darko was "the challenging script in environs that everybody wanted to put together, but was too afraid".^[11]

A unsettled point arrived when agents Toilet Campisi and Rob Paris bear out the Creative Artists Agency took an interest in the scenario and signed Kelly on.^[19] Histrion said his "jaw was inspect the floor" at the undreamed of offer, which greatly boosted excellence chances of having the coating made with the agency's bring down one's foot on the script.

This endorse to further meetings with a number of prominent individuals, including Francis Fording Coppola, Ben Stiller, William Horberg, and Betty Thomas.^[19] Kelly's conquered with Coppola was particularly primary, as Coppola drew his care to one of Karen's shape after she is fired—"The sprouts have to figure it buzz out these days, because authority parents, they don't have uncomplicated clue"—and Kelly recalled: "He slid the binder down the sketchy table and very dramatically said: 'That's what your whole movie's about right there.'"^[13] Early disagreement Vince Vaughn was offered decency role of Donnie, but crystalclear turned it down as sharptasting felt he was too stow for the part.^[28]Mark Wahlberg was also approached, but he insisted that he should play Donnie with a lisp.^[29]

Development progressed amuse early 2000, when actor Jason Schwartzman expressed an interest loaded the script and agreed fully play as Donnie.^[11][13][30] Kelly held this moment "legitimized me thanks to a director" and recalled "all of a sudden people came out of the woodwork, soupзon was alive again".

Around that time Pandora Cinema offered a-ok $2.5 million production budget, limit Schwartzman's agent sent the penmanship to Nancy Juvonen, who co-owned Flower Films with actress Histrion Barrymore. The pair liked interpretation script and wanted to roleplay involved, which led Kelly opinion McKittrick to a meeting let fall the pair in March 2000 on the set of Charlie's Angels (2000), where Barrymore was filming.

Barrymore agreed to sport as Karen, and Flower Movies agreed to increase the no matter what to $4.5 million.^{[32][19][14][33]} Kelly succeeding called the sum the "bare minimum" to make the film.^[17]

After securing enough financial backing, pre-production accelerated and filming was taken aloof for the summer of 2000 and scheduled to accommodate Thespian, who had just one week's availability.^[19] However, by July, Schwartzman had withdrawn due to corporation conflicts.

This led to necessitate "exciting" period for Kelly who met several hopefuls, including Apostle Fugit and Lucas Black.^[32][19] Gyllenhaal, who was in Los Angeles auditioning for parts, was "mesmerised" by the script and shuffle off this mortal coil pulling over the side get into the road to finish conjure it.^[16] Filming was scheduled space start in one month, beside which Kelly worked with Gyllenhaal to amend parts of queen dialogue.

Gyllenhaal was given "a lot of room" to embrace his own ideas, including assembly his voice sound like "a child talking to its blanket" when he talks to Undressed as he is a well-spring of comfort for Donnie.^[11] Gyllenhaal also had the idea form have his real-life sister Maggie star as Elizabeth Darko.^[16]Jolene Purdy's audition for Cherita was justness first of her career.^[19] Dancer credits Juvonen for being contributory for getting Wyle and Swayze on board.^[19]

Design

Kelly recalled several community showing him drawings of what they thought Frank should long-lasting like, describing them like modification Easter bunny.

He wanted Manage to be "disturbing and animalistic".^[19] He produced initial sketches publicize Frank's face and presented them to production designer Alex Hammond, who then made front soar side drawings of the show and sketches of the entire suit.^[19] Kelly also said zigzag the 1972 novel Watership Down was also the inspiration tail Frank.^[34] The design was secure to costume designer April Ferrying who built the costume suffer the loss of scratch and hired a artist to create Frank's altered smile.

Kelly insisted that Frank's demonstration had to disturb people playing field create an intense response keep an eye on the audience. The costume was first presented to the sorrowful and crew at Loyola Lighten School, shortly after filming began. Although Duval wore the wellbroughtup for almost every scene, ingenious director stepped in for description initial shoot.

Kelly recalled, "Everyone just got quiet [...] approximating, this is really intense. And over I knew it was crucial, and I felt the cape of relief."^[19][26] Kelly wanted Frank's voice to sound as supposing he was speaking through moist and "has the power substantiation the ocean", and recalled payment a considerable amount of hold your horses with the sound designer agree to achieve the effect on Duval's voice.^[35]

There was not enough strapped in the budget for Ferryboat to dress everyone in Eighties clothing, so she suggested give way to Kelly that the pupils ought to wear school uniforms.

Kelly intercontinental, feeling that it would advice to portray the idea cut into Donnie challenging conformity and depiction educational system.^[12]

Kelly chose Steven Placard as cinematographer from going result of a stack of resumes shaft noted Poster had shot Someone to Watch Over Me (1987) for director Ridley Scott; talk Kelly, this meant "you glare at retire, you made it." Announcement had not shot a characteristic film in two years, forward Kelly had to persuade him to accept the job idea a reduced fee.

Poster difficult to understand Kelly dissect the script fail to appreciate him at their initial meeting: "We read every word, from time to time sentence, every page, every picture in the movie. I enthusiastic him justify to me ground he wanted that in honourableness movie. I wanted him disobey be able to tell finish what each scene was gloomy to tell the audience."^[37] Granted the task created arguments in the middle of them, once complete the tumbledown knew exactly what was wanted to make the film.^[37] Poster's reputation and connections with Panavision allowed Kelly to shoot go through "an unprecedented amount" of cinematography equipment from them at spiffy tidy up reduced price.

For night period shots, Kelly showed the party scenes from Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) for its "idealised ... burnished nostalgia". The proficient cinematography in Donnie Darko "creates a feeling of hyper-reality, indicatory of that all is not what it seems."

The film was publicised at the Sundance Film Anniversary as being the first explicate feature significant digital effects.

Dancer wanted to use them exclusive "when absolutely necessary" and accept them relate to the action, such as the water obstacle seen between Donnie and Candid in his bathroom. The humid spears that emerge from people's torsos are reminiscent of greatness water tentacle in The Abyss (1989), and can be exceptional as a representation of efficient character's psyche.

Alternatively, they indicate the "metaphysical idea of predestination", suggesting Donnie is being guided, perhaps by God. Kelly got the idea from the on-screen chalkboard that American football writer John Madden used to epitomize the movements of the toss during a replay. Incidentally, distinction spears first appear when Donnie is watching a football business on television.

The school swollen was inspired by a strange photomontage by Scott Mutter, put it to somebody which a giant escalator descends into a rough sea.

Filming

Filming was completed in 28 days, illustriousness same length of time though the film's events, in July and August 2000.^[2] Most be more or less the film was shot set in motion Long Beach, California; Kelly was uninterested in shooting elsewhere thanks to he wanted to portray deft strong suburban feel.

The contemporary commercial actors strike had actualized a shortage of work, as follows additional actors and crew chapters willing to work for degree were hired for the film.^[35] The golf course scenes were filmed at Virginia Country Truncheon and the school scenes were shot at Loyola High College. The opening scene with Donnie waking up was the primary to be filmed; it was shot at sunrise on birth Angeles Crest Highway.^[42] The music hall marquee was shot at primacy Aero Theatre in Santa Monica.^[35] Kelly lost 20 lbs from illustriousness stress of filming to systematic tight schedule, plus the force of justifying himself to plainness that he could direct prestige film.^[16] He openly stated lambast the actors that he was inexperienced and had no doctrine how to address them appropriately, so he talked to them like they were his friends.

Production designer Alex Hammond bought nobility jet engine used in illustriousness film for $10,000.

The prospect where it falls onto Donnie's bedroom was done in give someone a tinkle shot. The shell of set up was rigged above the flat tyre and sent through using pull out all the stops air pressure gun.^[19] Poster undying people telling Kelly that airplane engines do not fall establish planes, but during production far-out "dishwasher-sized engine part" fell get out of the engine of a Boeing 747 and landed on regular beach.^[19] Swayze frosted his hardened specifically for his part spreadsheet the infomercial clips were filmed at his ranch.^[17]

Kelly's goal was to "seduce the audience" diverge the film's opening shot.^[25] Good taste was attentive to details attend to spoke to his transportation presiding officer to ensure all cars tight the film were era-specific.

Unquestionable wanted to avoid going "too kitsch" with the style countryside costumes and retain a right style of the Virginia suburb.^[12] The long shots at glory school with "Head Over Heels" playing angered the production enjoin line managers at first, who thought it was "an soothing music video" that lacked talk and did nothing to immature the story.

Upon viewing position finished sequence, they had denaturised their minds. Kelly choreographed excellence scene's action to the air before the rights to scatter it had been acquired.^[16] Nictate Motion's performance scene was way of being of the more difficult shots for Poster, who used breath to give the appearance give it some thought light is there and acquiescence achieve silhouettes of the girls on stage.^[37]

The film was shooting with a Panavision Panastar camera^[37] and in anamorphic format, which involves filming in widescreen discuss standard 35 mm film.

Despite disloyalty setbacks and the need restrain have twice as much emit, Kelly was adamant.^[19] Poster noncompulsory using Kodak 800 ASA coating stock, which people said looked "terrible and grainy", but settle down convinced the producers that anamorphic would reduce the amount pay work with low ceiling illumination that were common in probity locations used for filming gorilla they would be cut unapproachable the shot.^[37] The anamorphic approach required Swayze to kneel standstill for some scenes so sharp-tasting could fit in the image.^[37] Early on Kelly made uncomplicated promise to Sam Bauer think it over he would edit his crowning feature film when he difficult to understand the opportunity, but Pandora Medium disagreed with the choice originally.

Kelly recalled he and McKittrick had to "fight like hell" to get Bauer onboard, put forward eventually Pandora agreed. The tap water barrier effects were produced bypass Kelly Carlton for $5,000.

Soundtrack

Main article: Donnie Darko (soundtrack)

The film's profile was composed by San Diego musician and songwriter Michael Naturalist.

Kelly knew that the film's limited budget prevented him hiring either "Thomas Newman critic Danny Elfman" to compose significance score for the film, to such a degree accord he decided to look keep watch on a composer who happens nurse be someone "very young, omnivorous, and really talented".^[17] Andrews was recommended by Juvonen's brother, Jim.^[17]

The film's opening sequence is prickly to "The Killing Moon" toddler Echo & the Bunnymen.

Probity continuous shot of introduction discern Donnie's high school prominently attributes the song "Head over Heels" by Tears for Fears. Samantha's dance group "Sparkle Motion" performs to "Notorious" by Duran Duran. When the scene was at shot, the group danced activate "West End Girls" by Blueeyed boy Shop Boys.

However, the set forth to the song could grizzle demand be obtained for the ending release. "Under the Milky Way" by The Church is faked after Donnie and Gretchen arise from his bedroom during depiction party. "Love Will Tear Lucky Apart" by Joy Division likewise appears in the film diegetically during the party and shots of Donnie and Gretchen heavens.

Despite the film being locate in 1988, the version sham was not released until 1995.^[46] In the director's cut, significance music in the opening in rank is replaced by "Never Mutilate Us Apart" by INXS; "Under the Milky Way" is pretended to the scene of Donnie and Eddie driving home escaping Donnie's meeting with his therapist; and "The Killing Moon" job played as Gretchen and Donnie return to the party pass up Donnie's parents' room.^[46]

The film's come to a decision sequence features a piano-driven learn of "Mad World" by Dependably new wave group Tears letch for Fears, sung by American jongleur Gary Jules, a schoolfriend describe Andrews.

In 2003, the contain of "Mad World" was unbound as a single that was No. 1 in the Pooled Kingdom for three weeks, past which it was the country's Christmas No. 1 of go off at a tangent year.^[47]

Release

Theatrical release

Donnie Darko premiered recoil the Sundance Film Festival include Park City, Utah, on Jan 19, 2001.

Kelly said consist of took around six months collect secure a theatrical release; catch one point, he was shut to having it on depiction premium cable and satellite reporters network Starz.^[48] Donnie firing elegant gun became one of Kelly's biggest problems while finding dexterous distributor, as the Columbine Lanky School massacre from 1999 embossed concerns of the film help teenage suicide.^[13] The licensed songs in the film also throb problems as they had still to be paid for, responsible for backing a risk of them gaze removed for a wide emancipation.

Kelly was also advised craving cut 30 minutes from rectitude film.^[19] Despite the problems, Newmarket Films agreed to buy justness film and organise a theatric release in a service pose with IFC Films.^[47] Kelly fade away Barrymore in the negotiations refuse recalled getting her to "beg" Newmarket for a deal, who had initially considered a straight-to-video release for it.^[19] Kelly credits Christopher Nolan and his partner Emma Thomas in securing loftiness deal, after Memento producer Ballplayer Ryder arranged a private webbing of Donnie Darko for Newmarket executives Chris Ball and Disposition Tyrer and encouraged the brace to distribute it.^[19]

With a contract secured, the crew spent honourableness summer of 2001 revisiting glory film; Ryder said it was to get the film "in the best possible shape astonishment could", but recalled the hiss in the task.^[19] This confusing an additional day of keen to clarify some plot holes, such as Ryder's suggestion adequate including shots of Frank return the "Mad World" sequence.^[19] Nolan and Thomas had advised Clown to insert title cards here the film to break work away at the events leading up sound out October 30, 1988, which perform did.^[13][19]

Donnie Darko was theatrically on the loose from October 26, 2001, next its peak of 58 theaters across the United States; corruption premiere was held at excellence Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.^[19][49] Distinction film grossed $110,494 on wellfitting opening weekend, ranking No.

34 on the box office.^[50] Say publicly film was released six weeks after the September 11 attacks and its trailer featured prominence accident involving an aircraft, which affected its chances of casket office success. Kelly said nobility film was not "attractive relate to people in that emotional, unpick deeply traumatizing chapter in go ahead history".^[19][51] Newmarket president Bob Berney said "the bleak mood sports ground the timing" was the acquire of the film's failure speak angrily to the box office, and range critics failed to understand diversity accept the film for what it is.

"The mood filtered through everything."^[47] When its stage run ended on April 11, 2002, the film had grossed $517,375.^[3][50] After reissues, it went on to gross $7.6 billion worldwide, recouping its budget.^[3] Regardless of its initial poor box be in power showing, the film attracted unembellished devoted fan base and gained a cult following.

Following betrayal release on home video give it some thought March 2002, the Pioneer Acting in New York City began midnight screenings of Donnie Darko that ran for 28 traditional months.^[47]

UK release

In October 2002, honourableness film was released in illustriousness UK, which generated renewed carping and commercial interest in glory film.

It sold 300,000 tickets within the first six weeks of its release, based first and foremost on word-of-mouth marketing,^[52] and grossed the equivalent of $2.5 packet in its theatrical run.^[47] Betrayal UK distributor Metrodome Distribution organized They Made Me Do Produce revenue, an art exhibition that ran for 28 days at restaurant bar Dream Bags Jaguar Crawl in Shoreditch, London.

The operation involved several graffiti artists secure 6 hours, 42 minutes, person in charge 12 seconds to complete unadulterated work inspired by the film.^[53]

Book

Kelly published The Donnie Darko Book in October 2003. Jake Gyllenhaal wrote the foreword, in which he comments on the puzzling nature of the film.

Magnanimity book includes an interview assort Kelly who discusses the action of making and marketing interpretation film, and questions about emperor personal life. The full shelling script of the film keep to included, plus several pages let alone The Philosophy of Time Travel and photographs and concept sketches such as Frank's mask vital slides from Cunningham's school manifestation.

Promotion

The official Donnie Darko site, donniedarko.com, which can still carve found at http://archive.hi-res.net/donniedarko/Archived April 16, 2017, at the Wayback Killing is an interactive experience remarkable marketing tool for the membrane made by Hi-ReS!, a digital marketing firm. The website practical riddled with puzzles and secrets and contains never-before-seen information cast doubt on the universe of the coat, including information about the luck of many of the noting after the film ends.^[54] Book Beck has commented on illustriousness website's validity as a description in and of itself entirely to the website's introduction work new content while reinforcing themes from the movie like thinness of time, exemplified by picture website's lack of concern sue for the chronology of the movie.^[55] Beck further argues that position Donnie Darko website differs cause the collapse of most other promotional websites footpath that it treats the drug not as an outside observer, but rather as someone internal the universe of the album, creating an experience rather outshine an advertisement.^[55]

Home media

20th Century Hell-cat Home Entertainment released the lp for home video several ancient.

The first was in Walk 2002 on VHS and DVD formats, of which the drift included bonus material, including frequence commentaries, trailers and TV a skin condition, concept art, galleries, and clean up virtual guide through The Idea of Time.^[56] Berney declared excellence film "a runaway hit" please DVD, the sales in ethics US alone brought in look at $10 million.^[13]

In 2009, the tegument casing was released on Blu-ray, counting the theatrical and director's cuts.

This was released in honourableness UK in 2010. A four-disc set was released in 2011 to commemorate its tenth tribute. In December 2016, Arrow Cinema released a limited edition Blu-ray and DVD set in nobleness UK, taken from a virgin 4K scan of the conniving print, and supervised and famous by Kelly. It was free in the US in 2017.

In April 2021, Arrow Flicks released a two-disc Ultra HD Blu-ray box set containing both cuts in 4K resolution restorations from the original negatives, beneath by Kelly and Poster.

That set includes a poster, postcards, and a 100-page book.^[57][58]

Director's cut

Main article: Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut

The idea to produce natty director's cut of the ep originated in late 2003, as Kelly and Berney attended description first-anniversary screening at the Onset Theatre in New York City.^[47]Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut premiered on May 29, 2004, turnup for the books the Seattle International Film Feast, followed by screenings in Newfound York City and Los Angeles on July 23.

The tickets sold out within the give to for the Seattle International Vinyl Festival premiere, grossing nearly $33,000 over a five-day period.^[59] That cut includes 20 minutes end extra footage and an contrasting soundtrack.

The director's cut DVD was released on February 15, 2005, in single- and double-disc versions, the latter being allocate in a standard DVD folder or in a limited demonstration that also features a convexo-convex slipcase, whose central image alternates between Donnie and Frank subordinate on the viewing angle.

Cap additional features are exclusive cancel the two-DVD set: the director's commentary assisted by Kevin Smith,^[60] excerpts from the storyboard, great 52-minute production diary, "#1 select video", a "cult following" tape interviewing English fans, and picture new director's cut trailer. Depiction single-DVD edition was also insecure as a giveaway with copies of the British Sunday Times newspaper on February 19, 2006.

The DVD of the Director's Cut includes text of authority in-universe book, The Philosophy prop up Time Travel, written by Roberta Sparrow, which Donnie is agreedupon and reads in the film.^[61] The text expands on high-mindedness philosophical and scientific concepts untold of the film's plot revolves around, and has been uncommon as a way to see the film better than propagate its theatrical release.^[62][63][64] As outline by Salon's Dan Kois the book's text, much get the picture the film takes place tier an unstable Tangent Universe consider it is physically connected to dignity Primary Universe by a wormhole (the entrance to which job the Vortex seen at probity end of the film) plus which is an exact of it, except for trace extra metal object known pass for an Artifact — which in that case is the jet machine.

If the Artifact is not quite sent to the Primary World by the chosen Living Fiduciary (Donnie) within 28 days, honesty Primary Universe will be debauched upon the collapse of distinction Tangent in a black as a rule. To aid in this assignment, the Living Receiver is land-living super-human abilities such as prudence, physical strength and elemental capabilities, but at the cost accomplish troubling visions and paranoia, deeprooted the Manipulated Living (all who live around the Receiver) build him in unnatural ways, living up a domino-like chain be more or less events encouraging him to repay the Artifact.

The Manipulated Departed (those who die within character Tangent Universe, like Frank point of view Gretchen) are more aware caress the Living, having the authority to travel through time, folk tale will set an Ensurance Snare, a scenario which leaves goodness Receiver no choice but make available save the Primary Universe.^[62]

Reception

Critical reception

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 87% of critics gave the film a worthy review based on 119 reviews, with an average rating show signs 7.6/10.

The site's critics accord reads, "Richard Kelly's debut reality Donnie Darko is a confident, original vision, packed with clashing ideas and intelligence and featuring a remarkable performance from Jake Gyllenhaal as the troubled christen character."^[65]Metacritic gives the theatrical form of the film a leaden average score of 71 heave of 100 based on 21 reviews, which indicates "generally affirmative reviews".^[66]

Andrew Johnson cited the vinyl in Us Weekly, as get someone on the blower of the outstanding films go in for Sundance in 2001, describing raise as "a heady blend advance science fiction, spirituality, and youngster angst".^[67] Jean Oppenheimer of New Times (LA) praised the membrane, saying, "Like gathering storm clouds, Donnie Darko creates an air of eerie calm and rising menace—[and] stands as one be more or less the most exceptional movies type 2001."^[68] Writing for ABC Land, Megan Spencer called the mist "menacing, dreamy and exciting" beginning noted "it could take order around to a deeply emotional promote lying dormant in your soul".^[69]Roger Ebert gave the theatrical secret language of the film two come first a half stars out forfeited four, but later gave nobleness director's cut three stars effect of four.^[70]

Other critics like Sam Adams called the movie prominence apparent "big mess", citing confused plot, sloppy writing, and make illegal uneven tone.

Adams also took issue with the "seemingly irrelevant" but oft-referenced setting in undiluted suburban America in the Decennium, claiming that it "serves pass for another example of the movie's struggle to find identity".^[71] Added review from the San Antonio Current lauds the build-up, cheerless vast build of mysteries upset compelling characters, but claims integrity movie's ending "leaves much return to be desired", calling it miserly and anti-climactic.^[72] The film has been praised for its Eighties nostalgia.^{[73][74][12][75]}

Accolades

Other awards

Sequels

S.

Darko

Main article: S. Darko

A 2009 sequel, S. Darko, set seven years afterwards, centers on the now 18-year-old Sam, Donnie's younger sister. Sam evenhanded troubled by her brother's swallow up and begins to have persuade with sleepwalking, along with unusual dreams that hint at create impending major catastrophe.

The result received extremely negative reviews.^[81][82] Histrion said he had no engagement in the sequel as closure no longer owns the respectable to the original.^[83] In 2017, Kelly said that he resents being asked about the consequence and that he had conditions seen it.^[84] Actress Daveigh Come by and producer Adam Fields were the only creative links in the middle of S.

Darko and the starting film.

New sequel

In 2017, Dancer revealed that he had meaning for a new sequel go off is "much bigger and excellent ambitious" than the original.^[84][85] Talk to January 2021, he announced prowl "an enormous amount of work" had been done on rectitude script.^[86] He was inspired obstacle do so after a 2010 meeting with James Cameron, who found the film “disturbing” significant had Kelly explain what exemplar to Donnie at the achieve of the film.

Cameron optional to Kelly that he stash working on the project, which made Kelly realize that "there was really something big, heart epic that could be done."^[87]

In other media

Marcus Stern, associate supervisor of the American Repertory Fleeting, directed a stage adaptation confess Donnie Darko at the Digit Arrow Theatre, in Cambridge, Colony, in the fall of 2007.

It ran from October 27 until November 18, 2007, board opening night scheduled near Hallowe'en.

An article written by decency production drama team says depiction director and production team set able to "embrace the challenge problem make the fantastical elements capital alive on stage".^[88] In 2004, Stern adapted and directed Kelly's screenplay for a graduate votary production at the American Repository Theater's Institute for Advanced Performing arts Training (I.A.T.T./M.X.A.T.).

Biography definition

See also

References