Donnie Darko...a very strange movie - Page 5

JohnRice · 03-30-2002, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Ron needs to review this so the masses from HTF will want to partake of this brilliant film. Ya hear me Ron?

Unfortunately, for unspecified reasons, Ron has decided not to review any more Fox DVDs. I am guessing that even though this DVD is only distributed by Fox, this rule still applies.

Jason Whyte · 03-30-2002, 12:43 PM

[size=]In case anyone knows, what is the name and the composer of the piece of classical music in the scene about 50 minutes in where Mrs. Darko shows off her new living room? This was also the music in the "Our Lady of the Assassins" trailer.

Jason[/size]

Todd Terwilliger · 03-30-2002, 01:58 PM

[size=]"...funny how time flies" - Tears For Fears

This song seemed to take on new meaning as I watched the film for the second time.

"Something happened and I'm head over heals..."

It seemed to foreshadow the time-travel angle that was about to unfold.[/size]

JohnRice · 03-30-2002, 02:25 PM

I'm fairly certain the "Classical" piece Jason is asking about is not Tears for Fears.

It is "Ave Maria" and I forget the composer, though I imagine it is an Italian. It is a very well known piece. The guys credited with it at the end of the film just don't sound right. There are also dozens of "Ave Marias." You will notice, the music fades in and out while the guys are watching the football game, but starts coming back when Donnie starts seeing the "worms." I'll try to find the composer and get back with it.

JohnRice · 03-30-2002, 02:36 PM

The composer of the particular "Ave Maria" I was thinking it was, is Franz Schubert. I know, not an Italian. The problem is, you barely hear the piece and after listening to it again, I'm not very certain this is the right "Ave Maria." Well, I tried.

Seth Paxton · 03-31-2002, 06:20 PM

I just finally saw this film and it was amazing. I wasn't 100% sure at the end as to what had just happened, but luckily the DVD has the "Philosophy of Time Travel" book on it so I was able to fill in the details.

What a wonderful script, not just in story but characters and dialog. Terrific dialog in fact. I never found characters jumping out of place just to push the story along, and in the meantime all these wild loose ends are actually tying tightly together. Plus it's very well directed and shot, beautiful to look at in a style that reminded me a lot of the dream Virgin Suicides look/feel.

An intriguing film that kept pulling me in the whole time with it's excellent parallel possibilities between a pyscho flipping out or something slightly more real happening.

This film is what Final Destination could have been with a brain. One of the best films I've seen this year.

Seth Paxton · 03-31-2002, 06:34 PM

BTW, I'm back on page 2 reading and it's likely that someone else has already said what happens in the movie. The book spells it out rather explicitly (Time Travel book on DVD).

Before reading that I thought that Donnie had made a choice to go back in time to let the engine hit him and therefore stop the other event resulting in people's death. Thus he "wakes up" after returning in time and is laughing about his choices. Somehow many other people in his life felt the "shadow" of this alternate future that will no longer be, thus the ending scenes. I needed no other guide for that much.

And the old lady is always checking her mailbox BECAUSE she was waiting on Donnie's letter. She hoped it would get to her in time to fix things.

Anyway, the book thing then tells us that an alternate universe has been opened up and that after a few weeks the existence of this other universe will cause enough instability to create a black hole in the main universe and destroy it.

People killed in this alternate universe are the "manipulated dead" and can control much of what is going on. This is how Frank, a normal teen at a Halloween party, is able to manipulate Donnie's world and guide him. The book says that the manipulated dead are TRYING to get Donnie (chosen one basically) to guide this metal object that has broken across from the other universe back to it's home universe.

Donnie has the power to manipulate time/space and at the end as the black hole is beginning he opens up a wormhole and guides the plane engine back to the universe it belongs in, killing himself by this choice but stopping the destruction of the universe.

The "manipulated living" are people near the vortex of the cross-over who also want Donnie to take the "vessel" back (the engine) though without abilities of the manipulated dead. The book verifies that once it is transported safely back by Donnie that some of them will still be haunted by their actions or what they saw in the alternate universe.

Actually a pretty straight forward time-travel thriller but with a great edge of making you think Donnie is simply crazy. Like I said above, a really good script. There is no slop there, it is all tightly woven together and thought out.

BTW, I haven't listened to the commentaries, so while the book is very helpful I didn't need the commentaries to explain it as if it's some cryptic film.

Seth Paxton · 03-31-2002, 06:39 PM

oh yeah, the Last Temptation/Evil Dead double billing.

Evil Dead - Frank is dead and trying to control Donnie, as is his girlfriend though she seems to be filling his last days with joy (IMO).

LToC - what was said earlier. He will end up being a martyr for his universe but before that happens he follows the path where he doesn't die for the universe and sees what happens.

Symbolism is well-used in the film I think.

Seth Paxton · 03-31-2002, 06:56 PM

Yeah, while Drew and Noah aren't powerful like Frank since they weren't killed, they are definately pushing him down Frank's path too. I agree with the idea that they are saying "Donnie Darko" because they are understanding that he is the one, the "escort" for the vessel mentioned in the book.

Thus Drew's "odd" seating of him next to Gretchen, "allowing" her to pick that seat. And Noah introducing the book to him after Frank tells him that "they" will help you.

Even the doctor has some odd stuff to say when Donnie sees Frank under hypnosis at the end. Everybody else is pushing for Donnie to use his mental powers to return the airline engine "vessel" back to it's proper universe.

I guess basically that means that engine A went to universe B and missed him, and engine B is sent back to universe A (by Donnie's powers over time, he must escort it back according to the book) where it kills him.

Also how about the fact that water and fire are the 2 aspects of the time travel/alternate universe thing (again, in book) and Donnie FLOODS the school and BURNS Patrick's house down.

Yeah, obviously the chapter title confirms that Frank used Gretchen as insurance. He knew that Donnie might still not escort the engine back so he used "saving her life" to make sure that Donnie did what he was supposed to do.

JohnRice · 03-31-2002, 10:05 PM

Seth,

I think that may be the first time I have actually seen someone have an online conversation with himself.

Wild Film!! Don't you think?