Seth Paxton

As for honking the horn, why couldn't that be manipulated dead Frank doing it. As a manipulated dead character he was able to control space/time beyond the level that Donnie even could.

So perhaps he reached over from the tangent universe to signal to Donnie in the primary universe just as the tangent universe was ending.


BTW, I didn't get that it was a full-on tangent universe, just that there was some splintering of the timeline based around the point where he was killed. The book then told me that the split was before he was killed and a 2ndary universe created in existence.

Of course this splinter branches off and then only continues for a limited amount of time. Whether or not it's demise also results in the end of the primary universe is up to Donnie.

Noah and Drew DO UNDERSTAND that Donnie is this chosen one that must return the engine to the primary universe, but they have no powers other than this understanding. They are trying to guide him, but they have no powers, just a knowledge. Other people do as well, such as the psychiatrist.

Drew, Noah and the shrink helped my first time grasping quite a bit.


BTW, when I mentioned the crosspoint (like when Frank honks the horn) what is to say that the linking of the 2 universes is not longer than just an instant. Perhaps the vortex opens say 5 minutes before Donnie is killed and continues to stay open till around the time the engine hits. Thus that would be the time that dead Frank would be able to reach across like he possibly does.

AndrewD

Do you think Donnie's mother and sister will still be on that plane a month later? If Donnie dies and never sets fire to Swayze's house, then the kiddie porn dungeon won't be found and the dance team coach will still accompany the team to Star Search. I've been able to come to grip with almost all of Donnie Darko, but this engine thing still makes my brain hurt.

I think the engine off that specific plane will still crash into Donnie, but his Mother and sister just won't be on it.

Brian Kaz

I think the engine is used to create a paradox. A remnant from a time that never took place, but actually did, if you get my meaning. Used to bridge the point where an alternate universe was made to set Donnie on the path to correct his mistakes.

JohnRice

Brian,

If I'm getting your meaning, you are saying "No" which I agree with. That engine is an "artifact" from a time that now no longer exists, which is why, as described in the supplements, there is so much mystery surrounding it. There is never any explanation of where it came from. The engine did its job, so there is no longer any real need for it to fall off an airplane in the current timeline. Donnie's mother and sister may still go on that flight, but nothing out of the ordinary will happen.

I have not dug into the supplements much, because to me that disrupts the illusion of the film. But in the little I have seen, there was a newspaper article from (I think) three years later saying the source of the engine had never been found and that the mystery would probably never be solved.

Brian Kaz

You may be right and the engine is not needed, the statement I made is only my interpetation of what happened (one of the great things about this film). I just think it's more interesting an idea to have this mysterious engine part be a constant reminder of some alternate event which took place, even if it's not remembered by the people involved.

Chris Lock

Strange, definitely. I'm surprised how many people apparently like this movie.

Seth Paxton

The website implies that they DO id the engine and match it to the one that is still on the plane. Of course it also implies that this is covered up (for obvious reasons).


As for the porn stuff, there is some reason to believe that the nightmare will haunt Swayze and make him either stop or confess. So there is still the possiblity that Donnie's mom might be on that flight.

But I do think the engine is supposed to come from that plane. I think the real world and alternate world engines simply swap places, but both come from a month later than they actually hit.

Certainly room for interpretation of course.

I really just enjoy the tone of the whole film, not it's foolproof logic. I simply don't think it's flawed to any great degree worth noting or complaining about.

TonyD

well no one has posted to this in a while. but i just got around to watching it.

the thing with the horn honk seemed to be to me that it was donnie's sister's boyfriend who had just dropped her off and honked to say i'll see ya later. this was doen both times in the movie but it seemed louder the second time. it may not have been louder but it seemed it was to me.

i enjoyed the movie and want to ssee it again but i also thought the ending was very confusing. i didnt get it. as were other parts of the movie.

i may have to buy it to go threw all the suplements that are included on the dvd. sounds like alot of interesting things there.

What Did He Say?

Thomas Reagan

Sorry for commenting so late, but I finally got to rent DD last night. This forum is great: the movie makes a lot more sense now.

One question (and since no one has asked it, please forgive me if I missed something obvious): Why were the two "psycho" students from the school waiting for Donnie, Gretchen, and his friends in Grandma Death's cellar?

My wife asked me this while we watched, and I have no idea...

Thos.

Brian Kaz

The old woman's house contained a lot of valubale items as explained at the dinner table when the Darko's talk about many people breaking into her house through the years. The boys were in there stealing things when they ran into Darko & co.

Also, on the commentary it is said that in myths, treasure caves and such always have a monster or beast to fight. The filmmaker simply wanted to use that precept.

Brent Bridgeman

************Spoilers A'Comin'!****************************

I just watched this last night, and my impression is that Donnie is somewhat "Christ-like". One big clue is that the 2nd movie listed on the maruqee at the theater is "Last Temptation of Christ". Like Christ on the cross in that movie, he is being "shown" an alternate future if he lives through the engine crash, and he sees that if he lives then Gretchen will die. Now, it could also be explained that he is actually able to time travel back to the point where he was in bed after seeing that if he dies then Gretchen would never meet him and live. Now, how the Patrick Swayze pedophile not being caught is a good thing eludes me. Maybe the point is that you take the bad with the good when you change the future? In any case, it seems to me that Donnie sacrafices himself for Gretchen.

If all this has been said before, I'm sorry. I didn't feel like reading all 8 pages.