Donnie Darko ***** (2001, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Mary McDonnell, Drew Barrymore, Noah Wyle, Patrick Swayze, Maggie Gyllenhaal, James Duval, Seth Rogen) – Classic Movie Review 46

‘The dreams in which I’m dying are the best I ever had.’ – Mad World.

Back in 2001, Jake Gyllenhaal puts in an outstanding bid for serious-actor stardom as disturbed teenager Donnie, who, after escaping a bizarre accident, can see a monster rabbit that tells him the end of the world is nigh and makes him flood his school and set fire to people’s homes.

Not your average movie then — not by miles and miles— this haunting, totally original psychological chiller is a humdinger, drawing you into its crazy world thanks to Gyllenhaal’s tour-de-force turn, and effective cameos from producer Drew Barrymore and ER’s Noah Wyle (as teachers) and Patrick Swayze (as a fraudulent self-help guru). Mary McDonnell as Donnie’s mom, Jena Malone as his friend Gretchen and Maggie Gyllenhaal as his sister Elizabeth also make essential contributions. Spot a young Seth Rogen in his feature film debut as Ricky Danforth, with his first line: ‘I like your boobs’.

Donnie Darko (2001) is so incredibly gripping, clever and complex that you will want to see it again immediately. The soundtrack is inspired, especially the clever use of Tears for Fears’ Mad World. Richard Kelly’s screenplay and direction take your breath away with their unique imagination and confidence, and Gyllenhaal’s stunning performance is the perfect incarnation of Kelly’s thrilling weird, twisted vision. While Gyllenhaal has gone from strength to strength, Kelly has not so far found a brilliant follow-up to this masterwork.

Also in the cast are Daveigh Chase as Donnie’s younger sister Sam, Holmes Osborne, James Duval (as Frank), Arthur Taxier, Mark Hoffman, David St James, Tom Tangen, Jazzie Mahannah, Jolene Purdy, Stuart Stone, Gary Lundy, Alex Greenwald, Beth Grant as Kitty, David Moreland as Principal Cole, Katharine Ross as Dr Lilian Thurman and Patience Cleveland in her final theatrical film as Roberta Sparrow / Grandma Death.

Donnie Darko is directed by Richard Kelly, runs 113 minutes, or 134 minutes (director’s cut) is made by Flower Films, Adam Fields Productions, Gaylord Films and Pandora Cinema, is released by Newmarket Films (2001) (US) and Metrodome Distribution (2002) (UK) is written by Richard Kelly, is shot by Steven Poster, is produced by Drew Barrymore, Nancy Juvonen, Adam Fields and Sean McKittrick, is scored by Michael Andrews and is designed by Alec Hammond.

Donnie Darko runs a tense and satisfying 113 minutes, but the 21 minutes longer, much altered 2004 Director’s Cut, while fascinating and essential viewing, is not necessarily an improvement. It alters the pacing, adds deleted scenes and new visual effects, and switches the soundtrack. Kelly was approached by the movie’s US distributor Newmarket Films to do a Director’s Cut, and he did the re-edit with film editor Sam Bauer in nine days. Kelly regards the theatrical version just fine in its own right and the Director’s Cut as a Special Edition of sorts. The first edit of the film ran 165 minutes. The Director’s Cut is close to the version premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2001.

Budgeted at $4,500,000 and filmed over 28 days, it grossed a disappointing $7,700,000 worldwide, just covering its costs. But it was a runaway hit on DVD with US sales of more than $10 million. And its great reviews and word of mouth plus its cult status keep it always current.

The Killing Moon is performed by Echo & The Bunnymen, Head Over Heels is performed by Tears for Fears, Love Will Tear Us Apart is performed by Joy Division and Mad World (written by Roland Orzabal) is performed by Gary Jules and Michael Andrews. Gary Jules’s cover version of Tears for Fears’ Mad World was the UK’s Christmas number one single in 2003. Tears for Fears were one of Britain’s most successful pop acts in the Eighties, but it was actually the first time one of their songs had topped the UK singles chart.

A fierce champion of the movie, Gyllenhaal offers no help at all to understanding it, or does he? ‘What is it about? I have no idea, at least not a conscious one,’ he says. ‘But somehow I’ve always understood it. The most amazing thing about making this movie, for me, was the fact that no one ever had a simple answer to this question. And that, ironically, is the very thing that the film is actually about. There is no single answer to any question.’

This is the rabbit movie. The monster rabbit, ‘The Killing Moon’ by Echo & The Bunnymen, a Volkswagen Rabbit, a stuffed rabbit. Donnie dressed as a rabbit, a jack-o’-lantern bunny all make appearances.

An unpopular 2009 sequel, S. Darko, centres on Sam (Daveigh Chase), Donnie’s younger sister.

On 31 October 2016 Arrow Films announced that it is releasing Donnie Darko in UK cinemas to celebrate its 15th anniversary with a 4K restoration. The original theatrical version has an exclusive run at London’s BFI from 16 December 2016, followed by a nationwide release from 23 December 2016. The newly remastered Director’s Cut is also to be screened.

Sam Raimi allowed Kelly to use and distort footage from The Evil Dead (1981) free of charge for the the movie theatre scene, filmed at The Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica, California. The Aero closed in 2003 but re-opened in early 2005.

When Donnie’s mother asks Kitty if she has heard of Graham Greene, she replies that she has, since she’s seen Bonanza. Kitty of course is getting him confused with Lorne Greene. Sam Raimi is married to one of Lorne Greene’s daughters, Gillian.

Drew Barrymore agreed with Kelly that her production company Flower Films would produce this film for $4.5 million and that Barrymore would play Miss Pomeroy on the set of Charlie’s Angels (2000).

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