Someone Explain Donnie Darko To Me!!!

I just watched that crazy movie, and I thought it was interesting, but left me scratchin my head. If anyone has completely understood what this movie was about then I would appreciate an explanation. Some of my friends who say they know only confuse themselves when they try to explain it to me. So, any Darko experts, please help shed some light on this crazy movie...

Sometimes I think I get it, then I lose it again.
check this out, it might all make sence then

www.mjyoung.net...

There is a temporal plotline drawing on fatalism and a series of subtexts about relationships and an evil bunny.

What part didn't you get exactly?

LOL.

What i didn't understand about the movie was, IF by not getting killed by the jet engine caused the anomally that in his future caused the temporal tornado that brought the engine back in time to killl him, then how the heck does him dying affect the timeline? unless its all a metaphor for something else? in which i'll never get it

Originally posted by bordnlazy
What i didn't understand about the movie was, IF by not getting killed by the jet engine caused the anomally that in his future caused the temporal tornado that brought the engine back in time to killl him, then how the heck does him dying affect the timeline?

I haven't watched it in a while, but everything effects everything else. If he did not die from the engine, then he would have never burn the pervert's house down causing the crazy religious lady to ask Donnie's mother to take Donnie's sister on that flight causing both the mother and sister to die AS WELL AS Donnie's girlfriend being in a location (because of Donnie) to be killed. There are various other points, but I recall those being the main ones for your question.

Donnie is attempting to correct a mistake/modify "God's Path" by sacrificing himself for the good of others as a Jesus figure. If Donnie dies, the series of events caused by him never happened, then those people live.

So why did God make a mistake? Was Frank the rabbit messing with "God's Plan" by getting Donnie out of bed OR was Frank "just seeing what would happen when the world fell apart"?

For those that noticed there was two changes at the point of the timelines splitting. One is the obvious of Donnie getting/not getting out of bed. This was of course because of Frank's involvement as well as something else that I will get to in a moment. The second often unnoticed one is when his sister sneaks into the house and leans against the door. The first time this happens we don't have any indication of where she has been. HOWEVER the second time it is hinted that it is her boyfriend FRANK. The strange thing is that only in the second one do we hear a car horn signaling as it races off. Is this an indication (for Donnie) that Frank/Bunny is leaving, done or that everything is going to be ok?

The other thing I mentioned (and something that I have always been curious about) is why Donnie is laughing at the end. He stated that his fear is that everyone dies alone. Does his sacrifice (staying in bed after he knows what is about to happen) cause him to feel connected to a greater whole then merely himself. Is this happy, apifany (sp?) laugher?

Just a wild stab as Ihave not seen it in a while. I am patiently waiting for the director's cut to be release on video though.

I will watch in some more detail next time for these specifics. First time I took it with all the teenage angst of Ghost World and the absence of linear events didn't disturb me, it all fitted together neatly enough.

To assist with your hypotheses, a quick view of Run Lola Run should assist.

Originally posted by Jonna

I haven't watched it in a while, but everything effects everything else. If he did not die from the engine, then he would have never burn the pervert's house down causing the crazy religious lady to ask Donnie's mother to take Donnie's sister on that flight causing both the mother and sister to die AS WELL AS Donnie's girlfriend being in a location (because of Donnie) to be killed. There are various other points, but I recall those being the main ones for your question.

.

ahhh time paradox...i love it

Donnie Darko is such a great movie. There's a site I remembered I was reading it after watching that movie, about the "manipulative one" blah blah. I suggest reading what you find on google "Donnie Darko explanation".

All I remember is that Frank wanted to destroy the world and I was afraid to look in my mirror in the morning because of Frank for the longest time.

The director's cut of the film will be available on Feb. 15th. If you preorder it from Amazon it's 30% off. I'll be ordering it, but I am kind of disapointed that it is not listed as having the deleted scenes on it the the original dvd had.

Donnie Darko...cult classic! I love that movie....I'll be adding that special edition to my collection, as I was disapointed at the special features on the original DVD...

On a side note, does anyone know what the name of that song is that plays during that kick ass elapsed-time school hallway shot??

Edit: I'm pretty sure it was a modern remix of an 80s classic....

[edit on 2/2/2005 by EnronOutrunHomerun]

The bands were not listed at Amazon, but this is what I think they are. The bolded one is the one you are looking for. They start it as soon as the back door on the bus opens.

Track Listings
1. Never Tear Us Apart - Inxs
2. Head Over Heels - Tears For Fears
3. Under The Milky Way - The Church
4. Lucid Memory
5. Lucid Assembly
6. Ave Maria
7. For Whom The Bells Toll
8. Show Me (Part 1)
9. Notorious -Duran Duran
10. Stay
11. Love Will Tear Us Apart -Joy Division
12. Killing Moon - Echo & The Bunnymen
13. Carpathian Ridge
14. Tangent Universe
15. Artifact & Living
16. Middlesex Times
17. Manipulated Living
18. Philosophy Of Time Travel
19. Liquid Spear Waltz
20. Gretchen Ross

Tears For Fears also wrote Mad, Mad World which is the last song played in the film, but it was redone by someone else.

That's it! Awesome....thanks Jonna

Originally posted by EnronOutrunHomerun
That's it! Awesome....thanks Jonna

No problem. It is a pretty well known song, so you should be able to download it from many sites all over the net. However if you actually want to buy one of their albums, get this one: Shout: The Very Best of Tears for Fears .

It is a good span of their musical career.