Product Description

During the presidential election of 1988, a teenager named Donnie Darko sleepwalks out of his house one night, and sees a giant, demonic-looking rabbit named Frank, who tells him the world will end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds. He returns home the next morning to find that a jet engine has crashed through his bedroom. As he tries to figure out why he survived and tries to deal with people in his town, like the school bully, his conservative health teacher, and a self-help guru, Frank continues to turn up in Donnie's mind, causing him to commit acts of vandalism and worse. The new Director?s Cut includes a production diary of the film (with optional commentary by Director of Photography Steven Poster), a story-board to screen featurette, the Director?s cut theatrical trailer, They Made Me Do It Too ? The Cult of Donnie Darko and the #1 Fan: A Darkomentary.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1166 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-02-15
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Director's Cut, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Dubbed in: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 133 minutes

DVD features
With an additional 20 minutes of material added to the original theatrical edition (including scenes not included in the augmented version previously released on DVD), Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut has a slower, more reflective pace than its first edit, and many more moments of emotional and tonal complexity. The film also has a fuller soundtrack (INXS' "Never Tear Us Apart" is featured prominently in writer-director Richard Kelly's mysterious opening) and new, startling special effects that underscore Donnie's ambiguous experience of time travel and cross-dimensional encounters with Frank, the 6-foot provocateur in a terrifying bunny costume. (Of course, new f/x or not, Donnie could still be a paranoid schizophrenic immersed in violent delusions.) Purists might find some of these changes to Kelly's 2001 cult hit about a troubled teen (Jake Gyllenhaal) trapped in alternative, apocalyptic destinies troubling. But overall the film is an even more haunting experience, impossible to shake.

An audio commentary track features a conversation between Kelly and Kevin Smith (Clerks) outlining the former's reasons for making a director's cut. Kelly says his intention was to amplify a science fiction and comic book element in Donnie Darko, re-design the sound (actually, Kelly claims, there never was a sound design for the original release), and purchase rights to various songs (including Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart") that were lost between the film's premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and the film's theatrical release. Kelly says he also wanted to give something new to the film's fans as thanks for their crucial, early support. Other features in this two-disc set include a highly entertaining production diary (including video of pre-production locations research) as well as a short film about the meaning of "Donnie Darko" as understood by some of the movie's British fans. --Tom Keogh

From The New Yorker
Jake Gyllenhaal, last seen in "Bubble Boy," stars as a mentally disturbed teen-ager who cheats death and gets spooked about it. Written and directed by Richard Kelly in a somnambulistic style, the movie is essentially about a young boy's search for himself-he's fighting his inner voices. But as the movie shifts from fantasy to reality and back again a dreary anomie sets in. Patrick Swayze gives a notable performance as a corrupt motivational speaker-his smarm energizes the dour mood. -Bruce Diones
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Have you ever seen a portal?
I wish I could understand in this day and age what exactly it is that makes a cult film. Quite possibly, it could be the following that film has and how rabid they are about the film itself. It's true that Donnie Darko has one of the most intense followings a film could ever ask for. The fans of this film has dissected it from the inside out, trying to explain each and every little facet of the film. Which is cool, if you're into having information spoonfed to you and not really interested in figuring it out for yourself.

However, I find that to be the most interesting and entertaining aspect of this film. Nothing is really explained in full, but it's not so vague that it's completely impossible to understand. Richard Kelly wrote a brilliant script, full of true emotion and at times horror, complete with science fiction elements so strange it will be hard to wrap your brain around them if you're not entirely into this kind of film. It certainly is not for the casual viewer.

But with the Director's Cut, we get a whole new look at the original Donnie Darko, with over twenty minutes of additional footage and a whole new soundtrack.

Before Bubble Boy and Brokeback Mountain, Jake Gyllenhaal established himself as an incredible actor with his portrayal of Donnie Darko. Indeed, it is the acting in this film that makes it so powerful. The interaction between the family, especially Jake and real-life-sister Maggie, and the dinner conversation between the two, makes you believe that these two really are siblings in the context of the film and doesn't feel like just two actors going at each other's throats. Maybe it was just the fact that they grew up together that made it so believable, but I tend to lean more towards the fact that the two were just great actors as it was, and used the influence from their lives together to craft a bond between the two characters. And of course, Jena Malone is fantastic, as she always is, as Gretchen Ross, Donnie's girlfriend and unfortunate victim in the whole scheme of things. But there isn't really a weak actor in this film, they all do excellent in their roles, and it all just seems completely believable.

The cinematography is also top notch. For a first time director, Richard Kelly really knows what he's doing and always manage to find the most beautiful and effective shots to emphasize what's going on in the scene. That's what's beautiful about this film- there isn't a shot that is just there to further the movie, every shot is there to increase the impact of what is going on in the story. Even in the simplest shots, there is something special about each one that I rarely see in films.

Also with this Director's Cut, Richard Kelly changed the score around, which was hit and miss. Most of the time it was a hit, but I miss hearing Echo and the Bunnymen playing during the opening scene. INXS's Never Tear Us Apart isn't bad, but I remember falling in love with The Killing Moon because of the original cut. Basically, that's my only gripe about the change in score, as everything else works perfectly.

If you haven't seen Donnie Darko and want a film that isn't a spoonfed 'here's what's going on' formula, do yourself a favor and see it. If you loved the original cut, chances are you'll love this one too. This is a film every should see at least one time, even if just to say you did.

Good product
If you are deciding between this director's cut and the original theatrical release, I would spend the extra cash for this edition. The plot is easier to understand and music is better.

"Have You Ever Seen a Portal?"
-This review pertains to the Director's Cut edition of Donnie Darko-

WARNING: This review contains spoilers! DO NOT READ THIS UNTIL YOU'VE SEEN THE FILM!

In Richard Kelly's Director's Cut of his cult classic, Donnie Darko, we are given nearly twenty minutes of additional footage, which pulls us deeper into the tangent universe. In 2001, Donnie Darko was praised by critics and audiences during its exhibitions at film festivals, however during its theatrical release the film failed to grab the attention of the mainstream U.S. audience. It wasn't until British filmgoers hailed the film as being one of the most original movies of the decade that the film was given a second chance. Now with this 2-disc Director's Cut edition, we can explore the fractured world of Donnie Darko in greater detail. Though the theatrical cut has become a cult classic, the Director's Cut is an even more complete film. Now that Richard Kelly has established himself as a noteworthy director, he's able to reclaim creative control and reassemble the film to match his original vision (20th Century Fox executives ordered the film to be shortened and simplified after a disappointing showing at the Sundance Film Festival). In this new cut, the characters are given more attention, which is wonderful as each member of the cast gives an amazing performance. The story, which will still likely mesmerize most of its viewers, is clarified with the addition of new dialogue scenes.

The story is set in the year 1988, in Middlesex, Virginia. Here Donnie Darko, a troubled teenager, begins to have disturbing blackouts and hallucinations. During these episodes he loses track of time and often regains consciousness only to find himself in some strange place with no memory of how he got there. Donnie's home life is also stressful, as his emotional problems lead to conflicts with his family. One night, after a confrontation with his mother, Donnie is awakened by an eerie voice. It's the voice of a man in a rabbit suit, a man named Frank. Frank tells Donnie that the world is going to end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, 12 seconds. After Donnie wakes up the next morning in the middle of the country club's golf course, he walks home to find out that a jet engine landed on his family's house, destroying his bedroom. When Donnie returns to school the following day, he is treated like a quasi-celebrity... and he meets the new girl in school, Gretchen. Donnie and Gretchen are immediately drawn to each other. On his ride home from school, Donnie's father almost hits Roberta Sparrow, a reclusive 101-year-old woman, who tells Donnie, "Every living creature on Earth dies alone." Donnie confides in his psychiatrist, Dr. Thurman, and tells her about his problems and anxieties.
Meanwhile, Frank tells Donnie to flood the school, which he does by taking an axe to the school's water main. When school is canceled Donnie walks Gretchen home from the bus stop and they develop a close relationship. Donnie is given support by Gretchen, but also by his bohemian teacher, Ms. Pomeroy and his science teacher, Dr. Monnitoff. However he also faces obstacles put in his way by Mrs. Farmer, the school's puritanical and patronizing gym teacher and by Jim Cunningham, a self-righteous and hypocritical self-help guru, who uses cheap New Age philosophy and pop-psychology to control people. Donnie rebels against these two negative influences when he makes an obscene comment to Mrs. Farmer and accuses Jim Cunningham of being the anti-Christ.
One day Donnie asks Dr. Monnitoff what he knows about time travel and Dr. Monnitoff gives Donnie a book that was written by none other than Roberta Sparrow. The book describes an anomaly in which one universe is split into two by a disruption in the space-time continuum. The tangent universe, or secondary universe, is made unstable and will collapse upon itself. This is only preventable if one can travel back in time and stop the tangent universe from being created. If the tangent universe cannot be unmade, if the timeline cannot be corrected then the tangent universe will collapse destroying both itself and the primary universe. Donnie tries to explain these discoveries to his psychiatrist, Dr. Thurman, but she sees no connections between Roberta Sparrow's book and Donnie's "hallucinations" of Frank. Dr. Thurman believes Donnie to be a paranoid-schizophrenic. Unsurprisingly, Donnie isn't convinced that that's the case. There are too many similarities, too many parallels between the chapters of the book and what Frank has been preparing him for. Donnie consults Dr. Monnitoff about the nature of time travel and how it would be possible, but when the discussion takes on theological overtones Dr. Monnitoff ends their talk.
One night Frank reveals his identity to Donnie, by taking off his rabbit mask. Frank is a young man, not much older than Donnie, and his right eye is missing. Frank tells Donnie that he must burn down Jim Cunningham's house. Donnie torches the house while the rest of the town is at a school talent show. There, Donnie's little sister, Samantha, is part of a dance team called Sparkle Motion. When Sparkle Motion is invited to appear on Star Search, Donnie's parents must accompany Samantha on a plane trip to California. While his parents are away Donnie throws a party for his older sister, Elizabeth, who's just been accepted to Harvard. Donnie and Gretchen leave the party prematurely and a series of incidents lead to Gretchen being killed when a car hits her. Donnie, using a gun he stole from his father's closet, shoots the driver in the face, in the eye. It was Frank. Early the nest morning Donnie watches as a black hole forms in the Earth's atmosphere, dissolving the Earth's gravitational pull, dramatically affecting the weather, and pulling apart the jet that his parents are on. Using the knowledge that Frank gave him, Donnie sends the jet's engine into a wormhole, back through time where it lands on the family's house, destroying his bedroom. By doing this he prevented the creation of the tangent universe, thus saving the world. But because there was no longer the threat of absolute destruction, Frank never died at Donnie's hands; his death was effectively reversed, so his ghost never went back in time to warn Donnie that night that he went sleepwalking. Donnie was in his bed, laughing at the realization of what he'd done, when the jet engine crashed through the ceiling, landing on him. He sacrifices himself to save Gretchen, his family, and the world.

Donnie Darko may very well be one of the most complex, thought-provoking debuts for a filmmaker. Not only does Richard Kelly direct, but he also wrote the meticulous screenplay, which utilizes a knowledge of quantum physics, psychology, mythological archetypes, religious concepts, and modern moral and family issues. The film's multi-layered characters are portrayed by a talented ensemble cast including Jake Gyllenhaal as Donnie Darko, Holmes Osborne as Mr. Darko, Maggie Gyllenhaal as Elizabeth Darko, Daveigh Chase as Samantha Darko, Mary McDonnell as Mrs. Darko, James Duval as Frank, Patrick Swayze as Jim Cunningham, Beth Grant as Mrs. Farmer, Jena Malone as Gretchen, Noah Wyle as Dr. Monnitoff, Drew Barrymore as Ms. Pomeroy, and Katharine Ross as Dr. Thurman.

The 2-disc Director's Cut DVD includes an audio commentary with Richard Kelly and Kevin Smith, Production Diary documentary, They Made Me Do It Too- The Cult of Donnie Darko featurette, Storyboard-to-Screen featurette, #1 Fan: A Darkomentary featurette, and the Director's Cut trailer.

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