Donnie Darko (2001)

“You know, what’s the point of living if you don’t have a dick?” — Donnie Darko

For the Final Girl Project’s first collaborative effort, my friend and I will be participating in a roundtable discussion on Richard Kelly’s 2001 film, “Donnie Darko”, featuring Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal as well as indie-queen Jena Malone. My friend (Lev) is an enthused supporter of “Donnie Darko”, whereas I (Sasha) have not had the chance — until now — to see the film.

What’s it all about? Donnie Darko — a troubled teenager who narrowly escaped a bizarre accident — is plagued by visions of a large rabbit named Frank that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.

SASHA (@finalgirlproj)
As the guest blogger, Lev, it’s probably better if you start. (Oh, and for our readers: There is a major, big-time spoiler warning on this post.)

LEV (@turnipofterror)
What did you think about Frank (the guy in the bunny suit)? Was he real or imagined?

SASHA (@finalgirlproj)
Well, it’s kind of hard to answer this question without considering the whole Primary Universe vs. Tangent Universe conundrum. The Primary Universe consists of the the beginning of the film — before Frank’s arrival — and the ending where Donnie dies in his bedroom. The Tangent Universe is everything in between — everything that gets wiped away in the end. It’s kind of hard to determine if the Tangent Universe is real, with the director is insisting that this type of time-travel is possible, or if most of the contents of the film is just an expression of a disturbed mind. Frank could very well be just a teenager in a costume, some kind of prophet on time-travel or just a result of Donnie’s mental illness. I know I’m not answering the question but, honestly, I don’t think that I can.

LEV (@turnipofterror)
As I understand, Frank wasn’t imaginary at all. He was a metaphysical being borne from the fourth-dimension. According to the mythology of the movie — at least my interpretation of it — Frank is something called the “manipulated dead”, an entity who is more powerful than Donnie (the “living receiver”). All this is covered in the somewhat cryptic book, Philosophy of Time-Travel, which can be found on the even more cryptic Donnie Darko website. Usually, Frank is seen as a neutral entity who guides Donnie on his journey and his ultimate realization of the meaning of his life. However, in some interpretations, Frank’s goal is not to prevent to end of the universe but instead ensure its end. Suffice to say, Frank is an insanely creepy character that I hope to never meet in real life, either in a dark alley or in broad daylight. (For more metaphysical rabbits, check out the Jimmy Stewart classic “Harvey” (1950). A great feel-good film that should take the edge off of watching “Donnie Darko”.)

SASHA (@finalgirlproj)
So, if Frank’s a — what did you call it? — “manipulated dead”, does that mean that Gretchen is as well? She’s killed around the same time in the Tangent Universe. I don’t see her as a character pushing toward the apocalypse. If anything, she’s steering Donnie away from it. If Gretchen’s the “manipulated dead” and she’s real, then I guess Frank is as well. Is Frank just Elizabeth’s creepy boyfriend with special, time-traveling powers then? This is really messed up. I kind of wish Donnie was just crazy.

LEV (@turnipofterror)
Gretchen is also the “manipulated dead”, though is not as conscious of her powers as Frank. She does, however, unconsciously push Donnie towards his purpose of stopping the time loop cuased by the appearance of the Jet Engine.  The Jet Engine, also known as “the artifact”, caused a time paradox, since it already existed at that time. (It was attached to the plane.) Every time Donnie failed to send the jet engine back, time looped back to the beginning of the movie, where he wakes up in the middle of the street. The movie ends when Donnie finally sends the engine back, ending the Tangent Universe, and allowing time to proceed. The final jet engine that kills him is the only proof that the Tangent Universe existed, similar to the arrowhead that kills the Mayan warrior, although no battle took place. For this movie, the “Philosophy of Time Travel”, is a must read. Here is the confusing part: the Frank that appears to Donnie throughout the movie is not the Frank who gets shot. The Frank Donnie shoots is alive — well, alive until Donnie kills him. The “dead” Franky was killed in the last loop of the Tangent Universe, so he is a separate entity. Now, if Donnie had failed to send the jet engine back, the Frank killed during the movie would be the next “dead” Frank. That’s why Frank, right before he gets shot, doesn’t remember Donnie but the Frank in the movie theatre smiles when Donnie asks him what happened to his eye. Also, during the ‘Mad World’ montage, Frank (not “dead” Frank) is sitting by his bed touching his eye and looking shocked. Simple enough, no?

SASHA (@finalgirlproj)
Well, that was clear as mud. I don’t understand something (well, I don’t understand a lot but this is the most pressing). During the montage at the end of the film, Frank and Gretchen seem to recognize the Tangent Universe within the Primary Universe. Frank touches his eye. Gretchen waves to Donnie’s grieving mother. How are they able to do that? Frank and Gretchen only receive their “power” within the Tangent Universe, right? Aren’t the Frank and Gretchen in the Primary Universe just ordinary teenagers? And, in response to your “dead” Frank argument, wouldn’t that mean that there are two Franks within the Tangent Universe? The “manipulated dead” Frank and the ordinary Frank, who is just Elizabeth’s boyfriend? Does that mean that there are two Gretchens as well? Because that would make absolutely no sense.

LEV (@turnipofterror)
Actually, everyone has some recollection of the past Tangent Universe. Donnie’s mom is wakes up with a start. His teacher Monnitoff looks concerned. Jim Cunningham is in the middle of a nervous breakdown. Kitty Farmer is perturbed. And Cherisa (chut up!) is happy. But, its important to say that no one remembers what happened, not even Frank or Gretchen. It is more like they are feeling either happiness or sadness, but they aren’t quite sure why. In the case of Jim Cunningham, he is said to have committed suicide a few days after Donnie’s death, ostensibly out of guilt. Off-topic, that “Mad World” montage is one of my favourite ending sequences. Anyway, the ordinary Frank is just a normal guy, namely Elizabeth’s boyfriend. He drives the red Trans-Am that can be seen throughout the movie and is the guy who goes on the beer run. You can see that it is Frank because the writing on the fridge door is in the same hand as the graffiti on the school mascot. But “dead” Frank is not of this Tangent universe, but from another already collapsed Tangent Universe. As for why there aren’t two Gretchens, I think the director thought that doing so would confuse Donnie and the audience. And God forbid that should happen! The other alternative theory is that Gretchen is part of a group of people known as the “manipulated living”, who are alive and don’t die in the Tangent Universe, but are manipulated in such a way to help Donnie on his quest, either by teaching Donnie about the situation, or by helping him be at the right pace at the right time. Although, I don’t see how Gretchen could be part of the “manipulated living” since she dies in this Tangent Universe.

SASHA (@finalgirlproj)
Well, I know everyone is seriously confused by this point — but, hopefully, they’re intrigued enough to re-watch “Donnie Darko”. We’ll leave you with my favourite scene from the film, the highly intelligent discussion about the sexuality of Smurfs:

Notes: Directed by Richard Kelly; Produced by Adam Fields, Nancy Juvonen, Sean McKittrick; Written by Richard Kelly; Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, James Duval, Mary McDonnell, Holmes Osborne, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Katharine Ross, Drew Barrymore, Daveigh Chase, Beth Grant, Patrick Swayze, Noah Wyle; Music by Michael Andrews; Cinematography by Steven B. Poster; Editing by Sam Bauer, Eric Strand.

Tagged as: Adam Fields, Drew Barrymore, Eric Strand, Jake Gyllenhaal, James Duval, Jena Malone, Katharine Ross, Lev Daschko, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Andrews, Nancy Juvonen, Patrick Swayze, Richard Kelly, Sam Bauer, Sean McKittrick, Steven B. Poster