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Why Are You Wearing That Stupid Man Suit?. Details. Written & Directed by Richard Kelly, it is his first film The movie was shot in 28 days, mimicking the 28 days until the world ends It had a budget of about 4.5 million dollars
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Details • Written & Directed by Richard Kelly, it is his first film • The movie was shot in 28 days, mimicking the 28 days until the world ends • It had a budget of about 4.5 million dollars • It stars Jake Gyllenhaal , Holmes Osborne, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mary McDonnell, Patrick Swayze, Jena Malone, Noah Wyle, Drew Barrymore, and Katharine Ross • Released October 26, 2001 . Because of the content of the film, and it’s proximity to September 11th it did not stay in theaters long • It received only limited cinema release in Australia at small independent or art-house theatres
Awards and Lasting Influence • # 14 on Entertainment Weekly’s list of the “50 Best High School Movies” • #2 on Empire’s “50 Greatest Independent Films of All Time” • # 53 on Empire’s “500 Greatest Movies of All Time” • A Directors Cut version of the film was released on DVD a number of years after the original • A sequel was released in 2009 called ‘S.Darko’
Donnie Darko Ask yourself the following questions while watching the film: • Is Donnie crazy? What suggests Donnie is crazy and what suggests that Donnie is part of a larger plan? • What does Donnie conceal? Where do these repressed desires come out? • How is Donnie separated from the people around him? How does Donnie try to reconnect with these people?
Frank • Ask yourself the following questions while watching the film: • How is Frank portrayed? Where does he appear and when? How do the angles, lighting, music etc. create your expectations for Frank? Does he fit these expectations? • Why does Donnie choose to follow Frank? • Why does Frank choose to lead Donnie? Does he have a choice?
Roberta Sparrow (Grandma Death) • Ask yourself the following questions while watching the film: • Why does Roberta Sparrow talk to Donnie? Why does she tell him “every living thing dies alone” • Is it significant that she used to be a nun? • How does Roberta Sparrow operate as a guide for Donnie’s actions?
Karen Pomeroy • Ask yourself the following questions while watching the film: • Is Pomeroy always in control of her own actions? Are their points that seem like a teacher would not do these things? • How does Pomeroy act as a guide for Donnie suggesting/foreshadowing what he will do later? • Does Pomeroy have power? How does she respond to this power or this lack of power?
Themes • Dream vs. Reality • What is real in the film? Does the tangent universe exist and Donnie is closing it off? Or is this all a dream and Donnie is going back to sleep? • What do people choose to believe vs. what is real? Dual Identity • How are dual identities illustrated? What is different between the public identity and concealed identity? • Fate vs. Free Will • Where does Donnie choose his actions and when/where is he controlled/manipulated? • Alienation • Where does Donnie fit? Where does fail to fit, and why? How do people take steps to repair relationships which have been strained?
Motifs • Signs of Patriotism • Where and when do flags appear? Is their placement significant? Is their timing significant? • Eyes • How are eyes used to express thought and feeling? • What do people see? What do people fail to see because they choose not to see it? • Where do eyes suggest special abilities? the ability to see what others can not. • Light • How is light used to reveal things that are otherwise hidden? • Mirrors • Who is seen with mirrors, or in mirrors? What does it suggest about that character. What happens with the character when they are near a mirror. • Birds • What are the roles of the people associated with birds? • Literature • How do the pieces of literature seen reflect the roles and conflicts in the film? How do the pieces of literature foreshadow the events of the film? • Music • How does the music foreshadow the events to come ? Or reflect the events that have happened?
28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes & 12 seconds…the world will end 1. When you hear a prophecy like this, how does it make you feel? 2. From looking at these pre-watching notes, what style or genre of film do you think ‘Donnie Darko’ falls into? 3. What style or genre of films do you usually enjoy watching the most? Why?