Donnie Darko Director's Cut is Out!
The Tangent Universe collapsed 1000 days ago...
But tonight I went with my friend Sam to the KCRW screening of the "Donnie Darko" Director's Cut. No, there weren't any special guest speakers. Poo.
It was awesome to see one of my favorite cable/DVD movies on the big screen! And with a good crowd who laughed in all the right places. I had figured the audience was filled with geeks seeing it for the 12th time (like me), but there were clearly quite a few people who were seeing the Director's Cut as their virgin introduction to Donnie Darko.
This new Director's Cut is a slicker, more polished production, but the greatest thing about it is the audio. The quality is leaps and bounds above the original. Sometimes the dialog was muffled in the original and important lines were missed. Not anymore! All of Frank's dialog is crisper and easier to understand. That said, the Director's Cut is not necessarily a better movie. In fact, some of the music changes negated some of my favorite moments of the film. But it's definitely worth seeing (and owning when the DVD comes out).
A lot of Donnie Darko fans land on this site, so I'm going to list in detail some of the changes. If you are not a fanatic, or would rather spot the changes on your own, come read this later. Or, here, go play at the Donnie Darko website...
Music Changes
Echo and the Bunnymen's "Killing Moon" is gone, replaced by INXS's "Never Tear Us Apart."
Verdict? The lyrics fit well, but it doesn't snap us into the movie with the same bang.
"Under the Milkyway" is gone from the Halloween party scene, replaced by a very different mix of "The Killing Moon."
Verdict? The use of "Under the Milkyway" is one of my favorite moments in the film, and I missed it.
Sparkle Motion dance group does not dance to "West End Girls" -- it remains Duran Duran and "Notorious."
Added Scenes
There are a couple of great added/extended scenes. If you poked around the extras on the DVD, you'll remember them.
Most noteworthy is when Donnie's dad is talking at the Holiday Inn about their friend who died on his way to the prom. Not only can you hear the dialog now, but he refers to someone watching over Donnie, a nice reference to God, and that Dad knows something special is going on with their son.
I also love an added scene that has Donnie's dad giving him advice. But I'm undecided on the new scenes in the English class that refer to "Watership Down." More of Drew Barrymore is a good thing, but I'm not sure how to integrate Donnie's angry interpretation of the book.
Looping Deletions
Looping is an audio term that refers to background dialog or "walla" that is added in post production, usually to crowd scenes. They deleted a lot of the looping.
Verdict? Very good choice.
For example, Cherita is no longer heckled when she performs her angelic dance during the talent show. At the moment of her dance, Donnie is being sent by Frank to burn down Jim Cunningham's house. There's a beauty to the dance that added a wonderful sense of irony to that. It was robbed by the heckling. Nice cut.
Another looping cut was the unseen parents cheering Mrs. Farmer during the PTA Meeting. The cheers made it seem that this private school was overrun with conservative book burners.
Curious/Odd Cuts
There were other small cuts throughout the film that were interesting choices.
- When Drew Barrymore's character is fired, she no longer makes the "we're losing them to apathy" speech. Odd.
- Drew's character talks to Donnie with "Cellar Door" on the chalkboard behind her, but she no longer tells him that "everything is going to be okay." Later, after Donnie shoots Frank with the gun, he still tells the guy in the clown costume that "everything is going to be okay" --- but now this moment is even more out of left field since he's not repeating his teacher's words.
- When Donnie is in the movie theater talking to Frank, Gretchen sits between them, asleep. Donnie asks, "What happened to your eye?" In the original, Frank replies, "I'm so sorry." This line was cut. It was a nice reference to the fact that Frank will later run over Gretchen in the car -- and she looks pretty dead while sleeping in the scene.
- During the Halloween party, Donnie looks into the "spear" coming out of Gretchen's chest -- in the original, you can hear Mrs. Pomeroy (Drew Barrymore) repeat the words "cellar door". Most people don't even hear it anyway, but the line was cut.
I highly recommend either version of Donnie Darko. Hopefully the rerelease will introduce a whole new audience to this great movie!
But tonight I went with my friend Sam to the KCRW screening of the "Donnie Darko" Director's Cut. No, there weren't any special guest speakers. Poo.
It was awesome to see one of my favorite cable/DVD movies on the big screen! And with a good crowd who laughed in all the right places. I had figured the audience was filled with geeks seeing it for the 12th time (like me), but there were clearly quite a few people who were seeing the Director's Cut as their virgin introduction to Donnie Darko.
This new Director's Cut is a slicker, more polished production, but the greatest thing about it is the audio. The quality is leaps and bounds above the original. Sometimes the dialog was muffled in the original and important lines were missed. Not anymore! All of Frank's dialog is crisper and easier to understand. That said, the Director's Cut is not necessarily a better movie. In fact, some of the music changes negated some of my favorite moments of the film. But it's definitely worth seeing (and owning when the DVD comes out).
A lot of Donnie Darko fans land on this site, so I'm going to list in detail some of the changes. If you are not a fanatic, or would rather spot the changes on your own, come read this later. Or, here, go play at the Donnie Darko website...
Music Changes
Echo and the Bunnymen's "Killing Moon" is gone, replaced by INXS's "Never Tear Us Apart."
Verdict? The lyrics fit well, but it doesn't snap us into the movie with the same bang.
"Under the Milkyway" is gone from the Halloween party scene, replaced by a very different mix of "The Killing Moon."
Verdict? The use of "Under the Milkyway" is one of my favorite moments in the film, and I missed it.
Sparkle Motion dance group does not dance to "West End Girls" -- it remains Duran Duran and "Notorious."
Added Scenes
There are a couple of great added/extended scenes. If you poked around the extras on the DVD, you'll remember them.
Most noteworthy is when Donnie's dad is talking at the Holiday Inn about their friend who died on his way to the prom. Not only can you hear the dialog now, but he refers to someone watching over Donnie, a nice reference to God, and that Dad knows something special is going on with their son.
I also love an added scene that has Donnie's dad giving him advice. But I'm undecided on the new scenes in the English class that refer to "Watership Down." More of Drew Barrymore is a good thing, but I'm not sure how to integrate Donnie's angry interpretation of the book.
Looping Deletions
Looping is an audio term that refers to background dialog or "walla" that is added in post production, usually to crowd scenes. They deleted a lot of the looping.
Verdict? Very good choice.
For example, Cherita is no longer heckled when she performs her angelic dance during the talent show. At the moment of her dance, Donnie is being sent by Frank to burn down Jim Cunningham's house. There's a beauty to the dance that added a wonderful sense of irony to that. It was robbed by the heckling. Nice cut.
Another looping cut was the unseen parents cheering Mrs. Farmer during the PTA Meeting. The cheers made it seem that this private school was overrun with conservative book burners.
Curious/Odd Cuts
There were other small cuts throughout the film that were interesting choices.
- When Drew Barrymore's character is fired, she no longer makes the "we're losing them to apathy" speech. Odd.
- Drew's character talks to Donnie with "Cellar Door" on the chalkboard behind her, but she no longer tells him that "everything is going to be okay." Later, after Donnie shoots Frank with the gun, he still tells the guy in the clown costume that "everything is going to be okay" --- but now this moment is even more out of left field since he's not repeating his teacher's words.
- When Donnie is in the movie theater talking to Frank, Gretchen sits between them, asleep. Donnie asks, "What happened to your eye?" In the original, Frank replies, "I'm so sorry." This line was cut. It was a nice reference to the fact that Frank will later run over Gretchen in the car -- and she looks pretty dead while sleeping in the scene.
- During the Halloween party, Donnie looks into the "spear" coming out of Gretchen's chest -- in the original, you can hear Mrs. Pomeroy (Drew Barrymore) repeat the words "cellar door". Most people don't even hear it anyway, but the line was cut.
I highly recommend either version of Donnie Darko. Hopefully the rerelease will introduce a whole new audience to this great movie!
posted by "Harold" at 1:45 AM
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