Ten years ago today Donnie Darko opened in just 58 theaters and during its domestic run made just $1,270,522. With a budget of $4.5 million it missed breaking even grossing just over $4.1 million worldwide. It was by word of mouth, midnight showings, and video sale it grew to become a cult classic and one of the most influential films of the decade.
Just like the plot of the movie it filmed over the course of 28 days. And like the plot it changed a generation, as it defied definition.
A movie of a world straddling reality and unknown alternative outcomes affected by the choices each makes and those each are destined to live.
Richard Kelly created nostalgia for an era gone by, and at the same time the future yet to happen while capturing the universality of the angst of adolescence.
Jake's performance as the flawed Donnie will remain one of the iconic performances of his career.
There is so much more to say, but want to hear what you think about this modern cult classic.
And so no one doubts a commitment to Sparkle Motion.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds...ten years later
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24 comments:
Donnie Darko is still one of my favorite films ever. It is the kind of movie I love, and I never get tired of seeing it.
This version of Killing Moon sounds different than the version I have. Really like this one. Where is it from Special? One of my favorite songs ever as well.
In honor of Donnie Darko's 10th anniversary—today!—Interview went searching through the magazine stacks for a properly themed Old News piece (read: something weird). Boy, did we hit the jackpot. The year is 2002, and a pre-A-list Jake Gyllenhaal is being interviewed by Susan Sarandon for Interview's August issue. A year after Donnie Darko's release, Gyllenhaal is awaiting the premieres of The Good Girl and Moonlight Mile. Sarandon is still with (now ex-) husband Tim Robbins, Brad is still with Jen, and an anonymous spectator thinks Gyllenhaal is some writer/producer interviewing Sarandon. Read on to revisit creepier times.
Read
Darko is in my top ten movies list.
Every time watch it makes me see something I didn't see before or think about something in a new way. Not so much about the picture always, but in a bigger metaphysical sense.
To think that Jake was just 20 when he made it blows my mind, because what he was able to accomplish as an actor.
I have said it before but it stunning how he transforms into someone who slips between reality and dillusion so easily almost organically.
Just looking at him you see it pass over his face, without a word said. His lack of affect, the distance he projects. Working with people who had mental health issues in one of my past jobs, I can tell you how dead on he was in his performance.
And while Jake worked hard to do Darko, there was an interview where he talked about working with his dad about the character, it doesn't show, his acting is just..that... effortless.
When the director's cut came out in 2004 the Boston Globe had a great quote that said, "What remains unchanged is the realization of just what a superb actor Jake Gyllenhaal is."
Richard Kelly created and capture this moment of time part nostalgic, part angst, part alternative reality.
Darko will never be able to be duplicated, it stands alone. Even Kelly hasn't been able to capture that magic in any of his other movies.
Destiny, this version of Killing Moon is from a Echo & the Bunnyman box set that came out in 2001.
It is a different version but I do like it too.
Wow thanks!!! I voted 4 @SophiaBush and @AUS10NICHOLS for favorite TV Drama Actress/Actor and OTH of course! ://t.co/CQcH8BgZ
28 minutes ago
This is probably messed up of me but people are asking. Heres the link for the People's Choice Awards peopleschoice.com/pca/nomination...
11 minutes ago
25 Things You May Not Know About 'Donnie Darko'
Off to Soul Cycle?
Coopermaee
Cooper Mae
Umm I just brushed past jake gyllenhaal in union square. what just happened
18 minutes ago
JackieWithAJay Jaquelyn Morales
OMG LITERALLY BUMPED INTO JAKE GYLLENHAAL ON CANAL ST.!!!! ALEX AND I FOLLOWED HIM!! But then we stopped cause he noticed #COMPLETELYBUGGING
3 minutes ago
Thanks Special.
There was a naturalness to Jake's performance in DD that I think hasn't always been there in later movies. Don't know if that's Jake or the roles.
Dear Ted:
Is Toothy Tile hunky Bradley Cooper?
—D
Dear Not a Bad Guess...
But no, although Toothy is equally as hot.
Afternoon Mail
And a story with as much worth as a mood ring, wax lips or 8-track player (uh, yes, this was actually released today, 10/26 by Gossip Cop:
Taylor Swift Trying to “Rekindle” Romance with Jake Gyllenhaal?
Taylor Swift and Jake Gyllenhaal dated only briefly last year, but the tabloids are still hopelessly clinging to their past relationship as a source of drama.
In Touch has a story this week with the headline, “Jake Dumps Taylor… Again!” claiming Swift begged the actor to “rekindle their romance,” but “he shot her down.”
According to a supposed “friend” of Gyllenhaal, “Taylor still reaches out to him and he wants nothing to do with her.”
The reason given is that Swift is now friendly with Gyllenhaal’s ex, Reese Witherspoon.
“Jake’s normally an easygoing guy, but the thought of Taylor telling Reese everything she knows about him just puts a knot in his stomach,” says In Touch‘s source.
Adds the so-called friend, “He really wanted to marry Reese, and he doesn’t want any girl-talk about him.”
There’s just one major problem with this story.
Swift is NOT trying to get back together with Gyllenhaal.
They dated a year ago, and have both moved on.
A source close to the singer tells Gossip Cop the tab’s story is completely untrue.
Oh, and one more thing – when Swift and Witherspoon do get together, which isn’t often, they don’t spend their time gossiping about Gyllenhaal.
http://www.gossipcop.com/taylor-swift-wants-jake-gyllenhaal-back-rekindling-reese-witherspoon/
dawsons_virginn donnie darko. ☀.
@
@FreeFalling1D seriously, jake gyllenhall was FIT when he was younger.
3 hours ago
FIT = sexy. Brit slang. They're not saying he was in good shape when he was younger and isn't now. They're saying even as a young dorky kid he was sexy.
From the top 25 Things You May Not Know about Donnie Darko
18. Marcus Stern of the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass. adapted 'Donnie Darko' into a stage play. It ran for three weeks in 2007, appropriately, around Halloween.
I went to Opening Night of the movie with two OMG'ers, Roma and NETB.
The play was workshopped 3 years before it was brought to the ART. I thought they were inventive in handling in such a complex theme, but it was hard to picture anyone else as Donnie beside Jake.
spagheddieoh
Eddie
Maybe I got all gay and thanked Jake Gyllenhaal for his performance in Brokeback tonight at a cocktail party. Maybe I didn't.
46 minutes ago
Personality101
Miss Personality101
See I knew I wasnt seeing doubles.. I knew it was Jake Gyllenhaal that I seen walking down the street on sunday near the ActorFest building
46 minutes ago
jake gyllenhall was FIT when he was younger
British, Japanese, sign language, Braille, English, pig Latin.
Was = past tense participle in any language and regardless of what word it precedes: "fit", "sexy", "silly", "gooberish", or "drop dead gorgeous".
**heavy sigh**
I did not see Darko until after BBM when I was blown away by Jake's performance and started tracking down all his movies. I think I have seen at least 3 different versions of it by now and own about 4 dvds. I never get tired of it, though I have not watched it in a long time. So true that he had something then that we no longer see. It was a magical film, not unlike BBM. Things just came together perfectly to make a benchmark film.
@mayumintolor mayumi yamamoto
Lock on to JG: Beth Grant talks about little boy Jake Gyllenhaal,... mayumintolor-lockontojg.blogspot.com/2011/10/beth-g… #JakeGyllenhaal #SourceCode #mission8minutes
rkampe rkampe
Note to self. Unlikely that anyone else on the plane realizes that Maggie Gyllenhall and Peter Sarsgaard are flying with us. @Alitalia
23 minutes ago
I saw DD right before BBM came out; in fact I showed it for a movie group I'm in with some friends the same weekend BBM opened.
I'm really sorry I never saw it on the big screen. I keep hoping it will show up at a midnight showing or revival house. The director's cut was shown in NYC when it came out on DVD, which is when I first heard of the movie, but it only played a week and I didn't get to it.
Love the story from Beth Grant, talking about Jake running around naked with her two nieces when they were little.
"I remember turning to my sister in law and asking, "Who is that beautiful child?" He just was magical, always, so generous and open."
And her story about seeing him singing Music of the Night in 6th grade.
What a song for an eleven year old! I thought, this kid is a star. Whether or not he's going to be a movie star, who knows, but he's a star in the world, because he's luminous.
I can only imagine his a then 11 yr. old still soprano voice singing it.
She mentions that they have seen each other after Darko on a personal level. I wonder if one of those times was while Austin was working with Beth on House of Usher.
Jennsando
Jennifer Sandoval
Just saw Jake Gyllenhall waiting to cross the street next to me looking through his I pod. Such a yummy looking man.
44 minutes ago
House of Usher, now there's something I'd completely forgotten about.
Dear Ted:
If I had to choose, I'd say my favorite Vicers are Veronica Bee-Stings and Shafterella Shoshstein. Both are crafty broads who are only out for themselves. But if you had to choose an all-time favorite Vicer, who would it be and why?
—Samantha
Dear How Vicetastic!:
Too funny, doll, because Veronica and good-ol' be-yotch Shafty could not hate each other more! But I've said it before and I'll say it again: Toothy will always hold a special place in my heart. On a lesser note, crackers Chiquita and chilly Cruella are always good for a laugh and a smirk, respectively.
Afternoon Mail
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