Best of Frightfest: ‘Donnie Darko’ Dir. Richard Kelly

Best of Frightfest: As the twentieth anniversary of Arrow Video Frightfest approaches, we at team THN take a look back at some of the best and brightest films that have screened over the last two decades. First up is Donnie Darko.

Donnie Darko, directed by Richard Kelly and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, screened at Frightfest in 2002. Frightfest have always had their finger on the pulse of films that embrace the dark heart of cinema and they proved this early on when they picked Donnie Darko for the line-up in their third year.

Now Donnie Darko isn’t just one of the best films to ever screen at Frightfest, it’s one of the best films ever made. A true example of a cult classic, the film quickly amassed fans after a limited UK release in October 2002. Since then, it’s been re-released in cinemas several times, including a limited run of the longer director’s cut version, and most recently, had a lovely 4K restoration release in time for its fifteenth anniversary, via Arrow Films. Donnie Darko holds a special place in my heart as it came out at just the right time for me. Given that I was at college studying film, had a healthy interest in the alternative eighties music, and science-fiction, meant I was the perfect target audience.

For those that have yet to see Donnie Darko (go watch it), the plot follows the young and eccentric Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal), a smart-ass, sleepwalking teen with emotional problems. During one of his sleepwalking episodes, Donnie encounters a time-travelling nightmarish giant bunny rabbit called Frank (James Duval), who tells him that the world will end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, 12 seconds. Donnie then becomes entangled in the mysteries of time-travel and wormholes, whilst at the same time falling in love with new girl at school Gretchen (Jenna Malone) and uncovering the dark secret that self-help mentor Jim Cunningham (Patrick Swayze) is hiding.

From the opening moments atop the hill, to its closing moments set to Gary Jules’ haunting cover of Tears for Fears song ‘Mad World’, Donnie Darko is simply perfect. The script is tightly written and balances all the science jargon and philosophical chatter with eighties pop cultural references and humour. The moody cinematography sets the atmosphere beautifully, and Kelly showcases a lot of technical flair. The sequence where Tears for Fears’ ‘Head Over Heels’ played over footage that is sped-up or slowed down as Donnie arrives at school is superb. It feels like a music video in the middle of the film, something that shouldn’t work, but does.

The soundtrack and score have gone down in history as being one of the most iconic in film. Michael Andrews’ score is a haunting mix of eighties sci-fi like synths and ethereal choral vocals, whereas the soundtrack is packed with the best of alternative eighties classics. Highlight’s include Echo and the Bunnymen’s ‘Killing Moon’, which opens the film as Donnie cycles around town and we meet all the key players of the film, The Church’s ‘Under the Milky Way’, and the aforementioned Tears for Fears’ songs.

Donnie Darko is also the film that helped launch the career of Jake Gyllenhaal. His performance as a troubled teen is note perfect. Through his performance he demonstrates an ability to balance both darkness and light, something that he has continued throughout his career. He also makes Donnie just as cool as he is weird, and made a million teenage girls fall in love with the character.

It was also Richard Kelly’s directorial debut, one that had the film world eager to see what he would do next. Unfortunately, his follow-up, Southland Tales, was critically mauled, and his next film The Box failed to garner too much attention, leaving him deemed by many as a one-hit wonder. If you’re only going to have one hit though, Donnie Darko is a pretty good one to go with.

Arrow Video Frightfest returns for its twentieth year on 22nd August 2019. More info on the Frightfest website.