Editorials
‘Donnie Darko’: Revisiting the Horrors of Adolescence With Richard Kelly’s Cult Classic – 20 Years Later!
Stephen King once claimed that he hated high school and doesn’t trust anyone who looks back on their teenage years with any enjoyment. In his own words: “If you liked being a teenager, there’s something wrong with you.” While I have quite a few fond memories from my high-school days, mostly due to a couple of lifelong friendships and a budding obsession with horror movies, even I have to admit that it was an absolutely terrifying time to be alive.
Back then, movies were one of my only sources of comfort, especially ones with protagonists that I could relate to. Sure, I loved John Hughes flicks as much as the next wannabe film buff, but I always had a hard time identifying with the happy-go-lucky teens that populated his stories. However, one fateful day I stumbled on a DVD containing one of the most accurate cinematic depictions of adolescence while I was at the perfect age to experience it. Naturally, I’m talking about Richard Kelly’s coming-of-age parable/surreal supernatural thriller, Donnie Darko.
2021 marked the twentieth anniversary of Kelly’s debut feature, and though I’ve (gladly) been out of high school for over a decade now, I still look back on this movie as a nostalgic snapshot of a strange moment in life. Being Donnie’s age when I first watched it definitely helped in connecting with teenage struggles like bullies, girls and having parents worry about your mental state, but back then I was way more interested in the apocalyptic package that surrounded these elements. Nowadays, it’s exactly those mundane conflicts that make me consider the film a classic.
If you’ve somehow never seen this genre-bending oddity, Donnie Darko follows a young Jake Gyllenhaal as the titular Donnie, a sixteen-year-old with a history of emotional problems living in a small town during the ’80s. Taking place during a single lunar month, the film chronicles Donnie’s attempts to survive high-school while also dealing with visions of a man in a creepy rabbit costume warning that the world is going to end soon. There’s also a bit of teenage romance and a few time travel shenanigans thrown in for good measure.
Not just another teen movie.
Kind of like adolescence itself, Donnie Darko is a simultaneously frustrating and rewarding experience that operates more on feelings rather than logic. Despite this, the experience somehow comes together in the end due to the film’s solid emotional core. With the movie taking clear inspiration from David Lynch’s dreamlike approach to filmmaking, making sense of the series of events in Kelly’s script doesn’t really matter as much as how these events make you feel. This only works because the film lands pretty much all of the story’s emotional beats.
In fact, I prefer the theatrical cut of the film over the so-called director’s cut, which Kelly has referred to as more of a “special edition,” since he’s actually satisfied with the original release. The theatrical version leaves more of the story open to interpretation, and having less exposition means that audiences can experience the film’s strange events subjectively as if it were some kind of cinematic Rorschach test. The soundtrack also feels a little off in the director’s cut, especially since I’ve always thought that Echo & the Bunnymen’s The Killing Moon served as a perfect introduction to this melancholy yarn.
In any case, while being open to interpretation makes Donnie Darko a more interesting piece of art, it’s the pulpy sci-fi, horror and even comic book influences that drew me to the film in the first place. In some ways, these influences make it even more of a teen movie, as the story deals with speculative ideas that would almost certainly appeal to most teenage viewers. These genre elements begin with the film’s eerie atmosphere, with the story tackling existential dread as characters explore Kelly’s near-fatalistic approach to time travel.
This metaphysical horror is only exacerbated by Donnie’s status as an outcast and loner even among his peers, as well as his struggles with mental illness. One interpretation of the film even regards the entire thing as a vivid fantasy from Donnie’s point of view, with the character becoming isolated as he loses his grip on reality. The recurring theme of teenage isolation also leads to one of the film’s most chilling moments, with the late Patience Cleveland (unfortunately in her final theatrical appearance) whispering that “every living creature dies alone.”
Of course, the film’s most iconic spooky moments come from Donnie’s encounters with Frank, which is probably the most recognizable character in the movie. Hell, I only gave the DVD a shot because of the creepy bunny-man on the cover, so Kelly was clearly onto something with his odd design. There are other horrific elements as well, such as Patrick Swayze’s motivational speaker Jim Cunningham being revealed to be a pedophile, plus numerous references to classic horror media like Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead and more than a couple of nods to Stephen King. The entire flick even takes place during October, culminating in a very appropriate Halloween celebration.
An unexpected Halloween flick.
The film’s subtle super-hero influences (which range from charming alliterative names to bizarre superpowers and even multiverse theory) also have a dark twist. You can actually interpret the story as a tragic and convoluted attempt by the universe to teach Donnie that “with great power comes great responsibility.” While I won’t get into spoilers here, it’s clear that, in this case, “responsibility” entails a fate much worse than simply using superpowers to fight off costumed bad guys.
At the end of the day, these genre elements only work because the film blends its teenage fantasy with a convincing tapestry of adolescent life in the ’80s. Donnie’s relationships with his friends and family are incredibly nuanced and believable, and I especially appreciate how the filmmakers included Jake’s real-life sister Maggie Gyllenhaal into the mix. This allowed for quite a few memorable interactions like the unforgettable “how does one suck a fuck?” exchange. I’d even argue that the movie’s unique take on coming-of-age tropes manages to rival classic teen films like Dazed and Confused or The Breakfast Club.
I’m aware that Donnie Darko isn’t necessarily a perfect movie, with odd filmmaking decisions and surreal storytelling that won’t work for everyone, but it’s such an emotionally resonant experience that the usual flaws don’t seem that important to me when compared with the film’s sincerity. Hell, after The Box and the director’s cut of Southland Tales, I’m actually curious to find out what Kelly has in store for his proposed sequel.
There’s so much more that I could say about this film, as it’s one of those rare pieces of art that just keeps on giving, but the beauty of Donnie Darko is precisely in letting go of narrative theories and enjoying a moody ride through the horrors of adolescence. To end things on another Stephen King quote: “Let’s face it. No kid in high school feels as though they fit in.” You may not have dealt with apocalyptic prophecies or giant rabbit costumes, but at some point in your life, you’ve certainly felt the eerie loneliness that afflicted Donnie as a teenager. That’s why this is still my favorite teen movie twenty years later.
Frank was here. Went to get beer.
Editorials
‘Immaculate’ – A Companion Watch Guide to the Religious Horror Movie and Its Cinematic Influences
The religious horror movie Immaculate, starring Sydney Sweeney and directed by Michael Mohan, wears its horror influences on its sleeves. NEON’s new horror movie is now available on Digital and PVOD, making it easier to catch up with the buzzy title. If you’ve already seen Immaculate, this companion watch guide highlights horror movies to pair with it.
Sweeney stars in Immaculate as Cecilia, a woman of devout faith who is offered a fulfilling new role at an illustrious Italian convent. Cecilia’s warm welcome to the picture-perfect Italian countryside gets derailed soon enough when she discovers she’s become pregnant and realizes the convent harbors disturbing secrets.
From Will Bates’ gothic score to the filming locations and even shot compositions, Immaculate owes a lot to its cinematic influences. Mohan pulls from more than just religious horror, though. While Immaculate pays tribute to the classics, the horror movie surprises for the way it leans so heavily into Italian horror and New French Extremity. Let’s dig into many of the film’s most prominent horror influences with a companion watch guide.
Warning: Immaculate spoilers ahead.
Rosemary’s Baby
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The mother of all pregnancy horror movies introduces Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow), an eager-to-please housewife who’s supportive of her husband, Guy, and thrilled he landed them a spot in the coveted Bramford apartment building. Guy proposes a romantic evening, which gives way to a hallucinogenic nightmare scenario that leaves Rosemary confused and pregnant. Rosemary’s suspicions and paranoia mount as she’s gaslit by everyone around her, all attempting to distract her from her deeply abnormal pregnancy. While Cecilia follows a similar emotional journey to Rosemary, from the confusion over her baby’s conception to being gaslit by those who claim to have her best interests in mind, Immaculate inverts the iconic final frame of Rosemary’s Baby to great effect.
The Exorcist
William Friedkin’s horror classic shook audiences to their core upon release in the ’70s, largely for its shocking imagery. A grim battle over faith is waged between demon Pazuzu and priests Damien Karras (Jason Miller) and Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow). The battleground happens to be a 12-year-old, Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), whose possessed form commits blasphemy often, including violently masturbating with a crucifix. Yet Friedkin captures the horrifying events with stunning cinematography; the emotional complexity and shot composition lend elegance to a film that counterbalances the horror. That balance between transgressive imagery and artful form permeates Immaculate as well.
Suspiria
Jessica Harper stars as Suzy Bannion, an American newcomer at a prestigious dance academy in Germany who uncovers a supernatural conspiracy amid a series of grisly murders. It’s a dance academy so disciplined in its art form that its students and faculty live their full time, spending nearly every waking hour there, including built-in meals and scheduled bedtimes. Like Suzy Bannion, Cecilia is a novitiate committed to learning her chosen trade, so much so that she travels to a foreign country to continue her training. Also, like Suzy, Cecilia quickly realizes the pristine façade of her new setting belies sinister secrets that mean her harm.
What Have You Done to Solange?
This 1972 Italian horror film follows a college professor who gets embroiled in a bizarre series of murders when his mistress, a student, witnesses one taking place. The professor starts his own investigation to discover what happened to the young woman, Solange. Sex, murder, and religion course through this Giallo’s veins, which features I Spit on Your Grave’s Camille Keaton as Solange. Immaculate director Michael Mohan revealed to The Wrap that he emulated director Massimo Dallamano’s techniques, particularly in a key scene that sees Cecilia alone in a crowded room of male superiors, all interrogating her on her immaculate status.
The Red Queen Kills Seven Times
In this Giallo, two sisters inherit their family’s castle that’s also cursed. When a dark-haired, red-robed woman begins killing people around them, the sisters begin to wonder if the castle’s mysterious curse has resurfaced. Director Emilio Miraglia infuses his Giallo with vibrant style, with the titular Red Queen instantly eye-catching in design. While the killer’s design and use of red no doubt played an influential role in some of Immaculate’s nightmare imagery, its biggest inspiration in Mohan’s film is its score. Immaculate pays tribute to The Red Queen Kills Seven Times through specific music cues.
The Vanishing
Rex’s life is irrevocably changed when the love of his life is abducted from a rest stop. Three years later, he begins receiving letters from his girlfriend’s abductor. Director George Sluizer infuses his simple premise with bone-chilling dread and psychological terror as the kidnapper toys with Red. It builds to a harrowing finale you won’t forget; and neither did Mohan, who cited The Vanishing as an influence on Immaculate. Likely for its surprise closing moments, but mostly for the way Sluizer filmed from inside a coffin.
The Other Hell
This nunsploitation film begins where Immaculate ends: in the catacombs of a convent that leads to an underground laboratory. The Other Hell sees a priest investigating the seemingly paranormal activity surrounding the convent as possessed nuns get violent toward others. But is this a case of the Devil or simply nuns run amok? Immaculate opts to ground its horrors in reality, where The Other Hell leans into the supernatural, but the surprise lab setting beneath the holy grounds evokes the same sense of blasphemous shock.
Inside
During Immaculate‘s freakout climax, Cecilia sets the underground lab on fire with Father Sal Tedeschi (Álvaro Morte) locked inside. He manages to escape, though badly burned, and chases Cecilia through the catacombs. When Father Tedeschi catches Cecilia, he attempts to cut her baby out of her womb, and the stark imagery instantly calls Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury’s seminal French horror movie to mind. Like Tedeschi, Inside’s La Femme (Béatrice Dalle) will stop at nothing to get the baby, badly burned and all.
Burial Ground
At first glance, this Italian zombie movie bears little resemblance to Immaculate. The plot sees an eclectic group forced to band together against a wave of undead, offering no shortage of zombie gore and wild character quirks. What connects them is the setting; both employed the Villa Parisi as a filming location. The Villa Parisi happens to be a prominent filming spot for Italian horror; also pair the new horror movie with Mario Bava’s A Bay of Blood or Blood for Dracula for additional boundary-pushing horror titles shot at the Villa Parisi.
The Devils
The Devils was always intended to be incendiary. Horror, at its most depraved and sadistic, tends to make casual viewers uncomfortable. Ken Russell’s 1971 epic takes it to a whole new squeamish level with its nightmarish visuals steeped in some historical accuracy. There are the horror classics, like The Exorcist, and there are definitive transgressive horror cult classics. The Devils falls squarely in the latter, and Russell’s fearlessness in exploring taboos and wielding unholy imagery inspired Mohan’s approach to the escalating horror in Immaculate.
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