Case StudyDonnie Darko

(Richard Kelly, USA, 2001)

Analysis of an arthouse movie

Donnie Darko – Arthouse movie

• Shot in 28 days

• Richard Kelly’s debut film

• Raved about at the Sundance Film Festival

• Poor run at the box office, released 11th Sept 2001

• Moved in to the realms of cult status

Donnie Darko – Arthouse movie

• Adolescence is a central theme

• Interesting to see how cinematography, mise en scene, editing, sound and SFX create film art

• Richard Kelly defines a filmmaker as ‘a kind of technician or craftsman’

Donnie Darko – Arthouse movie

• Before viewing it is important to establish what happens

• Open to interpretation

• Interpretations are linked to film language

• Very true of arthouse films

Donnie Darko – Arthouse movie

• Four ways of looking at the film• Science-fiction/fantasy• Religious• Psychological• Political

• Not an exhaustive list• Kelly’s own theory:

• I considered myself to be just a viewer when I wrote it, not the filmmaker. It was meant to be an argument that people could agree or disagree with. Ultimately, I think those pages caused people to ask more questions about what it all means.

Donnie Darko – Arthouse movie

• Interpretation 1 – Science-fiction/fantasy

• Interpretation 2 – Religious

• Interpretation 3 – Psychological

• Interpretation 4 - Political

Donnie Darko – Arthouse movie

Focus

•Mise en scene