The document provides an analysis of the similarities between the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex and the cult classic film Donnie Darko. It notes that both works deal with themes of fate, destiny, and time, as the main characters attempt to prevent prophesied events from occurring. In Donnie Darko, the protagonist Donnie suffers from predictions of the future through time travel mechanisms, and must work to rectify the past in order to preserve the future. The document examines key components and outcomes for the characters in both works that are affected by destiny and fate.

1. Donnie Darko vs. Oedipus Rex Essay
Greek tragedies were often seen as the foundation to literature not only for the Greeks but also on a universal scale as well. Sophocles' Oedipus Rex
was one of the more infamous tales because of its provocative and unorthodox nature. The tragedy features a man on a quest to prevent the events of
his prophesized life from coming to fruition. The key components of fate, destiny and time can be paralleled to the cult classic film Donnie Darko. In
the movie, Donnie suffers from predictions of the future in his own variation of time travel, as a repercussion he has been "chosen" to rectify the past in
order to preserve what is to come.
Between the two pieces of text, destiny and fate greatly affect the outcome for both of the...show more content...
Donnie has to suffer the knowledge that his death would be the only way to prevent the cataclysmic incidents like that of Ashton Kutcher's
character Evan Treborn in The Butterfly Effect. He too understood his role in life was apocalyptic as soon as he was conceived. When Donnie ran
into Grandma Death she whispered to him that "All things die alone," ("Donnie Darko") it can be seen just how tragic and miserable his life was
going to be. After assessing the whole film, it can be realized that she was right because Donnie inevitably died by himself without ever having met
Gretchen and without resolving his fight with his mother. Another event can be one of the first encounters with Frank in which ended with "28 days,
6 hours, 42 minutes, 12 seconds" ("Donnie Darko") being etched into his arm. He had his very own expiration date and "end of the world" timeframe
given to him. The very thought of knowing one's own time of death is absolutely frightening and panic inducing. One of the deleted scenes off of the
DVD provided more insight into Donnie's mind and his acceptance of death: A storm is coming, Frank says.
A storm that will swallow the children, and I will deliver them from the kingdom of pain.
I will deliver the children back to their doorsteps;
I'll send the monsters back to the underground.
I'll send them back to a place where no one else can see them, except for me because I am Donnie Darko
("Donnie Darko")
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2. Donnie Darko
Twenty–eight days...six hours...forty–two minutes...twelve seconds, that is when the world will end. The movie Donnie Darko, Frank tells Donnie that
the world will end in just a short time. Throughout the movie, different literary devices are experimented to give the movie a deeper meaning. This
provides the audience with a hidden message that gathers the viewer's attention while keeping them entertained. Donnie Darko is a movie that has
imagery, symbolism, and foreshadowing and by merging these devices creates a film that holds their audience's attention. Frank is one of the main
characters in the story who surfaces in the movie as a man wearing a rabbit's costume. He only appears to Donnie when Donnie takes the prescribed
...show more content...
Using a wormhole, Donnie has to utilize telekinesis to send the artifact back to the primary universe. This objective has to be completed within
twenty–eight days or the world will cease to exist. There are two types of universes: primary and tangent universes. A primary universe is a universe
that we live in or see on a day–to–day basis. The tangent universe however is a universe that cannot sustain itself or exist for a very long time. To
create a tangent universe an artifact must occur, in this case the jet engine, into a day that had already happened. Donnie was not located in his room at
the time the artifact appeared, because Frank came to him in his dream and encouraged Donnie to start walking away from his house. Being closest to
the artifact, Donnie became the living receiver and had to eventually return the jet engine. The manipulated includes everyone in the movie, except for
Donnie, which is the living receiver. There are two types of manipulators: the manipulated dead and the manipulated living. Two main characters of the
movie in the tangent universe that were killed are called the manipulated dead. On the other hand, the manipulated living includes everyone else that
did not die in the tangent universe, including Donnie's parents, sisters, teachers and some students. When it was discovered that the bronze statue in
front of the school was
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3. Essay on Donnie Darko
Donnie Darko In recent years, Hollywood has specialised in churning out mainstream trash; generic fodder not even fit for the cutting room floor. Yet
despite these movies' shortcomings, they continue to enjoy success at the box office. Sequel upon sequel, photo fit remake upon photo fit remake,
frequently taking the box office by storm whilst simultaneously relegating smaller independent projects to the now relatively unheard–of arthouse
cinemas. The tragedy is that the independent filmmakers are often those with the most talent; the most creativity; the most flair. One such filmmaker is
director Richard...show more content...
In fact, each frame speaks to us on more profound terms than the majority of arthouse films would claim to do. This is, in part, due to the impeccable
performances by each and every member of the cast. Jake Gyllenhaal, a relative unknown, delivers a subtle yet emotionally charged performance as
Donnie himself – the scene in which he tells his psychologist of his various childhood traumas is made both funny and moving by the haunting way
in which Jake delivers each line, contrasted with the almost childish qualities of his movements on the couch. Most incredible of all, however, is his
terrifying screen presence as he trudges slowly through a deserted corridor or along a dark street, head tilted slightly forward, face fixed in a confused,
bewildered expression. Drew Barrymore is also superb as the liberal high school teacher rejected and scorned in a Conservative education system,
while Patrick Swayze is excellent in his extended cameo, a smartly observed satire of a self–help guru with a few skeletons in the closet.
Where the movie comes into its own, however, is in its ability to incorporate and deal with a variety of genres. Every movie genre seems to make an
appearance, so much so that to categorise the movie as simply a "psychological horror" or a "supernatural thriller" would be an unforgivable insult. Even
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4. Essay about Where is Donnie?
"Donnie Darko," is the first film of writer/director Richard Kelly, starring Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Drew Barrymore and Patrick
Swayze came out on October 26, 2001. However, three years later, "Donnie Darko" was re–released in a director's cut version, with remastered sound,
picture, 20 minutes of new footage and new visual effects. This marked the film's impressive success on DVD sales – taking in more than $10 million
to date in the U.S. sales alone. When I first saw this film, I couldn't quite grasp the meaning of the whole story, but now seeing it for a whopping 7
times I can now call it one of my all–time favorite movies to watch. The opening scene in the movie is where the audience first meets Donnie Darko
...show more content...
As Donnie gets up and grins I knew instantly that he was used to waking up in odd places and that it was "normal" to him. Showing that Donnie is a
strong but unusual character slightly hinting that there is something more going on, and what is explained and revealed later as him being diagnosed
with schizophrenia. When I first saw this movie I knew that it was going to be strange or surreal because of this beginning of Donnie waking up in the
middle of a road on a mountainside.
Next, are several shots of brief duration that follow are shown in montage format, Donnie mounts his bike and starts to ride it back home. In the
original film 'Killing Moon' by Echo and the Bunnymen is played. This can later be understood to be a comical insinuation to Donnie's friend, Frank,
who is a bunny–man, or wears a bunny suit for most of the movie at least. This is the first of many comical moments in the film, not all as
insinuating. But, in the director's cut 'Never Tear Us Apart' is played nondiegetically in the opening scene. The song is as lively as the bike ride and
gives a menacing and exhilarating feel to the suburbs that he rides into. The suburbs themselves are mundane – Donnie rides past a sign for the
upcoming Halloween carnival, two neighborhood women are speed walking with hand weights together in tracksuits, big houses, a red Pontiac
Trans–Am speeding by and, as he approaches his house, the camera dolly's in to his father
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5. Psychology Donnie Darko
Top of Form
Bottom of Form Many films today go beyond simple dramas and acts of heroism. A recent interest in the individual and why each person does, acts,
lives the way they do makes for wonderful film adaptations of the tortured human soul. Cult films like Donnie Darko received a very strong
following due to its strong portrayal of a young man dealing with psychological issues, the question of God, feeling alone, and death. More than any
teenager should have to deal with but considering our day and age, it is not surprising that the following Donnie Darko has earned through beautiful
portrayal of a tormented soul is made up of mainly adolescents. In the film, Donnie is said to suffer from paranoid schizophrenia....show more content...
Also, paranoid schizophrenics often of hallucination of smell, taste, sexual and other sensations. Visual hallucinations such as the ones presented in
Donnie Darko are also possible occurrences or symptoms but are rarely the main hallucinations individuals suffer from. In the film, Donnie hears a
voice command him to wake up and he follows the voice until he reaches the place he is supposed to reach. At that point his hallucination takes visual
form. Other times as well he either hears his hallucination, Frank, or sees him, or both, oftentimes having conversations with him. Further, Donnie
realizes near the end of the film that he has a special mission he must complete which is to die in order for members of his family and his girlfriend to
live. Treatment of paranoid schizophrenia includes medication, psychotherapy, hospitalization, and other forms of therapy. Outside of the western
world some communities help the individual suffering from schizophrenia with group based activities and some have seen positive outcomes for the
individuals, sometimes more so than individuals treated in the western world with therapy and medication. In Donnie Darko, Donnie's therapist
conducts typical sessions where she asks him how he is
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6. Donnie Darko Analysis
Donnie Darko and Run Lola Run do have some similarities, although they are faint. Both films have a cause and effect situation to them that lead us
in confusion and suspense throughout the films. In Donnie Darko the audience are left at the ending wondering "what would have happened if the
plane never crashed into his room? / How would Donnie act or end up if he were to live a longer life. We see the past and present in both films seen
through the characters. In Run Lola Run, when Lola accidentally runs into a person, we see snapshots of their futures, which play out indirectly as a
response to their interactions with Lola. Compared to Donnie Darko who is seeing his life coming to an end when Frank tells him the world is going to
end. Each film battles with the amount of time they have to live or achieve their goal. They also share the ideas of hidden items/meanings in the films.
In Donnie Darko, there was a photo of Donnie with bunny ears that is discreetly placed on a table near the phone that he grabs. Comparable to the
Hitchcock film being represented in Run Lola Run, with the use of spirals and paining of the woman actress in the station giving the vibe of
Hitchcock's film Vertigo.
Time traveling, and the encountering of different people is a large aspect of both films. In Donnie Darko, we are never in one place for two long and
we are continuously watching Donnie impact and have his life impacted by other people in the community. Then there is Lola, who is running
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7. Donnie Darko
Donnie Darko – English assignment by Emma Bak Sauer Donnie Darko is a film by Richard Kelly from 2001, with Jake Gyllenhaal in the main
lead. The film is supposed to look like it's from 1988. The film is about a schizophrenic teen that lives in the American suburb of Middlesex. When an
unidentified giant plane engine crashes into his room, a chain of mysterious events is triggered. Donnie is plagued by visions of an evil–looking rabbit
named Frank. Who makes Donnie commit acts of violence, and tells him the world will end in 28 days. Frank is the boyfriend of Donnie's sister
Elizabeth. The Frank who speaks to Donnie is a kind of ghost Frank – a remnant of Frank, because Donnie shoots him in the eye within the Tangent
Universe's 28 days...show more content...
Donnie goes to the fridge where a note is saying, "Frank left to go get beer". Then Donnie takes Gretchen to go see Roberta Sparrow, Grandma Dead,
because times almost op. Two thugs then attack Donnie and Gretchen, which are two guys from their school. One throws Gretchen onto the ground;
the other holds a knife to Donnie's neck. Roberta is standing in the middle of the road and a car tries to avoid her but then hits Gretchen and kills her.
The driver is Frank; this is the real Frank – Donnie's sister's boyfriend. Donnie gets scared and frightened and shoots him in the eye. With Gretchen's
body at his side, Donnie watches a storm begin. Donnie then remembers what Gretchen said about taking back all the bad things and replacing them
with something good. Donnie then goes back in time trough the wormhole and changes the future with him staying in bed. With him staying in bed and
the crashing hits their house Donnie gets killed. Gretchen lives on, without ever knowing Donnie. I think Gretchen feels some kind of dГ©jГ vu when
she sees Rose. Gretchen actually doesn't know Rose yet, but she did before Donnie went back in time. You get the feeling that Rose and Gretchen
seem to recognise each other by _way they look at each
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8. Essay about Donnie Darko Belonging
Belonging is a perception shaped within personal, social, cultural and historical context. While to most the concept only includes acceptance and
harmony, there can be two sides to belonging, and Donnie Darko explores this idea through its characters and their context in the film.
Donnie Darko is set against the backdrop of the 1988 Bush vs. Dukakis Presidential election; it represents 1980's conservative America through the last
28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds of Donnie Darko's life. There is a strong theme of insecurity and isolation and many of the characters don't
belong throughout the film.
These themes are represented by Kelly using a range of film techniques. The use of iconic references, such as fashion, news and...show more content...
Like Donnie, she sees the bigger picture of society. "We are losing them to apathy." She explains to the indifferent Principal Cole.
"I am sorry that you have failed." He replies, after an unsatisfactory explanation for her dismissal. During the scene, Mrs Pomeroy is seated lower
than Principal Cole, making him seem more powerful and while Mrs Pomeroy's body language is open and truthful, Principal Cole's is cagey and
exasperated, blocked off and protected by his desk. The audience and Mrs Pomeroy know who is right, but are powerless to change anything, creating
a feeling of isolation.
A sense of irony is created as the most honest people in the film are labelled as mentally unstable (Donnie is diagnosed with schizophrenia) or, in Ms
Pomeroy's case, unsuitable figures of authority, whereas characters such as Jim Cunningham, while famous and respected are revealed as false (Donnie
burns down Jim's house to expose a "kiddie porn dungeon").
While outcasts of society, they all are connected by their position, which could be seen as either a blessing or curse. To be happily oblivious to the
shortcomings of society might be wistfully contemplated, however, given the choice, I don't think the characters would choose it.
Watching this movie, I felt I could relate to them, as I think everyone does, having experienced life so far. It's confusing and frustrating sometimes. I'm
sure everyone has times where they feel like an alien
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