AR; Textual Analysis 2 of Donnie Darko (Kelly, 2001)

Donnie Darko (Kelly, 2001)

This is a clip in the first 10 minutes of Donnie Darko. It's popularity over time has made it a cult-classic, it was not a success though as it was made with a (low) budget of $4.5 million and only made $7.7 million at box-office. It is really simple yet effective in scaring the audience, I think this sort of thing will be easy for us to create. I really advice you watch this film, as it is one of my favourites with a very interesting plot line, brilliant soundtrack and some iconic actors. It is extremely entertaining with aspects of humour and an ending that will leave you thinking about it for ages.

Synopsis
Donnie Darko escapes death because he follows a person dressed in a giant bunny Halloween costume leading him out his house. The bunny, called Frank, tells him that the World is coming to an end in 28 days (also the days it took to make the film). Donnie returns home, after waking up in the middle of a golf course, to find out a mysterious jet engine has crashed through the roof of his house into his bedroom. As the 'end of the World' comes closer Donnie is drawn into an alarming series of events that may be the product of his growing insanity. Frank continues to turn up in Donnie's mind, causing him to commit multiple acts of vandalism and worse. He floods the school, burns down the house of a man that he does not like and even kills someone.
Frank promises Donnie that they will not get caught for the crimes they have committed. During a hypnotherapy session Donnie confesses his crimes to his therapist, Dr Thurman, and tells her that Frank is going to kill someone. Frank also begins telling Donnie about time travel.
Donnie starts to see tubes of fluid light extending from the chest of his family and friends. He notices that this indicates where the people are about to go, therefor the future. He becomes obsessed with trying to find answers for what Frank is trying to tell him.

Genre

It is a science fiction, psychological horror/drama. There is no graphic violence of gore so the fright that is evoked from the audience is purely based on the human psyche. Generic features of horror are present such as the second shot which is of the house from outside in the cold at night. I have seen this in a few other horrors such as in the beginning of 'Halloween.' It is good at setting the time and place of the sequence, for this extract it is a cold, windy night in a middle class, suburban, family house. The soundtrack of the echoed whispers and distorted singing from the TV as well as the constant whaling is generic of horror and is successful in creating an frightening and uneasy sense of tension. The audience expectation of horror is challenged with the 'monster' who is creepy and frightening but as they are not particularly intimidating or violent it is an original and yet even more disturbing source of horror.

Form and style of opening
The style of this opening sequence has a dream-like, distorted atmosphere that is evident through the echoing sound and dull, blue, grey colours.
A sense of foreboding is introduced in this opening sequence, most prominently with the line 'that is when the world will end' as it gives an obvious indication of the apocalyptic theme of the film which introduces the inevitable death and suffering that is to come. The flash of Frank the Rabbit in Darko's eye in the first few seconds of the sequence foreshadows the form of the voice.
The character of Donnie Darko has Schizophrenia with a history of violence. He previously spent time in jail for burning down an abandoned house. The troubled teenager doesn't get along very well with his family, his teachers or his classmates. He also has the tendency to get into trouble; however he is actually quite clever. Donnie is a very misunderstood character. He says how he feels without considering how it affects other people. He often presents very inappropriate emotions (a characteristic of schizophrenics) such as in this clip when he smiles at 'Frank' who would be considered as frightening to other people. Frank is one of Donnie's 'friends' that he has hallucinated, he hears voices in his head telling him to do things 'wake up' which introduces Donnie's sleepwalking taking him to strange places, in this sequence, to a golf course.
Donnie's father is also awake in this clip, or sleepwalking rather. Schizophrenia does tend to be genetic so it is obvious that this is a broken family doomed to end in destruction because it is tainted with mental illness.
The image of 'Frank' is almost a logo which is so subtly placed in the extract so that it messes with the viewers psych as well as the character's.
The title 'Donnie Darko' is a name which links to the traditional super hero names that are made using alliteration e.g. Peter Parker. It instantly places you with Donnie and gives the idea he is a good character. The surname 'Darko' gives the idea he is a dark character and not at all like the traditional super hero.

Film language-telling the story
Mis-en-scene:
-The writing at the beginning of the sequence 'October 2 1988' gives the audience key information for the time the film is set.
- The pupil of the eye expands quickly at the beginning, this non-verbal language connotes horror because it shows the character is alarmed and it is a striking change in temperament of the character from being a sleepy eye to very awake.
-Low key lighting from the lamp in his bedroom links to the generic form of lighting in horror films such as candle/ torch light.
-Plain pajamas with no branding shows Donnie is not making any statement and does not want to draw attention to himself, fading into the background, suggests a character that might usually be marginalised.
-Franks bunny costume is an emergent form of horror monster as it is a person dressed as a beast which creates slight humour as it makes fun of the traditional horror villain.
-Character blocking-as Donnie and Frank have their 'conversation' they both stay in the center of the frame facing towards the camera giving a strong sense of confrontation.
Camera shot size, movement and angle:
-An extremely close up shot of Donnie's eye as an opening shot is very invasive and immediately creates a relationship with the audience and positions us with Donnie.
-The following shot is the opposite as it is a long shot from outside of the house. Creates sense of depth and space from the two extremes which builds fear.
-A low angle shot as Donnie walks out of the frame as if he is floating above the audience in his sleepy state.
-There is one shot that looks like a POV shot which pans up but then as it pans down to look back at the door Donnie is closing the door behind him, in shot. This mimics how his schizophrenia gives him a split personality that makes him almost wonder out of his body.
Sound:
-Non-diagetic voice over of Frank. Arguably this is real sound that belongs to Donnie's world however as we can here his voice without seeing him it suggests it is not actually real, highlighting Donnie's insanity.
-Diagetic sound coming from the TV is distorted. It is of children singing which is extremely unsettling and is the king of music generic to horror.
-Ticking noise when Donnie is faced with Frank is a non-diagetic sound that builds tension and is significant with the narrative that the world is coming to an end.
-Diagetic sound of Frank speaking. He is the only character to speak in this opening which gives him prevalence and a didactic presence. He is the voice in Donnie's head telling him what to do.

Narrative
We become aware of Donnie's character through his costume, body language and clear indicators that he has a mental illness. The Narrative that is then formed from this becomes clear to the audience by what Frank is saying. We know that the rest of the film will be about the world coming to an end. The audience is supposed to feel this information as a threat as we ourselves have a strong connection to the world. This creates horror.
The audience is made to identify with Donnie as he is the character we are following and the BCU shots of him force the audience to connect with him as we are invading his space. Alienation is employed by Frank as what he is saying threatens the audiences existence also so we immediately are afraid of him.

Representation & Ideology
Social groups represented:
-teenagers (negatively)
-mentally ill (negatively)
-young men (negatively)
All the social groups that Donnie is representing are portrayed negatively as it shows how easily he is being manipulated by his weaknesses suggesting the weakness of all teenagers.
It is an emergent ideological discourse of teenagers and the mentally ill though as Donnie is an original subject to study. However this new form of mentally ill teenagers is negative as it highlights the danger they are in.
A first analysis makes Donnie appear as the protagonist and Frank as the antagonist, however this is challenged in the opening sequence by such things as when Donnie smiles at the horrific things Frank tells him about which makes Donnie appear as also an antagonist and someone to be feared as much as Frank.  

Media Audiences