I'm new, have some questions, pls!

[LovelyFear]

Hey everyone! I'm new, just saw Donnie Darko for the first time Monday and have watched it three more times since. I've been everywhere on the web trying to figure this thing out. I've been to Cellar Door, it's a great site, but I still have some questions. I haven't seen the director's cut, so if any of ya could help I'd appreciate it. Or, if these questions have been answered in past posts, please point me in the right direction of the posts! This is the best movie ever, and I'm glad to find other people who love it as much as me.


My questions are:

1. Simple one first: Does anyone know what it says on the back window of the school bus before Donnie comes out? It looks like "Mornings Rule", but I don't think that's it. lol

2. What is the meaning/point of Donnie stabbing Frank the bunny in the eye with the knife in the bathroom?

3. When Jim Cunningham is talking at the school, and he says he's going to tell us a story about a boy named Frank, but then it goes no where, what is that for? I know it means SOMEthing. lol

4. When Donnie realises he has to go back in time and stay in his room when the jet engine crashes so he can die, *sob*, how does he go back in time? They don't show him going through a portal or anything, does Frank take him?

5. And last but not least: Donnie would have died if Frank hadn't called him outside. If showing Donnie that he had to die so all this wouldn't happen was the whole point, why did Frank call him outside in the first place and not let him die?

Ok, that's it.I know it's alot, but PLEASE help! lol Just these few things, and then I think I can understand the movie, almost fully. lol If anyone is offended by my choice of quotes on my sig, let me know. I just think they're funny (except the first one, lol). Thanks a bunch!

[justme314]

the only one i can explain good is #5 i'll let others explain the other ones since they can probably do it better
ok, if you go with the theory that this was a divine intervention by God(which is the best to me), then frank(controled by God, or maybe is God) got donnie out of bed to show him that he doesnt die alone (the question through the whole movie) and that death isnt the worse thing that can happen to you. So he goes though all the stuff after he gets out of bed then when he goes back he relises hes not dying alone and that "there be so much to look forward to" after it. or if you dont wanna use the God theory i guess you could say it was to show him that his death wasnt in vain....but then who was it that wanted him to know his death wasnt in vain? kinda leads you back to God, or maybe just Frank from the future wanted him to know it wasnt in vain. hmmm.
no the quotes dont offend me, i dont use those words but yeah i thought that part was hilarious too!

[ChaoticFluff678]

1. No clue.

2. Donnie shot Frank, the living Frank, in the right eye near the end of the movie. Donnie is stabbing the 'wall' in between them, and the camera just makes it so that it's pointed at Frank's right eye, with suddenly flashes. In the movie theatre, Frank takes off his mask and Donnie asks, 'What happened to your eye?' and Frank replies, 'I'm so sorry.' I'll tell you more about that if you need to know.

3. He says he's going to tell a story about a guy named Frank, and then the camera goes in on a slide or something. If you have the DVD, you can see all the slides in the special features. Donnie just freaks out because he knows a giant demonic rabbit named Frank. I'd be freaked out too.

4. Donnie's science teacher tells him that anything metal can go back through time. The DeLorean (sp?) from Back to the Future is a good example, and Donnie even says it. Donnie uses his car. From what the camera shows, he's just driving off the cliff, but he really goes into the clouds that open up the sky. I think.

5. Because Frank had to show him what COULD'VE happened... Erk.. I'll let better people explain #5.

[LovelyFear]

;D
Hey thanks everyone! Since I wrote that, I went to Richard Kelly's website and read an article that really helped me. Read my newest post. But I really appreciate it because most message board people don't want to explain, or tell me to go here, there, everywhere. lol
And actually, Donnie doesn't travel back in time. The Living Receiver is given special powers. He has telekinesis, and rips the jet engine off the plane and sends it into the portal, back in time so it can kill him in his bed. I feel like an expert now, lol. Thanks guys! You all rock! All two of you! lol

[ChaoticFluff678]

Yes, he has telekenesis, but then why would he drive off the cliff with Gretchen (who's rather dead. Poor dear.)?

[MoonageDaydream]

LovelyFear said:

1. Simple one first: Does anyone know what it says on the back window of the school bus before Donnie comes out? It looks like "Mornings Rule", but I don't think that's it. lol

On the back of the bus I am 99.9 percent sure it says "Mongrels Rule". The Mongrel is the mascot of the school.

[LovelyFear]

I think i'm sticking with the "telekinesis, he ripped the jet engine off the plane" theory because i never saw im drive off the cliff. unless that was in the director's cut, which i haven't seen, was it?

[MoonageDaydream]

No, he never does ride off the cliff. It was telekinesis, indeed. I'm not sure where the original drive off the cliff theory came from, but I know for a fact that it's not in any of the movies. Richard Kelly said in the interview (As did the POTT) that Donnie pulled the engine off. So I hope that settles it.