Post by xxxfollow on Dec 14, 2003 13:51:06 GMT -5
Hello !
I would like to point out that one of the films playing the night Getchen and Donnie go to the cinema is
THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST
(not a very Halloween type film I'm sure you'll agree), however, I would argue it is hugely significant, and the key to understanding the film.
In that film we see Christ dying on the cross and in one brief moment of time he imagines what life would be like if He saved Himself and got down from the cross. These imaginings constitute the entire film. One of the things he imagines is loving Mary Magdalene, having a child with her etc. Of course in the end he decides to forgo this alternative route and allows himself to die on the cross, thus saving all souls.
Parallels with Donnie Darko?
Donnie is shown how life would continue on for him if he doesn't accept death. Sure he finds love, appreciates his family, exposes pornography, but on the downside, Gretchen dies, and Frank is torn apart with guilt.
Donnie is afraid of death and afraid of dying alone. Yet, he overcomes this obstacle and ultimately accepts his fate which is dying young. It is his love for Gretchen that helps him do this.
Does he see his alternative life path just in his OWN mind ? (As in Jesus on the cross in the 'LTof C') ie. he never actually goet out of his bed?
No, going by the 'residual memories' that the other main characters are left with (for ex, Gretchen and mother recognising/'knowing' each other) I 'd say the alternative life path is played out. Enter the parallel/tangenital universe aka God's Time Machine. A useful ploy for him to really gain the lesson of learning to die alone without having to commit to the alternative life path. In brief, he gets a second chance, at death; but this time equipped with the right frame of mind.
Definetly go see The last Temptation of Christ. It sheds alot of light on DD. The fact that it was chosen to be in the DD film (playing as part of the Halloween double bill) is no coincidence.
(I have this post as a reply somewhere else on the site but decided to put it in as a new thread aswell because I am excitied that noone else has spotted the connection so far (to the best of my knowledge)!
I would like to point out that one of the films playing the night Getchen and Donnie go to the cinema is
THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST
(not a very Halloween type film I'm sure you'll agree), however, I would argue it is hugely significant, and the key to understanding the film.
In that film we see Christ dying on the cross and in one brief moment of time he imagines what life would be like if He saved Himself and got down from the cross. These imaginings constitute the entire film. One of the things he imagines is loving Mary Magdalene, having a child with her etc. Of course in the end he decides to forgo this alternative route and allows himself to die on the cross, thus saving all souls.
Parallels with Donnie Darko?
Donnie is shown how life would continue on for him if he doesn't accept death. Sure he finds love, appreciates his family, exposes pornography, but on the downside, Gretchen dies, and Frank is torn apart with guilt.
Donnie is afraid of death and afraid of dying alone. Yet, he overcomes this obstacle and ultimately accepts his fate which is dying young. It is his love for Gretchen that helps him do this.
Does he see his alternative life path just in his OWN mind ? (As in Jesus on the cross in the 'LTof C') ie. he never actually goet out of his bed?
No, going by the 'residual memories' that the other main characters are left with (for ex, Gretchen and mother recognising/'knowing' each other) I 'd say the alternative life path is played out. Enter the parallel/tangenital universe aka God's Time Machine. A useful ploy for him to really gain the lesson of learning to die alone without having to commit to the alternative life path. In brief, he gets a second chance, at death; but this time equipped with the right frame of mind.
Definetly go see The last Temptation of Christ. It sheds alot of light on DD. The fact that it was chosen to be in the DD film (playing as part of the Halloween double bill) is no coincidence.
(I have this post as a reply somewhere else on the site but decided to put it in as a new thread aswell because I am excitied that noone else has spotted the connection so far (to the best of my knowledge)!