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Post by giantbunnyrabbit on Jul 29, 2007 18:13:37 GMT -5
First: I searched for a thread about this but couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. If I have overlooked something and there is already a thread for this, just tell me and I will take this there.
I haven't watched DD for a while, but yesterday I started thinking about the movie all of a sudden, and I started to think about the Fear/Love line. For a long time this element of the movie perplexed me, because I sort of understood Ms. Farmer and Jim Cunningham's point. It makes sense that anyone would rather have love in their life than fear.
But yesterday I started to think deeper, and I think I realized why this was important to the movie: The whole thing is really about listening to fear.
Ms. Farmer and Jim Cunningham are two characters who deny fear; they think that fear has no place in a sane, balanced individual. They see it as something to be overcome and pushed aside. (Of course, the irony that they are the most afraid and despicable characters is quite obvious. Even I got that the first time.)
Donnie, on the other hand, makes no attempt to hide his fear. he even admits that he is "very afraid" in front of his entire school at the assembly with Jim Cunningham. Frank appears as a frightening creature, and he does indeed scare Donnie. But fear is necessary for Donnie to complete his mission. It motivates him. Specifically, he is motivated by the fear of dying alone. This fear makes him long to know whether or not this is true, which causes him to go along with Frank's plan. Ironically, fear eventually leads him to love.
Kitty and Jim wanted to use the Love/Fear lifeline to show that they are two opposites and you can only honor one, but one of the themes of the film is that they are both necessary, and you can't have one without the other.
Thoughts?
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Post by twinkle on Jul 31, 2007 19:43:49 GMT -5
to deny fear really feeds one's shadow; rather than integrating the complete self or making for a sunny smiley-face persona, keeping fear at arm's length or off the table entirely deepens the darkness and fills it w/a horror that is always hungry. Ling-Ling wants to keep the wallet, i want to keep the wallet: i'd really love to have that money in the wallet. death is pretty spooky: who knows what it's like, other than the ones gone through it already, and they're not talking. to live w/the fear every day, to reconcile w/it and be able to live in relative contentment makes for a more genuine, whole person. you are absolutely on the button: Donnie's fear drives him to discover if it's true, unfounded, or a way to live with regardless. Jim Cunningham's cheery countenance conceals a demon lurking just below the surface; he refutes "fear" and all negative, violent impulses yet indulges, secretly, in one of the most heinous pursuits there is. his "street-angel" makes his "house-devil" all the stronger. thanks for a good post and welcome to the DD community!
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Post by giantbunnyrabbit on Jul 31, 2007 20:03:47 GMT -5
Thanks for the kind and intelligent response. I wasn't really sure I was clear, so I'm glad you understood.
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Post by x-CellarDoor-x on Aug 27, 2007 16:46:47 GMT -5
ok the path of fear and love was fucking annoying! i mean basically they were the 2 strongest aspects to donnie coz he chose fear and love.. love for gretchen and saving her and the fear of people dying and dying alone. so he decided to die with frank and be a hero
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Post by donniedarkorocks on Aug 27, 2007 16:55:48 GMT -5
Why was it annoying?
And how did he die with Frank?
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Post by Chloeeeeeeeee on Sept 22, 2007 15:59:24 GMT -5
he died with frank because he chose to kill himself to get rid of frank haunting him.. telling him to do the stuff he is. leading him the wrong way.. he had to put a stop to this.. and he didnt die alone... he died with frank
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Post by donniedarkorocks on Sept 23, 2007 17:43:43 GMT -5
Maybe I'm majorly sour on this now. But, Frank never died...only in the tangent universe.. Otherwise, he was alive and was Donnie's sisters boyfriend...
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Post by chloeeeeeeeeee on Sept 26, 2007 17:28:59 GMT -5
he was alive... well he wasnt he was the conscience representing donnie and how his life would be impacted by the crash.
but who knows... people see different aspects of donnie darko and interpret it completly different to others. so who knows the truth? lol
xxx
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Post by donniedarkorocks on Sept 27, 2007 18:45:43 GMT -5
Frank awoke like the others we saw wake up. And they all seemed to remember "something" slightly, something they couldn't quite grasp...perhaps they'd all put it down to a dream in the night... But really, it was a slight memory of the tangent universe... Hence why they all wake up and have different expressions, and Frank wakes up and puts his hand to his eye and the mask is near him..
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Post by greedy on Sept 28, 2007 17:41:36 GMT -5
they were experianceing what we kn ow as lucid dreamin hence the stron reactions to what should have ben a simple HOLY SHIT that ws wierd
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Post by donniedarkorocks on Sept 29, 2007 12:59:07 GMT -5
huh, you think it was a lucid dream? Hmmm...adapt?
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Post by feedtherich on Jan 4, 2008 22:44:20 GMT -5
You people are all wrong. Frank told Donnie to listen to the Fear/Love instructional video, "Listen closely, you could miss something." What it comes down to is this:
The choice between fear and love.
In the Tangent Universe, Donnie chooses the Path of Fear, fear of being/dying alone. His fear causes him to destroy, but guided by Frank he also learn to Love. Without vandalizing the school, he wouldn't have gotten with Gretchen. Without burning down Cunningham's house, the mom wouldn't have left town, they wouldn't have had the halloween party, Frank wouldn't have driven to get beer, and Gretchen wouldn't have been killed. If Donnie hadn't shot Frank there would have been no Manipulated Dead to influence him to make these choices. Because Gretchen died, that finally made Donnie learn the value of Love over Fear. So he guided the Artifact through the Portal, into the Primary Universe.
In the Primary Universe, Donnie chooses the Path of Love, and dies, happy knowing he has saved his loved ones.
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Post by greedy on Jan 5, 2008 16:03:04 GMT -5
and to this i say you can what if anything to death what if my sister had a penis then she'd be my brother
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Post by giantbunnyrabbit on Jan 11, 2008 19:38:39 GMT -5
feedtherich, that is interesting, but if it's true than that means Mr. Cunningham and Ms. Farmer were actually right in the gospel they were preaching, and I highly, HIGHLY doubt that's what was intended.
You're also missing the fact that the tangeant universe in which Donnie was living in was slowly imploding, and both worlds would have ended if Donnie hadn't burned down the house, killed Frank, etc. Donnie did horrible things, but they were necessary. As I said before, Donnie didn't choose love over fear; he needed both. Fear led him to love. Fear is a natural part of life, and those who choose to ignore it are just in denial like Ms. Farmer and Mr. Cunningham. The "Fear vs. Love" line was played as being a ridiculous and ineffective tool, so I really don't think your interpretation is correct. Just my opinion, however.
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Post by twinkle on Feb 13, 2008 19:34:47 GMT -5
You people are all wrong. Frank told Donnie to listen to the Fear/Love instructional video, "Listen closely, you could miss something." it occurs to me that maybe Frank wants Donnie to get a hint about the wallet, for when he comes across Jim Cunningham's on the sidewalk ("Now you know where he lives"). and for Donnie to pay attention to how Cunningham and Ms. Farmer figure into the events that will soon be unfolding. and, as has been pointed out, that Donnie will have to go through his own fear (including a fear of love? being in, receiving, and giving) to arrive at love (personal and communal, and greater) and "save" the universe. just some vagrant thoughts...
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