Post by skaughtee on Jan 27, 2009 12:12:05 GMT -5
So i found on wikipedia the director's interpretation which is what i wanted to find. so i understand it all and here it is below if you want to read... but i also have some questions that are posted below it :]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Director's interpretation
Writer/director Richard Kelly does not deny the validity of personal interpretations, but has expressed his own theories through the extra commentary on the two DVDs, his own (fictional) book The Philosophy of Time Travel, and in various other interviews.
According to Kelly and his Philosophy of Time Travel, at midnight on October 2 a Tangent Universe branches off the Primary Universe around the time when Donnie is called out of his bedroom by Frank, immediately before the appearance of the Artifact, the faulty jet engine. The inherently unstable Tangent Universe will collapse in just over 28 days and take the Primary Universe with it if not corrected. Closing the Tangent Universe is the duty of the Living Receiver, Donnie, who wields certain supernatural powers to help him in the task.
Those who die within the Tangent Universe (and would not have died otherwise) are the Manipulated Dead (Frank, Gretchen). Frank, at least, is also given certain powers in that he is able to subtly understand what is happening and have the ability to contact and influence the Living Receiver via the Fourth Dimensional Construct (water). All others within the orbit of the Living Receiver are the Manipulated Living (e.g. Ms. Pomeroy, Dr. Monnitoff), subconsciously drawn to push him towards his destiny to close the Tangent Universe and, according to the Philosophy of Time Travel, die by the Artifact.
Frank appears in the story in two guises (indeed, three guises if we assume that he 'never' dies on account of the restoration of the Primary Universe through the negation of the Tangent Universe). First of all, there is the Manipulated Dead Frank who appears to Donnie as a premonition from the future of the Tangent Universe in the disturbing rabbit suit. Dead Frank is aware of Donnie's fate and destiny, and impels him to realize it so that the Primary Universe can be restored at the point where/when the Tangent Universe branched off from it. Secondly, Frank appears alive as Donnie's sister's boyfriend, whose fate unfolds within the Tangent Universe by means of Donnie's successes in realizing his mission. This living boyfriend is fatally (in both senses) shot by Donnie towards the end of the film, a killing which was foreseen by Donnie (albeit through a glass darkly).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ok so thats all great and i get it. but what i dont understand is. where is frank from? like, i understand there is a living frank and that the dead frank is from the future, but... how is the dead frank from the future?
also, AND THIS QUESTION IS MORE IMPORTANT TO ME
the director talks about the two universes, and that donnie has to 'complete his mission' to bring about the demise of the tangent universe to save the primary. but, what is his mission exactly? was it to die? and if he dies, and that really is the point of his mission, how does this bring about the demise of the tangent universe?!?! how does his death stop the same portal from opening and the same plane from losing its engine etc.
also, how does he himself travel back in time? ;;
i think by reading these things and asking these questions i MAY have confused myself further, but w/e thats where the discussion with you homies come in :]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Director's interpretation
Writer/director Richard Kelly does not deny the validity of personal interpretations, but has expressed his own theories through the extra commentary on the two DVDs, his own (fictional) book The Philosophy of Time Travel, and in various other interviews.
According to Kelly and his Philosophy of Time Travel, at midnight on October 2 a Tangent Universe branches off the Primary Universe around the time when Donnie is called out of his bedroom by Frank, immediately before the appearance of the Artifact, the faulty jet engine. The inherently unstable Tangent Universe will collapse in just over 28 days and take the Primary Universe with it if not corrected. Closing the Tangent Universe is the duty of the Living Receiver, Donnie, who wields certain supernatural powers to help him in the task.
Those who die within the Tangent Universe (and would not have died otherwise) are the Manipulated Dead (Frank, Gretchen). Frank, at least, is also given certain powers in that he is able to subtly understand what is happening and have the ability to contact and influence the Living Receiver via the Fourth Dimensional Construct (water). All others within the orbit of the Living Receiver are the Manipulated Living (e.g. Ms. Pomeroy, Dr. Monnitoff), subconsciously drawn to push him towards his destiny to close the Tangent Universe and, according to the Philosophy of Time Travel, die by the Artifact.
Frank appears in the story in two guises (indeed, three guises if we assume that he 'never' dies on account of the restoration of the Primary Universe through the negation of the Tangent Universe). First of all, there is the Manipulated Dead Frank who appears to Donnie as a premonition from the future of the Tangent Universe in the disturbing rabbit suit. Dead Frank is aware of Donnie's fate and destiny, and impels him to realize it so that the Primary Universe can be restored at the point where/when the Tangent Universe branched off from it. Secondly, Frank appears alive as Donnie's sister's boyfriend, whose fate unfolds within the Tangent Universe by means of Donnie's successes in realizing his mission. This living boyfriend is fatally (in both senses) shot by Donnie towards the end of the film, a killing which was foreseen by Donnie (albeit through a glass darkly).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ok so thats all great and i get it. but what i dont understand is. where is frank from? like, i understand there is a living frank and that the dead frank is from the future, but... how is the dead frank from the future?
also, AND THIS QUESTION IS MORE IMPORTANT TO ME
the director talks about the two universes, and that donnie has to 'complete his mission' to bring about the demise of the tangent universe to save the primary. but, what is his mission exactly? was it to die? and if he dies, and that really is the point of his mission, how does this bring about the demise of the tangent universe?!?! how does his death stop the same portal from opening and the same plane from losing its engine etc.
also, how does he himself travel back in time? ;;
i think by reading these things and asking these questions i MAY have confused myself further, but w/e thats where the discussion with you homies come in :]
