Fifteen years before Stranger Things combined science-fiction, Spielberg-ian touches and 80’s nostalgia to much acclaim, Richard Kelly set the template – and the high-water mark – with his debut feature, Donnie Darko. Initially beset with distribution problems, it would slowly find its audience and emerge as arguably the first cult classic of the new millennium. Donnie is a troubled high school student: in therapy, prone to sleepwalking and in possession of an imaginary friend, a six-foot rabbit named Frank, who tells him the world is going to end
In 28 days, 06 hours, 42 minutes, and 12 seconds. During that time he will navigate teenage life, narrowly avoid death in the form of a falling jet engine, follow Frank’s maladjusted instructions and try to maintain the space-time continuum.
Described by its director as “The Catcher in the Rye as told by Philip K. Dick”, Donnie Darko combines an eye-catching, eclectic cast – pre-stardom Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, heartthrob Patrick Swayze, former child star Drew Barrymore, Oscar nominees Mary McDonnell and Katherine Ross, and television favourite Noah Wyle – and an evocative soundtrack of 80s classics by Echo and the Bunnymen, Tears for Fears and Duran Duran. This brand-new 4K restoration, carried out exclusively for this release by Arrow Films, allows a modern classic to finally receive the home video treatment it deserves.
Bonus Features
- Audio commentary by writer-director Richard Kelly and actor Jake Gyllenhaal
- Audio commentary by Kelly, producer Sean McKittrick and actors Drew Barrymore, Jena
Malone, Beth Grant, Mary McDonnell, Holmes Osborne, Katharine Ross and James Duval
-
Deus ex Machina: The Philosophy of Donnie Darko, a brand-new feature-length ‘making of’ documentary
-
The Goodbye Place, Kelly’s 1996 short film, which anticipates some of the themes and ideas of his feature films
-
Twenty deleted and alternate scenes with optional commentary by Kelly
-
Trailer
-
20-page collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by critic and author Nathan Rabin
Donnie Darko Limited Edition Steenbok DVD-$39.95
