The best moment in Donnie Darko, maybe one of the best moments in science fiction, happens in a deserted movie theater. Jake Gyllenhaal, before anyone knew who Jake Gyllenhaal was, sits there with the light playing on the screen flickering off his face, his girlfriend asleep with her head on his shoulder. There’s a giant, demented looking bunny sitting in the fold-out theater seat next to him, and we have no idea why. Jake, as Donnie, turns to the bunny whom we’ve learned is named Frank and asks, “Why are you wearing that stupid bunny suit?” Frank responds in the only way that makes any sense: “Why are you wearing that stupid human suit?” That's a moment that can't be recreated. Can't be sequelized. Definitely can't be captured on some derivative, budget DVD release.
I was there, the night Donnie Darko first played in movie theaters across America. The theater was a ghost town. No one showed up. I was there, sitting in the middle of my own deserted movie theater, watching Donnie in his. Sitting next to me was my wife, wide awake. There was no giant bunny with us, but we had our minds blown just the same. Over the years and months that followed Donnie Darko developed into a cult phenomenon. People started paying attention to Jake Gyllenhaal, he became a huge star.
It’s been a great ride, but the fun’s over. Donnie Darko’s popularity peaked long ago and now we’re left with the inevitable, direct-to-dvd sequel cash-in. It’s a depressing turn of events and I strongly recommend that instead of watching the first trailer for S. Darko, at the bottom of this post, that you walk over to your DVD player and pop the greatness of Donnie Darko in, for a good old fashioned rewatch. No don’t watch the inferior directors cut. In fact if you own the director’s cut, drop it in your trashcan right now. Director Richard Kelly’s attempts to explain his mystifying movie away only ruin it, though not nearly as much as this sequel almost inevitably will.
But if like me you just can’t help yourself, and you have to see what they’ve done to your beloved Donnie, then watch the first trailer for S. Darko after the jump.
Watch the S. Darko trailer in higher-resolution on the movie’s official site or watch it embedded below:
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