Donnie Darko (2001)

What this episode covers

In October 2001, only a month after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a bizarro coming-of-age film was dumped in 58 theaters to die. Donnie Darko's trailer prominently featured a plane engine falling from the sky into a suburban bedroom, crushing an empty bed. It was terrible timing, but it is hard to say if Donnie Darko would have ever done well at the box office. It is one of the strangest films released in the early Aughts. Donnie Darko is an intoxicating mixture of nerdy genres, 80s vibes, and wing nut ideas that has become a touchstone for older millennials (us). Adding to the cult mythology of Darko, Richard Kelly has all but disappeared from filmmaking after being unable to live in the shadow of his own masterpiece. We try to unravel the mystery of how a small indie film became a cultural icon and how it continues to mystify younger generations. Special Guest: Great friend Molly joins us to discuss this canonical film of our young adulthood. We relive the first time and revisit how Donnie Darko has never let us go. Join us as we trace the life of the Donnie Darko from conception (white boy blues) to production (speed shoot by a greenhorn) to release (Chris Nolan begging studio execs) to reception (DOA but DVD late bloomer)

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