Our Favorite Montages: Donnie Darko
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fandom, Trailers and Clips
I'm not sure that much can really compare to Erik's inaugural choice (Footloose and "Let's Hear it for the Boy"), but the Tears for Fears montage near the beginning of Donnie Darko is, by far, my most favorite in years. I can't say why exactly, but the simple act of tipping the camera as the bus' back door opens -- with Donnie's feet hitting the ground in time with the music -- instantly charmed me, and my instantaneous love for the scene grew with each passing moment.
I was never a Tears for Fears fan, but my opinion started to change as "Head Over Heels" pulled us through the pre-bell morning. Usually there is a longer passage of time for montages, but this time around, things are just slightly sped so that we may spy on the power dynamics at Donnie's school -- the self-help obsessed teacher, the bullies, the loner, and Drew Barrymore's thinly veiled disgust of Sparkle Motion.
Of course, this scene is one of a few montages and music-led sequences in the film, and I'd be remiss not to mention the second-best, the other bookend to the film. Once again, it's led by Tears for Fears, but this time under a heart-wrenching delivery by Gary Jules. You can watch both after the jump.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-27-2009 @ 6:44PM
Chupacabra said...
"Montage" from Team America: World Police is the best montage ever, it makes all others obsolete.
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8-27-2009 @ 6:48PM
scott said...
just reading about the tears for fears montage gives me the same chills up the spine i got when watching it for the first, and the zillionth, time.
gonna have to put the dvd in when i get home so i can watch it for the zillionth and one time. what an amazing movie.
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8-27-2009 @ 6:51PM
scott said...
man, and the lyrics match up with the characters so well too...
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8-28-2009 @ 8:12AM
karen mobs said...
I love Footloose, its a classic film!
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8-28-2009 @ 8:26AM
RLP said...
yep, perfect song for a perfect scene, perfect camera tilt to the side to start it off. I purchased the Donnie Darko DVD in 2002 when it came out, after hearing things about it on IFC. Something looked interesting about it, and when that scene came on I got chills also.
And all of the songs in the film seem perfectly matched to Donnie and the story. It is uncanny. Still one of my favorite films of all time.
And Team America, perfect parody, now I have to watch that again, "we're gonna need a montage (montage)" lol.
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8-28-2009 @ 3:19PM
Shawn said...
I think what's really impressive is how Kelly was able to use a popular song in a way that seemed fresh. Now everytime I hear this song I think of this scene rather than being reminded of a song I heard over and over on the radio.
Another example of this Cameron Crowes use of Salsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel in Vanilla Sky.I just thought it worked so well with the scene.
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8-28-2009 @ 3:22PM
scott said...
good point!