daveigh chase Tagged Articles at Cinematical
'S. Darko' Trailer Causes More Fear Than Love
Filed under: Drama », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Thrillers », Mystery & Suspense », 20th Century Fox », Home Entertainment », Remakes and Sequels », Trailers and Clips »
I'm starting to believe that our Eugene Novikov can see into the future.He knew that I was going to say that Donnie Darko, while somewhat overexposed, holds up to this day as a uniquely poignant coming-of-age drama and not so much the "psychological thriller" as claimed on the back of the box. He knew that I'd be a bit more obvious and say that the sister-starring spin-off, S. Darko, sounds like no better of an idea now that it has a direct-to-DVD release date in April as it did when it was announced back last May.
And he probably knew that this newly released trailer, featuring plenty of time tubes and recurring quotes (though only one returning character), really wouldn't do much to change my mind that this is a tangential-at-best follow-up looking to cash in on something truly, terrifically unique. The thing is: he called it two days ago.
I'd like to be wrong, I really would, but when Richard Kelly can't be convinced to bother lending any sort of hand, skepticism seems as strong a course of action as any. (Care to tip us one way or another, Gene?)
Let's Talk About 'S. Darko'
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Distribution », Remakes and Sequels »
It came to my attention today that: a) S. Darko is going direct to DVD on April 28th, with the hideous subtitle "A Donnie Darko Tale" and b) Cinematical has not made mention of this. The news is a couple weeks old, but I found (b) unacceptable.Some films get so much acclaim in so short a time that it becomes sort of unhip to love them. Take American Beauty, for example: I don't think people who adored it when it came out (like me) changed their minds, I think they just sort of burned out on it. Similarly, Donnie Darko's "cult classic" status has been drilled into our heads to such an extent that to place it among one's favorite films seems like a faux pas. Call it overexposure.
But, uh: I love Donnie Darko. I recently got a chance to see the Director's Cut on the big screen: my fourth or fifth viewing of the movie, though the first of the Director's Cut and the first time on film. I do think the longer version gets a bit hung up on the arcane details of "The Philosophy of Time Travel," to its detriment. But even the slightly more self-indulgent cut is extraordinary, a wonderfully sad allegory about the teenage desire to escape -- no, transcend -- the phoniness, banality and evil of the everyday world. (In this sense, it's like a more earnest Catcher in the Rye.) Donnie Darko is also Exhibit A for why the Gyllenhaals are a big deal.
'Donnie Darko' Sequel Adds Elizabeth Berkeley
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Casting », Scripts », Remakes and Sequels »
So it looks like I have to disabuse myself of the notion that this story was some sort of fever dream or hallucination on my part. A Donnie Darko sequel, titled S. Darko, is happening, and Elizabeth Berkeley, that fearless queen of the C-list, has joined the cast. She will play "a speed freak-turned-Jesus freak whose sentiments about ridding the world of its exponential sin are rivaled only by her infatuation with her dreamy pastor." No word on who plays the dreamy pastor, but Berkeley joins Justin Chatwin, Ed Westwick and the original film's Daveigh Chase. Chase reprises her role as Donnie's sister Samantha, who leaves Sparkle Motion to go on a road trip with her best friend (Brianna Evigan) only to be plagued by nightmarish visions.What's most curious about S. Darko is that while it has begun production, with television veteran Chris Fisher at the helm, I can't find word anywhere about who the screenwriter is. What gives? The stories about the film have given the impression that Fisher was hired by the producers to direct; if so, where did the project originate? It seemed to come out of nowhere earlier in the month.
I'm not sure any admirer of Donnie Darko can reasonably be optimistic about this sequel. The first film is so wonderfully self-contained that the very notion of a sequel is kind of heartbreaking. And it seemed so personal to maestro Richard Kelly that doing it without him (he's not involved in any way) seems offensive.
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