Donnie Darko Film Analysis

In order to help us with our research, We watched Donnie Darko in class. These are the notes I took down from watching it. This has influenced my opinions as there is no dialog, which shows that the opening scenes don't always need to have dialog on them. 

Camera:


- Panning / Tracking Shot - This is used to help show the action without having jumpy cuts. The panning/tracking helps to follow the story line and action, and if they are moving it helps to follow the action. 
- Extreme long shot - establish location and showing the different characters.(a man and bike)
- Far away to close (not cuts)
- Panning mid-shot
- Pan of landscape


Sound:


- Thunder - off screen (not seen) (Non-diegetic)
- Birds (Non-diegetic)
- Ominous Music - Deep Sound (sad music to replace thunder) - now on hillside
- Sad Music - Melancholy
- People Sing (angelic) when he stands up
- Upbeat Music at the end - shot change.
- Song is call "The Killing Moon"

Editing:


- Fade in to first scene
- Slow Opening - continuous with no cuts.
- Fade in then fade out - slow but powerful
- Faster (Cutting) - shot changes.
- Completely changes location.

Mise-en-scene:


- White titles - black background (contrast)
- Lots of negative space left
- Text hand written (old style)
- Man in mid of road
- Looks like he has fallen off of his bike
- Just wearing his PJs
- Characters looks confused - have a confused expression on face.
- Character starts to laugh (make the audience ask more questions as they don't know why hes laughing)
- Jumps Location
- Sign setting the place, time and event (Halloween - shows the genre)
- American suburbia - Wide Streets, People running, big detached houses.
- 'Where is Donnie' written on fridge - could mean mentally and physically.
- Woman reading book - 'It' by Stephen King.