This is ABSOLUTELY TRUE. Half the movie you WILL NOT GET unless you read up on it, listen to the commentary and do some digging. I don't mind a thinking mans movie. I really don't, but you have to give me all the pieces of the puzzle at least, and this doesn't. You can't ask me to piece together some of those time travel elements without giving me some representation of it on the screen.
I totally get why it has such a cult following. The story is quite good, but you can't expect a movie going audience to go to other sources to get essential parts of the story. It works the other way, when the films starts off as a book, or a comic series. You can expect that audience to come in prepared or to go out and do some more digging afterwards. But not when it starts off as a movie, then gets the book treatment (like this one did). Your audience is going to be a LOT smaller.
You know what? I'm ranting. I didn't mean to do that, it's just that this movie pisses me off SO MUCH. It's a failure, not because it's bad, simply because of the poor marketing. That just drives me crazy. (one of these days, we'll sit down and have a chat about "Hudson Hawk" too)
I've heard about Darko, but haven't seen it. Now I'm beginning to think that neglecting to watch it might be a good thing. Looking forward to the "Hudson Hawk" chat!
Did you see the special feature on the DVD of donnie darko, about those kids who are super obssessed with the movie. And dress like frank and watch the movie like 2 times a day everyday? That was hilarious.
I totally get why it has such a cult following. The story is quite good, but you can't expect a movie going audience to go to other sources to get essential parts of the story. It works the other way, when the films starts off as a book, or a comic series. You can expect that audience to come in prepared or to go out and do some more digging afterwards. But not when it starts off as a movie, then gets the book treatment (like this one did). Your audience is going to be a LOT smaller.
You know what? I'm ranting. I didn't mean to do that, it's just that this movie pisses me off SO MUCH. It's a failure, not because it's bad, simply because of the poor marketing. That just drives me crazy. (one of these days, we'll sit down and have a chat about "Hudson Hawk" too)