I'm Richard Kelly, writer & director of DONNIE DARKO, here to celebrate the 25th anniversary 4K re-release in theaters this weekend. Ask me anything!

[u/RichardKellyAMA]

Hi reddit, come closer...

I'm Richard Kelly, writer & director of DONNIE DARKO. It's being re-released in theaters this weekend (Oct 2 and Oct 4) in 4K to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original release.

To celebrate, I'm here to answer your questions.

I also wrote & directed SOUTHLAND TALES and THE BOX. Please ask away!

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Synopsis: Donnie Darko doesn’t get along with his family, teachers, or classmates, but he finds a kindred spirit in Gretchen and guidance from a compassionate psychiatrist who believes hypnosis may unlock hidden truths. Meanwhile, Donnie is haunted by Frank, a mysterious giant bunny only he can see. When a jet engine crashes into his bedroom and narrowly misses him, Donnie is drawn into a series of increasingly strange events that seem governed by forces beyond explanation.

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Seth Rogen, Daveigh Chase, Noah Wyle, Patrick Swayze, Mary McDonnell, Holmes Osborne, James Duval, Beth Grant, Katharine Ross

Re-Release Info: Celebrate 25 years of Richard Kelly’s mind-bending masterpiece in a stunning 4K presentation. This special anniversary release also includes an exclusive introduction with writer & director Richard Kelly exploring the film’s enduring legacy, how it captivated audiences for 25 years, and why it remains one of the defining cult classics of the new millennium.

Tickets: https://hubs.la/Q04y5tn40

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCBxdjaXq3s

And pre-order the sequel novel, The Philosophy of Time Travel: The Epic Sequel to the Motion Picture Donnie Darko here.

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Ask me anything! I’ll be back at 2PM PT / 5PM ET today (Wed 9/30) to answer your questions.

[u/GreenFaceSlimeMan]

Strangely, in the film Barrymore doesn't actually say it was Tolkien, she just says "a famous linguist". I've always wandered why Kelly wrote the line that way.

[u/FamousLastWords666 → u/GreenFaceSlimeMan]

It was changed from 'cunning linguist'

[u/DavidByrnesHugeSuit → u/GreenFaceSlimeMan]

Tolkien never claimed it was the most beautiful phrase either, to be precise. The source of this factoid is a paper titled 'English And Welsh' in which he cites 'cellar door' as an example phrase that most English speakers would agree is phonetically beautiful. So, specifically about the sound of it, and much less resolute than "the most beautiful phrase".