"DONNIE DARKO"
by RICHARD KELLY
This is the shooting script that
was used by the cast and crew
during the shooting of the film.
FADE IN:
We descend upon Carpathian Ridge, a crescent-shaped cliff that
extrudes from the dense Virginia evergreens above a deep rock canyon.
The cliff marks the end of a dirt road that winds down from above.
Donnie Darko (sixteen) is asleep at the edge of the cliff. With his
bike collapsed next to him, he is shivering, curled up on the foetal
position.
He slowly opens his eyes and looks around, disoriented by the
morning light. He then stands up, looking down into the expansive
rock canyon. After a moment of hesitation, he takes his bike back
up the hill.
EXT. MIDDLESEX - MORNING (11 A.M.)
Montage is choreographed to 'Never Tear Us Apart' by INXS.
Donnie pedals down into the suburban village of Middlesex, Virginia
...passing by a large rock 'Middlesex' rock-pattern.
Donnie pedals past two neighbourhood women who are speedwalking
with handweights. They smile at him.
A Pontiac Trans-Am speeds by.
EXT. NEIGHBOURHOOD STREET - DAY (SATURDAY 1 P.M.)
Donnie turns the corner and heads towards the garage.
We pan over to the Darko house... moving through the front yard
where Eddie Darko (forty-four) pulls the cord and his gas-powered
leaf-blower roars to life.
Elizabeth Darko (nineteen) comes out the front door. She approaches
her dad from behind. Eddie turns and aims the leaf-blower at her
face... blasting her with air.
EXT. DARKO DRIVEWAY - NEXT
Donnie parks his bike and goes inside.
EXT. DARKO BACKYARD / PATIO - NEXT
We pull back from Samantha Darko (ten) as she is jumping on a
trampoline and pan over to Rose Darko (forty-two) as she sits at
a table reading a paperback copy of Stephen King's "IT". She
glances over to the kitchen.
INT. KITCHEN - NEXT
Donnie walks into the kitchen. He then goes to the refrigerator.
Printed in magic marker on the refrigerator notepad is the phrase:
WHERE IS DONNIE?
INT. FAMILY ROOM - EVENING (5 P.M.)
The opening theme of "Who's the Boss?" begins as we see Tony
Danza's blue van and the title card. We reveal Samantha, sitting on
the floor, singing softly to the theme song "Brand New Life"
performed by Larry Weiss.
We pan over to Donnie, sitting in the La-Z Boy.
INT. KITCHEN - EVENING (6 P.M.)
The Darko family has convened for dinner. They eat silently for
several moments.
ELIZABETH
I'm voting for Dukakis.
EDDIE
Perhaps when you have children of your
own that need braces, and you can't afford
them because half of your husband's paycheck
goes to the federal government, you'll
regret that decision.
ELIZABETH
(amused bitterness)
I'm not gonna squeeze one out until I'm
thirty.
DONNIE
Will you still be working at Yarn Barn?
'Cause that's a great place to raise children.
ROSE
No, a year of partying is enough. She'll be
going to Harvard this fall.
ELIZABETH
I haven't been accepted yet, mother.
ROSE
(smiles)
If you think Michael Dukakis will provide
for this country prior to the point when
you decide to squeeze one out, then I think
you're misinformed.
SAMANTHA
When can I squeeze one out?
DONNIE
(to his sister)
Not until like... eighth grade.
ROSE
(to Donnie)
Excuse me?
ELIZABETH
Donnie? You're a dick.
DONNIE
Whoa, Elizabeth. A little hostile, there.
Maybe you should be the one in therapy.
Then Mom and Dad can pay someone two
hundred dollars an hour to listen to all
of your thoughts... so we won't have to.
ELIZABETH
Maybe you'd like to tell Mom and Dad why
you stopped taking your medication.
An awkward silence.
ROSE
(surprised)
You've stopped taking your medication?
SAMANTHA
When can I squeeze one out, Mom?
DONNIE
(glaring at Elizabeth)
You're such a fuck-ass.
ROSE
When did you stop taking your medication?
ELIZABETH
(laughing)
Did you just call me a fuck-ass?
ROSE
That's enough.
ELIZABETH
(to Donnie)
You can suck a fuck.
DONNIE
Oh, please tell me, Elizabeth, how exactly
does one suck a fuck?
ROSE
(disgusted)
We will not have this kind of language at
the dinner table.
They are all silent for a moment.
SAMANTHA
What's a fuck-ass?
Despite his brave efforts to hold back laughter, Eddie Darko lets
out a slight guffaw.
INT. ELIZABETH'S ROOM - EVENING (SATURDAY NIGHT, 9 P.M.)
Elizabeth talks on the phone, getting ready for her Saturday
night. Rose knocks and then enters.
ELIZABETH
(into the phone)
No. I took a year off to be with you.
(beat)
Of course I care. Don't get angry.
(covering the phone)
What?
ROSE
How did you know -
ELIZABETH
(cutting her off)
I didn't realise it was such a big
deal.
ROSE
It is a big deal.
ELIZABETH
I caught him flushing pills down the
toilet. He knows you check the container.
INT. DONNIE'S ROOM - NEXT
Donnie lies on his bed, reading "Collected Short Stories" by
Graham Greene. His room is an organised wreck.
Rose enters and begins to pick things up of the floor.
DONNIE
Get out of my room.
Rose bitterly turns to leave, but stops at the door.
ROSE
I wish I knew where you went at night.
(beat)
Did you toilet paper the Johnson's
house?
DONNIE
(still reading)
I stopped rolling houses in the sixth
grade, Mom.
(beat)
Get out of my room.
ROSE
You know... it would be nice to look at
you some time... and see my son. I don't
recognise this person today.
DONNIE
Then why don't you start taking the
goddamn pills?
Donnie leans over and turns off his lamp. Rose turns and leaves
her son alone in the dark, closing the door behind her.
DONNIE (cont'd)
Bitch.
INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - NEXT
Rose stops in her tracks, hearing this. She then walks into her
bedroom and closes the door.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NEXT
Rose goes into bed with Eddie, who is reading a hardback copy of
Stephen King's "The Tommyknockers".
ROSE
Our son just called me a bitch.
EDDIE
(beat)
You're not a bitch.
INT. UPSTAIRS BATHROOM - NEXT
Donnie removes his pills from the medicine cabinet. We see
insert that reads: L. THURMAN M.D.
He looks at the bottle for a moment, and then takes three pills
and swallows them... staring at his reflection in the mirror.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT (12 A.M.)
Eddie sits up in bed, unable to sleep.
INT. FAMILY ROOM - NEXT
The TV pops on. Eddie drops into the La-Z Boy.
They are replaying a Bush/Dukakis debate. Eddie laughs.
INT. FOYER - NEXT
We pull back and pan over to a grandfather clock... as the hand
reaches midnight.
Title card:
OCTOBER 2 1988
INT. DONNIE'S ROOM - NIGHT (EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, 1 A.M.)
VOICE
(whisper)
Wake... up... Donnie.
Donnie jerks upright in his bed, awakened from a bad dream. He
looks over at his alarm clock: 12:50 a.m. His expression is
distant... confused.
INT. FOYER - NEXT
Donnie walks downstairs.
INT. FAMILY ROOM - NEXT
Donnie stares at Eddie, asleep in the La-Z Boy.
INT. KITCHEN - NEXT
Donnie walks into the kitchen, removes the magic marker from the
refrigerator message board.
INT. FOYER - NEXT
Donnie walks to the front and exits the house.
EXT. DARKO HOUSE, FRONT YARD - NEXT
Donnie walks down the front walk to the street.
EXT. NEIGHBOURHOOD STREET - NEXT
Donnie walks down the street.
EXT. SEVENTH HOLE - NIGHT (1:30 A.M.)
Donnie arrives next to the pin and stares off into the distance.
VOICE
Helluva night for a walk... huh, Donnie?
Donnie stares off into the distance.
VOICE (cont'd)
Tonight is very special, Donnie.
DONNIE
What?
VOICE
I've been watching you.
(beat)
Do you believe in God, Donnie?
Donnie doesn't answer. He holds his stomach, taking deep breaths.
VOICE (cont'd)
God loves his children, Donnie. God loves
you.
There... standing on the seventh hole is a six-foot-tall figure
dressed in a grotesque bunny suit.
Donnie stares at the Bunny nervously as a wave of nausea overcomes
him.
BUNNY
My name is Frank.
(beat)
I want you to follow me.
DONNIE
Why?
FRANK
I'm here to save you.
(beat)
The world is coming to an end, Donnie.
Donnie doesn't answer.
FRANK (cont'd)
Look up in the sky, Donnie.
He looks up into the black night.
FRANK (cont'd)
28 days... 6 hours... 42 minutes... 12
seconds. That is when the world will end.
Donnie looks back at Frank. His expression is a vacant expanse
of confusion.
INT. FOYER - NIGHT
Elizabeth comes through the front door, leans back against it,
closes her eyes.
INT. FAMILY ROOM - NIGHT
Eddie Darko sleeps reclined in the La-Z Boy. The final notes of
the Channel 12 National Anthem fade away to static.
From above... a thunderous crash. Plaster rains from the ceiling
...Books fly off the bookshelf as the entire wall-mount collapses
to the floor.
Eddie jerks awake.
INT. FOYER - NEXT
Elizabeth falls back in horror as plaster rains down from around
the chandelier... debris falling in the dining-room doorway.
EXT. SEVENTH HOLE - MORNING (SUNDAY MORNING, 10 A.M.)
Donnie is curled up, asleep on the green. A golf ball lands on
the green and rolls within inches of his head.
A golf cart filled with four older men arrives. Dr. Fisher
(forty-five) gets out first.
DR. FISHER
Donnie Darko?
(beat)
Son? What's going on here?
Jim Cunningham (forty), the man riding shotgun, gets out of the
cart and walks over.
JIM CUNNINGHAM
Who is it, Don?
DR. FISHER
Eddie Darko's kid.
Donnie gets up and brushes himself off. On his arm he sees
something written in black magic marker.
Numbers.... 28:06:42:12.
Donnie stares at the numbers on his arm, confused.
DR. FISHER (cont'd)
(to Jim, kissing his ass)
Sorry about this, Jim, just a... a kid
from the neighbourhood.
(back to Donnie)
So let's stay off the greens at night, OK?
Jim Cunningham stares at Donnie with a friendly grin.
DONNIE
Sorry, Dr. Fisher. It won't happen again.
EXT. NEIGHBOURHOOD STREET / DARKO HOUSE - MORNING (11 A.M.)
Donnie walks down the street towards his house.
A fire engine. Two police cars. A news van... All parked in front
of his house.
There are dozens of neighbours in the street surrounding a
barricade. Donnie moves through the crowd where a Police Officer
is standing.
DONNIE
Hey, I live here!
POLICE OFFICER
Are you... Donnie Darko?
DONNIE
Yeah!
The Officer lets him through.
Near the cul-de-sac there is a large caterpillar crane lifting
something from inside the house. There are firemen roaming
around. Two Police Officers are speaking with Eddie and Rose.
Donnie looks over at the house.
A crane lifts a gigantic jet engine over from the house towards
a large flatbed truck. Firemen kick pieces of wood and shingle
from the roof.
He turns and sees his entire family standing there. Eddie is
holding Samantha.
SAMANTHA
It fell on your room.
EXT. CUL-DE-SAC - LATER ON
Two men in suits approach from a black sedan. A police officer
directs them to Rose. One of the men removes a badge from his
pocket and holds it up for Rose to see.
MAN
Mrs. Darko, my name is Bob Garland and
this is David Coleman. We're with the FAA.
If you don't mind, we'd like to speak
with you and your husband privately.
Elizabeth looks over at Donnie with a grin.
ELIZABETH
(whispering)
They don't know where it came from.
Donnie looks over in awe as the mammoth engine is now strapped
to the flatbed truck. A man in a silver firesuit sprays the
engine down with water.
EXT. CUL-DE-SAC - MOMENTS LATER
Eddie is signing some documents in front of Garland at a table
that has been set up. Another FAA guy is there.
FAA MAN
(pointing to the document)
And then here as well.
Eddie signs off, and Garland takes the documents.
GARLAND
We've arranged for you to stay at a
hotel, get some sleep. We'll take care
of things here.
Eddie picks Samantha up into his arms. He stands with Rose and
Elizabeth... turning towards Donnie... who seems lost in a trance.
EDDIE
Come on, Donnie... we're going to a hotel.
INT. HOLIDAY INN, ROOM 614 - SUNDOWN (SUNDAY NIGHT, 5:30 P.M.)
Donnie lies in bed, watching television. Elizabeth is spread out
on the other bed. Samantha sits on the edge of Elizabeth's bed,
holding a stuffed unicorn named Ariel.
SAMANTHA
If it fell from a plane, then what
happened to the plane?
ELIZABETH
They don't know, Samantha.
SAMANTHA
Is there any way that we can make money
from this? Couldn't we get on television
if we sue the airline?
INT. HOLIDAY INN, ROOM 615 - NEXT
Rose and Eddie lie awake in the dark.
ROSE
So let me get this straight. No airline
will claim ownership of the engine. So we
have to wait for the FAA to decide who
fixes my roof.
(beat)
Fuck that. We're taking the money out of
savings.
EDDIE
(quoting Rod Serling)
You are entering a new dimension of sight
and sound...
Rose begins to laugh.
INT. HOLIDAY INN, ROOM 614 - NEXT
SAMANTHA
Why do I have to sleep with Donnie? He
stinks.
DONNIE
When you fall asleep tonight, I'm gonna
fart in your face.
SAMANTHA
(walking to the door)
I'm telling Mom.
ELIZABETH
Samantha, don't go over there.
INT. HOLIDAY INN, ROOM 615 - LATER THAT NIGHT
EDDIE
Frankie Feedler.
ROSE
What?
EDDIE
Frankie Feedler. You remember him from
high school?
ROSE
(long beat)
He was a year ahead of us?
EDDIE
He died, remember? On the way to the prom.
(beat)
He was doomed.
Rose lies there silently.
EDDIE (cont'd)
Jesus Christ. They could have said the
same thing about Donnie. Our Donnie.
(beat)
But he dodged it. He dodged his bullet,
Rose.
Rose rolls over to embrace him.
EDDIE (cont'd)
That's my boy.
Moments later, the door to the adjoining room opens. It is
Samantha.
SAMANTHA
Mom, Donnie said he's gonna fart in
my face.
Title card:
OCTOBER 3 1988
EXT. BUS STOP - MORNING (MONDAY MORNING, 7 A.M.)
Rose drops Donnie and Samantha off at the corner.
ROSE
Ms. Farmer will pick you up from recital.
Bye, now.
She pulls of in the Taurus.
Already waiting at the bus stop is Joanie James (eleven). Also
Cherita Chen (fifteen).
SAMANTHA
Hi, Cherita.
CHERITA
Chut up.
Also there are Donnie's two best friends, Sean Smith (sixteen)
and Ronald Fisher (fifteen)
RONALD
(raising his hands in victory)
DARKO CHEATS DEATH! Man... you're famous!
I called you, like, a jillion times last
night!
DONNIE
We went to a hotel.
RONALD
My dad said he found you on the golf
course. Are you sleepwalking again?
DONNIE
I don't wanna talk about it.
SEAN
Now that you're famous, you gotta have
a smoke.
Sean hands Donnie a Marlboro Red and he takes it, looking over
at Samantha and Joanie.
DONNIE
What happens if you tell Mom and Dad
about this, Samantha?
SAMANTHA
You'll put Ariel in the garbage disposal.
JOANIE
So... grody.
Sean, Ronald and Donnie light up. Ronald is the most amateur-
looking.
SEAN
Hey, Cherita... want a cigarette?
CHERITA
Chut up.
RONALD
(mimicking)
Chut up!
SEAN
Go back to China, bitch!
DONNIE
Leave her alone, man.
Cherita looks over at Donnie... her quiet devastation poorly
hidden.
EXT. / INT. MIDDLESEX RIDGE SCHOOL - MORNING (8 A.M.)
The following montage is three long Steadicam shots in the main
school hallway and courtyard.
We follow Donnie and his friends as they pour out of the back of
the emergency exit of the school bus to 'Head Over Heels' by
Tears for Fears.
We pick up teachers Karen Pomeroy (twenty-seven) and Dr. Kenneth
Monnitoff (thirty) and Kitty Farmer (forty-two), with Jim
Cunningham, as they make their way through the hallways.
Swarms of girls surround Donnie as he makes his way to his
locker. There is a huge smile on his face.
We reveal Gretchen Ross (fifteen)... we see Principal Cole
(thirty-eight) and then Samantha's dance team (Sparkle Motion)
practising their routine in the courtyard.
We follow Ms. Pomeroy into English class... then time-lapse
dissolve through the doorway...
INT. ENGLISH CLASS - DAY (8:30 A.M.)
Ms. Pomeroy has been reading from "The Destructors" by Graham
Greene.
MS. POMEROY
"There would be headlines in the papers.
Even the grown-up gangs who ran the
betting at the all-in wrestling and the
barrow-boys would hear with respect how
Old Misery's house had been destroyed. It
was as though this plan had been with him
all his life, pondered through the
seasons, now in his fifteenth year
crystallised with the pain of puberty."
Donnie sits in the front.
MS. POMEROY (cont'd)
What is Graham Greene trying to
communicate in this passage? Why do the
children break into Old Misery's house?
Joanie James raises her hand.
MS. POMEROY (cont'd)
Joanie.
JOANIE
They wanted to rob him.
MS. POMEROY
Joanie, if you had actually read the short
story... which, at a whopping thirteen
pages must have kept you up all night, you
would know that the children find a great
deal of money hidden in a mattress. But
they burn it.
The class gives an "Awwww." Joanie blushes.
MS. POMEROY (cont'd)
Donnie Darko, perhaps, given your recent
brush with mass destruction, you can give
us your opinion?
DONNIE
Well... they say it right when they are
ripping the place to shreds. When they
flood the house. That like... destruction
is a form of creation. So the fact that
they burn the money is... ironic. They
just want to see what happens when they
tear the world apart.
(beat)
They want to change things.
Gretchen Ross stands at the doorway to the classroom.
MS. POMEROY
May we help you?
GRETCHEN
I just registered, and I think they put me
in the wrong English class.
Ms. Pomeroy studies her.
MS. POMEROY
You look like you belong here.
GRETCHEN
Umm, where do I sit?
Ms. Pomeroy thinks for a moment. There are several empty chairs.
MS. POMEROY
Sit next to the boy you think is the
cutest. Girls, get up.
The whole class begins to freak out. The girls all get out of
their seats... eating this up. Ronald fixes his hair.
MS. POMEROY
Quiet! Let her choose.
Without hesitation, Gretchen scans the class for every guy. As
she gracefully takes her seat next to Donnie, they make eye
contact. Donnie grins ear to ear.
The class freaks out laughing.
INT. TAURUS - SUNSET (MONDAY NIGHT, 6 P.M.)
Eddie drives Donnie down Old Gun Road, a windy back-road that
goes towards the country.
EDDIE
So how was school today?
DONNIE
It was great. We had peanut-butter
sandwiches and apples and honey at
snacktime. And then during show-and-tell,
my stuffed walrus was a big hit.
EDDIE
Good Lord.
(beat)
So the construction guys say it'll take
about a week to fix the roof. Damn airline
better not fuck us on the shingle match.
DONNIE
Do they know yet?
EDDIE
Know what?
DONNIE
Where it came from?
EDDIE
No... apparently they can't tell us what
happened yet. Something about a matching
serial number that got burned.
(beat)
But I had to sign a form saying I wouldn't
talk to anyone about it.
DONNIE
So we're not supposed to tell anybody what
nobody knows?
EDDIE
You tell Dr. Thurman whatever you want.
Suddenly, Eddie slams on the brakes and the station wagon comes
to a sudden stop.
EDDIE (cont'd)
Oh, shit!
DONNIE
Grandma Death.
Standing in the road directly in front of the car is Roberta
Sparrow (101 years old, a.k.a. Grandma Death).
Grandma Death lives in a modest brick house that sits back in
a huge grassy field that overlooks the entire town. Her mailbox
sits on the edge of Old Gun Road.
EXT. OLD GUN ROAD - NEXT
Donnie gets out of the car and takes Grandma Death's hand,
walking her back towards her mailbox. He opens it for her.
DONNIE
No mail today.
(smiles)
Maybe tomorrow.
Grandma Death smiles back at him... and begins to walk slowly back
to her house. She then turns and takes Donnie's hands into her
frail grip.
GRANDMA DEATH
(speaking slowly)
Every living creature... on this earth...
(beat)
...dies alone.
Donnie stands there silently for a moment, and then Grandma Death
turns back towards her house.
EXT. DR. THURMAN'S RANCH - SUNSET
We see a large colonial rancher in the distance.
INT. THERAPIST'S OFFICE - EVENING
Dr. Lilian Thurman (fifty-eight) is a beautiful older woman.
DR. THURMAN
Your mother said that you've been
skipping cycles of your medication.
DONNIE
I've been taking it. I just like to make
her feel guilty for all of this. You know,
abuse her. Psychologically.
DR. THURMAN
All of this... certainly isn't your
mother's fault, Donald.
He is quiet for a moment.
DONNIE
So, I met a new friend.
DR. THURMAN
Would you like to talk about this friend?
DONNIE
His name is Frank.
DR. THURMAN
Frank.
DONNIE
I think he saved my life.
DR. THURMAN
How so?
DONNIE
Don't you watch the news?
DR. THURMAN
I don't own a television.
DONNIE
A jet engine fell on my house... landed on
my bed. While I was talking to Frank on
the golf course.
Dr. Thurman looks at him for a long beat, analysing whether or not
he is telling her the truth.
DONNIE (cont'd)
I'm not kidding.
Concerned, Dr. Thurman leans in closer.
DR. THURMAN
Frank... instructed you... to get out of
bed... just before this happened.
DONNIE
He said to follow him.
DR. THURMAN
Follow him where?
DONNIE
Into the future.
(beat)
Then he said that the world was coming to
an end.
He rubs his arm, where the numbers are still lightly drawn.
DR. THURMAN
Do you believe that the world is coming
to an end?
DONNIE
(long beat)
No.
(beat)
That's stupid.
INT. MIDDLESEX RIDGE SCHOOL - HALLWAY
In the empty school hallway... a gigantic tidal wave forms in the
distance and comes crashing towards us between the lockers.
INT. FAMILY ROOM - NIGHT (EARLY TUESDAY MORNING, 2 A.M.)
Donnie lies on the couch... fast asleep. His eyes slowly open.
There, standing in the corner of the room in the shadows is Frank.
FRANK
Wake up, Donnie.
INT. MIDDLESEX RIDGE SCHOOL - NIGHT
In the dark school hallway, Donnie rounds the corner with a
flashlight, a can of spray paint, and an axe. Frank stands in the
same hallway where the tidal wave crashed.
INT. SCHOOL BASEMENT - NEXT
Donnie shines the flashlight through the basement. He approaches
some old piping.
Donnie puts the axe back over his shoulder and then lowers it
fiercely. The smashing of metal against metal echoes through the
huge room.
Title card:
OCTOBER 4 1988
EXT. BUS STOP - MORNING (7:45 A.M.)
The same group stands and waits for the bus. The guy smoke.
Cherita stands alone. Samantha is reading something to Joanie.
SAMANTHA
(reading)
"And then the prince was led into a world
of strange and beautiful magic."
JOANIE
Wow.
Donnie grabs the piece of paper from his sister.
DONNIE
(reading out loud)
"The Last Unicorn!" By Samantha Darko.
SAMANTHA
Donnie! Give it back!
He pushes her away.
SAMANTHA (cont'd)
You're wrinkling it!
SEAN
Hey, it's 7:45. The bus shoulda been here,
like, twenty minutes ago.
RONALD
Maybe Martha Moo finally went nuts and
hijacked the bus.
SEAN
(excited)
You know, there's, like, this rule. We get
to go home at 7:55.
RONALD
There's no rule!
SEAN
Fuck yeah there is! If the bus doesn't
show up in thirty minutes, you're supposed
to go straight home.
DONNIE
Yeah... he's right. Because if we keep
waiting, some guy in a van might pull up
and try to molest us. And then our parents
could sue the school board.
Everyone starts to get excited... looking down the road to see if
the bus is coming.
Sean's watch hits 7:55. No bus.
SEAN
All right! 7:55. Everybody goes home.
RONALD
Let's go to Donnie's house. His parents
are both at work.
The three guys begin walking.
DONNIE
Come on, Sam, you can call Joanie's mom
from home.
The two girls follow them. Cherita stands at the corner.
DONNIE (cont'd)
Hey, Cherita... you should go home.
SEAN
Yeah, if you're still here and the bus
comes, we'll get in trouble.
CHERITA
Chut up.
SEAN
Hey, porky pig. I hope you get molested!
Suddenly, Emily Bates (ten) and Susie Bates (eight) run up to the
bus stop.
EMILY
Hey! Our mom said that school is cancelled
today because it's flooded!
JOANIE
No... way.
A horrible expression appears on Donnie's face.
INT. MIDDLESEX RIDGE SCHOOL - MORNING
A janitor named Leroy (fifty-five) stands at the end of the hall
with Principal Cole. Water rushes past their feet down the steps.
LEROY
I got twelve classrooms full of water. All
coming from a busted water main.
PRINCIPAL COLE
What else?
LEROY
What else? Shit, Principal Cole, you ain't
gonna believe what else.
EXT. BACK COURTYARD - MORNING
They stand before the bronze Middlesex mongrel. Spray-painted on
the concrete before it is the phrase: THEY MADE ME DO IT.
There are papers strewn everywhere. Embedded in the head of the
mongrel is an axe.
PRINCIPAL COLE
Christ. Is that an axe?
LEROY
Yep.
PRINCIPAL COLE
How did this happen?
LEROY
(beat)
I guess they made him do it.
Leroy can't help himself. He has to laugh.
PRINCIPAL COLE
You're fired.
Principal Cole walks off.
EXT. BUS STOP 2 - EARLY MORNING (8:15 A.M.)
Donnie, Sean, Ronald, Samantha and Joanie, Emily and Susie walk
from their bus stop.
RONALD
School's closed! Everybody go home!
EMILY
Nuh-uh.
SAMANTHA
Yeah-huh. A cat burglar broke him and
trashed everything.
Susie talks with Emily. Joanie and Samantha listen in.
EMILY
Mom said that the boys' locker room looked
like a swimming pool... and that they
found faeces everywhere.
SUSIE
What are faeces?
EMILY
Baby mice.
SUSIE
Aww.
JOANIE
Oh my God, that is so grody.
EXT. BUS STOP 3 - NEXT
Sean looks down to another bus stop down the street.
SEAN
School's cancelled!
A bunch of young kids scream out... jumping up and down.
EXT. BUS STOP 4 - NEXT
Donnie approaches another corner alone. Ricky Danforth (seventeen)
and Seth Devlin (eighteen) stand with Gretchen.
SETH
(smoking a cigarette)
Has anyone ever told you that you're sexy?
RICKY
I like your boobs.
Gretchen looks at them with disgust.
Donnie walks into the group.
DONNIE
Hey...
GRETCHEN
Hey...
DONNIE
School's cancelled.
They look at one another, surprised.
GRETCHEN
(to Donnie)
Wanna walk me home?
DONNIE
Sure.
They quickly begin to walk off. Seth and Ricky look off at them,
furious.
GRETCHEN
Don't look so freaked.
DONNIE
I'm not. But you should check your
backpack 'cause those guys like to steal
shit.
GRETCHEN
Fuck them.
Gretchen smiles at Donnie, and then turns back and gives them the
middle finger.
EXT. NEIGHBOURHOOD STREET - NEXT (8:30 A.M.)
Donnie and Gretchen walk along the sidewalk together.
DONNIE
So... you just moved here?
GRETCHEN
Yeah. My parents got divorced. My mom has
a restraining order against my stepdad.
(beat)
He has... emotional problems.
DONNIE
Oh, I... have those too.
(beat)
What kind of problems does your dad have?
GRETCHEN
(long beat)
He stabbed my mom four times in the chest.
Donnie is shocked.
DONNIE
Wow. Did he go to jail?
GRETCHEN
He fled. They still can't find him.
(beat)
My mom and I had to change our names
and stuff. I thought Gretchen sounded
kind of cool.
DONNIE
I'm sorry. I was in jail once.
(beat)
I accidentally burned down this house. It
was abandoned. I got held back in school
again. Can't drive until I'm eighteen.
(babbling)
I think when I grow up I want to be a
painter. Or maybe a writer or maybe both.
Then I'll write a book and draw the
illustrations like a comic book. You know,
change things.
GRETCHEN
Donnie Darko is a cool name. Sounds like
a superhero.
DONNIE
What makes you think I'm not?
Gretchen smiles. She looks over at her house.
GRETCHEN
I should go. For physics. Monnitoff says
I have to write an essay on the greatest
invention ever to benefit mankind.
DONNIE
That's easy. Antiseptics.
She gives him a look.
DONNIE (cont'd)
I mean, the whole sanitation thing.
Joseph Lister... 1895. Before antiseptics
there was no sanitation, especially in
medicine.
GRETCHEN
You mean soap?
DONNIE
Don't knock soap. Without it, disease
would spread rapidly. If we ran out...
you and I would never live to see the
year 2000.
GRETCHEN
Wonder where we'll be then.
DONNIE
The best thing about soap is that it's the
only thing on earth that can never get
dirty. No matter what crap you throw on it
...it always rubs off. And there it is
again... perfect.
GRETCHEN
Until it withers away.
She stares at him for a moment.
DONNIE
It's a good thing the school was flooded
today.
GRETCHEN
Why is that?
DONNIE
We never would have had this conversation.
She smiles.
GRETCHEN
You're weird.
DONNIE
I'm sorry.
GRETCHEN
That was a compliment.
DONNIE
Will you go with me?
GRETCHEN
Where are we going?
DONNIE
No... I mean, will you GO with me?
That's like... what they call it here.
Going together.
GRETCHEN
(beat)
Sure.
She gets up and begins to walk up the hill.
DONNIE
Where are you going?
GRETCHEN
I'm going home.
Title card:
OCTOBER 6 1988
INT. THERAPIST'S OFFICE - EVENING (THURSDAY, 6 P.M.)
Dr. Thurman sits next to Donnie. His eyes are closed.
DR. THURMAN
And when I clap my hands twice, you will
wake up. Do you understand?
DONNIE
Yes.
DR. THURMAN
So, tell me about your day, Donald.
DONNIE
I met a girl.
DR. THURMAN
What is her name?
DONNIE
Gretchen. We're going together now.
DR. THURMAN
Do you think a lot about girls?
DONNIE
Yes.
DR. THURMAN
How are things going at school?
DONNIE
I think about girls a lot.
DR. THURMAN
I asked you about school.
DR. THURMAN
I think about.. fucking a lot during school.
DR. THURMAN
What else do you think about during school?
DONNIE
I think... about... "Who's the Boss?"
DR. THURMAN
Who is the boss?
DONNIE
I just turn the volume down and think
about fucking Alyssa Milano.
DR. THURMAN
What about your family, Donnie?
DONNIE
No, I don't think about fucking my family.
That's sick!
DR. THURMAN
Donnie... I want to hear about your friend
Frank.
Donnie is now undoing his belt. He is no longer paying attention.
Dr. Thurman quickly claps her hands. Donnie jolts awake...
disoriented.
INT. ENGLISH CLASS - DAY (FRIDAY, 8:30 A.M.)
Donnie sits with his eyes wide open, staring at something.
POLICE OFFICER
(out of shot)
Aaron Armitage... Cherita Chen.
Donnie's face has gone white.
PRINCIPAL COLE
Donald Darko.
We reveal on the blackboard the phrase, "They made me do it",
written over and over again.
We reveal two Police Officers standing next to Principal Cole in
the corner of the classroom.
Donnie gets up and walks over to the board and writes the phrase.
He then sits down again without hesitation.
The Police Officer hesitates for a moment, lingering over Donnie's
penmanship. He then places a '?' next to Donnie's name on the
roster. Ms. Pomeroy makes eye-contact with him.
INT. HEALTH CLASS - AFTERNOON (FRIDAY, 1 P.M.)
We pull back from a television: a cloud formation blows across the
screen revealing a logo that reads: CUNNING VISIONS PRODUCTIONS.
A series of interviews follows.. infomercial style.
LINDA CONNIE
And what I realised was that my entire
life I was a victim of my own FEAR. I was
FEEDING FEAR WITH FOOD... and finally... I
looked in the mirror. Not just IN THE
MIRROR. I looked THROUGH the mirror. And
in that image I saw my EGO REFLECTION.
Donnie's health class is assembled in uniform rows in front of a
television cart. Ms. Farmer paces in front of them.
SHANDA RIESMAN
(with her arm around
her geeky son)
...and for two years I thought it was
NORMAL for a fifteen-year-old to wet the
bed.
Laughter from the students.
MS. FARMER
QUIET!
SHANDA RIESMAN
(choking up)
We tried everything. But the solution was
there... all along.
LARRY RIESMAN
(burst out emotionally)
I'm not AFRAID anymore!
A montage of "family" imagery follows.
NARRATOR
All across America... people have come
together to join hands. People who believe
that human life is too important... too
valuable to be controlled by FEAR.
A middle-aged man walks out onto a country patio. It is Jim
Cunningham... the guy from the golf course.
JIM CUNNINGHAM
Hello. My name is Jim Cunningham. And
welcome to "Controlling Fear".
The title CONTROLLING FEAR appears on the screen... followed by
PART ONE: ATTITUDINAL BELIEFS.
FRANK (V.O.)
Pay close attention, you could miss
something.
Donnie stares at the screen... at Jim Cunningham.
EXT. OLD GUN RUINS - AFTERNOON (FRIDAY MAGIC HOUR, 4:30 P.M.)
The ruins of a brick chimney sit in the middle of a field. Donnie,
Sean and Ronald have lined up several empty beer bottles, cans and
stuffed animals on the hearth.
They take turns blasting these targets with a BB gun.
Blam! A can falls over. Ronald hands the gun to Donnie. Sean pulls
out a bottle of Raspberry Night Train and takes a sip. He hands
the bottle to Ronald.
RONALD
What is this shit?
SEAN
Raspberry.
He takes a big sip... which results in a dry heave.
RONALD
Raspberry. That's good shit.
Donnie aims the crosshairs on Smurfette's head. He pulls the
trigger. Smurfette falls over.
RONALD (cont'd)
Wicked.
SEAN
No more fuckin' for her.
RONALD
Smurfette doesn't fuck.
SEAN
Bullshit. Smurfette fucks all the other
smurfs. That's why Papa Smurf made her,
'cause the other smurfs were getting too
horny.
RONALD
Not Vanity. He's a homo.
Blam! A bottle shatters.
SEAN
Then she fucks 'em all while Vanity
watches. And Papa Smurf films it.
Ronald takes another sip of Night Train... followed by another dry
heave. Blam! A bottle breaks.
DONNIE
First of all... Papa Smurf didn't create
Smurfette. Gargamel did. She was sent in
as Gargemel's evil spy, with the intention
of destroying the smurf village. But the
overwhelming Goodness of the Smurf Way of
Life transformed her into the Smurfette
we all know and love. And as for the whole
gang-bang scenario... it just couldn't
happen. Smurfs are asexual. They probably
don't even have reproductive organs down
there under those little white pants. The
only reason they exist is because of
magic spells and witchcraft... which is
all a bunch of bullshit if you ask me.
(beat)
That's what's so illogical about the
smurfs... what's the point of living if
you don't have a dick?
Donnie aims the gun... pulls the trigger. Blam! A bottle breaks.
RONALD
Dammit, Donnie! Why do you always
gotta get all smart on us!
Donnie takes the bottle of Night Train and takes a small sip.
Their conversation is interrupted by the squealing of tyres.
EXT. OLD GUN ROAD - NEXT (MAGIC HOUR, 5 P.M.)
Down the hill, a Dodge minivan is stopped on Old Gun Road.
Grandma Death is once again in the middle of the street.
DONNIE
Grandma Death.
Ms. farmer leans her head out of the window.
MS. FARMER
Excuse me!
Grandma Death doesn't hear her. She wanders around in circles.
Furious, Ms. Farmer gets out of the car and walks over to the old
woman, walking her by the shoulders back to her driveway.
MS. FARMER (cont'd)
Please stay out of the road, Ms. Sparrow.
If this happens again, I'm going to call
social services.
Ms. Farmer gets back behind the wheel and they drive off.
Grandma Death lurks around her mailbox.
RONALD
How old is Grandma Death?
DONNIE
A hundred and one, I think. Every day she
does the same thing. But there's never
any mail.
Grandma Death approaches the mailbox.
SEAN
Here we go... this could be it.
She opens it... then closes it. Walks away.
RONALD
Awwww. That sucks.
She approaches the box again...
SEAN
Wait a minute... we may still have mail...
Opens it... closes it. Walks away.
RONALD
Noooo!
They continue to watch her, sipping liquor into the sunset, as
Grandma Death repeats this act like an ancient wind-up doll.
INT. FAMILY ROOM - EVENING (FRIDAY, 7 P.M.)
Donnie lies on the couch watching television... where there is a
news story about the flooded school. Several construction workers
are packing up their things.
INT. UPSTAIRS BATHROOM - MOMENTS LATER (7:15 P.M.)
Looking nauseous, Donnie opens the medicine cabinet and retrieves
his pills. He takes four of them. Donnie takes a drink of water,
closing his eyes. He puts the pills back and closes the cabinet.
In the mirror's reflection is Frank. Donnie jumps.
FRANK
You got away with it. Don't worry.
Donnie reaches his hand out towards Frank and it presses against
an invisible wall, as if he were pressing his hand against liquid
glass.
DONNIE
How can you do that?
FRANK
I can do anything I want... and so can
you...
Donnie stares closely at Frank. He then removes his hands and moves
back away from him.
EXT. MIDDLESEX SCHOOL AUDITORIUM - EVENING (7:15 P.M.)
A sign reads: EMERGENCY PTA MEETING TONIGHT.
INT. AUDITORIUM - EVENING (7:15 P.M.)
Parents and teachers convene in front of the auditorium entrance.
Kitty Farmer hands out Xeroxed images of something.
Eddie and Rose chit-chat with other concerned parents.
Ms. Pomeroy approaches Kitty Farmer.
MS. POMEROY
What are you trying to accomplish here?
MS. FARMER
(indignant)
There was urine and faeces flooded in my
office.
INT. AUDITORIUM - LATER ON
The crowd settles... Principal Cole takes the stage.
PRINCIPAL COLE
In co-operation with the county police,
we have begun an active investigation
into the cause of the flooding... and our
suspects include several of our own
students.
Kitty Farmer stands up in her seat near the front row.
MS. FARMER
I want to know why this FILTH is being
taught to our children.
The crowd stirs.
PRINCIPAL COLE
Kitty, I would appreciate... if you
could wait...
MS. FARMER
Mr. Cole... not only am I a TEACHER...
but I am also a PARENT of a Middlesex
child. Therefore, I am the ONLY person
here who transcends the parent-teacher
bridge.
PRINCIPAL COLE
Kitty...
MS. FARMER
The bottom line... Mr. Cole... is that
there is material being taught to our
children that is cause for this
destructive behaviour.
She stands up.
MS. FARMER (cont'd)
I have in my hand Graham Greene's "The
Destructors". This short story is part of
my daughter's English assignment. In this
story, several children destroy an elderly
man's house from inside out. They destroy
his house without motive, without moral
consequence. They destroy private property
...and they get away with it.
Ms. Pomeroy shakes her head bitterly.
MS. FARMER (cont'd)
And how do they do this? They FLOOD the
house... by breaking through the water
main!
PRINCIPAL COLE
(trying to calm her)
This meeting of the PTA was called to
inform the parents of our ongoing
investigation...
MS. FARMER
(enraged)
I AM THE PTA! And I say that this FILTH is
directly related to this vandalism.
Applause from the crowd.
MS. FARMER (cont'd)
I think this garbage should be removed.
Several shouts of approval come from the crowd.
INT. UPSTAIRS BATHROOM - EVENING
Donnie continues to converse with Frank.
DONNIE
Why did you make me flood the school?
FRANK
We just want to guide you in the
right direction.
DONNIE
Who is... we?
FRANK
You'll know soon enough.
DONNIE
(desperate)
Where did you come from?
FRANK
(beat)
Do you believe in time travel, Donnie?
A moment of silence.
SAMANTHA
Who are you talking to?
Donnie turns to see Samantha is standing in the doorway. Frank
is gone.
INT. AUDITORIUM - NIGHT
A heated debate among the parents is under way. Frustrated, Rose
stands up. Karen Pomeroy is furious.
ROSE
Excuse me... but what is the real issue
here? The PTA doesn't ban books from
school.
MS. FARMER
The PTA is here to acknowledge that there
is pornography in our school's
curriculum.
MS. POMEROY
(standing up)
My GOD... woman, are you drunk?
MS. FARMER
Excuse me? You need to go back to grad
school.
ROSE
(to Kitty)
Do you even know who Graham Greene is?
MS. FARMER
(to Rose)
I think we've all seen "Bonanza".
Ms. Pomeroy is disgusted. Rose and Eddie burst out laughing, grab
their coats, and leave.
EXT. WIZARD'S ARCADE - AFTERNOON (SATURDAY, 1 P.M.)
Donnie and Gretchen play a Sega race-car driving game. Donnie
drives a souped-up red Ferrari through the Grand Canyon.
GRETCHEN
So when you sleepwalk, can you remember
afterward? Like, do you dream?
DONNIE
No. I just wake up and I look around, try
to figure out where I am... how I got
there.
GRETCHEN
My dad said never wake a sleepwalker...
because they could drop dead.
The Trans-Am crashes head on into a tree. Game Over.
DONNIE
It's like this big force... that's in
your brain. But sometimes it grows
bigger... and it spread down into your
arms and legs... and it just sends you
someplace.
GRETCHEN
So when you sleepwalk, you go somewhere
familiar?
DONNIE
No. Every time I wake up somewhere
different. Sometimes my bike is laying
there next to me. Like once when I woke
up on the edge of this cliff up on
Carpathian Ridge.
GRETCHEN
And you'd never been there before?
They sit silently for a moment.
GRETCHEN (cont'd)
Donnie?
DONNIE
Yeah?
GRETCHEN
Do you ever feel as though there's
always someone watching you?
DONNIE
Why?
GRETCHEN
Well... maybe someone is, like... giving
you these dream steroids. And sleepwalking
...is someone showing you the way.
Title card:
OCTOBER 13 1988
INT. ENGLISH CLASS - MORNING (THURSDAY, 8 A.M.)
Donnie stands in front of the class. Ms. Pomeroy sits behind her
desk. On the chalkboard is "Poetry Day".
DONNIE
"A storm is coming, Frank says. A storm
that will swallow the children... and I
will deliver them from the kingdom of
pain."
(beat)
"I will deliver the children to their
doorsteps. I will send the monsters back
to the underground. I will send them
back to a place where no one can see them
...except for me. Because I am Donnie
Darko."
Donnie returns to his seat. Ms. Pomeroy stares at him intensely.
MS. POMEROY
Who is Frank?
DONNIE
A six-foot-tall bunny rabbit.
The class begins to laugh. Donnie looks over at Gretchen.
INT. HEALTH CLASS - AFTERNOON (THURSDAY, 1 P.M.)
Ms. Farmer stands next to the television where Jim Cunningham
narrates the Lifeline tutorial.
JIM CUNNINGHAM
And so, let us begin Lifeline Exercise
No. 1.
"PLEASE PRESS STOP NOW" appears on the screen.
Ms. Farmer stops the tape and moves to the blackboard. On it, she
has drawn a horizontal line book-ended by the words "Love" and
"Fear".
MS. FARMER
As you can see, the Lifeline is controlled
by two polar extremes: "Fear" and "Love".
Fear is in the negative energy spectrum.
Love is in the positive energy spectrum.
SEAN
(to Donnie)
No duh.
MS. FARMER
Excuse me?
(defensive)
"No duh" is a product of fear.
She stares them down for a moment... shaking her head.
MS. FARMER (cont'd)
(handing out cards)
Now, on each card is a CHARACTER DILEMMA
which applies to the Lifeline. Please read
each character dilemma aloud... and place
an X on the Lifeline in the appropriate
place.
The students read their cards.
KITTY FARMER (cont'd)
We'll start in the front.
Cherita Chen stands up and walks over to the blackboard. Ms.
Farmer pulls up large white cards that have black-and-white
animated cartoons on them.
CHERITA
Juanita has an important maths test
today. She has known about the test for
several weeks, but has not studied. In
order to keep from failing her class,
Juanita decides that she will cheat on
the maths test.
Cherita places an X near the "Fear" end of the lifeline.
MS. FARMER
Good. Next.
Donnie watches as several more students interpret their
respective human dilemmas.
Finally... it is his turn.
DONNIE
Ling Ling finds a wallet on the ground
filled with money. She takes the wallet
to the address on the driver's license
but keeps the money inside the wallet.
Donnie looks at the blackboard.
DONNIE (cont'd)
I'm sorry, Ms. Farmer, I just don't
get this.
MS. FARMER
(impatient)
Just place an X in the appropriate place
on the Lifeline.
DONNIE
I just don't get this. Everything can't be
lumped into two categories. That's too
simple.
MS. FARMER
The Lifeline is divided that way.
DONNIE
Well, life isn't that simple. So what if
Ling Ling kept the cash and returned the
wallet? That has nothing to do with either
fear or love.
MS. FARMER
(impatient)
Fear and love are the deepest of human
emotions.
DONNIE
Well, yeah... OK, but you're not listening
to me. There are other things that need
to be taken into account here. Like the
whole spectrum of human emotion. You're
just lumping everything into these two
categories... and, like, denying
everything else.
Ms. Farmer stares at Donnie vehemently. She can't believe what
she's hearing.
DONNIE (cont'd)
People aren't that simple.
MS. FARMER
(not knowing how to argue
with him)
If you don't complete the assignment,
you'll get a zero for the day.
Donnie thinks for a moment... and then raises his hand.
INT. PRINCIPAL COLE'S OFFICE - AFTERNOON (2 P.M.)
Donnie and his parents sit in front of Principal Cole.
PRINCIPAL COLE
Donald... let me preface this by saying
that your Iowa scores are...
(looking down at the file)
...intimidating.
(rubbing his temples)
So... let's go over this again. What
exactly did you say to Ms. Farmer?
Donnie does not answer. We reveal Ms. Farmer standing in the corner.
MS. FARMER
(furious)
He asked me to... forcibly insert the
Lifeline exercise card into my anus.
Silence. Rose looks down, furious. Eddie lets out a snort laugh
which he tries to conceal with a cough. It doesn't work.
INT. TEACHERS' LOUNGE / OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER (2:15 P.M.)
Eddie and Donnie exit Cole's office, moving on while Rose
approaches Kitty, who looks visibly shaken.
ROSE
Kitty, I don't know what to say. They've
suspended him for two days.
(beat)
Ever since this jet fiasco, I honestly
don't know what has gotten into him.
MS. FARMER
Rose, I'll tell you this because our
daughters have been on dance team
together for two years and I respect
you as WOMAN. But after witnessing your
son's behaviour today, I have...
significant doubts...
(stopping herself)
Our paths through life must be righteous.
I urge you to go home and look in the
mirror and pray that your son does not
succumb to the path of fear.
Kitty Farmer turns and walks away.
EXT. DARKO BACKYARD / PATIO - SUNSET (MAGIC HOUR, 5:30 P.M.)
Samantha jumps up and down on the trampoline.
INT. DONNIE'S ROOM - NIGHT (5:30 P.M.)
Donnie walks into his room again for the first time since the
accident, looking around at the new furniture, paint and carpet.
Everything is perfect.
Elizabeth appears in the doorway behind him with a cordless
phone in her hand.
ELIZABETH
(into the phone)
Oh my God, remember that gym teacher,
Ms. Farmer?
(beat)
Yeah. Well, I guess my brother called her
a fat bitch today in class and got
suspended. And my parents just bought him
all of this new shit.
(beat)
Yeah, I know. I wish a jet engine would
have fallen on my room.
INT. MARINO'S ITALIAN BISTRO - NIGHT (6 P.M.)
Eddie and Rose sit across from one another at the bistro patio...
having a quiet dinner to themselves.
ROSE
He's too old to be behaving this way.
Eddie considers this.
EDDIE
Oh, I say we buy him a moped.
INT. DONNIE'S ROM - NIGHT (7 P.M.)
Donnie lies in bed... looking up at the ceiling. He then rolls
over and looks at the calendar on his wall. The days of the month
of October are marked off with an X in each square. Tacked onto
the calendar is a drawing of Frank.
DONNIE
28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, 12 seconds.
INT. PHYSICS CLASS - DAY (FRIDAY, 2:30 P.M.)
As everyone is leaving class, Donnie stays behind.
DONNIE
Dr. Monnitoff?
DR. MONNITOFF
Donnie.
DONNIE
I know that this is gonna sound kinda
weird... but do you know anything about
time travel?
Dr. Monnitoff pauses, turns and looks at Donnie. He seems to
know something.
INT. PHYSICS CLASS - LATER ON
Dr. Monnitoff has drawn a diagram on the blackboard. In his hand
he holds a copy of Stephen Hawking's "A Brief History of Time".
DR. MONNITOFF
So... according to Hawking... wormholes
might be able to provide a shot cut for
jumping between two distant regions of
space-time.
DONNIE
So... in order to travel back in time,
you'd have to have a big spaceship or
something that can travel faster than the
speed of light --
DR. MONNITOFF
Theoretically.
DONNIE
-- and be able to find one of these
wormholes.
DR. MONNITOFF
A wormhole with an Einstein-Rosen bridge,
which is, theoretically... a wormhole in
space controlled by man.
DONNIE
So... that's it?
DR. MONNITOFF
The basic principles of time travel are
there.
(beat)
So you have the vessel and the portal.
And the vessel can be anything. Most
likely a spacecraft.
EXT. SCHOOL COURTYARD - NEXT
Cherita Chen listens to this conversation intently.
INT. PHYSICS CLASS - NEXT
DONNIE
Like a DeLorean.
DR. MONNITOFF
(smiling)
A metal craft of any kind.
Donnie stares at him intently. Dr. Monnitoff walks over to his
desk and picks up a book.
DR. MONNITOFF (cont'd)
Don't tell anybody that I gave you this.
(beat)
The woman who wrote it... used to teach
here a long time ago. She was a nun for
many years and then overnight she just
became this entirely different person. She
up and left the Church, wrote this book,
and started teaching science.
Donnie takes the battered book... we see the cover.
INT. SCHOOL MAIN HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER
Donnie stands before an array of old photographs. We zoom in to
a black-and-white photograph of a young Robert Sparrow standing
in a class photograph dated 1944.
Donnie looks down at the book, and then at the photograph.
DONNIE
Roberta Sparrow... Grandma Death.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT (FRIDAY, 6 P.M.)
Donnie sits down for dinner with his family.
DONNIE
It's called "The Philosophy of Time
Travel".
ELIZABETH
What does time travel have to do with
philosophy?
DONNIE
Guess who wrote it?
No one seems to know.
DONNIE (cont'd)
Grandma Death.
ROSE
That is a terrible nickname.
EDDIE
Grandma Death.
DONNIE
(to Eddie)
You know, Roberta Sparrow. We almost hit
her with the car the other day.
ROSE
I've heard she's loaded.
The family is taken aback.
EDDIE
You're right. Roberta Sparrow was famous
for her gem collections. Kids used to try
and steal stuff from her all the time.
Over the years... as she got older, she
became more and more of a recluse... now
she just likes to stay up there all by
herself.
DONNIE
I guess she just lost faith in the world.
EXT. DARKO BACKYARD - SUNSET (SATURDAY, 5:30 P.M.)
Slow motion. Donnie and Gretchen jump up and down on the
trampoline, lost among falling autumn leaves.
INT. THERAPIST'S OFFICE - DAY (SUNDAY, 12 P.M.)
Donnie is back on Dr. Thurman's couch.
DR. THURMAN
How many times have you seen Frank?
DONNIE
Four times... so far.
DR. THURMAN
Can anyone else see him?
DONNIE
I don't think so. It's like a TV
station. And they're tuned into mine and
no one else's.
DR. THURMAN
Who is they? Is Frank part of some larger
group?
DONNIE
I don't know. Gretchen has a theory. That
Frank is a sign. I told her I thought it
was ridiculous.
DR. THURMAN
A sign from whom?
DONNIE
(changing the subject)
I think that Frank wants me to go to this
woman.
(holding up the book)
She wrote a book about time travel. Frank
asked me if I believed in time travel.
That can't just be a random coincidence.
(beat)
My dad almost hit her with the car the
other day, and she said the creepiest
thing. She said that every living creature
on this earth dies alone.
DR. THURMAN
How does that make you feel?
DONNIE
It reminded me of my dog Callie.
DR. THURMAN
Is Callie still around?
DONNIE
No. She died when I was eight. We couldn't
find her for days. She went and crawled
underneath our back porch...
DR. THURMAN
Do you feel alone right now?
He looks at her for a moment.
DONNIE
I'd like to believe that I'm not... but
I've just never seen any proof. So I just
choose not to bother with it. It's, like,
I could spend my whole life thinking
about it... debating it in my head.
Weighing the pros and cons. And in the
end, I still wouldn't have any proof. So
...I don't even debate it any more.
Because it's absurd.
(beat)
I don't want to be alone.
(beat)
So, does that make me, like, an atheist?
DR. THURMAN
No. That makes you keep searching.
Donnie takes this in for a moment.
INT. FAMILY ROOM - EVENING (SUNDAY, 7:15 P.M.)
Eddie and Dr. Fisher watch the Redskins game. Ronald and Donnie
watch the game in the family room.
EDDIE
Ahh... we need Theisman.
DR. FISHER
We need a miracle.
INT. KITCHEN - NEXT
Rose and Anne Fisher (forty-five) share a bottle of wine at the
kitchen table.
ANNE
And so, his tapes made me realise that
for forty-five years I have been a
a prisoner of fear. Rose, you have to
meet Jim Cunningham.
(taking a sip of wine)
I can't believe he's not married.
Samantha bounces through the kitchen and into the family room,
wearing a Dorothy outfit from "The Wizard of Oz".
INT. FAMILY ROOM - NEXT
Donnie sits back in the La-Z Boy, dozing off...
John Madden's CBS chalkboard unfolds on the TV screen. Madden
traces his electronic lines across the screen, tracing the
movement of the players... as their images are frozen in time.
Donnie's eyes close... and then re-open.
Donnie turns his head and sees that the room is momentarily
bathed in artificial white light, as if God hit the slow-motion
button during a flash of lightning.
Donnie turns his head and sees that protruding from his father's
stomach... is a thick spear made of silvery plastic gel.
As Eddie gets up from the couch to walk over to the refrigerator
...his spear precedes him... morphing into an extruded arrow
that reaches the refrigerator several seconds before him.
The spear traces the exact geography of his movement through
time... using his centre of gravity as its axis point.
Donnie turns and sees Samantha skipping from the kitchen... as her
spear bounces several feet in front of her like a caterpillar.
Her spear... smaller than her father's... is proportional to her
mass.
SAMANTHA
(her voice echoing through
the silence)
Follow the yellow brick road...
Donnie looks down at his stomach and sees his own spear protruding
outward. It then begins to extrude forward towards the foyer.
He does not follow it. It then retreats back in and beckons him
to follow.
Like a child transfixed by a firefly... Donnie follows the path of
his spear into the foyer.
INT. FOYER / UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - NXT
Donnie and his spear round the corner and arrive in his parents'
bedroom.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT
His spear leads him to the closet. He opens the closet door...
and the spear leads him down to a box hidden beneath his father's
shoe rack.
Donnie removes the box from the closet and unlatches it. Inside is
a gun. Donnie removes the pistol from the box... staring at it with
the same childlike expression.
Suddenly... Donnie's universe snaps back to normal. The white
light strobes... the spear has vanished.
Donnie still holds the gun. His expression changes to nervous
shock.
His eyes linger over the gun for a moment, he then quickly puts
it back in the box... and carefully places the box back under
the shoe rack.
Title card:
OCTOBER 18 1988
EXT. BUS STOP - MORNING (TUESDAY, 7:30 A.M.)
The usual bus stop crew is there. Donnie arrives last... by
himself. He looks tired and preoccupied.
A plane flies overhead... they all look up at the sky.
INT. ENGLISH CLASS - MORNING (8:30 A.M.)
We see the students placing the Graham Greene books on Ms.
Pomeroy's desk.
MS. POMEROY
It gives me no pleasure to deny you
the right to read one of the great
writers of the twentieth century. But...
alas, I have not yet been elected Queen of
the Universe. And until that day, I will
be forced to obey the rules... and so
will you. So... if anyone is found
carrying this book in school, they will
be suspended.
Donnie slips his book into his backpack.
MS. POMEROY (cont'd)
But let's not worry. Someone has already
pre-ordered several dozen copies at
Sarasota Mall Waldenbooks. now, in Mr.
Greene's absence, we will be reading
another classic. Richard Adams' "Watership
Down".
She begins to hand out copies of the paperback novel. Beth Farmer
smiles when she sees the cover.
BETH
Awww. Bunnies.
MS. POMEROY
(whispering in his ear)
Donnie, maybe you and Frank can read
this one together.
INT. SCHOOL BATHROOM - MIDDAY (11:30 A.M.)
Donnie walks along the edge of the school. Suddenly, a figure
approaches, grabbing him from behind, placing a switchblade next
to his throat It is Seth Devlin.
SETH
Did you tell them that I flooded
the school?
DONNIE
I didn't say shit.
SETH
That's not what I heard. Now they think
I did it.
DONNIE
Well, if you're innocent, then you have
nothing to worry about.
SETH
You know what? I think that you did it.
Seth takes the knife and pokes the tip softly into the flesh of
Donnie's neck, drawing a small amount of blood.
He pushes Donnie away. Donnie touches his neck in shock.
INT. PHYSICS CLASS - DAY (2:30 P.M.)
Donnie walks into the classroom and takes his seat next to
Gretchen. He is sweating profusely.
Dr. Monnitoff is handing out papers. The bell rings People
shuffle out.
DR. MONNITOFF
Don't forget tomorrow we'll be meeting
with our partners for the Young Inventors
Fair.
Donnie rubs his finger over his neck wound.
GRETCHEN
What happened to your neck?
DONNIE
I don't want to talk about it.
(changing the subject)
So what happened to your neck?
EXT. GOLF COURSE FOREST - THAT AFTERNOON (3 P.M.)
Donnie and Gretchen walk around the trail.
GRETCHEN
Were you ever afraid of the dark?
They pull over to a stop.
DONNIE
Why?
She thinks for a moment.
GRETCHEN
Babies cry because they're afraid of the
dark. And because they have no memories...
for all they know... every night could be
the last forever. Like, perpetual darkness.
DONNIE
Why not just buy your baby a night light?
GRETCHEN
That's not good enough. You've got to go
back in time and take all those hours of
darkness and pain and replace them... with
whatever you wanted.
DONNIE
With, like, images?
GRETCHEN
Like... a Hawaiian sunset... the Grand
Canyon. Things that remind you how
beautiful the world can be.
Donnie stops and takes Gretchen's hand.
DONNIE
You know... we've been going together for
a week and a half...
GRETCHEN
And what?
DONNIE
Well...
GRETCHEN
You want to kiss me...
Donnie goes in for an awkward kiss... but Gretchen turns and
denies him.
Donnie turns away, embarrassed.
DONNIE
That's alright... I understand.
GRETCHEN
(embarrassed)
No... Donnie, wait. I've never...
DONNIE
I always wanted it to be at a time when
...when it reminds you how beautiful the
world can be.
GRETCHEN
Yeah. And right now there's some fat guy
over there watching us.
A man in a red jogging suit is standing there in the forest
smoking a cigarette. He turns away... disappearing into the woods.
EXT. NEIGHBOURHOOD STREET - LATER THAT AFTERNOON (4 P.M.)
Donnie rides along the sidewalk... and skids to a stop, seeing a
wallet lying there.
Donnie opens the wallet, looking at the ID. It reads:
JIM CUNNINGHAM
42 POWDERHAM DRIVE
MIDDLESEX, VA 23113
FRANK (V.O.)
(echoing in Donnie's head)
Now you know where he lives.
Donnie looks over and sees that he is in front of Cunningham's
Tudor mansion.
INT. KITCHEN - EVENING (7:15 P.M.)
Donnie sits at the kitchen island with Elizabeth, carving a
pumpkin.
ELIZABETH
So I hear you have a girlfriend.
DONNIE
Yeah.
ELIZABETH
What's her name?
DONNIE
You're not gonna tell Mom, are you?
ELIZABETH
(defensive)
Why would I tell Mom?
DONNIE
Because you tell Mom everything.
ELIZABETH
No I don't.
(long beat)
She worries about you.
DONNIE
Well, don't worry... I'm taking my
medication.
ELIZABETH
It's not that. I mean mouthing off to your
teachers. I'll admit... when Dad told me
what you said to Ms. Farmer, I laughed my
ass off.
DONNIE
I was just being honest.
ELIZABETH
Yeah... well, that's not the way the world
works. If you keep being too honest, the
world will eventually find a way to
destroy you.
DONNIE
Her name is Gretchen.
ELIZABETH
That's a nice name.
(beat)
OK, let me see it.
Donnie turns the carved jack o' lantern around and we see that it
looks remarkably like Frank.
INT. THERAPIST'S OFFICE - NIGHT (8 P.M.)
Rose and Eddie sit in front of Dr. Thurman.
ROSE
Thank you for seeing us... We... just felt
that it was time to discuss...
DR. THURMAN
What I think is going on with your son.
ROSE
Well, you know about his past. And when
you said to look for signs of aggression
...He was recently suspended from school
for insulting his gym teacher.
EDDIE
She deserved it.
DR. THURMAN
Rose... let me just lay out what I believe
is happening here. Donnie's aggressive
behaviour seems to stem from his increased
detachment from reality. His inability to
cope with the forces in the world that he
perceives to be threatening.
Rose smiles nervously.
DR. THURMAN (cont'd)
Has your son ever told you about Frank?
ROSE
Come again?
DR. THURMAN
Frank... the giant bunny rabbit?
ROSE
Frank?
DR. THURMAN
Donnie is experiencing what is commonly
called a daylight hallucination.
ROSE
You're telling me my son has an imaginary
friend?
DR. THURMAN
He has described lengthy conversations...
physical encounters with what I believe to
be a manifestation of his subconscious
mind.
Rose looks over at Eddie with an expression of panic.
ROSE
I... What can we do?
DR. THURMAN
I would like to put him through more
hypnotherapy... and increase his
medication.
Eddie looks at Rose... who nods in approval.
ROSE
If that's what you think is necessary.
DR. THURMAN
But let me remind you that this treatment
is... experimental.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Donnie walks into the kitchen and removes a butcher's knife from
a drawer.
INT. UPSTAIRS BATHROOM - NIGHT
Donnie stands in front of the bathroom mirror... catatonic...
looking at his reflection.
Frank stands behind him.
Suddenly, Donnie turns around with the butcher's knife and lunges
at Frank with all of his weight.
The knife collides with Frank's invisible force field as if it
were liquid steel. Donnie lunges repeatedly at Frank with
psychotic rage... but the knife bounces off.
Title card:
OCTOBER 20 1988
INT. SCHOOL AUDITORIUM - MORNING (10 A.M.)
The auditorium is packed with Middlesex mongrels. Jim Cunningham
takes the stage.
JIM CUNNINGHAM
(shouting)
Good morning, mongrels!
AUDIENCE
(scattered voices)
Good morning...
JIM CUNNINGHAM
That's all the gusta you can musta? I
said, "Good morning!"
AUDIENCE
(yelling louder)
Good MORNING!
JIM CUNNINGHAM
Now that's better... but I still sense
some students out there... who are AFRAID
...just to say GOOD MORNING!
AUDIENCE
(screaming)
GOOD MORNING!
JIM CUNNINGHAM
Are you AFRAID?
AUDIENCE
(screaming louder)
GOOD MORNING!
JIM CUNNINGHAM
Now that's what I like to hear!
(suddenly serious)
Because too many young men and women today
are paralysed by their fears. They give in
to their feelings of self-doubt... they
surrender their bodies to the temptations
of drugs, alcohol and premarital sex.
Empty solutions. These are toxic chemicals
...and disease-spreading behaviour.
A large screen lowers behind him.
JIM CUNNINGHAM (cont'd)
I would like tot ell you a story today
about a young man whose life was destroyed
by the instruments of fear. A young man
searching for love... in all the wrong
places.
(shaking his head tragically)
His name was Frank.
On the giant screen, an image slide appears of a young cartoon
teenager whose eyes are whacked out on drugs. The title appears:
HIS NAME WAS FRANK.
Upon hearing the name Frank, Donnie falls into a paranoid trance.
Gretchen, who looks extremely bored, leans over to Donnie.
GRETCHEN
Let's get out of here.
Donnie ignores her. His eyes are locked on Jim Cunningham, who
begins his rousing re-enactment of the sad, unfortunate downfall
of Frank.
Within minutes, Jim Cunningham has the crowd laughing...
enamoured of him with his cartoon slide show.
Note: during this sequence, the camera speed ramps to 4 bps.
INT. SCHOOL AUDITORIUM - NEXT (10:30 A.M.)
Donnie is in a trance.
DONNIE
We're moving through time.
GRETCHEN
What?
The huge screen rises upwards and Jim Cunningham takes questions
from the crowd from portable mike stands in the back of the
auditorium.
Several students get up and go to the mikes.
DORKY GIRL
Hi. Um... my stepsister... like... I
sometimes worry that she eats too much.
OVERWEIGHT GIRL
(mortified; yelling at her sister
from the crowd)
Shut up, Kim!
DORKY GIRL
I'm just trying to help you!
JIM CUNNINGHAM
There's no need to be embarrassed. Many
times we eat because we are afraid to face
the reality of our ego reflections. We
shouldn't just look INTO the mirror. We
should look THROUGH the mirror.
DORKY GIRL
Thanks.
Kitty Farmer runs out onto the stage and hands Jim Cunningham a
bottle of water and a towel. She gives him the thumbs-up sign, and
runs back offstage.
LANKY KID
Um... How can I decide what I want to be
when I grow up?
JIM CUNNINGHAM
I think you should look deep within
yourself... deep within your heart... and
find what it is in the world that makes
you feel LOVE. Just pure LOVE. And then
go to that. In your studies... in your
athletics... go towards love.
LANKY KID
Thank you.
Donnie gets up from his seat and goes to the mike.
LARRY RIESMAN
What can I do to learn how to fight?
JIM CUNNINGHAM
Violence is a product of fear. Those who
love themselves enough should have no need
to fight another person. Learn to truly
love yourself... and the world will be
yours.
LARRY RIESMAN
Okay.
Donnie steps up to the mike stand.
DONNIE
(furious)
How much are they paying you to be here?
JIM CUNNINGHAM
Excuse me? What's your name, son?
DONNIE
Gerald.
JIM CUNNINGHAM
Well, Gerald, I think you're afraid.
DONNIE
Well, Jim, I think you're full of shit!
There are rumblings from the faculty. Some laughter from the
student body.
DONNIE (cont'd)
Are you telling us this crap because you
want us to buy your book? Because I'll
tell you something, that was some of the
worst advice I've ever heard!
(to Dorky Girl)
If you want your sister to lose weight...
tell her to get off the couch, stop eating
Twinkies... and maybe go out for field
hockey.
(to Lanky Kid)
You're never gonna know what you want to
be when you grow up. Most of the time,
nobody does. How about you, Jim?
(to Larry)
And you... Sick of some jerk shoving your
head in a toilet? Then go lift some
weights... take a karate lesson. And when
he tries to do it again... kick him in the
balls.
More rumblings from the faculty... Laughter from the students gets
louder.
JIM CUNNINGHAM
(getting angry)
I think you are afraid to ask me for
advice. I think that you are a very
troubled... confused young man. I think
you're searching for answers in all the
wrong places.
DONNIE
(long beat)
Well, I think you're the fucking
Anti-Christ.
The crowd is stirring. Students break out into applause. Principal
Cole approaches Donnie and removes him from the auditorium.
Gretchen watches him go with a smile.
EXT. OLD GUN ROAD - AFTERNOON (3:30 P.M.)
Donnie and Gretchen walk down the wooded road.
DONNIE
(mumbling)
They suspended me for two days.
GRETCHEN
(stopping)
Are you okay?
DONNIE
(long beat)
I've been seeing stuff... a lot of really
messed-up stuff.
(beat)
Do you know who Grandma Death is?
GRETCHEN
Who?
DONNIE
The old crazy woman who lives off Old
Gun Road.
Donnie takes out the book by Roberta Sparrow.
GRETCHEN
Oh, yeah.
(taking the book)
"The Philosophy of Time Travel". What
is this?
DONNIE
She wrote it.
(beat)
There are chapters in this book that
describe the stuff I've been seeing. It
can't just be a coincidence.
(beat)
Will you come see her with me?
EXT. OLD GUN ROAD - NEXT (3:45 P.M.)
Donnie and Gretchen stand at the end of Grandma Death's driveway.
Gretchen leads Donnie up to the front porch of the decrepit
house. She then rings the doorbell. They wait for several moments
...nothing happens.
Gretchen then goes and peers through a window.
DONNIE
I know she's here. She never leaves
the house.
GRETCHEN
Maybe she's asleep.
They walk to the end of the driveway, and Donnie stops at the
mailbox. He opens it... empty.
GRETCHEN (cont'd)
(pointing at the house)
Donnie, look.
In an upstairs window of the house, the silhouette of Grandma
Death peers down at them ominously.
INT. DONNIE'S ROOM - AFTERNOON
Donnie sits at his desk, sealing an envelope. The address reads:
MS. ROBERTA SPARROW
22 OLD GUN ROAD
MIDDLESEX, VA 23113
Title card:
OCTOBER 23 1988
INT. THERAPIST'S OFFICE - EVENING (6 P.M.)
Dr. Thurman looks at a diagram from Sparrow's boo. Donnie is
pacing around her office.
DR. THURMAN
And they grow out of our stomachs?
DONNIE
It was just like she described them in her
book. Like they were alive. The way that
they looked... moved... smelled. They
were like workers... assigned to each one
of us.
(long beat, then distant)
I followed my spear... and I found
something...
DR. THURMAN
What did you find?
Donnie is silent for a moment.
DONNIE
Nothing.
DR. THURMAN
Have you told Gretchen about the spears?
DONNIE
Yeah, but if I told her about the other
stuff about Frank...
DR. THURMAN
Are you embarrassed by these things that
you see?
DONNIE
You know... every week I come in here and
I tell you stuff... and it's all
embarrassing. I tell you stuff that I
don't tell anyone else... and you know
what? It's your turn, Dr. Thurman. I'm
not saying anything else until you tell me
something embarrassing about yourself.
Donnie makes a "zipper lip" gesture.
DR. THURMAN
(long, stubborn beat)
I once had an extended sexual fantasy
involving Mr. Rogers.
Donnie just stares at her.
DONNIE
Whoa.
(beat)
That's OK, Dr. Thurman, it's nothing to
be embarrassed about. I have sexual
fantasies all the time too.
DR. THURMAN
I know.
DONNIE
I mean... Gretchen... She won't even let
me kiss her. She says because it's our
first kiss... she's, like, waiting for
this big... moment or something. I just
don't get it. I just want to get it over
with so we can move on to the good stuff.
DR. THURMAN
The good stuff.
DONNIE
Yeah... you know...
(whispering)
Fucking.
DR. THURMAN
(cutting him off)
Have you ever made love, Donald?
Donnie looks at her... and we know the answer.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT (7:15 P.M.)
The entire family is having dinner. Donnie is lost in a trance.
SAMANTHA
Donnie, are you coming to my talent
show tomorrow?
Donnie ignores her.
ROSE
He can't, Samantha. He's been suspended
from after-school activities. Donnie...
are you still with us?
(beat)
How was your therapy session tonight?
DONNIE
Fine. You know, Dr. Thurman isn't so bad a
lady. I can tell her anything.
Rose appears surprised and then sad at this comment. She looks at
Eddie, who just looks down at his plate of food.
EXT. PHYSICS CLASS - DAY (12 P.M.)
Donnie and Gretchen are at the front of the room, presenting their
invention. Dr. Monnitoff presides.
DONNIE
So, we call them... IMGs.
GRETCHEN
Infant Memory Generators.
DONNIE
Yeah. So the idea is that... you buy
these glasses for your infant, and they
wear them at night when they sleep.
GRETCHEN
And inside these glasses are these slide
photographs. And each photograph is of
something peaceful... or beautiful.
Whatever pictures the parent wants to put
inside.
DR. MONNITOFF
What effect do you think this would have
on an infant?
DONNIE
Well... the thing is, nobody remembers
their infancy. And anyone who says they do
is lying. We think that this would help
develop memory earlier in life.
DR. MONNITOFF
Did you stop and think that maybe infants
need darkness? That darkness is part of
their natural development.
Seth Davis raises his hand.
SETH
What if the parents, like... put in
photographs of Satan... pentagrams, dead
people... stuff like that?
GRETCHEN
Is that what you'd show your kids?
SETH
I mean, didn't your dad, like, stab your
mom?
Dr. Monnitoff looks over at Seth calmly.
SETH
Get out.
Seth begins to walk out. Gretchen doesn't answer. There is only
the 80 IQ grin... staring back at her face. The room is silent.
EXT. SCHOOL FRONT ENTRANCE - NEXT (2:15 P.M.)
Gretchen walks out the front door. Donnie comes chasing after her.
DONNIE
Gretchen! Gretchen... wait up!
She turns and faces him, tears in her eyes.
DONNIE (cont'd)
I'm so sorry.
They embrace... kissing for the first time.
EXT. BYRD THEATRE - MAGIC HOUR (5:30 P.M.)
The old-fashioned theatre marquee reads:
HALLOWEEN FRIGHTMARE
THE EVIL DEAD / THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST
Donnie and Gretchen approach the box office.
DONNIE
Two for "Evil Dead", please.
INT. BYRD THEATRE - NEXT
Donnie and Gretchen sit in the middle of the huge, empty theatre.
"The Evil Dead" unfolds. They eat popcorn and watch silently.
Donnie looks over and sees that Gretchen is asleep.
Donnie turns back to the movie... beginning to look ill.
FRANK
Feeling sick?
Donnie turns his head over and looks across Gretchen. Frank is
sitting next to her.
FRANK (cont'd)
I want to show you something.
DONNIE
You have to do something for me first.
FRANK
You have a request?
DONNIE
Yeah. Tell me why you're wearing that
stupid bunny suit.
FRANK
Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?
DONNIE
Take it off. I want to see you.
After a moment, Frank slowly reaches up and removes the rabbit
headpiece.
Donnie's eyes widen.
Underneath the headpiece is the human face of a handsome young
man. His left eye does not exist, because it has imploded into the
socket. There is blood oozing from the wound.
FRANK
Satisfied?
Donnie just stares at him.
DONNIE
What happened to your eye?
FRANK
I am so sorry.
DONNIE
Why do they call you Frank?
FRANK
It is the name of my father... and his
father before me.
DONNIE
How much longer is this gonna last?
FRANK
You should already know that.
(beat)
Watch the movie, Donnie. I have something
to show you.
Donnie looks at the screen.
On the screen, "The Evil Dead" morphs into a Time Portal.
FRANK (cont'd)
There's a storm coming.
(beat)
Have you ever seen a Portal, Donnie?
Suddenly... the screen morphs into an image of a large Tudor
house.
FRANK (cont'd)
Burn it to the ground.
Donnie pulls out Jim Cunningham's wallet from his pocket.
Donnie contemplates his fate for several more moments, and then
gets up and walks out.
EXT. BYRD THEATRE - NIGHT (6:30 P.M.)
Donnie walks slowly past the theatre marquee.
INT. AUDITORIUM - NIGHT (7 P.M.)
On the stage, among blowing autumn leaves, Cherita Chen performs a
strangely beautiful mime act to Symphony No. 3 by Henryk Gorecki.
When her act is finally over, the crowd is indifferent, with
scattered applause and laughter. Ms. Pomeroy stands up and
applauds enthusiastically.
Clearly affected by the laughter, Cherita walks offstage.
In the front row, the entire Darko family has assembled.
INT. AUDITORIUM BACKSTAGE - NIGHT (7:15 P.M.)
Kitty Farmer stands with the five-member dance team in a huddle.
MS. FARMER
Now girls... I want you to concentrate.
Failure is not an option. And Bethany...
if you feel the need to vomit up there.
Just swallow it.
BETH
OK, Mom.
Jim Cunningham walks past them towards the stage. He stops and
touches Samantha on the shoulder... smiling.
JIM CUNNINGHAM
Good luck out there.
She smiles nervously back at him. He exits onto the stage.
INT. AUDITORIUM STAGE - NEXT (7:20 P.M.)
JIM CUNNINGHAM
Thank you... Cherita Chen. That was
Autumn Angel.
(clearing throat)
Next... it is my distinct pleasure to
introduce to you... Emily Bates... Suzy
Bailey... Samantha Darko... Beth Farmer
...and Joanie James. They are...
SPARKLE MOTION!
The audience roars with applause as the lights dim.
The following montage alternates between the auditorium stage and
Jim Cunningham's house.
The stage lights slowly raise as the opening beat of 'West End
Girls' by the Pet Shop Boys begins.
Under the soft stage lights... Sparkle Motion unfolds.
Donnie approaches Jim Cunningham's house.
Sparkle Motion... in perfect synchronicity.
In the living room of the house... Donnie walks through, dousing
gasoline all over the place with psychotic force. A trail of fire
spreads.
A mystery woman emerges from the back wall of the auditorium.
A couch and curtains become engulfed in flames.
Middlesex girls are jumping up and down in the aisles.
Eddie and Rose are smiling ear to ear.
Elizabeth Darko is cracking up at the entire scene.
Kids are going bonkers in the aisles.
The mystery woman takes off her glasses.
Slow motion: fire engulfs a deer taxidermy.
Ms. Pomeroy gets into the groove.
The parents are now on their feet.
The crowd roars even louder.
Slow motion: Sparkle Motion stands triumphant.
Slow motion: Donnie stands before a wall of flames.
EXT. SCHOOL AUDITORIUM - NIGHT (8 P.M.)
Cherita sits alone in the courtyard at the base of the mongrel
statue... defeated and alone.
INT. BYRD THEATRE - NIGHT (9 P.M.)
Donnie walks into the theatre and sits next to Gretchen, who is
asleep. As the credits to the film roll, Donnie wakes her.
GRETCHEN
(disoriented)
What? How long was I asleep?
DONNIE
The whole movie. Let's go.
INT. JIM CUNNINGHAM'S HOUSE - NIGHT (9:45 P.M.)
Firemen walk through the charred room shining flashlight.
A Fireman shines his flashlight onto a mysterious door with smoke
emerging from it.
He kicks the door in... and shines the flashlight into the dark
hole.
EXT. CARPATHIAN RIDGE - SUNRISE (5 A.M.)
Donnie and Gretchen lie awake on a pile of blankets... staring out
into the abyssal canyon.
Helicopter shot: we swoop down over Carpathian Ridge... past
Donnie and Gretchen... over the canyon and the endless expanse of
evergreen forest.
Title card:
OCTOBER 22 1988
EXT. DARKO HOUSE BACKYARD / PATIO - MORNING (11 A.M.)
Donnie and Eddie are in the backyard raking leaves onto a giant
sheet.
DONNIE
I know everyone thinks I'm a nutcase.
I've been getting a lot of weird looks
from people lately.
They rake in silence for a moment.
EDDIE
(angry)
Who's been giving you weird looks?
DONNIE
A lot of people. Teachers. Younger kids.
It's like they're afraid of me for some
reason.
(beat)
But that's OK... because I know I deserve
it.
Eddie stops raking.
EDDIE
You're my only son...
DONNIE
I know, Dad.
EDDIE
I know I'm not the best... communicator.
(beat)
But whatever happens in your life...
whatever obstacles you come up against...
you just say... and do whatever is in your
heart. You be honest... and tell the
truth... even if they look at you funny...
and they will. They'll tell you that
you're wrong. They'll call you a fool.
(beat)
But what you've got to understand, son,
is that almost all of those people are
full of bullshit... and they're scared of
people like you. Because you're smarter
than all of them.
Donnie smiles at his father.
INT. DONNIE'S ROOM - AFTERNOON (1 P.M.)
Donnie sits on his bed and stares at the calendar on his wall.
Each day is marked with an X.
He takes his pills from his nightstand... and downs three.
There are noises coming from downstairs.
INT. FAMILY ROOM - AFTERNOON
Donnie comes downstairs to see Elizabeth glued to the TV.
ELIZABETH
Oh my God, that's him. That's the guy
from last night.
On the television: a Newscaster stands in front of the charred
heap of what was once a large suburban house. Firefighters mill
about behind her.
NEWSCASTER
As firefighters continue their
investigation, arson has not been ruled
out as a cause of the fire, particularly
because of the shocking discovery made
earlier today among the burned ruins. In
the basement of the house, authorities
have discovered what has been described
as a kiddie-porn dungeon.
Policemen emerge from the basement with several large boxes of
evidence.
NEWSCASTER (cont'd)
Cunningham, who has become a recent
celebrity for his motivational books,
audio tapes and videos, ducked his head
from cameras when he was arrested at the
Sarasota Heights Golf Club this morning.
In a vicious statement, Cunning Visions
executive Linda Connie attacked the
Middlesex Fire Department... claiming a
vast conspiracy.
Donnie stares at the television... speechless, horrified. On the
TV, Jim Cunningham hides his face from the camera.
ELIZABETH
Oh my God. Dad played golf with that guy.
Donnie says nothing, turns around... and walks upstairs.
INT. PHYSICS CLASS - DAY (2 P.M.)
Donnie and Dr. Monnitoff are having another in-depth
conversation.
DR. MONNITOFF
Each vessel travels along a vector path
through space-time... along its centre of
gravity.
DONNIE
(to himself)
Like a spear.
DR. MONNITOFF
Beg pardon?
DONNIE
Like a spear that comes out of your
stomach?
DR. MONNITOFF
Uhh... sure. And in order for the vessel
to travel through time it must find the
portal, in this case the wormhole, or
some unforeseen portal that lies
undiscovered.
DONNIE
Could these wormholes appear in nature?
DR. MONNITOFF
That... is highly unlikely. You're talking
about an act of God.
DONNIE
If God controls time... then all time is
pre-decided. Then every living thing
travels along a set path.
DR. MONNITOFF
I'm not following you.
DONNIE
If you could see your path or channel
growing out of your stomach, you could see
into the future. And that's a form of
time travel, right?
DR. MONNITOFF
You are contradicting yourself, Donnie. If
we could see our destines manifest
themselves visually... then we would be
given the choice to betray our chosen
destinies. The very fact that this choice
exists... would mean that all pre-formed
destiny would end.
DONNIE
Not if you chose to stay within God's
channel...
DR. MONNITOFF
(cutting him off)
Donnie, I'm afraid I can't continue this
conversation. I could lose my job.
INT. TEACHER'S LOUNGE - AFTERNOON (2:30 P.M.)
Ms. Pomeroy sits across from Dr. Monnitoff. They both grade
papers silently.
Dr. Monnitoff stares at her for a long moment.
DR. MONNITOFF
(incredulous)
Donnie... Darko.
She stares at him for a while, haunted by something.
INT. PRINCIPAL COLE'S OFFICE - AFTERNOON (3 P.M.)
Ms. Pomeroy sits across from Principal Cole.
PRINCIPAL COLE
I'm sorry, Karen, this is a specialised
school. We don't think the methods
you've undertaken here are appropriate.
MS. POMEROY
"Appropriate".
(trying to contain her anger)
With all due respect, sir, what
specifically about my methods do you find
inappropriate?
Principal Cole stares at her for a moment.
PRINCIPAL COLE
I don't have to get myself into a
debate about this, Karen, I believe I
have made myself clear.
MS. POMEROY
You call this... clarity? I don't think
you have a clue what it's really like to
communicate with these kids. You don't
think that they can smell your bullshit
from a mile away? Every day that goes by
...that we fail to... inspire them... is
another moment that we all lose. And we
are losing them to apathy, and this...
prescribed nonsense. They are slipping
away...
PRINCIPAL COLE
I am sorry that you have failed. Now if
you'll excuse me, I have another
appointment. You can finish out the week.
INT. SCHOOL OFFICE / TEACHER'S LOUNGE - NEXT (3:15 P.M.)
Ms. Pomeroy steps out from Principal Cole's office. She sees
Kitty Farmer and the Sparkle Motion girls milling about. The
mystery woman is there as well.
Ms. Pomeroy glares at Kitty Farmer before leaving.
EXT. MIDDLESEX RIDGE SCHOOL - NEXT (3:30 P.M.)
Ms. Pomeroy steps outside through an emergency exit. She stares
out at the beautiful forest. Her eyes are filled with tears.
MS. POMEROY
FUUUUUUUCKKKKKK!!!!!
Hearing the scream from the distance, we see Cherita Chen turn
her head in shock as she walks alone along the edge of the
school building, eating her lunch.
She and Ms. Pomeroy share a moment of eye contact before she turns
and heads back into the school.
INT. MAIN SCHOOL HALLWAY - NEXT (3:45 P.M.)
Ms. Pomeroy walks slowly through the hallway, wiping tears from
her face.
PRINCIPAL COLE
(over the intercom)
Good afternoon. It is my great pleasure to
announce that the Middlesex Middle School
dance team has been invited to perform on
Ed McMahon's Star Search '88 in Los
Angeles, California...
INT. PRINCIPAL COLE'S OFFIC - NEXT (3:45 P.M.)
The Sparkle Motion girls squeal with excitement... jumping up
and down. Kitty Farmer pumps her fist in victory.
Suddenly... Linda Connie bursts into the office, grabbing Kitty
by the arm. The teacher holds up a newspaper... where there is a
headline that reads: JIM CUNNINGHAM CHARGED.
Kitty's facial expression goes from elation to horror.
INT. ENGLISH CLASS - MORNING (8:30 P.M.)
The classroom is dark. The students watch "Watership Down", the
movie.
Donnie is asleep. Gretchen stares at him. Ms. Pomeroy stares at
Gretchen.
Suddenly, she turns on the lights, turning off the TV.
Donnie wakes up... with dark circles under his eyes.
MS. POMEROY
And when the other rabbits hear of
Fiver's vision, do they believe him?
(cough)
It could be the death of an entire way of
life, the end of an era.
DONNIE
Why should we care?
MS. POMEROY
Because the rabbits are us, Donnie.
DONNIE
Why should I mourn for a rabbit like it
was a human?
MS. POMEROY
Is the death of one species less tragic
than another?
DONNIE
Of course. A rabbit is not like us. It
has no history books... it has no
knowledge of sorrow or regret. I like
bunnies and all. They're cute... and
they're horny. And if you're cute and
horny... then you're probably happy that
you don't know who you are... or why
you're even alive. But the only thing I've
known rabbits to do is have sex as many
times as possible before they die.
He looks over at Gretchen, who looks angry at this.
DONNIE (cont'd)
There's no point in crying for a dead
rabbit... who never feared death to begin
with.
The class is silent for a moment.
GRETCHEN
You're wrong.
(beat)
You're wrong about these rabbits. These
rabbits can talk. They are the product of
the authors imagination. And he cares for
them. So we care for them too. We care
that their home has been destroyed... and
that their lives are in danger. Otherwise
...we've missed the point.
MS. POMEROY
But aren't we forgetting the miracle of
storytelling? The dea ex machina. The god
machine. That is how the rabbits are
saved.
Gretchen looks across the room at Donnie with a disdainful
expression.
INT. MAIN SCHOOL HALLWAY - LATER (9 A.M.)
Donnie approaches Gretchen at her locker.
DONNIE
You want to skip fourth period and go to
the Ridge?
GRETCHEN
(angry)
What's wrong with you?
DONNIE
What do you mean?
She turns and walks off, leaving Donnie broken and dejected.
INT. DONNIE'S ROOM - NIGHT (6:30 P.M.)
Donnie sits at his desk looking at an intricate drawing of a cloud
formation. On it he has written: THE PORTAL.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT (7 P.M.)
Rose and Eddie are in the kitchen. He is getting ready for a
business trip.
Samantha is jumping up and down. Elizabeth is jumping up and
down, dancing with her.
Donnie looks into the kitchen from the foyer, catching his family
in a serene, contented moment of happiness. A moment that he
chooses not to interrupt.
Title card:
OCTOBER 25 1988
INT. / EXT. FOYER / FRONT PORCH - DAY (3 P.M.)
Doorbell rings. Rose answers the door.
Kitty Farmer is there on the front porch. She is wearing a T-shirt
that reads: GOD IS AWESOME!
MS. FARMER
Rose.
ROSE
Kitty...
MS. FARMER
Rose, we have a crisis.
(beat)
I am sure that you are aware of the
horrible allegations against Jim
Cunningham.
ROSE
Yes, I saw the news. Something about a
kiddie-porn dungeon.
MS. FARMER
(holding up her hand)
Please! Don't say those words.
(shaking her head)
Well... as you can see... many of us are
devastated by this news. This is
obviously some kind of conspiracy meant
to destroy an innocent man. And I have
taken it upon myself to spearhead the Jim
Cunningham defence campaign. But
unfortunately my civic duties have
created a conflict of interest... which
involves you.
ROSE
Beg pardon?
MS. FARMER
Rose... I have to appear at his
arraignment tomorrow morning. And as you
know, the girls also leave for Los Angeles
tomorrow morning. Now, as their coach...
I was the obvious choice to chaperone
them on the trip.
ROSE
But now you can't go.
MS. FARMER
Yes. And believe me, of all the other
mothers I would never dream of asking
you, given the predicament with your son.
But none of the other mothers are able
to go.
ROSE
Oh, Kitty, I don't know. This is so last-
minute... Eddie is in New York...
MS. FARMER
Rose... I don't know if you realise how
great an opportunity this is for our
daughters. This has been a dream of ours
for a long time.
(beat)
Sometimes I doubt your commitment to
Sparkle Motion.
INT. DONNIE'S ROOM - NIGHT (7 P.M.)
Rose is standing in Donnie's room alone. She stares at a
drawing of Frank that he has tacked onto his bulletin board.
Donnie appears in the doorway. Rose jumps.
DONNIE
I feel like... I'm approaching something
horrible.
Donnie walks over and sits on his bed. Rose goes and sits next
to him.
ROSE
I have to take the girls to Los Angeles
tomorrow.
DONNIE
Do you get to meet Ed?
ROSE
If I'm lucky.
(beat)
So... I won't be back until the first.
Your dad will be back on Sunday, so I've
put Elizabeth in charge until then. She
has the car... so she can drive you to
your therapy tomorrow.
DONNIE
How does it feel to have a wacko for
a son?
ROSE
(embracing him)
It feels wonderful.
EXT. DARKO HOUSE DRIVEWAY - MORNING (10 A.M.)
Rose brings her luggage out to the airport van. Mystery Woman
loads Beth Farmer into the van.
Donnie sits on the back-porch steps, watching everyone silently.
Elizabeth gives Samantha a hug.
ELIZABETH
You're gonna win. I know it.
SAMANTHA
So do I.
(to Donnie)
Bye, Donnie.
Donnie waves goodbye.
ROSE
Here are the keys to the Taurus. There's
plenty of groceries in the fridge. And
I left money on the kitchen table. And
don't forget...
ELIZABETH
Don't worry, Mom. Just go, you'll miss
your flight.
Rose turns... wanting to say goodbye to Donnie, but not knowing
how. She smiles and waves goodbye.
Donnie waves back.
Rose turns and goes to the van... handing the driver her last bag.
DONNIE
Mom...
Donnie stands up and reluctantly approaches from the porch.
DONNIE (cont'd)
There's nothing broken... in my brain.
Rose stands there for a moment, looking at her only son.
SAMANTHA
Come on, Mom!
ROSE
(to Donnie, holding back tears)
I know.
She gets into the van, as Donnie and Elizabeth watch them drive
off.
INT. SCHOOL MAIN HALLWAY - AFTERNOON (3 P.M.)
Donnie walks up to Gretchen, who stands at her locker with several
other girls. The girls whisper to each other as he approaches.
DONNIE
Will you please talk to me?
GRETCHEN
Not now, Donnie. It isn't a good time.
DONNIE
Then when? I have to talk to you.
Gretchen walks away, looking back at him with apologetic eyes.
INT. ENGLISH CLASS - MOMENTS LATER (3:15 P.M.)
Donnie walks alone through the hallways... lost.
He stumbles upon Ms. Pomeroy's room. She sits behind her desk...
which has been packed up into a cardboard box.
DONNIE
(knocking on the door)
Ms. Pomeroy... what's going on?
MS. POMEROY
Donnie... it's Friday. Shouldn't you be
off with your friends, scaring old people?
DONNIE
Where are you going?
MS. POMEROY
I don't know. That's a good question...
but suffice to say that I am no longer
your English teacher. They fired me.
DONNIE
That's bullshit. You're a good teacher.
MS. POMEROY
Thank you, Donnie. And you're a good
student. Lazy... but a good student.
Unlike most of the others, you question
Mom and Dad's rules.
DONNIE
What do I tell the rest of the class when
they ask about you?
MS. POMEROY
(long beat)
Tell them that everything is going to be
just fine.
(beat)
It is up to the children to save
themselves these days. Because the parents
...they don't have a clue.
Donnie looks at the blackboard. On it she has written in perfect
penmanship: "Cellar Door".
DONNIE
What's "Cellar Door"?
MS. POMEROY
(spaced out)
A famous linguist once said... that of all
the phrases in the English language, of
all the endless combinations of words in
all of history... that "Cellar Door" is
the most beautiful.
She is silent for a moment.
DONNIE
Cellar door.
MS. POMEROY
Sometimes it's the only thing that keeps
us going.
She takes the box and crosses the room towards Donnie.
MS. POMEROY (cont'd)
So... will Donnie find his Cellar Door?
DONNIE
I think I already have.
(beat)
But now she won't even talk to me.
MS. POMEROY
Then go find her, Donnie. Don't let her
get away.
(stopping at the door)
She was right about the rabbits. Go.
INT. MAIN HALLWAY - NEXT (3:15. P.M.)
And with that... Ms. Pomeroy turns and walks down the hallway with
her career in a cardboard box... heading towards the bright Friday
afternoon sunlight.
Donnie walks back down the hallway... lost in his own
introspection.
Across the way... at her locker... as Cherita Chen. Donnie
approaches her slowly like a cat.
She turns from her locker... and they make eye contact.
She looks at him warily, frightened. A book falls from her arms
onto the floor.
Written in large letters on the brown book cover is his name.
DONNIE DARKO.
He comes face to face with her, grabs her earmuffs with both
hands, and touches his forehead to hers as if he were going to
kiss her.
DONNIE
(long beat)
I promise that one day things will get
better for you.
Cherita holds still for a moment, trembling, and then jerks back
from him. Her earmuffs come off in his hands.
She backs away from him slowly. A single tear rolls down her cheek.
CHERITA
Chut... up!
She then turns and runs down the hall... disappearing from sight.
EXT. OLD GUN ROAD - AFTERNOON (4 P.M.)
Donnie walks by himself... thinking... wearing Cherita's earmuffs.
Title card:
OCTOBER 29 1988
INT. THERAPIST'S OFFICE - DAY (1:30 P.M.)
Donnie is under hypnosis
DR. THURMAN
And when I clap my hands together twice,
you will wake up. Do you understand?
DONNIE
Yes.
DR. THURMAN
So, your parents... why did you disappoint
them?
DONNIE
I... I was playing with fire.
DR. THURMAN
Is it Frank who wants you to destroy the
world, to set the world on fire?
Donnie doesn't answer.
DONNIE
People get hurt.
DR. THURMAN
But it was an accident. The house was
under construction.
DONNIE
People get hurt. I don't want to hurt
anyone.
DR. THURMAN
But you were punished.
DONNIE
Yes. I went to jail.
DR. THURMAN
Do you wish that you were punished by your
parents instead?
DONNIE
They... didn't buy me what I wanted for
Christmas that year.
DR. THURMAN
What did you want for Christmas that year?
DONNIE
Hungry Hungry Hippos.
DR. THURMAN
How did you feel... being denied those
Hungry Hungry Hippos?
DONNIE
Regret.
DR. THURMAN
What else makes you feel regret?
DONNIE
That I did it again.
DR. THURMAN
(alarmed)
You've done it again?
DONNIE
Yes. I flooded my school... and I burned
down that pervert's house. I think I only
have a few days left... before they catch
me.
DR. THURMAN
Why did you do these things, Donnie? Did
Frank tell you to commit these crimes?
He does not respond.
DONNIE
I have to obey him... because he saved my
life. He controls me and I have to obey
him or I'll be left all alone... and I'll
never figure out what all of this means...
DR. THURMAN
If God exists?
DONNIE
I think now that he might...
DR. THURMAN
Why?
DONNIE
Because I'm so horny.
DR. THURMAN
God exists because you're horny.
DONNIE
I think so. I think that's one of the
clues. It's a clue that tells us... to
keep going.
DR. THURMAN
Where are we going?
No answer.
DR. THURMAN (cont'd)
Where are we going, Donald?
DONNIE
I have the power to build a time machine.
DR. THURMAN
How is that possible?
DONNIE
Grandma Death will teach me how. Soon.
DR. THURMAN
Then how is time travel possible?
DONNIE
It would have to be God's portal. They
will lead me to it. Then I will go back in
time... and I won't feel regret anymore.
DR. THURMAN
When will this happen?
DONNIE
Soon. Time is almost up.
Donnie gets up on his feet, staggering around the room. He looks
frightened... childlike.
DONNIE (cont'd)
It has to happen soon, it has to happen
soon.
Dr. Thurman gets up and tries to control Donnie... following him
around the room.
DR. THURMAN
What is going to happen?
DONNIE
(freaking out)
Frank is going to kill.
DR. THURMAN
Who is he going to kill?
Dr. Thurman grabs him, trying to get him under control in an
awkward embrace.
DR. THURMAN (cont'd)
Who is he going to kill?
Donnie stares across the office like a frightened child... as the
room becomes white with artificial light.
Frank is there in the office... staring back at him.
DONNIE
(freaking out)
I can see him right now!
DR. THURMAN
Where is he, Donald?
DONNIE
He's right there... He can read my mind
and he'll show me the way out of this.
The sky is going to open up... and then
He will reveal himself to me.
DR. THURMAN
If the sky were to suddenly open up...
there would be no law... there would be
no rule. There would only be you and
your memories... the choices you've made
and the people you've touched. The life
that has been carved out from your
subconscious is the only evidence by
which you will be judged... by which you
must judge yourself. Because when this
world ends, there will only be you and
him... and no one else.
DONNIE
It's too late. I've already ruined my
life.
DR. THURMAN
You will survive this... Donald. I
promise you that you will survive. You
must let me help you.
(beat)
And when I clap my hands together, you
will wake up.
She claps her hands together twice... and Donnie snaps out of
his trance.
INT. THERAPIST'S OFFICE - AFTERNOON (2 P.M.)
Donnie, calmed down and putting his jacket on, walks slowly to the
doorway.
Dr. Thurman stands looking out the window.
DR. THURMAN
Donald?
Donnie turns back and faces her. Beat.
DR. THURMAN (cont'd)
Your medication. They're placebos. Just
pills made out of water.
DONNIE
Thank you.
DR. THURMAN
Donald, an atheist is someone who denies
altogether the existence of a God. You are
an agnostic. An agnostic is someone who
believes that there can be no proof of the
existence of God... but does not deny the
possibility that God exists.
DONNIE
Goodbye, Dr. Thurman.
DR. THURMAN
Goodbye, Donald.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Donnie walks into the kitchen, where Elizabeth is sitting at the
table.
ELIZABETH
(in shock)
I got in. I'm going to Harvard.
DONNIE
Congratulations.
Donnie sits down across from her.
DONNIE (cont'd)
Mom and Dad won't be back until Sunday
night. It's Halloween Carnival. We should
throw a party. We could totally get away
with it.
ELIZABETH
(long beat)
Okay, but it has to be a small one.
DONNIE
Everything is going to be just fine.
EXT. DARKO HOUSE - NIGHT (9 P.M.)
Neighbourhood kids are trick-or-treating. The man in the red
jogging suit shines a flashlight towards the house.
There are at least two dozen cars parked in front... and somebody
is already throwing toilet paper in the trees.
INT. FOYER - NIGHT (9:30 P.M.)
The doorbell rings. Donnie answers the door... only to find Sean
and Ronald dressed in black with monster masks. They are both
carrying backpacks.
Donnie is dressed in a black skeleton suit, and his face is
painted white like a skull.
SEAN
We got eggs, water balloons, and a dozen
rolls of toilet paper.
RONALD
I stole four beers from my dad.
DONNIE
There's a keg here.
SEAN
Only pussies drink keg beer.
They go back into the house towards the kitchen. There are at
least forty people, already quite wasted, many carrying their own
twelve-packs of beer under their arms.
Almost everyone is wearing a costume. Donnie and his friends weave
through the crowd toward the patio.
EXT. BACKYARD / PATIO - NEXT
Donnie and his friends watching the party unfold.
The party grows larger.
INT. THERAPIST'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Dr. Thurman paces around her office with the phone to her ear.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT
The phone is ringing. The answering machine picks up.
INT. FOYER - LATER ON (11 P.M.)
The doorbell rings... and once again Donnie is the one to answer
it. To his surprise... it is Gretchen standing on his front porch.
GRETCHEN
(very upset)
Hey.
DONNIE
Hey. You OK?
GRETCHEN
(walking inside)
My mom is gone.
DONNIE
Where is she?
GRETCHEN
(close to tears)
I don't know. She didn't leave a note.
The house is all messed up.
DONNIE
But you're OK?
She nods yes.
DONNIE (cont'd)
Did you call the cops?
GRETCHEN
Yeah, they told me to get out of the
house.
Donnie takes Gretchen into the hallway and gives her a hug.
GRETCHEN (cont'd)
I'm so scared... I just keep thinking
that something awful has happened. It's
my fucking stepdad. I know it.
DONNIE
(embraces her)
It's safe here.
Donnie takes Gretchen upstairs. We reveal Elizabeth watching them
go.
INT. FAMILY ROOM - NEXT
Elizabeth walks over to a friend.
ELIZABETH
(yelling over the music)
Have you seen Frank?
FRIEND
No. I think they said they were going on
a beer run.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NEXT (11:15 P.M.)
Donnie and Gretchen sit on the bed. Gretchen takes a sip of beer.
GRETCHEN
Some people are just born with tragedy in
their blood.
He kisses her. He then pulls back.
GRETCHEN (cont'd)
What?
DONNIE
There's something you have to know,
Gretchen.
(beat)
Everything is going to be just fine.
They lie down together... silently listening to the party below.
The phone is ringing. The answering machine picks up.
ROSE
(on the answering machine)
If you're there, please pick up.
(beat)
Oh well... there's good news. The girls...
they got three and a half stars... and
they get to come back for the quarter-
finals.
INT. LAX TERMINAL - NIGHT (9 P.M. PST)
Rose stands at a payphone while the Sparkle Motion girls wait at
the terminal.
SAMANTHA
Semi-finals, Mom!
ROSE
Sorry... semi-finals. Anyway... we're
taking the red-eye back tonight and we
should arrive around six a.m. I hope
everything is alright. Bye.
INT. FOYER - NIGHT (12 A.M.)
We move towards the grandfather clock and see the minute hand
reach midnight.
INT. FOYER - NIGHT (12:30 A.M.)
Donnie and Gretchen walk downstairs. They kiss, and she goes
towards the family room.
Donnie walks towards the kitchen, but then doubles over against
the wall in pain.
Suddenly... the room blows out with a strobe of white light... as
costumed teenagers and their vector spears intersect in a
shimmering maze of chaos.
Donnie slowly follows his spear as it leads him through the
crowd... directly towards the refrigerator.
Donnie stares blankly at what he sees... scrawled in magic marker
on the memo board.
It reads: FRANK WAS HERE... WENT TO GET BEER!!
Donnie stares at the board for several moment... he then turns
his head and sees a teenager with a Ronald Reagan mask walk by.
He then sees another spear come towards him. Gretchen rounds
the corner, coming in from the family room.
Donnie falls to his knees and puts his face inside the end of
Gretchen's spear. We see his P.O.V. - an abyssal tunnel of light.
DONNIE
Come with me.
GRETCHEN
Where are we going?
He grabs her and pulls her out the back of the kitchen into the
back yard. Ronald and Sean follow.
EXT. BACKYARD / PATIO - NEXT
They move through the backyard.
GRETCHEN
Donnie, what's going on!
She stops him.
DONNIE
Time is running out. We have to go see
Grandma Death. We have to talk to her.
GRETCHEN
Why? Is this about the book?
DONNIE
No. Frank.
GRETCHEN
Who's Frank?
Ronald and Sean approach.
SEAN
Donnie? Where are we going?
Donnie looks at Gretchen... This is it.
DONNIE
She knows. I know she knows.
EXT. NEIGHBOURHOOD STREET - NIGHT (1:15 A.M.)
The group of hour ride their bikes down the street.
EXT. FOREST - NIGHT (1:45 A.M.)
They ride their bikes through the forest.
EXT. GRANDMA DEATH'S HOUSE - NIGHT (1:30 A.M.)
They stand in front of the dark house. It is pitch-black. No
lights anywhere.
SEAN
There's nobody here... Just forget it.
Then... there is a clanking noise from somewhere around the side
of the house. Everyone hears it.
Donnie looks towards the lower front of the house where there is a
cellar door.
GRETCHEN
Is that a cellar door?
DONNIE
(his eyes widen)
Yeah...
The cellar door is ajar... and there is a dim light coming out
from inside.
RONALD
Don't open it, Donnie. Let's just leave.
INT. GRANDMA DEATH'S CELLAR - NEXT
Donnie and Gretchen open the door to the cellar... and descend
down into a murky pit with a stone floor.
Inside... the room is quite large... filled with row after row of
boxes, paintings, antique furniture and chandeliers. There is even
an ancient piano in the back.
Gretchen slowly reaches her hand out and places her finger on the
deepest piano key.
Suddenly a figure emerges from the shadows and slams Donnie into
the wall. He then grabs Gretchen by placing an arm around her neck
with a butcher's knife.
It is Ricky Danforth. Seth comes out from another corner... also
brandishing a butcher's knife. Both have pantyhose pulled over
their heads.
RICKY
Get the fuck out! Now!
Ricky drags Gretchen out. Seth drags Donnie out.
EXT. GRANDMA DEATH'S HOUSE - NEXT
The four of them come bursting out of the cellar.
Seth holds Donnie's arms down with his knees and places the
butcher's knife against his throat.
Ricky throws Gretchen down hard onto the shoulder of Old Gun Road.
She lets out a gasp of pain as her head hits the gravel.
RICKY
Motherfuckers!
SETH
I have... a bigger knife now.
Sean and Ronald watch... dumbfounded, backing away.
Seth just stares down at Donnie with his dead eyes... pushing the
knife down harder, cutting off Donnie's air supply.
SEAN
Hey... there's someone coming! Look,
there's a car coming!
Seth slowly turns his head and sees... far down Old Gun Road...
approaching headlights.
DONNIE
(barely audible whisper)
Dea ex machina...
SETH
What did you say?
DONNIE
Our saviour...
The headlights are getting close.
RICKY
They called the fuckin' cops!
Gretchen struggles to breathe on the shoulder of the road... the
wind knocked out of her, semi-conscious.
SETH
That's no cop...
The headlights are getting close.
GRETCHEN
(in a hoarse whisper)
Donnie...
Even closer...
DONNIE
You better run.
RICKY
Forget it... let's go!
Seth doesn't move... He just stares down at Donnie.
RICKY (cont'd)
Come on! Let's go!
SETH
You're dead, Donnie Darko.
Seth gets up and runs off with Ricky into the forest... just as
the approaching car crests the top of Old Gun Road at breakneck
speed.
Suddenly, in the bright glow of the car's headlights... is the
silhouette of Grandma Death... standing in the middle of the road.
In her right hand she is clutching a letter.
Donnie's letter.
GRETCHEN
Donnie...
The car swerves left, barely missing Grandma Death.
The Pontiac tries to brake hard... but the wheels lock... and it
goes skidding onto the shoulder.
Gretchen raises her head from the gravel... into bright headlight
beams.
The Trans-Am goes barrelling over her like a speed-bump... and
her limp body rolls off into the grassy ditch.
The Trans-Am skids off into the grass and collides head-on with
the crumbling stone chimney... which explodes into the crumpled
hood of the car... as it eventually comes to a stop in a fury of
smoke.
Donnie staggers to his feet... regaining his breath. He runs over
to Gretchen and kneels down next to her.
DONNIE
Gretchen... wake up. Wake up.
Her neck is broken. She has no pulse.
The passenger door to the Trans-Am opens, and a passenger in a
clown costume gets out.
The driver's side door opens and the driver gets out.
He is wearing a rabbit suit. A Halloween costume.
He is holding the grotesque rabbit helmet in his hand.
It is Frank.
PASSENGER
Frank... what'd you do... what'd you do!
Frank approaches Donnie... who raises his head from Gretchen to
see him for the first time... face to face... with an expression
of shocked horror.
PASSENGER (cont'd)
She's dead. You killed her, Frank!
Frank is in shock.
FRANK
She's dead.
Donnie slowly nods his head. Sean and Ronald approach him slowly.
Grandma Death looms behind them.
FRANK
What the fuck. Look at my fucking car!
PASSENGER
Let's get out of here. Let's get out of
here, Frank!
FRANK
What were you stupid fucks doing in the
middle of the road?
DONNIE
Waiting for you.
Donnie raises the gun from his father's closet with his right
hand, and to his own surprise, he pulls the trigger.
Frank's left eye implodes as the bullet passes through his
head. His body falls limply to the ground.
PASSENGER
Holy shit...
The Passenger turns and runs off into the woods.
RONALD
What'd you do, Donnie? What'd you do!
DONNIE
(very calm)
Go home. Go home and tell your parents
that everything is going to be just fine.
After contemplation of the recent events... Sean and Ronald turn
and run off in the opposite direction.
Donnie is left alone... with the dead bodies.
He turns and stares at Grandma Death... who is calmly standing
there... with his letter in her hand.
GRANDMA DEATH
A storm is coming.
(beat)
You must hurry.
Donnie is still in shock.
EXT. NEIGHBOURHOOD STREET - EARLY MORNING (4:30 A.M.)
Donnie carries Gretchen home.
INT. FAMILY ROOM - NEXT
Donnie looks down at Elizabeth asleep on the couch. He then leans
down and gives her a kiss on the forehead.
EXT. DARKO HOUSE DRIVEWAY - NEXT
Donnie walks out to the Taurus, then stops and looks up at
the sky.
EXT. DARKO HOUSE - DRIVEWAY - NEXT
The Time Portal begins to form above the house.
Donnie touches his stomach... feeling sick once again.
Donnie then steps into the car, where Gretchen sits in the
passenger seat. He turns on the engine and peels out of the
driveway.
INT. FORD TAURUS - EARLY MORNING
Donnie drives the Taurus up Carpathian Ridge.
EXT. CARPATHIAN RIDGE - EARLY MORNING (5:30 A.M.)
Donnie sits on the roof of the Taurus looking out.
He smiles, lighting a cigarette.
DONNIE
28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, 12 seconds.
We're almost home.
EXT. SKY - NEXT
We see the Time Portal in the distance, forming.
INT. FLIGHT 2806 - DAWN (6 A.M.)
Samantha Darko is fast asleep. Her head rests on Rose's shoulder.
She looks out of the window at the rising sun.
EXT. DARKO HOUSE - DAWN
The Portal continues to form above the Darko house.
Police cars pull up in front of the house.
EXT. CARPATHIAN RIDGE - DAWN
Donnie continues to stare out at the canyon.
EXT. SKY - NEXT
We see the Time Portal once again.
INT. FORD TAURUS - NEXT
Donnie steps off the hood and gets into the car.
He takes Gretchen's hand.
INT. FLIGHT 2806 - NEXT
On the plane, Rose looks out of the window as the jet wing
explodes (audio only... we don't see it). She screams out as the
cabin shakes violently.
EXT. DARKO HOUSE - DAWN
The Time Portal continues to form over the house.
EXT. SKY - NEXT
The left jet engine from Flight 2806 falls downward through the
sky. Beneath it, the Portal forms itself.
EXT. SKY - NEXT
The falling jet engine approaches the hexagonal plate of light which
accelerates downwards... forming a tunnel with walls made of
swirling liquid marble.
The jet engine passes into the hexagonal plate.
INT. / EXT. VARIOUS
In a series of inter-velometer time-lapse shots... the entire
suburban landscape retreats backward in a fury of speed.
Shot 1: a time-lapse of the mongrel statue.
Shot 2: a time-lapse of the main school hallway.
Shot 3: a time-lapse of the main school building.
Shot 4: a time-lapse of neighbourhood street/Darko house.
INT. FOYER - NIGHT
We Steadicam up the stairs.
INT. DONNIE'S ROOM - NIGHT
We move towards Donnie's empty bed.
TITLE CARD:
OCTOBER 2 1988
INT. VARIOUS BEDROOMS - NIGHT (1:30 A.M.)
Dr. Thurman wakes up.
Jim Cunningham wakes up... sobbing.
Kitty Farmer wakes up... coming to a horrible realisation.
Karen Pomeroy and Dr. Monnitoff wake up together.
Cherita Chen wakes up.
EXT. SKY - NIGHT (1:30 A.M.)
The jet engine falls silently through the night down towards the
Darko house... having travelled back in time.
INT. DONNIE'S ROOM - NEXT
Donnie wakes up. He is laughing hysterically.
The engine crashes through his ceiling... engulfing the room.
INT. FAMILY ROOM - NEXT
Eddie jumps up from the La-Z Boy... startled awake by the
impact.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NEXT
Rose sits up in bed, hearing the crash.
ROSE
Eddie?
INT. FOYER - NEXT
Elizabeth leans against the wall, screaming.
INT. DONNIE'S ROOM - NEXT
The mammoth jet engine has plummeted all the way down through
the house, creating a cavernous hole that splits Donnie's room
in half. The smoke from the wreckage begins to clear.
Above the engine is Donnie... impaled through the stomach by
a wooden beam that was once part of the floor beneath his bed.
There is blood gushing from his mouth, as his face is contorted
into an expression that could almost be a smile.
EXT. NEIGHBOURHOOD STREET - MORNING (11 A.M.)
The same disaster scene as before... only more media, more
neighbours, and a Coroner. People stand around in shock...
disbelief.
From the other end of the street, a girl comes riding along on a
bike... slowly taking in the entire scene. She pulls up to the
kerb where a kid named David (eleven) is standing around.
It is Gretchen Ross.
GRETCHEN
Hi... what's going on here?
DAVID
Horrible accident. My neighbour... he
got killed.
GRETCHEN
What happened?
DAVID
He got smooshed. By a jet engine.
She stares at the house, where paramedics wheel a body out of
the front door.
GRETCHEN
What was his name?
DAVID
Donnie. Donnie Darko.
They stare at the front yard for a while. We see Elizabeth. We
see Eddie, carrying Samantha... who is crying.
DAVID
I feel bad for his family.
GRETCHEN
(long beat)
Yeah.
DAVID
Did you know him?
She stares at the family for several moments... and then shakes
her head slowly as if trying to locate a memory that is slipping
away.
GRETCHEN
No.
Rose, leaning against a tree while smoking a cigarette, notices
them. She seems to recognise Gretchen... from somewhere in the
vast reservoir of her memory.
She waves at her.
She waves back.
Fade out.
THE END