h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I shouldn't feel guilty about enjoying a spot of rough, Awix. Bad enough wasting time on seeing the film without wasting time on that too.

You're right that Donnie Darko is amazing, chiefly because it managed to get made. I didn't quite like it, somehow, but I appreciated the hell out of it: an anti-It's A Wonderful Life, with a nod to Harvey, a wink to Don't Look Now, and Christ alone knows what else. English cinema (which doesn't really exist but we'll let that pass) should hang its head in shame.

The only probalem I have with Donnie Darko is that it causes people to have conversations along the lines of 'Well, this had to happen for that to happen, but if that happened then the first thing wouldn't have.'

If you enjoy the film, it's not a waste of time. But it does make me fear for my critical faculties. And, like I always say, you've got to kiss a few frogs to find the princess...

I suppose with a film industry as vibrant as the USA's they can take a gamble on a film as eccentric as Donnie Darko. Funnily enough the Jimmy Stewart movies parallel occurred to me as well, but not the Don't Look Now one. Hmm.

The main thing (from a long list!) with it I didn't quite understand is why his mother and sister had to be on the plane at the end? I mean, everything Frank gets Donnie happens for a good reason but I couldn't figure how that tied in.

You're absolutely right of course: even a 2 second gem of a moment can be worth sitting through a bad film for.

Don't Look Now has conditioned me to leap out of my skin whenever I see a red hooded figure (Christmas has never been the same since), and I seem to recall Donnie wearing a jogging top of similar hue. Doesn't matter if it was an intentional thing, it still gave me the willies (which are always gratefully received, naturally).

At the risk of incurring Catwoman's ire, wouldn't... no, it's no good. I was going to attempt an explanation of the mother and sister being on the plane but I just can't remember the cause and effect of it all. At least it puts out Catwoman's ire. Probably as mysterious as the lack of distribution for the decent British films which I'm sure must be getting made, just not shown.

The main pop-culture connection I made was ET - when they go riding of on bikes at the end, I couldn't help a brief fit of the giggles.

I was watching the film the other week on DVD, and ended up talking all over it with my housemate trying to work out what the hell was *really* going on. Now we have to watch the Director's commentary!

(and as for the 80s soundtrack - great, but I can't find it anywhere, the only soundtrack I can find is the original score - which is fab - and has a Mad World on the end of it)

That's right, I remember striking that chord too, now. Thought I was thinking of Don't Look Now again (wrinkled dwarf connection).

(bandwagon jumper alert)

*And* the ET thing, too. Mind you, Patrick Swayze's character did rather remind me of Tom Cruise in Magnolia. I wonder if the director consciously decided to include all this stuff? I wouldn't be surprised. Strange film. Great film.

So what did you think it was about?

I have no idea what it's "about"
we were trying to work out how the time travel thing works... whether it was just a permanent loop till the end, when he breaks it, or whether it was just once around.
Or whether it would've happened at all if he hadn't set off down the "what is time travel" things.

We think we worked out the plane that his mum's on at the end is the thing that takes time back, but that's about it. After nearly two hours. my brain's depressingly small.

I think it's just a once-around time loop - I can't see how it would work otherwise. Or, in other words, the rest of the film is what *would have happened* had Donnie not been out of his room when the engine lands.

But as to what causes the wormhole that Donnie's mum's plane collides with, I don't know. Is it Donnie? (Cos I know that's what a lot of people think.) Or is it destiny?

Hang on, though, at the start of the film Donnie's in therapy after committing arson, which is never gone into. Later in the film he actually commits arson, so maybe that's a subtle suggestion that the events of the film would endlessly repeat themselves until Donnie stays in bed at the end (he's in therapy for a crime he committed last time round the loop)... which is why he's laughing at that point, cos he's broken the time loop and saved Gretchen's life...

Man, what a movie. Got to get the video when it comes out.

Why am I having ire?

(the conversation I was complaining about continued for hours and hours, until insanity is the only way out, you can talk about time loops if you like)

Catwoman, I was about to embark on a conversation along the lines of 'this had to happen for that to happen' and so thought I might light your ire. The fact that I failed to make my point because I realised I didn't know what I was talking about is neither here nor there.

So thanks for the permission to talk about time loops but it's probably best if I don't embarrass myself.

No, go ahead, the thing is that here I can skip stuff until the conv gets interesting agin (not that I do that...), whereas in real life you have to keep listening.

You don't *have* to keep listening in real life, but if you start snoring and drooling on your interlocuter's shoulder they may take the hint (on the other hand, I know people who wouldn't even let that daunt them as they regale you with a comprehensive discourse on the contents of their sandwiches - illustrated with bits of the sandwich in question flying out and landing on one's glasses. With these people even feigning death is futile).

Eurgh

You're telling me: seafood medley.

Wasn't he in the Righteous Brothers?

Ha ha...
'You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips'
'I'm a fish, what do you expect?'