9 Frame analysis of Donnie Darko

This is the nine frame analysis of Donnie Darko. The film is about a a teenager, Donnie Darko who has visions about a rabbit called Frank. frank tells him on 2nd October in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds, the world will end. The same day a jet engine crashes through Donnie's bedroom window. Frank then causes Donnie to commit a series of crimes. Donnie's crush, Gretchen is killed during the film as are his sister and mother. A tornado ripples through his town turing back time to the day the jet engine crashes through Donnie's window. However this time, he chooses to stay in bed and ends up being crushed by the jet engine. Gretchen, however, has no memory of Donnie and thinks turn back to normal.


1st Frame
Opening titles appear on a black screen with white font, the sound of thunder can be heard. The camera starts with a Long shot of a forest, it slowly pans left to reveal a hill. At the bottom of the hill, there is a body on the ground. The camera then moves down the hill as Donnie sits up. As he does, music starts playing. The frame then ends with a Low Angle Profile shot of Donnie.


2nd Frame-Sharp cut
Establishing shot of the view from the hill. The camera pans right as Donnie stands up into the shot, the opening title; 'Donnie Darko' appears and Donnie exits the shot to the left. 


3rd Frame-Sharp Cut
Medium Close-Up of Donnie riding down the hill. The music then changes to Blues music.


4th Frame
Low Angle Profile shot of the bike that Donnie is riding. 


5th Frame
A Medium shot of a road and Donnie enters the shot as the camera moves back as it follows the bike downhill.


6th frame-Sharp cut
Point-Of-View shot of the road


7th Frame-Sharp cut
Close-Up shot of Halloween sign. this suggests the genre of the film and when it is being set. Donnie, still on the bike, appears from behind, passes the sign and the camera turns around as he crosses the road.


8th Frame
Medium Profile shot of power walkers whose gaze is fixed on the road. The camera pans right to reveal Donnie exiting the shot. The music fades a little. 


9th Frame
The camera cuts to Jake riding up the driveway of his house. The camera moves to in front of the house and stops at a man using a leaf hoover. The is unaudiable dialogue   them and the woman walks off, the camera follows her as the man exits the shot.