I saw an alternate version of Donnie Darko...need help

Mabuse · 11-01-10, 12:46 PM

I watched Donnie Darko again last night and it reminded me of a nagging question I've had for a long time.

I never saw the film in the theater, but I knew it by reputation. I first saw it on cable tv (HBO or Cinemax) sometime in 2005. I really liked it, and a couple weeks later I bought the DVD so I could see it again. This was around the same time that the director's cut came out, but I bought the theatrical cut DVD. When I watched the DVD I realized that what I watched on cable was something else. The DVD had scenes missing. Some of the missing scenes were in the "deleted scenes" section of the DVD.

The cable tv version had scenes like: Donnie's doctor revealing the drugs were a placebo, the scene where the bullies tell the Chut-up girl "I hope you get molested", when Donnie reads his poem in class about Frank, the scene where Donnie and his sister carve the pumplins, the scene where they discuss Watership Down and the concept of Deus ex machina, etc.

Anyway, so I watch the DVD and I realize that what I saw on cable wasn't the theatrical cut. Then I watch the deleted scenes and I realize that what I saw on cable had the deleted scenes cut back in. Then I read about the Director's Cut and that sounds like what I saw, except the Director's Cut has different music and on-screen text that explains the "Philosphy of time travel". None of that was on the cable version I saw.

What did I see? Some kind of special cable version I guess. Has anyone else seen this?

Groucho · 11-01-10, 12:52 PM

This might help you figure out what you watched:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246578/alternateversions

Mabuse · 11-01-10, 01:44 PM

I've read that. It only describes the differences between the theatrical and Director's cut. I saw an alternate third version that had some of the deleted scenes put back in but was lacking all of the fixes of the director's cut.

auto · 11-01-10, 07:16 PM

I'm pretty sure you saw a future cut that will be prepared for the 25th anniversary HD-DVD.

fmian · 11-02-10, 04:19 PM

I've blocked everything but the theatrical cut from my mind.

AnonomusBob15 · 11-02-10, 11:52 PM

perhaps its one of those fanedits.

GenPion · 11-02-10, 11:56 PM

If it's not the director's cut, I'm going to assume you watched a fan cut.

PopcornTreeCt · 11-03-10, 12:11 AM

It was probably just the theatrical cut with scenes added back in. It wouldn't be the first time that's happened.

Mabuse · 11-03-10, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GenPion

If it's not the director's cut, I'm going to assume you watched a fan cut.

Yeah except I watched it on HBO.

I can't be the only one who watched Donnie Darko on HBO in 2005. Was there a specially prepared version for cable? I read something about there being a different cut at Sundance. Did that end up on cable somehow? Anyone?!

mikehunt · 11-04-10, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PopcornTreeCt

It was probably just the theatrical cut with scenes added back in. It wouldn't be the first time that's happened.

I remember seeing Aliens on network tv back when ABC, NBC, and CBS routinely would show feature movies
the sentry gun scene was in it even though as far as I know the vhs version at that time did not have it in it

I think they put that scene in to add time back to it that was lost cutting out the swearing and really violent stuff

11-01-10, 12:46 PM	#1
Mabuse DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 5,292	I saw an alternate version of Donnie Darko...need help I watched Donnie Darko again last night and it reminded me of a nagging question I've had for a long time. I never saw the film in the theater, but I knew it by reputation. I first saw it on cable tv (HBO or Cinemax) sometime in 2005. I really liked it, and a couple weeks later I bought the DVD so I could see it again. This was around the same time that the director's cut came out, but I bought the theatrical cut DVD. When I watched the DVD I realized that what I watched on cable was something else. The DVD had scenes missing. Some of the missing scenes were in the "deleted scenes" section of the DVD. The cable tv version had scenes like: Donnie's doctor revealing the drugs were a placebo, the scene where the bullies tell the Chut-up girl "I hope you get molested", when Donnie reads his poem in class about Frank, the scene where Donnie and his sister carve the pumplins, the scene where they discuss Watership Down and the concept of Deus ex machina, etc. Anyway, so I watch the DVD and I realize that what I saw on cable wasn't the theatrical cut. Then I watch the deleted scenes and I realize that what I saw on cable had the deleted scenes cut back in. Then I read about the Director's Cut and that sounds like what I saw, except the Director's Cut has different music and on-screen text that explains the "Philosphy of time travel". None of that was on the cable version I saw. What did I see? Some kind of special cable version I guess. Has anyone else seen this?

11-01-10, 12:52 PM	#2
Groucho DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 62,097	Re: I saw an alternate version of Donnie Darko...need help This might help you figure out what you watched: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246578/alternateversions

11-01-10, 01:44 PM	#3
Mabuse DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 5,292	Re: I saw an alternate version of Donnie Darko...need help I've read that. It only describes the differences between the theatrical and Director's cut. I saw an alternate third version that had some of the deleted scenes put back in but was lacking all of the fixes of the director's cut.

11-01-10, 07:16 PM	#4
auto DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: East of Ypsi Posts: 7,424	Re: I saw an alternate version of Donnie Darko...need help I'm pretty sure you saw a future cut that will be prepared for the 25th anniversary HD-DVD. __________________ I'll let you be in my dreams if I can be in yours. I said that. Bob Dylan

11-02-10, 04:19 PM	#5
fmian DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 2,423	Re: I saw an alternate version of Donnie Darko...need help I've blocked everything but the theatrical cut from my mind. __________________ Swiss Woman: "You killed him!" Herbert West: "No I did not. I gave him life." My Flickr Page

11-02-10, 11:52 PM	#6
AnonomusBob15 DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Auburn University Posts: 2,396	Re: I saw an alternate version of Donnie Darko...need help perhaps its one of those fanedits.

11-02-10, 11:56 PM	#7
GenPion DVD Talk Reviewer Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 4,484	Re: I saw an alternate version of Donnie Darko...need help If it's not the director's cut, I'm going to assume you watched a fan cut. __________________ My Setup: Samsung PN50A450 50-Inch Plasma HDTV / Denon 1909 7.1 Receiver / Klipsch and Onkyo 5.1 Surround Speakers / Sony 40 GB Playstation 3 Insignia NS-BRDVD4 [Region Free DVD/Blu-ray Player] / HD-DVD Player HD-A30 My DVDTalk Reviews / My DVD/HD DVD/Blu-ray Collection

11-03-10, 12:11 AM	#8
PopcornTreeCt DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Central Florida Posts: 25,826	Re: I saw an alternate version of Donnie Darko...need help It was probably just the theatrical cut with scenes added back in. It wouldn't be the first time that's happened.