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?

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

perhaps its one of those fanedits.

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.

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.

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

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?!

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

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

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

Jesus there are a lot of Donnie Darko threads.

Came across this earlier, figured I'd post it for anybody in North Florida. Richard Kelly (director) will be doing a live commentary of the movie (followed by the soundtrack, live band karaoke style) at Sun-ray Cinema in Jacksonville (it's one of those small movie theaters that serves beer/wine and sandwiches/pizza).

October 12th at 7:30.

https://scontent-a-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/...51620328_n.jpg

The whole thing is just tremendously random, especially for this city.

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

While it would be cool, I don't know that I would want the live Richard Kelly commentary ... this is one of the rare movies where the theatrical cut is leaps and bounds above the director's cut.

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

I agree. The theatrical cut is much better. And Kelly's commentary on the DVDs actually, IMO, detracts from the experience of watching and contemplating the movie.

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

As far as I can tell, Richard Kelly accidentally made a really good movie, because the director's commentary describes a film that is not at all on the screen.

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

Yeah, the movie he describes doesn't come off at all, thank god.