Content area
Full Text
Donnie Darko ($29.98 DVD) By most standards, Donnie Darko is a movie no one should have heard of. It would fit the old saw "It wasn't released; it escaped," except it really did neither. Premiering at Sundance despite a $4 million budget, first-time director Richard Kelly's unclassifiable tale met with some buzz and a lot of confusion, and was released in only a handful of cities (not including Philadelphia) before sneaking out on video a few weeks ago. So why do people keep mentioning it? A few appearances on year-end best-of lists (including Cindy Fuchs') might have gotten the ball rolling, but it seems like Donnie is that rare movie whose appreciation spreads by word of mouth -- a phenomenon rendered almost impossible in theatrical release, what with the short-tempered booking practices used in almost every theater, but still a reality on home video.