I've finally seen Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut, and I must say that I wish it were Donnie Darko: Brian's Cut instead. The film is nothing short of wonderful, as the original story and characters remain the same, with a enough deletions and additions here and there make the original story easier to follow for those who require being able to understand all the details of the story. The music is changed in some scenes and both old and new musical selections have their merits, although I nearly died when I didn't hear "The Killing Moon" at the beginning.
Some of the new scenes that fell to the cutting room floor for the original release have been taped back to the director's cut and are wonderful, even if they add mere seconds to the scenes. Most of DD:TDC makes me want to shake Richard Kelly's hand and offer congratulations on releasing a film that is as good as the original. Having said that, some of the additional effects, dialogue, and other insertions/deletions make me want to place both of my hands squarely around his neck and strangle him, screaming, "What the FUCK* were you thinking?!" Apparently, and I must defer as of the two of us, Kelly alone can claim authorship, Kelly's idea of what the complete story of Donnie is somewhat different from my own.
The best part of the re-release is the production diary on disc two, which gives a fairly good look at how films are made, and the logistical challenges that on-location and limited budget/time presents. I know this far too well, especially as I work through post-production on my first short film (see January sometime).
*This denotes the first time I have dropped and most like the last time I will drop the F-bomb on this site.
