With its gothic tale of a troubled teen haunted by visions of a figure
in a Halloween rabbit suit, Donnie Darko was among the first cult
movie phenomena of the twenty-first century, making debut director
Richard Kelly Hollywood hot property before he reached his thirtieth
birthday. This study narrates the film's journey from box-office
bemusement through word of mouth success to the recent director's cut of
the film, and also discusses fans' reactions to the film's enigmatic
conclusion, explaining how Donnie Darko gripped the imagination of
Generation X teenagers across the world.