Defining Independent Film: a case study on Donnie Darko and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Defining a term such as ‘independent film’ can cause a lot of blurred lines. When the term first started being used, the Hollywood studio system and the Hays Code[1] were still in place. Paired together, Hollywood had some strict guidelines for films to be made. Originally the term was defined based on whether or not the film adhered to the Hays Code and whether or not it was a part of the studio system. If a film followed neither, it was considered independent of the studio system and therefore an independent film. As the studio system collapsed and the accessibility to filmmaking equipment became more readily available to the masses, the term ‘indie’ film lost its distinct definition. Through an analysis between Richard Kelly’s 2001 movie Donnie Darko and Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) it will be clear how the definition has become muddled over time. Michael Koehler summarises the vague catch-all term of independent film as the spirit of the film[2]. This alone doesn’t give the audience a clear understanding of what to expect from an indie film. A quick search into the conventions, despite independent film’s original definition as a film not following set rules, shows there are specific conventions and tropes now known in the genre of indie film. Darko and Sunshine both encapsulate what it means to be independent when looking at them through the lens of genre conventions. They also both represent what it means to be independent when looking at the budget, production and distribution stages of both films despite their vastly different releases and reception.
One of the apparent conventions of indie film is the director’s artistic vision. This includes different filmmaking techniques (whether in the production or post-production stages) that allow the film’s overall aesthetic to stand out as other. These are techniques that aren’t often showcased in the mainstream such as breaking the 180-degree rule (American Beauty, Sam Mendes, 1999), choosing to film in black and white (Clerks, Kevin Smith, 1994), or incorporating shot types that draw attention to itself such as using over-the-shoulder shots for an entire film (Enter the Void, Gasper Noé, 2009). Both Darko and Sunshine follow a rather experimental and avant-garde style of filmmaking that lends itself to the independent film as a genre. While Darko focuses on the alternative reality and the theory of time travel, Sunshine looks at altering reality through the removal and revisiting of memories. By focusing on ‘other’ worlds within both films, the scripts alone set-up the production of the film to be rather experimental in nature. Darko’s experimental elements are heightened during Donnie’s conversations with Frank through the other dimension. This is visually communicated to the audience through water-like special effects that work as a plane guarding Donnie and Frank’s separate worlds. An exaggerated water motif is later seen when Donnie is being subconsciously led by Frank with a water-like wormhole exiting his stomach and directing Donnie to specific locations. Carrey and Gondry reflect on the circus scene in Sunshine as spontaneous and unplanned. In an interview Gondry tells Carrey he got Winslet’s character to leave the scene without telling Carrey, allowing true and raw emotion to play in Carrey’s face as he looks for her[3]. Gondry experiments not only through film techniques but also by utilising what’s available to him. Experimental films such as Sunshine and Darko don’t usually get mainstream theatrical releases. There are a few exceptions such as Christopher Nolan’s Inception (2010) and Interstellar (2014), however, Nolan did make a name for himself as an experimental director during the festival run of Memento (2000).
Donnie Darko’s film festival run was nowhere near as successful as Memento, but Richard Kelly does have Nolan to thank for foreseeing the film’s potential. In an interview for The Guardian Kelly explains ‘Darko was a disaster at Sundance’[4]. Due to a viewing of Darko by Nolan, he managed to secure a theatrical release for Kelly[5]. The film premiered in theatres in October 2001, too soon after the 9/11 disaster. Darko features a plane crash towards the start of the film. It was later where Darko would finally realise its potential. Some argue Darko was the last true midnight movie[6]. After its failure at Sundance and cinemas, the film was picked up by The Pioneer Theatres in Manhattan’s East Village. Co-owner Phil Hartman explains in his interview with Indie Wire that he and his son were discussing where the new generation of midnight movies would come from and whether or not the current generation would even be interested in midnight movies when they had access to films at home on their television sets. ‘… after seeing Donnie Darko it dawned on [my son] that maybe this was the kind of movie that his cohorts would like to come and see. So we gave it a shot and it caught on relatively quickly’[7].Darko played at The Pioneer for 28 consecutive months, filling approximately 50% of the seats most nights, which is considered successful for a midnight movie. After a DVD release and a year of Darko, Kelly revisited The Pioneer for a midnight screening. A large number of fans asked Kelly for answers which resulted in Kelly and his distribution company Newmarket considering a Director’s Cut[8]. Only 2 years after the initial release the Director’s Cut premiered at the Seattle Film Festival to a packed theatre. Suddenly the film had a second wave and sales increased. The cult classic was made.
Contrastingly, Sunshine had a different story with a successful theatrical release. Director Michel Gondry, known for his experimental and artistic decisions throughout his music video filmography, was able to attract a US$20 million budget and A-list celebrities such as Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. People define independent films differently and a budget of this scale can oftentimes cause people uncertainty behind the film’s independent status. The Independent Spirit Awards, one of the leading awards for independent films, capped the budget at US$20 million until 2020, which now allows films with a budget of up to US$25 million[9]. Sunshine is a great example of how the film’s spirit is what makes the film independent. The storyline is rather whimsical, the production value raw and authentic. Ex-Focus CEO James Schamus explained the inspiration behind the ‘handcrafted film’ aesthetic Sunshine went after with Michel Gondry. Knowing the budget wouldn’t suit extravagant special effects they decided to play with forced perspective and in-camera effects[10]. Paired with his intentional use of natural lighting and simplistic colour grade, the cinematography matches the expectations of the indie film as a genre. The idea of revisiting Joel (Carrey) and Clementine’s (Winslet) romance in reverse via memories is a concept more suited to independent films. Mainstream films tend to be easier to understand to allow for a larger target audience, fitting a template dictated by Hollywood. While non-linear narratives can be used to conceal information from an audience it’s clear Gondry tells the story in reverse to allow Joel to fall in love again. This film also doesn’t rely on special effects despite having scenes that lend themselves to CGI. The house for the Montauk scene was built and destroyed on set. Dreams felt real as they were simply the past retold and did not have any typical dreamlike sequence colour correction (think a white feathering around the edges or a fogginess overlayed on the footage). Combined with a previously successful director, A-list cast, and a storyline people can understand the roots of (even if the reverse chronology may confuse them), Sunshine had a significantly more successful theatrical release with a story that still resonates today.
While Sunshine had a remarkably more successful box office run to Darko, both films have achieved cult status fame. Darko’s second wave came during the success of Gary Jules’ cover of Mad World, which features towards the end of the film (interestingly, the music video is directed by Gondry). Combined with the rise in goth culture[11] and the sudden interest as Frank’s bunny-mask as a gothic motif, interest in the Director’s Cut allowed for steady growth in sales. One of the sub-plots throughout Darko aligned with the youth’s annoyance and distaste towards politicians[12]. Youth resonated with Donnie’s sister’s angst on the matter and connected strongly with her representation. The reverse progression of Sunshine resonates with fans years after its initial release. A common trait after a break-up is to relive the negative moments leading up to the events that caused the split. People are likely to forget or neglect to remember the more joyful moments from the beginning of the relationship. By telling Joel and Clementine’s love stories in reverse, the audience watches as Joel remembers why he fell in love in the first place. Love stories are timeless, no matter how experimental and avant-garde the film was.
Despite the fact both Darko and Sunshine only have one thing in common — the use of the ‘other’ world enhanced through experimental film techniques — these two independent films are considered indie for vastly different reasons. Darko’s short-lived film festival run and struggling theatrical release enforces the idea the story was much too complex for a mainstream audience. Meanwhile Sunshine debuted directly to theatres due to a known director and an A-list cast. Linking back to Koehler’s quote, independent films are categorised based on the spirit of the film. Both films show attributes that have increasingly become more synonymous to indie as a genre; their directors have a clear artistic style, the filmmaking techniques stand out, and the story doesn’t suit the stories Hollywood portrays. Whether or not you believe these films to be true independent films does not negate the success these non-Hollywood films have earnt.
[1] Arizona State University, ‘The Motion Picture Production Code (as published 31 March, 1930)’, <https://www.asu.edu/courses/fms200s/total-readings/MotionPictureProductionCode.pdf>, accessed 9 August 2020.
[2] Michael Koehler, ‘What Makes an Independent Film “Independent”? | Lights Film School’, 2020, <https://www.lightsfilmschool.com/blog/what-is-an-independent-film>, accessed 24 July 2020.
[3] See <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l9PwcFfhng>, accessed 24 July 2020.
[4] Dave Schilling, ‘Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly: ‘Sometimes films need time to marinate’’, 2016, <https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/nov/14/donnie-darko-richard-kelly-donald-trump>, 24 July 2020.
[5] ibid
[6] Ernest Mathijs & Xavier Mendik, ‘Donnie Darko’, 100 Cult Films, 2011, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, United Kingdom, pp 67.
[7] Adam Burnett, ‘“Donnie Darko: The Director’s Cut”: The Strange Afterlife of an Indie Cult Film.’, 2004, <https://www.indiewire.com/2004/07/donnie-darko-the-directors-cut-the-strange-afterlife-of-an-indie-cult-film-78774/> accessed 24 July 2020.
[8] ibid
[9] Matt Warren, ‘Submit Your Film Today to Be Nominated for the 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards — Film Independent’, 2019, <https://www.filmindependent.org/blog/submit-your-film-today-to-be-nominated-for-the-2020-spirit-awards/> 24 July 2020.
[10] See <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjOpy7UJl4U>, accessed 24 July 2020.
[11] Nathan Lee, ‘How ‘Donnie Darko’ Refused to Die’, 2004, <https://www.nysun.com/arts/how-donnie-darko-refused-to-die/134/> accessed 24 July 2020.
[12] Graham Winfrey, ‘‘Donnie Darko’ Turns 15: Richard Kelly On Making a Cult Film and Taking a Seven-Year Break’, 2016, <https://www.indiewire.com/2016/12/donnie-darko-15th-anniversary-4k-richard-kelly-cult-film-southland-tales-1201758675/> accessed 24 July 2020.
