Darko by BudE

Okay, I’m definitely years late on this one.

If you watch Lost, you have either:

(1) Seen Donnie Darko, or
(2) Should rent Donnie Darko.

Now, here’s the thing—if you haven’t seen Donnie Darko, I implore you to stop reading this theory. I have nothing to do with the movie, but I really believe that if you appreciate Lost (and if you’re reading this, you must), then you will probably appreciate Donnie Darko. However, you won’t appreciate it if you know what happens. So, go rent it and then come back.

Last chance.

Okay—consider yourself warned.

Donnie Darko was released in 2001. It flopped in theatres (probably because it was so weird and it came out right after 9/11). The writer/director released a book in 2003. The movie was re-released as a director’s cut in 2004.

Now, I’m not going to tell you that Lost “parallels” Donnie Darko. I’m only going to say that there are elements of Donnie Darko in Lost and, that it seems nearly undeniable, that Donnie Darko was at least somewhat of an inspiration for the creators of Lost. The evidence:

In Lost:
4+8+15+16+23+42=108 is a mathematical formula designed to predict the end of humanity.
In Donnie Darko:
In 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds, the world will end.

In Lost: The Island seems to be some sort of hidden world, reached through a very specific course and possibly only at certain times. There are suggestions of wormholes through space time.
In Donnie Darko: An “artifact” from the future penetrates through a wormhole resulting in a Tangent Universe.

In Lost: Dead people appear to the living.
In Donnie Darko: A dead person appears to the living.

In Lost: References to bunny rabbits and Watership Down.
In Darko: One of the main characters is dressed in a bunny suit (evil looking) and Watership Down is referenced.

In Lost: Closeup images of an eye changing focus. Black smoke may be moving in the reflection.
In Darko: Closup images of an eye changing focus. Water is moving in the reflection.

Tough denying that last one.

In Lost: References to a future technology (i.e. Black smoke, the wheel, time travel)
In Darko: references to a future technology (i.e. numbers and images in the eye)

In Lost: An episode called, Deus Ex Machina
In Darko, the characters use the words Deus Ex Machina on several occasions.

In Lost, an Episode is entitled, Live together, Die Alone.’
In Darko, the main character's fear is dying alone.

In Lost, a plane crashes onto the island.
In Darko, a plane’s engine crashes into Donnie’s house.

There are more similarities, but it’s the off season and half of you will probably find some reason to debate me. So before any naysayers do—yes, I know the movie and the show are extremely different in many ways, but I also know that they are similar in many ways. I also believe that since Darko was released in 2001, issued as a book in 2003, and rereleased as a Directors’ Cut in 2004, the writers of Lost had plenty of opportunities to be “influenced.” Remember, the pilot aired in late 2004. And, no, I’m not saying Lost isn’t a great show.

I don’t want to be a downer, but while Donnie Darko was a really good movie, I don’t know if I would say I liked it. It’s almost like saying I liked One Flew Over the Coo Coo’s Nest, Awakenings, The Doctor, etc. They are great movies, but they tend to leave a stain on your conscious and unconscious mind. I wonder if Lost will be the same.