southlandtales

posts about #southlandtales more →
The Darko Mythos
Why Richard Kelly Is Obsessed With Water, And Won't See the Darko Sequel
Richard Kelly Wants You To Push The Button On The Box
The Rock Pitches His Science Fiction Cop Movie
Bring Home The Head Of Arnold Schwarzenegger
Once More, With Horniness
Southland Tales Devolves Into Artistic Apocalypse

Has Southland Tales Shaken The Suck Factor?

Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

Dsmvwl Admin Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×

Trai_Dep
11/07/09

In reply to The Darko Mythos
Why do I get the feeling that the people saying Kelly's a subpar writer and Donnie Darko was pedantic and shallow are the same ones who prefer Ratner's vision of X-Men over Singer's?
Fellahs, just because you don't "get" a genre film doesn't mean there's nothing there to be had. #thebox
Reply

Trai_Dep was starred Trai_Dep was unstarred

fraxs31
11/07/09

In reply to The Darko Mythos
Oh please, "mythos", really?

Listen to the Kelly's commentary on Darko and then tell me about his "mythos"

He readily admits he was out to make some cheeseball sci-fi movie and not some masterpiece as some have suggested.
Reply

Annalee Newitz promoted this comment fraxs31 was starred fraxs31 was unstarred

Annalee Newitz
11/07/09

@fraxs31: The Cthulhu Mythos is based on a series of pulp fiction tales published in trashy magazines. You don't have to create a masterpiece for it to fit into a mythos. #thebox
Reply

Annalee Newitz was starred Annalee Newitz was unstarred

schrodingers-katana
11/06/09

In reply to The Darko Mythos
Thank you, dearest Annalee, for not including the cinematic abortion known as "S. Darko", or as I like to think of it, "DD2: The Cash-ining" #thebox
Reply

ifsogirl81
11/06/09

@schrodingers-katana: kelly had nothing to do w/ that. #thebox
Reply

schrodingers-katana promoted this comment ifsogirl81 was starred ifsogirl81 was unstarred

schrodingers-katana
11/06/09

@ifsogirl81: I'm well aware of that dear. However, one could make a case that it be included in the 'Mythos' (and of course they would be wrong) even though it added nothing, and if anything, made it feel even more muddled. #thebox
Reply

ifsogirl81
11/08/09

@schrodingers-katana: why include it in a mythos created by kelly when he had nothing to do with it? and how is it cashing in for anyone? i'm sure no one really got any money from it. it was made by a fan who thought he understood kelly so of course it felt muddled....dear. #thebox
Reply

ifsogirl81 was starred ifsogirl81 was unstarred

schrodingers-katana
11/08/09

@ifsogirl81: Well, obviously I don't condone including it, but there super OCD completist types that might feel compelled to do such a thing. Pop culture history is full of unsuccessful cash-in attempts, just because it didn't take doesn't mean it wasn't a cash-in. The fact is, the studio had a built-in customer base (albeit not a huge one, it is dedicated) that would feel compelled to see anything related to the material even if they feared/knew it would be inferior to the original. While it was a risky gambit which failed to work, I see no reason why it wouldn't be considered a cash-in.

Sorry for the somewhat demeaning 'dear' by the way, but it was a bit condescending of you to assume I wasn't aware of Kelly's lack of involvement with S. Darko and was a bit annoyed by it.
Reply

Edited by schrodingers-katana at 11/08/09 5:16 PM

Daveinva
11/06/09

In reply to The Darko Mythos
Hmmm. I think it's a stretch to call this a "mythos."

I never got around to seeing Darko until last year. I still managed to go in rather blind, but even then, it didn't floor me. I can see how it would appeal to a disgruntled teenager, but as a movie, it was merely okay.

That said, I loved the cameos (especially Swayze), and until they go ahead and ruin it with taking the head off, the evil rabbit costume was one of the creepiest things on film in a long time.

Evil rabbits are evil.
Reply

Edited by Daveinva at 11/06/09 11:04 AM Daveinva was starred Daveinva was unstarred

ceptri
11/06/09

In reply to The Darko Mythos
There is no Darko Mythos. Kelly is a terrible hack and if you were not a 14 year old emo when you saw Darko you would realize that. Southland tales was one of the worst movie I've ever watched and hopefully The Box will finish off his career. #thebox
Reply

ceptri was starred ceptri was unstarred

Forsakenchild
11/06/09

@ceptri: And you if you make a comment like that, your a troll. Personally I was 27 when I saw Donnie Darko, while I was on board the U.S.S. Tarawa heading overseas just prior to the Iraq War starting. A random purchase at a video store prior to the movie becoming a cult hit. I am also not emo, just as an added fyi.

Just because you don't like something doesn't mean everybody that does falls into a specific stereotype.

I'd also like to note that I loved Donnie Darko, but hated Southland Tales.
Reply

schrodingers-katana promoted this comment Edited by Forsakenchild at 11/06/09 10:41 AM Forsakenchild was starred Forsakenchild was unstarred

schrodingers-katana
11/06/09

@Forsakenchild: I'm with you there, Donnie Darko is one of my favorite movies of all time, but no matter how hard I try, I just can't get behind Southland Tales. #thebox
Reply

Annalee Newitz
11/06/09

@ceptri: Haha - I guess I must be a 14 year old emo inside. I'm not ashamed! #thebox
Reply

Annalee Newitz was starred Annalee Newitz was unstarred

Starwatcher
11/06/09

@Forsakenchild: I was also in my early thirties when I saw Darko; I own the film now. I haven't yet seen Southland Tales but I will. The Box is an expanded Twilight Zone ep and I don't hold out much hope for it, but I'll probably see it. Kelly, unlike 99% of Hollywood filmmakers, has a unique perspective on things and isn't afraid to explore it and thread it through his films; that alone is worth the price of admission, in my opinion.
Reply

Edited by Starwatcher at 11/06/09 12:05 PM Starwatcher was starred Starwatcher was unstarred

chuffhoncho
11/06/09

@ceptri: Shyamalamadingdong would just like to point out that it takes more than a few terrible films to ruin a director these days! #thebox
Reply

Annalee Newitz promoted this comment chuffhoncho was starred chuffhoncho was unstarred

TheGreenRanger
11/06/09

In reply to Why Richard Kelly Is Obsessed With Water, And Won't See the Darko Sequel
At least there's donnie D #richardkelly
Reply

TheGreenRanger was starred TheGreenRanger was unstarred

John Jones
11/06/09

In reply to The Darko Mythos
The Darko Mythos is essentially a Dickian Mythos. The names, characters and certain situations in Southland Tales are copped directly from the works of Philip K Dick. There is no Darko Mythos, only ruminations on Dickian universes. Everything written above can be easily applied to the works of Philip K Dick. Richard Kelly has a deep and abiding love for all things PKD and it shows in his work. #thebox
Reply

Annalee Newitz promoted this comment John Jones was starred John Jones was unstarred

Starwatcher
11/06/09

@John Jones: I was going to make a similar point. Good one. #thebox
Reply

Starwatcher was starred Starwatcher was unstarred

daveNYC
11/06/09

In reply to The Darko Mythos
So what's up with people losing their eyes in his movies? #thebox
Reply

daveNYC was starred daveNYC was unstarred

schrodingers-katana
11/06/09

@daveNYC: I always took it as losing your sight to truly see, akin to when Odin sacrificed his eye to gain knowledge of rune magic. #thebox
Reply

daveNYC
11/06/09

@schrodingers-katana: That's a good way to look at it, although I don't really buy into it. In Darko, Frank was already dead, so the loss of the eye is small change, relatively speaking. In Soutland Tales, I don't think the twin who lost his eye was the one who actually understood what was happening at the end. Not like either of them really seemed to understand. Heck, not like the audience understood what the heck was going on at that point. #thebox
Reply

daveNYC was starred daveNYC was unstarred

schrodingers-katana
11/06/09

@daveNYC: Good points. Maybe Kelly just has a closet obsession with ocular penetration? #thebox
Reply

Dash_Stryker
11/06/09

In reply to Why Richard Kelly Is Obsessed With Water, And Won't See the Darko Sequel
I thought it was just about god and junk. #richardkelly
Reply

Dash_Stryker was starred Dash_Stryker was unstarred

van_line
11/06/09

In reply to The Darko Mythos
Revelation 21: And God wiped away the tears from his eyes, so the new Messiah could see out to the new Jerusalem. His name was Officer Roland Taverner, of Hermosa Beach, California. My best friend. He is a pimp. And pimps don't commit suicide.

I always had a question about the Rock's roll (get it?) was he suppose to be the anti-christ? Also why did his back tattoo bleed right before he died?

Count me among the people that liked the movie, I don't understand but if it's on I will end up watching it. #thebox
Reply

Annalee Newitz promoted this comment van_line was starred van_line was unstarred

YankBoffin
11/06/09

In reply to The Darko Mythos
Excellent write-up.

It took watching all the deleted scenes in Darko, plus watching the movie a couple more times before I had it all figured out, though your analysis makes it even more clear. However, while I found the mythos to be interesting, it probably only accounted for half of my enjoyment of the film, maybe less. The rest of the enjoyment came from the individual plots unwinding: Darko and Frank, the school teachers fueding, the Darko family working things out, the pedo getting busted, etc. Plus, that '80s where captured so thoughfully.

I haven't seen Southland Tales, but from the reviews maybe it was missing this "other half," as in enjoying the characters and subplots.

I may see The Box afterall, as I didn't know it was directed by Kelly. #thebox
Reply

Alasdair5000 promoted this comment YankBoffin was starred YankBoffin was unstarred

jbohlinger001
11/06/09

In reply to The Darko Mythos
It's the book of Revelation, not revelations.

Really.
Reply

schrodingers-katana promoted this comment strideo approved this comment jbohlinger001 was starred jbohlinger001 was unstarred

schrodingers-katana
11/06/09

@jbohlinger001: Some people know nothing about god or the bible, I tell ya. :) #thebox
Reply

Annalee Newitz
11/06/09

@jbohlinger001: Fixing. #thebox
Reply

Annalee Newitz was starred Annalee Newitz was unstarred

Bill-Lee
11/06/09

In reply to The Darko Mythos
So when do the weird ideas a creative person is obsessed with become upgraded to "mythos" status. The ideas incorporated into the fiction of HP Lovecraft were only deemed a "mythos" when other writers started using them. Someone else made the sequel to Donnie Darko but I am not sure one movie outside of Kelly's own body of work makes a "mythos". #thebox
Reply

Bill-Lee was starred Bill-Lee was unstarred

Forsakenchild
11/06/09

@Bill-Lee: Oh, I forgot to even touch on the first definition of "mythos", which basically states the fact that mythos is simply an abbreviated version of mythology; which can be established/created in a single work. #thebox
Reply

Bill-Lee promoted this comment Forsakenchild was starred Forsakenchild was unstarred

Bill-Lee
11/06/09

@Forsakenchild: Yes, I know the definition of the term mythos. I was being facetious. #thebox
Reply

Bill-Lee was starred Bill-Lee was unstarred

Forsakenchild
11/06/09

@Bill-Lee: Had to be safe, seeing as there are like ten comments on this thread now trying to dispute the use of the word mythos in regard to Kelly and Donnie Darko, which gives the impression that a lot of people do not know the definition. #thebox
Reply

Forsakenchild was starred Forsakenchild was unstarred

etho
11/05/09

In reply to The Darko Mythos
Southland Tales is an excellent movie if you've read the graphic novels first. They and the movie are quite truly a single continuous (and surprisingly linear) story with a well defined beginning middle and end, but if you only watch the movie you only see the end and half of the middle, and that does no favors to any story.

If you read them then watch the movie, the story makes sense (though it's still weird) the characters have interesting arcs, conflicts are resolved and questions are answered. If you only watch the movie, then weird characters do confusing things for no reason and then the world explodes.

I like the idea of Southland Tales as a Tangent Universe. In fact, since the splitting point isn't aver really defined, I like to think that it is a continuation of the tangent from DD, if Donnie hadn't closed it off by sacrificing himself.

I can't wait to watch The Box. #thebox
Reply

Alasdair5000 promoted this comment etho was starred etho was unstarred

PVIII
11/06/09

@etho: I completely agree. Though I think the graphic novels are far superior. #thebox
Reply

PVIII was starred PVIII was unstarred

Shizke
11/05/09

In reply to The Darko Mythos
I went to see "Southland Tales" the day after it opened, and by the time the movie was done nearly all of the audience had walked out or fallen asleep. Personally, I wish I could have joined them but wanted to see if something, anything about the trainwreck got better.

I loved "Donnie Darko", but I feel now that Kelly got lucky. After viewing the Director's Cut...it was a different, less special movie. The only mythos I care about is the original Darko that knocked my socks off. #thebox
Reply

strideo promoted this comment Shizke was starred Shizke was unstarred

Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion

SUBSCRIBE TO io9

Login

Reset Password

Register

Submit Your Comment