Sparkle Motion redux

Richard Kelly had originally intended to use The Pet Shop Boys' "West End Girls" for the Sparkle Motion scene in Donnie Darko, but due to budget constraints, the scene had to be edited to Duran Duran's less-expensive "Notorious" instead. The scene was never changed back to reflect the many changes made to the Director's Cut, but had it been, it may have gone a little like this.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• donnie
• darko
• sparkle
• motion
• pet
• shop
• boys
• west
• end
• girls

[estr460]

i cant watch donnie darko without thinking nah nah notorious, but i think i almost like this song better, duran duran works, but i think this fits the whole unsettling feeling of the movie better though

[SpokeZarathustra]

This Pet Shop Boys song was of the "depeche mode" type songs... grittier, sexier, more mature than Duran Duran... which makes Duran Duran's "Notorious" more fitting, as one said earlier, for juxtaposing how ridiculous these little girls are in their emo, German Goth-esque expressions with the creepy, not cool latter sounds of a desperate Duran Duran, who along with other 80's "boy bands", would suck ass in a frightening way... But nothing was creepier than "A View To A Kill" ... oh, the horror.

[svatopia]

it's better your way!

[tubeyhamster]

As I remember on the special features, Richard Kelly says that the dance was originally choreographed to West End Girls, but because of the 4/4 time they were able to substitute Notorious post-production. I love the notion of West End Girls with its moody synth sound over this scene, but I don't think it was used in its entirety. For instance, if you play the song, the rapid synth chords at 1:23 perfectly fit with the girls' little half-steps backward.

[MadDuckInc151]

Does anyone else think that the singer in the first verse sounds like Jorma Taccone in "Jizz in my pants"?

[bocephallic]

Baloney! This song does not fit the choreography at all!

[billiefan05]

I feel like this song fits better with the moves rhythmically, but I definitely love hearing Duran Duran's notorius more.

[CyberPunkStefan]

@SpokeZarathustra Fuck you! Duran duran is awesome

[areuferserious]

this song is perfect. i always thought the notorious song was a bad fit!!

[willow6969696969]

" what's feces?"

"I don't know I think it's baby mice."

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!­"

This movie was well thought out. Even the part where the video game has a red sports car that crashes, is forshadowing!

[umbelliform]

Thanks for putting this together, it's cool.

I just noticed one of the things that makes this extra creepy. None of the girls are smiling. Usually kid acts like this have crazy pageant smiles going on through their acts. Sparkle Motion almost looks morbid performing. Great effect.