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Strike Back Below!

It's hard to know what to think about Richard Kelly. He may have made one of the best and coolest films of all time, DONNIE DARKO, but since then, all he's had to show for himself is SOUTHLAND TALES and the script for DOMINO, neither of which can be considered glowing examples of his skill/potential. Personally, I'm gonna give him the benefit of the doubt, and wait to see what else he has in store for the future.

Richard Kelly

Genre of choice:
Sci-Fi/Thriller

Filmography:
Donnie Darko (2001)
Southland Tales (2006)

The Best

DONNIE DARKO - A total mind-f*ck of a movie, the awe-inspiring DONNIE DARKO is a fascinating mix of weirdness, time travel, and the creepiest bunny rabbit ever put on film. It's the type of movie that will stay in your mind long after it's over, and may even haunt your dreams.

The Worst

SOUTHLAND TALES - After 5 years of waiting for Kelly's next awesome film, fans everywhere were let down with the overlong and extremely pretentious mishmash of nonsensical ramblings and pointlessness that is SOUTHLAND TALES. It's ambitious, certainly, but considering that any attempts to explain the plot would take at least an hour of writing and would still be rendered futile by the film's total incoherence, ambition's just not enough.

Hidden Gem(s)

Before making DONNIE DARKO, Richard Kelly made two short films: THE GOODBYE PLACE, and VISCERAL MATTER. His first, the black-and-white THE GOODBYE PLACE, is featured below.

Style/Trademarks

Kelly hasn't yet made enough films to determine what trademarks he has, if any, but it's clear by looking at his current filmography that he has an affection for mixing elements of sci-fi, horror/thrillers, and comedy.

Behind the Camera

Richard Kelly wisely passed on the offer to direct the teen horror flick VALENTINE.

In addition to directing, he wrote the Tony Scott action film DOMINO, and was the original screenwriter for HOLES, which was passed on by the studio (later to be written by the original book author Louis Sachar). You can read that script HERE.

Upcoming Projects

Kelly's next picture (as writer, producer, and director) is a horror film set for a 2008 release called THE BOX, based on the 1970 short story "Button, Button" by Richard Matheson (who also wrote the recently adapted "I Am Legend"). It's starring Cameron Diaz and James Marsden, and deals with a mysterious box that offers a large sum of money at the push of a button, but simultaneously causes the death of a stranger.

He's also rumored to write VANISHING POINT, a remake of the 1971 cult classic (which can be seen referenced repeatedly in DEATH PROOF).

Overall

All eyes were on Richard Kelly after the release of the much-adored DONNIE DARKO, but as soon as SOUTHLAND TALES aired at Sundance, audiences were unimpressed to say the least. Guess we'll have to wait and see THE BOX to help decide whether Kelly is a one-hit wonder, or he was just suffering a case of the sophomore slump.

What are your favorite/least favorite Richard Kelly films? Submit your choices in the Strike Back section below!