MovieChat Forums > A Scanner Darkly (2006) Discussion > Question about Connie/Donna

Question about Connie/Donna

posted 10 years ago by TheAstor
1 reply | jump to latest

So in bed Arctor momentarily mistakes Connie for Donna, this is obviously a side-effect of substance D. But when he replays the footage at the station, we still see at the same moment during the original scene that Connie changes into Donna thne vice-versa.

Is this still substance D at work? Is this to show that S-D is becoming more permanent then momentary?

Because I thought up a theory, like he actually slept with Donna and mistook her for Connie (the reverse of what appeared to have happened).

[–] saint665 10 years ago

This was debated extensively back when this film came out; if you spelunk into the discussion archives you can probably find some of the threads that get into it in detail.

The FAQ presents condensed cases for all the arguments (yours is either #2 or #3, depending on how much tech you want to credit Donna): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405296/faq?ref_=tt_faq_1#.2.1.4

Personally, I disagree with your diagnosis. From the FAQ:

Just before [the scanner image switches Connie-to-Donna], the two doctors who had done a Substance D Impairment Evaluation earlier in the film call him up, and ask if he's experiencing any Sub D symptoms. They specifically mention "cross-chatter" where you look at one object but perceive another.... such as looking at a card of a dog and seeing a sheep.

(full disclosure: I wrote the FAQ, attempting to find a happy balance of viewpoints on this and a few other contentious issues like "did Arctor have a family?" even if I didn't agree with the alternate viewpoints.)

Al: "What do people do for fun in this town?"
Max: "They eat the dinner."