Donkey Kong documentary
Sep 5th, 2007 by admin
Submitted by Gaming Briefs
I think this has to be the best thing that’s come out just now, a documentary about two guys competing for the highest score in retro-gaming competitions. Lou Kesten reviews it here:
_RETURN OF THE KONG: Seth Gordon’s documentary “The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters” is the perfect epilogue to a summer in which geeks ruled the box office. (See “Knocked Up,” “Spider-Man 3.”) As an unrepentant geek myself, I’ll try to say this in the nicest possible way: The misfits and weirdoes in this film make the “Superbad” boys look like George Clooney and Brad Pitt.
“Kong” tells the story of two men who are battling to claim the world’s highest score in a game of “Donkey Kong.” Billy Mitchell, a cocky, mullet-wearing hot-sauce magnate, had held the record for more than two decades; self-effacing challenger Steve Wiebe just started playing in earnest after he got fired from his job at Boeing a few years ago. As he follows Wiebe to retro-gaming tournaments, the filmmaker reveals chinks in Mitchell’s armor and discovers an apparent conspiracy to prevent the challenger from receiving the credit he is due.
It’s an oddly absorbing, suspenseful and funny movie, but what makes “Kong” poignant is that these men are stressing themselves out over a completely insignificant accomplishment. But even if you have zero interest in “Donkey Kong” and other old-school games, you’re bound to get caught up in the war between Mitchell and Wiebe. “King of Kong” is slowly rolling across the country, so catch it when it comes to your town.
Well, when it comes to movies these days, I’d certainly rather watch a documentary than some “blockbuster” clogged with too much Dolby stereo! So this should make for a perfect pastime.
