As I've been dragging my heels the past couple days artistically (guess I'm recharging) I decided to throw in a movie last night. I'd first heard about THE KING OF KONG last year and was intrigued. I love goofy/strange documentaries (AMERICAN MOVIE, CRUMB, etc.) and this one seemed right up my gamer alley. This is the tale of Steve Wiebe and his quest to become the world record holder at DONKEY KONG. This record has been unchanged since it was set back in '82 by Billy Mitchell. Now I'm a big fan of hockey hair, but Billy's luxuriant mane is truly something to behold. He looks like the kinda guy that still has a big bird decal on the hood of his automobile. (Sadly, he doesn't. He drives a mini-van.)
I digress.
Billy still plays competitively and even sponsors other coin-op gamers. (The 82 year-old Q*bert playing woman is boss.) The sad thing is that Billy comes off as a complete arrogant turd. Five minutes into the movie and you're already rooting for Steve to knock this clown off his lofty hotwing-sauce-making perch. I won't spoil the ending, but it's just fascinating the underground and following these type of gamers have. The recordkeeping Twin Galaxies site that has their refs watching hundreds of VHS tapes a day checking out high scores sent in from around the world. Kinda makes me wanna get an old coin-op machine and grow a mullet. (I don't think it'll fly with Angie though. Maybe once we're in the new house...)
That said, if you're looking for a pleasant way to spend an hour and 20 minutes and you're a gamer, this might be up your alley. David vs. Goliath and his "system" at its best.
3 comments:
Hmmm....i'll check this out next time i get to rent a movie. everytime i think of gaming movies i have to beat my head repeatedly against a wall to rid my mind of that damn movie with fred savage and super mario 3, the wizard.....ugh
lol...
I haven't seen The Wizard in ages...it made me go out and beg the mum for a Power Glove...ahhh...now i gotta see if that is on DVD...
I will look into this King of Kong...saw it on the shelves and knew about for awhile now...just waiting for someone to give me the thumbs up on it...
I don't think you'll be disappointed. Turns out both of my brothers watched it this weekend, too. We've been throwing around "chumpatize" quite profusely. My wife thought the movie was old and didn't believe it came out just last year. "But that guy's hair and did you see how those people were dressed?" She's in for one helluva surprise when I finally take her to comic convention.
I remember THE WIZARD, but thankfully never saw it. I also never had the pleasure of begging my Mom for a Power Glove, though I should now just to see what she'd say...
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