King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters is yet another in a recent string of quirky subculture documentaries, yet part of what distinguishes this non-fiction film from its brethren is a story brimming with I-can’t-believe-they’re-real people straight out of a cheesy Hollywood underdog story. Seth Gordon’s doc charts the battle for Donkey Kong’s all-time high score between legendary arcade game maestro Billy Mitchell and budding challenger Steve Wiebe, a conflict that – thanks to hot sauce magnate Mitchell’s repugnant egotism, and family man Wiebe’s modest decency – effortlessly plays out as one between good and evil. Though the videogame milieu Gordon depicts is inherently kinda dorky, he treats it with good-humored respect, while sympathetically pinpointing Wiebe’s Donkey Kong quest as being driven by a desire to both live up to personal expectations and to receive deserved recognition for his accomplishments. King of Kong benefits immeasurably from a cast of colorful supporting players (including a shifty apprentice/lackey to Mitchell), as well as a taut narrative that builds to a surprisingly tense climax. But what ultimately elevates Gordon’s feature above mere cute curiosity piece is the way in which Mitchell and Wiebe’s story eventually provides insights not only into the importance of games in our lives and the universal desire for credit where credit is due, but also into the values that are rewarded and respected in our contemporary culture.
I can confirm that King of Kong is the most compelling video game documentary i've ever seen (okay so it's the only video game doc. i've ever seen, but it's still good)
Posted by: grasshopper | June 11, 2009 at 01:07 AM