King of Kong

30th Jan 08
King of Kong Watch

WHAT:
KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS

WHERE:
DENDY CINEMAS, NEWTOWN AND OPERA QUAYS

WHEN:
RELEASED FEB 28, BUT WE HAVE AN ADVANCE SCREENING...

WIN:
ONE OF 100 DOUBLE PASSES TO TWOTHOUSAND'S EXCLUSIVE KING OF KONG PREVIEW ON TUES FEB 12, 6.30PM AT DENDY NEWTOWN. JUST EMAIL WIN@TWOTHOUSAND.COM.AU WITH THE SUBJECT 'MAKE MY HANDS ITCH!'

WATCH THE TRAILER:
HERE

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November 1982: LIFE magazine gathers together the best arcade game players for a tournament and a delightfully enthusiastic picture, cheerleaders and all. One of the teens was 17-year-old Billy Mitchell, considered the best gamer alive.

Present day: Billy Mitchell, now obviously a Chuck Norris fashion disciple, still desperately clings to his surviving DONKEY KONG score and his reputation as a game Jedi. Down-on-his-luck family man Steve Wiebe plays the same game in his garage - and we're shown his skill level through a clever montage drawing together the physics of games, music, baseball, and more. Has he beaten Billy Mitchell's last remaining world-record score?

With accusations of rigged electrics, glitch-scoring, and restraining orders, KING OF KONG is a sporting drama for everyone who couldn't catch. It gets some ironic mileage out of the disjunction between middle-aged white guys and ‘80s power ballads, but it doesn't go for cheap laughs or lazy retro appeal. If you're of a certain age and a certain geeky persuasion, this film won't just pluck at your heartstrings - it'll make your hands itch.

(Want to prime yourself for the screening? Here's a free download of Steven Poole's excellent book TRIGGER HAPPY: THE INNER LIFE OF VIDEOGAMES. Enjoy.)

By Martyn Pedler

Format: Cinema

Mood: Nostalgic

Keywords: Film

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