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The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters 
Actors : Billy Mitchell, Steve Wiebe
Director : Seth Gordon
Studio : New Line Home Video
by New Line Home Video
Brand : Warner Brothers
Release Date : 2008-01-29
Publisher : New Line Home Video
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 0794043112348
UPC : 794043112348
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 62 reviews)
List Price : $27.98
Our Price : $8.98
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Americancivilwar.com |
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The stuff of gladiatorial battle is here: good versus evil, right versus wrong, nerd versus... super-nerd? At any rate, it's a more entertaining showdown than most fictional movies can muster. The King of Kong is the saga of Steve Wiebe, a Redmond, Washington dweeb who sets a new record in the video game Donkey Kong, only to see his accomplishment challenged by the grand poobahs of the gaming establishment. And if you don't know how pernickety the grand poobahs of the gaming establishment can be, well, one of the pleasures of this movie is finding out about this collection of oddballs. It seems Wiebe has toppled a score that has stood since 1982, when eminent "Gamer of the Century" Billy Mitchell set it, and Mitchell isn't too happy about being overthrown. A black-mulleted showboat, Mitchell provides the perfect counterpoint to Wiebe's mild-mannered family man, and the smaller fish around him are no less colorful. This is one of those movies you watch in delighted disbelief, marveling that such people exist--and that they gladly allowed themselves to be filmed. Director Seth Gordon does an important thing in presenting this world of eccentrics: he doesn't mock them, or provide editorial nudging; he simply lets them be. The result is an ingratiating classic. --Robert Horton |
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Product Description |
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In this hilarious critically acclaimed arcade showdown a humble novice goes head-to-head against the reigning Donkey Kong champ in a confrontation that rocks the gaming world to its processors! For over 20 years Billy Mitchell has owned the throne of the Donkey Kong world. No one could beat his top score until now. Newcomer Steve Wiebe claims to have beaten the unbeatable but Mitchell isn't ready to renquish his crown without a fight. Go behind the barrels as the two battle it out in a vicious war to earn the title of the true King of Kong.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/BIOGRAPHY UPC: 794043112348 Manufacturer No: 1000035229 |
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A great study of reverse snobbery |
This movie should be required viewing in any college level sociology class. The film documents a man who would struggle to actually be an outcast in any social group attempting to penetrate a clique of individuals who have likely been outcasts their entire lives.
Steve Wiebe is almost painfully average. He's a middle-class school teacher who'd been an above average athlete and he plays a couple of musical instruments. He has a good-looking wife and could be a poster boy for suburban America. He also has an almost preternatural ability to play Donkey Kong, and therein lies the trouble.
In order to have his record-breaking score recognized, Steve has to break through and enter into a world of people who probably weren't two-sport athletes and certainly couldn't mingle well at an office Christmas party. In getting his score validated, too, he will be bringing down their king.
Billy Mitchell is the undisputed monarch of these gamers. I'd first read about him in a 2006 article in the now-defunct Oxford American magazine. In that article, the author, David Ramsey, tried to convey Mitchell's cockiness but still be respectful. After this film, I have a new degree of respect for Mr. Ramsey's restraint.
Mitchell is, rightfully, recognized as Gamer of the Century. He's sort of law and order in this world in that he is uniquely qualified to challenge all high score claims. Mitchell is also a successful business man and he's married to a woman who you will not admit is hot in front of your wife, but men get it. Mitchell's success in business and marriage, though, does not tarnish or diminish his status among the gamers. In fact, they likely cheer him on. You expect your hero to do well in all endeavors.
When Weibe submits his score, it's obvious that the Twin Galaxies crowd is eager to close ranks and protect their hero. Weibe is left with no option but to demonstrate his skills in person. He has to physically play the game surrounded by these outcasts who are so galvanized they have actually become snobs in their own right. There seems to be several instances where they are trying to distract this interloper during his game-play, with Billy Mitchell himself doing a silent walk-by. The crux of it is, here's Weibe, a guy who could be anybody's best bud and fit in anywhere, being shunned by folks who've probably been kept at a distance all their lives.
The extra features, particularly the extended interviews, are almost better than the movie itself. The players describing Burger Time are the greatest thing I've seen on film in a while. Interesting commentaries, too.
Anyone old enough to remember arcades needs to watch this film. Beware, though, you'll find yourself with an almost uncontrollable urge to prowl e-bay for old games.
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Suprised how much I enjoyed it |
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This is a fun documentary looking in a world that you probably didn't know, or cared, existed. It's all about classic arcade games (donkey kong, centipede, etc.) and the competition to hold the "high score". It mainly revolves around two grown men fighting (I'm talking serious stuff) over the top score in the world on Donkey Kong. It's hard to believe at times that the events in this documentary actually occured and were not staged for humor's sake. I found it extremely entertaining considering the subject matter. Definitely was fun to watch. |
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The Story Of A Gaming Legend vs A Gaming Unknown |
The King of Kong is a documentary about a legendary gamer and Rickey's Hot Sauce creator, Billy Mitchell and his new gaming foe Steve Wiebe. Both men are trying to get and keep the best scores possible for the classic Nintendo arcade game Donkey Kong. Billy Mitchell is the current champion in the movie. Billy has held top scores in many classic arcade games over the years; Donkey Kong being the last title he held onto. Steve Wiebe, currently a Science teacher, decides he has plenty of time to challenge for the highest score possible in Donkey Kong; after he finds him self laid off by Boeing. The movie almost seems to good to be true. Steve Wiebe, being the nicest of nice guys. The prototype of a good father and husband. Against the brash, and often times rude for no real reason, Billy Mitchell. The movie mainly follows Steve Wiebe, in his quest for the title. Billy Mitchell is featured in many segments, but mainly as a protagonist. Billy makes claims of being the best and makes a comment to the effect That To Be The Best, You Have To Play Live. Playing Live in front of a crowd being the only way to truly prove you are the best. This comment is the basis for the entire movie. Steve Wiebe flies all over the US showing off his skills, all in the hopes of being recognized as the best Gamer. While Billy tries his best to avoid him. In a deleted scene on the DVD, you get to see a comparisons of both men's game play. While Billy mainly uses hammers to destroy objects to gain maximum points, Steve uses tricks to adjective his best scores. Like jumping up and down on certain platform stages to get extra bonus points. These differences give some room for an argument on who is truly best, because while both men are adjectiving top scores, both men are doing it in different ways. So who is better? The game player, or the person that finds the loopholes? Both men are by far some of the best gamers on Earth, so respect has to go to given to both of them. As of 2008, Billy Mitchell holds the top scores for Donkey Kong, but Steve has not given up on reclaiming his top scores.
This movie is very enjoyable. I have seen it both on DVD and on G4. It is not a movie I can get bored of. So if you are into video games, even if you don't play the classics's, King of Kong is still right for you. I didn't want to write too much in the way of reviewing the core storyline, because I don't think I review should give away the entire movie. So I would suggest buying the DVD, because it is well worth the money. You get a nice guy to root for and a mean man to root against. |
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Fun Subject for a Well Framed Documentary |
The King of Kong is about the conflict that arose in 2005 as Steve Wiebe challenged Billy Mitchell's impressive world record. The record? It is the 25 year long highest score on the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong. He had 800,000 points, and that my friends is quite a bit of busted barrels and fallen monkeys.
It turns out that The King of Kong is a wonderful underdog film. Steve Weibe is portrayed as a likeable everyman who just happens to have a knack for the extreme patience and analytical skill to get such a score. He is described by his family as a savant in some respects but he seems like a relatively normal guy. As a fellow-gamer, I will concede that it takes some work to do what both these guys have done. On the other side of the coin, we get the sub-culture's heroic golden boy Billy Mitchell. Billy is portrayed as the villainous and elitist coward and I get the feeling that he didn't get a fair shake from our documentarian Seth Gordon, but I can't be sure. Billy has a charisma and bravado that will turn most people off, but in his own culture he is the man and his big old mullet is indeed very cool. He is very successful far beyond his game-playing however, owning his own restaurant and homemade line of hot sauces. He is the "Sauce King" of Florida. I actually liked Billy but most viewers are going to hate him. Then again, I almost always root for the villain in these formulaic good vs. evil kind of films. The people I really didn't like were his toadies and minions who seemed to support Billy and undermine Steve consistently throughout.
There are great characters in this movie. In addition to Steve and Billy we have Walter Day; the referee and founder of Twin Galaxies, a small arcade that evolved into an organization that tracks video game world records. Walter is also a songwriter and provides some surreal impromptu folk singing. Steve Saunders is the old nemesis of Billy who was handedly defeated by the Donkey Kong prodigy 25 years ago. He is now one of Billy's friends, who in many ways come off more as disciples. Brian Kuh for example is portrayed as the quintessential Billy Mitchell toady. He has played Donkey Kong with great enthusiasm as well and put up some very high scores, but he is humbled in person by Weibe's gaming chops. Brian walks around the arcade containing his jealously with this bizarrely awkward disposition that was one of the film's highlights for me. He just couldn't wait for Billy to come along and take this guy's score out! Another character is Roy Shildt or Mr. Awesome. Mr. Awesome is a fitness guru and a self-proclaimed pickup artist. Well, where else would one find such a person but in the underworld of classic arcade gaming? Mr. Awesome is one of Billy's hated rivals and he is accused of unfairly assisting Steve in his quest to shatter Billy's record.
Anyway, the fascinating thing about this film is that it does come off as formulaic in some respects but that is just fine with me because it is coverage of real life. I'm sure that the editing favored Steve Weibe, but that is because there was a really fun and interesting story to tell within Gordon's footage. I obviously loved this movie and I would guess that anyone who has any interest in this kind of thing would as well but my wife, who has rarely if ever played any video games, loved it too. We were glued to the television for 80 minutes and I have no doubt you will be too. |
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INTERESTING DOCUMENTARY IS OK TO WATCH ONCE! |
Running only 70 minutes, it's hard to call this a movie. It's a documentary about world record holders for old classic video games. While I found it mildly entertaining, I can't see ever watching this again.......and I like video games! It's OK and certainly worth a look. Billy Mitchell comes off as some delusional geek that thinks he is some sort of god! OK, OK, it's very hard to do what he did, but in the end, who really cares? ......maybe a couple of thousand geeks...that's who! I remember playing video games until my fingers were deformed and had many incredible scores myself, but that was then and this is now. Let it go boys.....let it go!
To each their own, if they still get a charge out of playing 'Donkey Kong' more power to them! |
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