Maynard goes to the movies
You boys and girls know about the X-Men, don’t you? They’re a collection of comic-book mutants, each of whom possesses a special power.
In real life, we also find people who develop extraordinary skills. These real-world mutants are not quite as world-changing as Magneto or Storm. But they are nevertheless fascinating in their way. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, currently in art-house release, tells the true story of two such mutants, Billy Mitchell and Steve Weibe, who battle each other to the (metaphorical) death, very much as Megneto battles Professor X. The special skill of these gentlemen is a proficiency at Donkey Kong.
Who remembers the original 1981 Donkey Kong? This is one of the great classic arcade games. It looks like this; here’s a short YouTube clip of game play.
An hour and a half watching video game mavens at play doesn’t sound all that interesting, does it? But this film humanizes the gaming subculture and the struggle between the players. It makes us care about the story that unfolds, and you can’t help but feel your pulse quicken with the twists and turns of the plot. I saw it hook the theater audience and never let go until the end, which provoked an outburst of spontaneous applause. This was a pretty impressive impact for what I had expected to be a small documentary.
“The King of Kong” is a youngster-friendly PG-13. I’d say it’s a good cultural influence, exhibiting a charismatic array of characters who struggle with the greater life questions of winning and losing and integrity. It’s a treat, especially for anyone with a little bit of geek in them.
