The King of Kong (2007)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Director:

Seth Gordon

Release Date:

28 February 2008 (Australia)

Genre:

Documentary | Sport

Tagline:

Don't get chumpatized.

Plot:

Diehard video game fans compete to break World Records on classic arcade games.

Plot Keywords:

World Record | Video | Arcade Game | Florida | Guinness

Awards:

4 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Steve Wiebe	...	Himself (also archive footage)
Billy Mitchell	...	Himself (also archive footage)
Walter Day	...	Himself (also archive footage)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mark Alpiger	...	Himself
Greg Bond	...	Himself
Craig Glenday	...	Himself
Brian Kuh	...	Himself
Robert Mruczek	...	Himself
Todd Rogers	...	Himself
Steve Sanders	...	Himself (also archive footage)
Doris Self	...	Herself
Roy Shildt	...	Himself - 'Mr. Awesome' (also archive footage)
Mike Thompson	...	Himself
Derek Wiebe	...	Himself
Jillian Wiebe	...	Herself
Nicole Wiebe	...	Herself
Adam Wood	...	Himself

Also Known As:

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (USA) (new title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for a brief sexual reference.

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (A Brief Sexual Reference) | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Florida, USA

Company:

LargeLab

Trivia:

Several of those depicted in the documentary, including Wiebe and Mitchell themselves, claim that it does not accurately depict events. For example, Wiebe and Mitchell were, and still are, on much friendlier terms than is suggested, and another player's record was in place during some of the events but is omitted. The director has conceded to many of these claims in statements, arguing that the fictionalized account is more entertaining.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: The Donkey Kong cabinet that Steve Wiebe installs in his garage is a combo Donkey Kong/Donkey Kong Jr. cabinet, however the markings on the cabinet are those of a stand-alone Donkey Kong Jr. cabinet. Wiebe specially purchases and installs the "brains" (PCB) of the combo game into his Donkey Kong Jr. cabinet in the course of the movie.

Quotes:

Mike Thompson: I've heard a lot of talk of Billy Mitchell, and I've heard a lot of talk of strange videos and things. But I haven't heard much in the way of him getting in front of a camera crew with people and getting a record in front of people. I haven't heard about that yet. Maybe he did that 25 years ago. But I haven't heard of him doing it lately, and it makes you wonder why not.

Movie Connections:

Features Star Wars (1983) (VG)

Soundtrack:

In the Hall of the Mountain King

odd and fascinating

King of Kong (or Billy vs. Steve, basically), is an excellent film about a rivalry that says a lot about competition in our culture. The movie portrays Billy, the Donkey Kong Champion, doing everything in his power to keep his record and to deny Steve Wiebe (wee-Bee) the title of world record holder in Donkey Kong. Steve is an outsider in this culture where Billy is an icon, and at first there are people within the video game community who do not want him to succeed. It becomes kind of a struggle between good and evil, as the powers that be try to hold down those not in power. Suddenly, Steve is the guy you're rooting for, if only just to beat that smart-ass Billy. It is a journey that takes you through the darker and seedier side of the video game revolution of the '80s. If it seems silly to be writing about such weighty issues of good and evil when a movie is about a video game, watch the movie: it really does the job of making you care about what happens to these odd, fascinating people.