The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007) The King of Kong (original title)

Director:

Seth Gordon

Release Date:

28 February 2008 (Australia)

Genre:

Documentary | Biography | 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 | Guinness | Donkey Kong | Florida

Awards:

5 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Steve Wiebe	...	Himself - Donkey Kong Challenger (also archive footage)
Mark Alpiger	...	Himself
Adam Wood	...	Himself
Walter Day	...	Himself - World's Video Game Referee (also archive footage)
Steve Sanders	...	Himself - Author: Master's Guide to Donkey Kong (also archive footage)
Steven Krogman	...	Himself
Robert Mruczek	...	Himself - Head Referee, Twin Galaxies
Doris Self	...	Herself - Q*bert Contender
Todd Rogers	...	Himself
Brian Kuh	...	Himself - Donkey Kong Expert
Zack Hample	...	Himself
Billy Mitchell	...	Himself (also archive footage)
Barbara Mitchell	...	Herself
Jon Farley	...	Himself
Nicole Wiebe	...	Herself - Steve's Wife
Sandra Wiebe	...	Herself
Ryan Wiebe	...	Himself
Paul Pitkin	...	Himself
Mike Thompson	...	Himself - Steve's Friend
Jillian Wiebe	...	Herself
Derek Wiebe	...	Himself
Evelyn Mitchell	...	Herself
Mark Wright	...	Himself
Sam Haynes	...	Himself
Andrew Vogt	...	Himself
Greg Bond	...	Himself
Roy Shildt	...	Himself - 'Mr. Awesome' (also archive footage)
Dwayne Richard	...	Himself
Perry Rodgers	...	Himself
John Webber	...	Himself
Justine Barker	...	Herself
Joel Hedge	...	Himself
Donald Hayes	...	Himself
Craig Glenday	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steve B. Harris	...	Himself (uncredited)
Amanda MacKay	...	Herself - Host (uncredited)

Directed by
Seth Gordon

Produced by
Beau Bauman	....	consulting producer
Joshuah Bearman	....	contributing producer
Ed Cunningham	....	producer
Luis Lopez	....	associate producer
Ross Tuttle	....	contributing producer
J. Clay Tweel	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Craig Richey

Cinematography by
Seth Gordon

Film Editing by
Seth Gordon

Art Department
Ben Fry	....	additional graphic artist

Sound Department
Nathan Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Staci Bernstein	....	camera operator
Ty Clancey	....	camera operator (as Tyler Clancey)
Charlie Crapella	....	camera operator
Ed Cunningham	....	camera operator
Brett Hammond	....	camera operator
Brent Hoff	....	camera operator
Bootsy Holler	....	camera operator
Luis Lopez	....	camera operator
Ross Tuttle	....	camera operator
J. Clay Tweel	....	camera operator
Greg Whiteley	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Jim Bruce	....	additional editor
Ed Cunningham	....	additional editor
Luis Lopez	....	additional editor
Mato	....	color timer: film
Kostas Theodosiou	....	color correction
J. Clay Tweel	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Kripa Jones	....	composer: additional original score
Chris Robertson	....	music supervisor
Thomas Wilson	....	composer: additional original score
Thomas Wilson	....	music consultant

Other crew
Enrica Ferorelli	....	source: still photos
Christopher J. Keene	....	legal services
Paul Lavoie	....	digital production manager
George Nicholis	....	film publicist
Philip J. Strina	....	business & legal affairs: Picturehouse

Thanks
Duncan Birmingham	....	thanks (as Duncan Burmingham)
Heather Bergen Holme	....	special thanks
Steven Klein	....	thanks
Joel Relampagos	....	thanks
Mary Rohlich	....	special thanks
Doris Self	....	in loving memory
Monique Sorgen	....	special thanks
David Stern	....	thanks
Mike Thompson	....	very special thanks

Production Companies

• LargeLab (in association with)

Distributors

• Odeon Films (2007) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Picturehouse Entertainment (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• New Line Cinema (2007) (non-USA) (all media)
• New Line Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Revolver Entertainment (2007) (UK) (all media)

Other Companies

• Diamond Time  music clearances
• Endeavor Agency  filmmakers representation
• Walter Day, John Sorflaten, and Lewis Wilson  additional footage provided by

Also Known As:

"The King of Kong" - USA (original 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 (No. 43504) | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Florida, USA

Company:

LargeLab

Trivia:

On August 7 2010, Bill Mitchell regained the Donkey Kong record with a score of 1,062,800. It took him 2hrs and 42min of playing. After passing Hank Chien's point level, Mitchell stopped playing rather than adding to his record breaking score. He remarked, "Some say I'm being cocky. Some say I'm being lazy. I say I'm being Billy Mitchell."

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: In the scene in which Steve's son Derek is crying and shouting, the "Donkey Kong" sounds heard don't match the action shown on-screen.

Quotes:

Billy Mitchell:I've pointed out to Steve that he's the person he is today because he came under the wrath of Bill Mitchell.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Bones: The Gamer in the Grease (#5.9)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

You're the Best

More fun then non-gamers should think

Though this geeky arcade fighting flick may remain an acquired taste, The King of Kong feels like one of the more entertaining documentaries to emerge in years. Even though you would think the chief demographic of forty year old virgins and basement-ridden, antisocial, hardcore, old-school gamers would flip the bill, Kong immediately offers so much more on so many different levels of psychological and sociological intrigue that anyone not self-conscious enough to feel embarrassed for investing an emotional stake into a Donkey Kong showdown, (highlighting a bittersweet anti-climax) will find themselves deep inside a world they never thought imaginable.

The mock-epic tone, which so many supporting characters delightfully contribute to, feels seized by director Seth Gordon and infused into his charming take on good-vs-evil, letting this potentially inspiring metaphor stretch it's wings into a blossomed, well-rounded quirk-fest far more fun then it's rigorous gaming pedigree would suggest.