Geri's Game (1997)

Geri sets up a chess game to play his greatest opponent - himself.

Director:

Jan Pinkava

Writer:

Jan Pinkava

Star:

Bob Peterson

Won 1 Oscar. Another 8 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Bob Peterson	...	Geri (voice)

Storyline

In a park, an old man is playing a game of chess against himself; he's physically moving from side to side as he plays from white to black. As the game progresses, the two sides of himself become individual and distinct players, "white" being the pensive and thoughtful side, "black" being the aggressive hard hitting side. But as the game looks to be coming to a conclusion, white makes a surprisingly aggressive move which could change what looked to be the obvious outcome of the game.

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Plot Keywords:

human | chess | park | eyeglasses | false teeth | 

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Genres:

Animation | Short | Family

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Jan Pinkava loosely based the main character on his grandfather who was a keen chess player.

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Goofs

Geri moves the pawn in front of the King (White) as his first move. But when he places his glasses down to go to the other side, the pawn is in the original position.

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Quotes

Geri: [only line in the film] Ah-ha!

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Crazy Credits

On the VHS release of this Short, we hear Geri laughing after the end credits

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Connections

Referenced in The Chess Tribute (2013)

User Reviews

Excellent and very funny short

This short won the Academy Award for Animated Short and probably deserved to win. The detail is impressive, but secondary. The plot is marvelous and the character of Geri is well developed. If you've seen Toy Story 2, Geri makes a "cameo" appearance as the toy repairman. All in all, a remarkable piece of work. Available on some copies of A Bug's Life VHS and DVD and well worth seeking out. Recommended.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

None

Release Date:

25 November 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Geri's Game

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pixar Animation Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

4 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.70 : 1