The King of Kong (2007)

Die-hard gamers compete to break world records on classic arcade games.

Director:

Seth Gordon

Writer:

Seth Gordon

Stars:

Steve Wiebe, Billy Mitchell, Mark Alpiger

9 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Wiebe	...	Self - Donkey Kong Challenger
Mark Alpiger	...	Self
Adam Wood	...	Self
Walter Day	...	Self - World's Video Game Referee
Steve Sanders	...	Self - Author: Master's Guide to Donkey Kong
Steven Krogman	...	Self
Robert Mruczek	...	Self - Head Referee, Twin Galaxies
Doris Self	...	Self - Q*bert Contender
Todd Rogers	...	Self
Brian Kuh	...	Self - Donkey Kong Expert
Zack Hample	...	Self
Billy Mitchell	...	Self
Barbara Mitchell	...	Self
Jon Farley	...	Self
Nicole Wiebe	...	Self - Steve's Wife

Storyline

In the early 1980s, legendary Billy Mitchell set a Donkey Kong record that stood for almost 25 years. This documentary follows the assault on the record by Steve Wiebe, an earnest teacher from Washington who took up the game while unemployed. The top scores are monitored by a cadre of players and fans associated with Walter Day, an Iowan who runs Funspot, an annual tournament. Wiebe breaks Mitchell's record in public at Funspot, and Mitchell promptly mails a controversial video tape of himself setting a new record. So Wiebe travels to Florida hoping Mitchell will face him for the 2007 Guinness World Records. Will the mind-game-playing Mitchell engage; who will end up holding the record?

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Plot Keywords:

world record | donkey kong | arcade | piano | playing a video game | 

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Taglines:

In the cutthroat world of Donkey Kong, only one can rule.

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for a brief sexual reference

Did You Know?

Trivia

On October 21, 2015, Robbie Lakeman became the new Donkey Kong world record holder, scoring 1,177,200 points.

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Goofs

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.

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Quotes

Adam Wood: I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs. I play video games, which I think is a far superior addiction to any of those other ones.

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Connections

References Defender (1981)

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Soundtracks

Pictures of You
Written by Robert Smith, Laurence Tolhurst, Simon Gallup, Porl Thompson,
Boris Williams & Roger O'Donnell
Published by BMG Songs, Inc. (ASCAP) o/b/o Fiction Songs, LTD.
Performed by The Cure
Courtesy of Fiction Records Limited/Polydor UK Limited/Elektra Entertianment Ltd.
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises and Elektra Entertainment Group
by arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

User Reviews

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.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 February 2008 (Australia)

Also Known As:

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$51,493, 19 August 2007

Gross USA:

$677,914

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$790,128

Company Credits

Production Co:

LargeLab

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1