The King of Kong (2007)

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:

Marriage | Video Game | Strategy | Arcade Game | Talk

Awards:

3 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:

Australia:M | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Florida, USA

Company:

LargeLab

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:

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.

Movie Connections:

Features Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! (1987) (VG)

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.