Movie #84- "The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters" (2007)

Documentaries are a different breed of film.  A director finds a compelling issue or person, and through interviews, filmed events, and archival footage, tries to let the story naturally unfold.  The trick however, is in the editing.  By choosing the right soundbite or sequence, an audience can be manipulated to your way of thinking with the information that has been placed before them.  That manipulation is part of the brilliance of "The King of Kong".
"The King of Kong" wastes little time framing the hero and villain, in almost a professional wrestling fashion.  Billy Mitchell is a salesman, more than just as a career.  He has a brash and driven individual brimming with self-confidence.  He's a man that like to work the angles.  Mitchell also owns the Donkey Kong record, which has earned him a fair amount of admirers.  Enter Steve Wiebe. 
Wiebe is a teacher in Washington.  Throughout his life, he has had periods in which greatness was within his grasp, only to be faced with failure.  During a period of unemployment, he became obsessed with Donkey Kong.  Playing late into the night, with a machine in his garage, Wiebe set out to break the record.  When he does, Mitchell and Wiebe become adversaries.  Mitchell, the showman vs. Wiebe, who is painted as the normal, family man.
"The King of Kong" goes into the gaming culture, with these players devoting hours to classic arcade games like Donkey Kong, Pac Man and several others.  They were kids that may have been shunned in high school, but have now developed a tight community that is wary of outsiders.  As a record holder, Mitchell is part of that inner circle.  He is a member of the organization that keeps and authenticates the records.  And Wiebe breaking the record does not sit well with the group.  They deny Wiebe his score.  The leader of the organization continually mispronounces his name.  During one competition, a follower of Mitchell is in constant communication with Mitchell, updating him on Wiebe's progress.
In reading more about the story, many people complain that it's fake.  Frankly, I didn't care.  I still found myself engulfed in the video game battle, booing and cheering at the appreciate times.  It worked better than many scripted films.  "The King of Kong" even made me wish I still had my Atari 2600.

Rating: 8/10
Movies I've previously viewed: 6
First time viewings: 78