Most of the film centers around Wiebe’s story. Clearly the underdog, he breaks the world record several times throughout the course of the movie but is raked over the coals by Twin Galaxies, the video gaming commission, with unfounded claims of cheating. Mitchell on the other hand gets away scott-free after repeatedly using underhanded tactics and then prances around bragging, completely self-unaware as to how ridiculous he looks and sounds, making him extremely fun to hate.

I’d recommend The King of Kong for even the most casual of video game fans, and even though the cameras have stopped rolling, the battle still rages on between Wiebe and Mitchell to see who will be the The King of Kong. The movie’s official website is here, the wiki page is here, and the torrent is here.

New Activity/Unrest:

• Bagana, Bougainville
• Galeras, Colombia
• Piton de la Fournaise, Reunion Island

An ash plume ejected from Bagana (right), just south of the dark-colored caldera lake of Billy Mitchell, rises into the atmosphere.

Steam clouds rise from an andesitic lava flow descending the NW flank of Bagana on April 26, 1988. The massive symmetrical lava cone, one of the most active volcanoes in Papua New Guinea, was largely constructed by an accumulation of viscous andesitic lava flows. - Photo by Wally Johnson, 1988 (Australia Bureau of Mineral Resources). Source: GVP

Elevation:        1,750 metres (5,741 feet)
Location:          Bougainville, Papua New Guinea
Range:              Emperor Range
Coordinates:    6.140° S 155.195° E
Type:                Lava cone
Last eruption:  2008 (continuing)

Ongoing Activity:

• Chaitén, Southern Chile
• Chikurachki, Paramushir Island
• Dukono, Halmahera
• Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka
• Kilauea, Hawaii (USA)
• Llaima, Central Chile
• Manam, Northeast of New Guinea (SW Pacific)
• Rabaul, New Britain
• Ruapehu, New Zealand
• Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Soufrière Hills, Montserrat
• Tungurahua, Ecuador
• Ubinas, Perú

The Weekly Volcanic Activity Report is a cooperative project between the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Program and the US Geological Survey's Volcano Hazards Program.

Related Links:

• Mt Ruapehu Eruption Alert

The King of Kong. This title was given to not only a movie, but it was also given to a person. Billy Mitchell held this title for years, until an unemployed upstart, Steve Wiebe, decided to take it from him. Steve Wiebe is the protagonist of The King of Kong because he is the main character, as evidenced by the cameras following him around and telling his present story. The antagonist, Billy Mitchell, was portrayed in the movie as being mean spirited toward Steve Wiebe. He is shown as the antagonist by the fact that he is constantly opposed to Steve Wiebe as well as by his actions. He is shown ignoring Steve's call and Steve told about how people were sent, possibly by Billy, to spy on Steve's machine to make sure he was not cheating.

The entire movie was about two quests undertaken by the protagonist and antagonist. Steve Wiebe, the protagonist, undertook the quest to beat Billy's record for Donkey Kong. Billy, on the other hand, started a quest to keep his title. These quests were the main story telling points throughout the movie. Without these quests, the movie would have no story and would collapse. Steve's quest was successful, but in the end, Billy took his title back.

By: Sam F

Character parallels can be seen between many works and Lord of the Rings and King of Kong is a good example. Billy and Steve in King of Kong mimic the relationship between Frodo and Sam in the LOTR series. For Billy, the source of his superiority complex roots itself in his long-term dominance in the world of arcade games. For Frodo, his similar complex draws from the ring and the burdening sense of responsibility that comes with it.

Billy and Frodo are both portrayed by the director as pompous and arrogant. Unique past experiences have helped build up this arrogance, or seeming arrogance, over other characters. Billy is like Frodo in that he is forced by being number one to be heartlessly competitive to help maintain top status. Being number one must be done alone, as there is no room for two at the top of the podium. Frodo similarly must carry his “top-dog status” alone as the ring is a burden for only one. This solo journey for each character likely builds on this arrogance. Clearly this attitude could simply be resentment to the fact that each character’s lifestyle requires working alone in their conquests. Frodo is also similar in that he does not seem to enjoy his burden of the ring. He wishes he could give it up but ultimately understands that the ring is his responsibility.  Billy also shows fatigue with his fight to be at the top, as he must face the frustrations of people like Steve Wiebe challenging his record. When he receives the phone call that Steve had surpassed him, his weariness was very apparent.

Another paralleled pair between LOTR and King of Kong is Sam and Steve. These are secondary characters to the holders of the spotlight. Both share similar qualities and roles in their respective movies. Sam is a conveyer of fair play and being as helpful as he can. He is a very untroubled and has good morals. The entire movie he is working tirelessly to help Frodo and is seen as a threat. Steve shares this type of relationship with Billy in King of Kong. He is simply trying to take a small piece of the spotlight for himself and right things in his life by winning for once.  Billy views Steve as a threat and treats him as such throughout the movie. Sam and Steve both share a sense of innocence; however, that blinds them to the mental states of their foil characters, Frodo and Billy, in each movie. They don’t seem to realize the burdens of being in the spotlight and this naivety makes the lead characters frustrations more understandable.

By: Dan Nockels

I can dispense with the question at hand very easily Steve Weibe is the protagonist of the film King of Kong. The protagonist is the main character, who opposes the antagonist in other words the hero. In this film an even easier question to answer is who the antagonist is Billy. If I were to take the movie at face value and met him on the street I would probably punch him in the mouth. That a fairly good indication of who the antagonist is supposed to be. In the story Steve opposes Billy thus Steve is the protagonist. Sure he’s a perfectionist with deep seeded issues with self worth and in apparent inability to succeed in real life pursuits but he sure is the protagonist, the hero.

But I don’t know Billy how do I know he isn’t the jerk he acts like in the movie. Well first off when he objected to his portrayal in the film he used the term “son of a gun” which is just about the best thing I have ever read in an MTV interview. After watching as many commercials for reality TV as I have I have determined that if you film someone for long enough they will do something stupid. Such as for example state that comments they might make are as controversial as the abortion issue. That was pretty dumb but film yourself for 300 hours and see if you don’t say something about that stupid.

Next things that a brief wikipedia search turned up Billy and Steve were on friendly terms, had played together and Steve held the title even after his video submission was deemed inadmissible. In addition to that the sheer number of people they had to demonize to make Steve seem like a hero, Billy most notably but also all of the people from Twin Galaxies. The movie made them seem like Billy’s lackeys just out to preserve his record. Their suspicion about the board being tampered with is given about 15 seconds of air time and we are only shown parts of Billy’s Tape that are fuzzy implying strongly that Billy was lying about the whole thing. Despite Twin Galaxies on screen being designated as so trustworthy that Guinness Book of World Records relies on them for video game records. 

My favorite implication of all is that Steve is the quintessential family man while Billy is married to a fake trophy wife. This one is a little more subtle but barely. Steve’s wife seems like a supportive strong woman who helps her family through a hard time. Billy’s wife doesn’t get any lines and is only shown on his arm. Which is more befitting a hero and which a villain? So in the movie Steve is the protagonist as unearned a title as that may be. 

Neither Steve Wiebe nor Billy Mitchell is the King of Kong. However, they are both great heroes that undertake the same quest with the goal of finishing the quest before the other. Yet, neither one of them has completed this quest. Yes, one man did advance farther than the other, but the real King of Kong was not defeated. Of course I am talking about the one and only...

Donkey Kong.

The evil King Donkey Kong still holds the Princess captive. He still stands upon the highest-most platform, taunting and laughing at all who attempt to claim his throne. He is even so powerful that when a hero thinks he is about to defeat the evil king, the hero just falls over dead. King Kong's deadly power has come to been known as the "Kill Screen." With a power such as this, who In the world may hope to ever defeat King Kong?

Steve Wiebe and Billy Mitchell are the greatest heroes that ever took on this quest. They climbed more platforms and jumped over more barrels than anyone ever before. These acts earned them medals in the shape of numbers that the people referred to as a "Score." Steve Wiebe tried valiantly but ended his campaign against the wicked King Kong with a score of 1,049,100. This was was much higher than any score that came before him. However, Billy Mitchell embarked on the same quest just 6 months later and scored 1,050,200. Billy Mitchell has come the closest to defeating King Kong, thus making him the greatest hero of all.

In the end, all great heroes fall. Even though some may advance farther than others, the fact still remains that nobody has ever defeated King Kong in his 27 years of his world domination. Who will be the great hero that finally relieves the free peoples of earth from his tyranny?

When we watch TV drama or comedy - from the humble soap opera via the sitcom to the megabudget one hour Christmas drama special - we like to identify with at least one of the characters.

Character empathy gives us an anchor by which we can involve ourselves with the plot and all of the circumstances of the script.

I'm not talking here about fancying a lead character - that's a discussion for another time. Keep your puerile fantasies regarding Gillian Anderson to yourself this time. I'm talking about the character in a TV show you most identify with - be it for their attitude to life, their personal circumstances, their appearance (and people's reaction to it) or their lifestyle choices...

Are you down on your luck what with the credit crunch and finding yourself breaking down every time Perry Fenwick as Billy Mitchell has a snivel?

Do you like to walk through the rough part of town on a regular basis, playing Robin Hood for the crackheads as you threaten scary folk with a massive shotgun, a la Omar Little?

Are you reading this from a desert island like a tedious goon from Lost?

Are you supposedly ugly, when in fact you look quite normal - attractive even if only you'd sort your clothes and hair out - and happen to work in the rag trade like that Betty squirt?

Which television character do you most identify with?

Eh?

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters was a very interesting portrayal of the world of video games. It made competitive gaming look as important as competitive events such as the NBA and NFL. To me, it was quite amusing and entertaining to watch.

Steve Wiebe is the protagonist of the movie in my opinion. I think he is portrayed as the “family man” and is the more likeable of the two main characters. Steve was always “second-best” with everything he pursued in his lifetime. Between baseball, the drums, and Donkey Kong, Steve Wiebe could never grasp that number one title. His failure to achieve victory in competitive contests makes him the protagonist-he was always chasing that elusive designation as a “champion”.

So he decided to take up video games (an interesting choice, isn’t it?). After failing at more acceptable things in life, video games seemed like a practical idea to keep Steve occupied. He has a definite knack for excelling at what ever he puts his mind to. Throughout the movie, Steve’s struggle is portrayed in a frustrating and compelling manner. Many times, I found myself rooting for him.

Billy Mitchell was a very interesting character. The movie made him seem like somewhat of a villain. He embarrassingly stated so in an interview about the movie. As the viewer, you might feel bad for Billy Mitchell after hearing this interview- the movie really did make him look like a rude, arrogant, scumbag. However, he is not the protagonist. He was simply the obstacle that Steve Wiebe had to overcome scorewise (in the video game) as well as mentally.

Steve Wiebe absolutely undertook a quest to finally be the best at something for once. He achieved success on his quest and seemed to have learned a lot from it (Lots of EXP Points!). From the “phony board” to the live world record, he took a rough mental beating. I don’t think I would have lasted as long as Steve did in terms of determination and taking all the crap he took. He’s got a heart.

A parallel I noticed between the Wiebe-Mitchell rivalry is the rivalry between Gandalf and Sarumon in The Lord of the Rings. Although the wizard rivalry had much more of a good vs. evil theme, one was portrayed as the villain and one as the “good guy”. Billy Mitchell’s desire to be on top can be connected to Sarumon’s need for survival and safety. Sarumon joins the Dark Lord for the sole reason of being powerful and safe from their evil. Gandalf just wants peace and happiness to thrive in Middle Earth, and commits all his power to that cause. Steve Wiebe, while very intent on winning the title of Donkey Kong Champ, really served as a good parent and husband in the end, despite the lack of “butt-wiping”.

Steve “Weeb” is an overall awesome guy. I hope to share a beer (When I am 21, of course) with him one day like “Blogmaster” Hall.

When I first sat down to watch The King of Kong, I was expecting to endure an hour and a half or so of a boring documentary about some arcade player looking to make a name for himself. I had no idea, however, that throughout the course of the film I would grow to become emotionally attached to Steve's struggle to attain the world record on Donkey Kong.

Steve Wiebe is the protagonist of The King of Kong. But more than that, he is the only character I felt any emotional link during the entire film. I, along with many other viewers, felt his triumph when he scored his first 1 million+ point game in his garage, his anguish when his record was denied, and his joy when he finally bested Billy Mitchell in the record books.

So why do we all root for Steve Wiebe and make him the hero of our story? Well perhaps part of it is the slant that the movie director applied to the film in order to increase the entertainment value. Even so, I think it is the fact that all of us know what it is like to be the underdog, to want something so much that we work tirelessly to get it. Steve Wiebe is our everyman. His victories are our victories and his failures are ours as well. We feel his painful shortcomings in our lives every time we fail at something and we can easily understand his desire for success.

So why isn't Billy Mitchell our protagonist? I mean, he certainly is extraordinary and is the current world record holder of the Donkey Kong high score. He even has his own hot sauce! Again, the director certainly biased the film towards Steve, yet even beyond that I feel it is because Billy is so good that many of us can't truly relate to him. How many of us hold multiple world records for arcade games and how many times have we been hailed as the best arcade game player of our era? He is simply out of our league. We can never truly relate to Billy Mitchell and that is why we all want Steve as our protagonist.

So it's half four in the morning, I've got a documentary on in the background (People's Century episode 6, '1927: Great Escape'), and I'm idly stroking threads of human knowledge...

Bonus Army > General MacArthur > Billy Mitchell > Hap Arnold > USAAF > P38 Lightning > Split S

The Split S is an air combat maneuver mostly used to disengage from combat. To execute a Split S, the pilot half-rolls his aircraft inverted and executes a descending half-loop, resulting in level flight in the exact opposite direction at a lower altitude.

So now you know.

Mitchell began playing gigs around Atlanta in the 60s and moved to Los Angeles in 1970 and was soon backing up such artists as Gloria Lynn, Ester Phillips, Randy Crawford and Linda Hopkins, to name a few. Mitchell's first solo efforts, Blue City Jam (1984) and Night Theme (1987) captured the funky, urban flavored vibe of the Quiet Storm format just before the advent of smooth jazz, and Faces (1988 ) and the similarly styled In Focus (1991) rose high on Billboard's contemporary jazz charts and continue to receive international airplay. After a few colorful excursions into swing and straight-ahead Live All Night Long (1994), Cat’s Pajamas (1996), Passion (1998 ) all recorded live, Mitchell returns to the smooth jazz fold with his PRC 2001 release, Never Give Up On Love, a soulful and dynamic session which combines Mitchell's love for jammin' R&B funk with a keen sense of romance and grace. Mitchell’s newest projects include a collaboration project, Minority Report (2005) and The Traveler (2006).

TUESDAY
Free Hula Class
7 p.m.
North Catalina Rec Room

WEDNESDAY
Children's Entertainment Night @ Levitt Pavilion
Memorial Park - Pasadena
7:00 PM
Circus Night Featuring: Terrell & Takako, Jena Carpenter and Lily Kobabe

Terrell and Takako, a husband-and–wife variety duo, perform as jugglers, magicians, mimes, unicyclists, and paperfolders for audiences of all ages throughout the world. Equally adept as stage, street, or strolling entertainers, this couple has delighted audiences in Canada, Japan, and the United States. Terrell and Takako have performed at conventions, corporate events, fairs, festivals, colleges, hotels, schools, clubs, and theme parks. Their show includes selections from more than 20 routines involving more than 20 types of props. During one five-year period this couple performed more than 5000 shows at Huis Ten Bosch, a European resort in southern Japan!

At only eleven years old, Lily Kobabe is a rhythmic gymnast, aerialist, and dancer with over eight years of competition experience. She has been studying with Jena Carpenter for almost two years.

THURSDAY
American Music Night @ Levitt Pavilion
Memorial Park - Pasadena
6:30 p.m.
Lisa Haley
When GRAMMY Nominee Lisa Haley's soaring, compelling "cornbread" voice holds court in the "One World Swamp", worlds collide!

A Blue Fiddle Records recording artist, Lisa's compelling songs, boundless energy and blue violin "Louie" have made this fourth-generation "Fiddlist" an ambassador for her modern-day style of "Americana Cajun/Zydeco."

Lisa stands out as the most energetic violinist/vocalist in America today. Igniting the spirits of Cajun/Zydeco, Americana, Christian, Jazz, Rock, and Folk fans, she performs worldwide with her All-Star band.

Tango Classes @ Caltech

Free Dancing in Burbank

FRIDAY

Paseo Colorado Swing Dancing
6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Garfield Plaza. Go see a movie and cool off afterward.
Stompy Jones

World Rhythms Night @ Levitt Pavilion
Memorial Park - Pasadena

Smadar Levi
An exciting new voice emerging from the NYC world music scene, Smadar is an Israeli-Moroccan singer whose craft is best described as pan-Mediterranean music peppered with a gypsy sound. Smadar sings original and creative renditions of traditional tunes in Hebrew, Arabic, and Ladino. The Epoch Times International recently dubbed Smadar "a euphonious and haunting voice" for peace and unity.

In February 2006, the internationally-renowned nonprofit organization Seeds of Peace honored Smadar with an award for "uniting cultures to achieve peace through music." The award was given to her at a gala in which she performed along with three-time Grammy winner John Legend. In performing for Seeds of Peace, Smadar joined a prestigious list of musicians which includes: Cindy Lauper, Miri Ben-Ari, Hooti and Blowfish, Bare Naked ladies, and John Legend.

SATURDAY

Musica Latina Night @ Levitt Pavilion, Memorial Park - Pasadena

Nocy
Pure energy aptly defines the soulful, rhythmic classical guitar wizardry of Nocy on his dazzling worldwide debut on EarthTone Records. Hailed as an "Orchestra on Six Strings" by the Pasadena Weekly, Nocy's rich harmonic textures and lightning-fast play simulate the sounds of many instruments. "I want to make this guitar play like a Saxophone, like drums like congas…you name it, because nobody ever has."

Pasadena Milonga at the Dance Family Studio
Milonga Los Amigos!
(A Buenos Aires-Style Tango Dance Party)
Mini-Class with Linda 8-8:30 pm
Dancing until 1:30 am (or maybe later!)

I'm not sure if there will be a performance because I haven't received an email from Linda yet, but this milonga tends toward classic tango from the milongas of Buenos Aires (arranged in tandas with cortinas, of course)! It can get really crowded. The food is always great (lots of cheese, bread and fruit) and on your birthday month it is FREE! All levels welcome in a fun, friendly atmosphere!

Dance Family Studio
25 North Allen Ave, Pasadena

(Corner of Colorado Blvd.Plenty of free parking in the five lots behind the studio. Turn north on Allen Ave. from Colorado Blvd. and you'll see the studio. Turn left into Revere Alley to access the parking lots. Parking also on Colorado Blvd, Allen and Meredith Avenues)

A great evening all for $10 per person!
Full-time students $7 (with student ID)
August Birthdays Free! (with ID)

For information call Linda at (323) 653-5883 or see our website at www.apurotango.com

The autograph I am featuring today is of Andrew Farina, the world champion of 'Rock, Paper, Scissors'. I am being dead serious. I am sorry to all the professional Rock, Paper Scissors players of the world, but c'mon!!!

Another autograph from the set and currently featured by Beckett.com is of Marcus Henderson, a guy 99% of you have no clue about. If you are that 1%, good for you but to the rest of the world he is a failed Metal guitarist best known for being the man behind the video game series 'Guitar Hero'.

Now, while I am in no way knocking his amazing skills, there are many other guitarist that could have made the autograph a lot more desirable (and valuable). Obviously Slash of Guns n' Roses comes to mind but many others, too.

Don't even get me started on Billy Mitchel's Allen & Ginter autograph. If you don't know Mitchell, just check out his Wikipedia page where he is described as the "greatest living arcade player of all-time". Here's the problem, he is still playing games from the early 80's! That's like me completing a set of 1989 Upper Deck and bragging about it to guys collecting Bowman Chrome.

I know the whole idea behind Allen & Ginter is that it's not just sports but I think the guy in charge of the final checklist for autographs might be looking for a new job soon.

Sorry sir, Wax Heaven is not hiring.

I know what you're thinking: Chestnut is the guy who took down the Japanese dude last year in the July 4th hotdog eating contest on ESPN, right? Why does he have a baseball card? Answer: because he's a world champion.

I bought a few packs when it was released Wednesday, and I did so without looking at the checklist. And looking through the cards, one made me stop dead in my tracks: Joey Chestnut. There he was with that semi-constipated look on his face, almost like he crapped his pants and was facing mommy for the first time since dropping the duece.

By this point I'd already pulled one of the rare Silk/Cloth framed cards (only 10 sets exist), but this is the card that made me stop and actually appreciate this year's product.

Baseball card sets are typically constructed the same way. You get the same 200 stars and then another 50 or so rookies to give collector's some reason to believe that they are actually investing their money wisely. But not this product. Sure it's got it's run of rare cards, autographs and even piece of Abe Lincoln's hair (I'm not kidding), but the base set is so interesting that it's almost worth buying for that reason alone. I mean where else can you pull this type of eight card pack: Carl Crawford, Jay Bruce, Jake Peavy, Robinson Cano, Francisco Cordero, John Bowker, Les Miles and Joey Chestnut?

What I really love about this set is that it makes you stop and think about what you've purchased. Because most sets are so contrived and even predictable, many collectors rip packs and seek out only the shiniest card, the one with a piece of jersey embedded in it, or the one covered in the depicted player's signature. If there are none of those, the rest go right into a box, or worst case scenario into the trash can. People don't actually read their baseball cards anymore. It's kind of sad. Need to know how many home runs Jeff Francouer hit in 2006? No need to go find his 2007 Topps card and read the back to get the answer. All you have to do is go online. It's even easier if you're a fantasy baseball guy.

Anyhow, here's a sneak peek at some of the other odd cards I managed to pull today:

Billy Mitchell, Champion Pac-Man gamer: It's too bad that he wasn't a Nintendo champion. This pose would have been classic for "Nintendo Thumb." Also, he kind of looks like Buddy Christ. Jesus Christ. Now that'd be a hell of an A&G card.

Pete Webber, Champion Professional Bowler: As much as I hate his wannabe Degeneration X crotch chop, it still would look better than this image. He looks like he's at a funeral, or like he's some kind of mobster. I love bowling, but this guy is a real douche bag for trying to turn the sport into professional wrestling.

Bigfoot, monster truck: Sunday, Sunday, Su ... ah screw, it. That joke is old and tired.

Jeanette Lee, Champion Billiards Player: Sure as hell beats a card of Karen Corr.

Kevin Van Dam, champion bass fisherman: Love the idea for the card, but this picture would have been better, especially on a horizontal card. Note to photo editors: Pictures of fisherman should have the angler holding fish, particularly when using such a design as Allen & Ginter.

and perhaps the coolest card not featuring Joey Chestnut:

Andrew "William Ocean" Litz, air guitar champion: This guy is living every man's dream: Gain international notoriety for your savage air guitar skills, AND get a baseball card of you doing said activity. Classic.

Once upon a time, before Halo, WiiFit, and Grand Theft Auto, there was the Arcade. The truth be told, video games were not always the overpriced, time-wasting, brain-killing Christmas presents they are today. Last year’s documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, directed by Seth Gordon, chronicled the afterlife of Arcade games and their still-devoted fans. Actually, “devoted” does not quite sum it up as much as impassioned—many of these thirty and fortysomethings maintain a complete and utter disregard for video games of the last 25 years. Why? Well, some might say they are just stubborn and un-hip. Or, perhaps they are actually motivated by something other than death, destruction, and cheat codes.

Billy Mitchell held the ultimate high score for the original Donkey Kong from 1982 to 2005. The mullet-sporting, self-centered, Florida restaurant manager was then dethroned by the somewhat laid back, Junior High School science teacher, Steve Wiebe (pronounced “wee-bee”). The first thing you should know about Wiebe is that he is not the sort of guy to half-heartedly adopt hobbies—this is a man who aims to master all that he touches. However, the second thing is that not even a savant like Steve could have predicted what he was getting himself into when he began his Donkey Kong venture—nor could have anyone. Billy Mitchell and the inveterate Twin Galaxies (the world’s foremost authority in video game record keeping) met Wiebe with nothing but skepticism and indisposition. But, this left little-to-no effect on the science teacher’s resolution, thus resulting in a lot of nerd drama.

The Notorious Billy Mitchell

Gordon’s documentary does make a point to illustrate the toll Wiebe’s newfound passion takes on his family and everyday life. When the issue of potentially getting into the Guinness Book of World Records comes up, Jillian Wiebe explains to her father that “some people sort of ruin their lives to be in there.” Unfortunately, failure has always been very difficult for this science teacher. When it seems like forces beyond Steve’s control might prevent his accomplishments from being properly recognized, the Wiebe family fears for the mental well-being of its passive aggressive Patriarch. The documentary similarly depicts the balance between Steve’s steady profession and chaotic passion. Despite his successful day job, Steve’s Donkey Kong determination exemplifies a great deal of promise. As The Onion put it, Steve shows “what it takes to make it in America.”

Despite the completion and release of the film, the competition went on and is still going on to this very day. Billy got his record back, Steve took it again, and then Billy won it back yet another time. In fact, Wiebe was reported to have publicly taken a shot at the record just last Thursday (July 17^th) in Santa Monica. It has even been suggested that there needs to be some sort of sequel to chronicle the ongoing war. Plus, there will always be an enormous audience cheering Mitchell and Wiebe on. The popularity of TwinGalaxies.com, Donkey Kong, and of old Arcade games in general has skyrocketed. Seth Gordon’s documentary has resurrected the notion that gaming is, perhaps, not always about just wasting time.

Regardless of whatever a sequel could offer, last year’s documentary conveys all the essential facts. Just like chess or football, the old Arcade games test one’s intelligence, patience, creativity, and stamina. That is not to downplay the ability to simultaneously steal a Ferrari and assassinate a police officer—but it certainly will not earn you the respect of these serious gamers. These are two men who, despite how down-to-earth they may seem, share an infinite supply of fortitude (and quarters).

Nevertheless, presenting the film from the perspective of a relatively normal guy like Steve—at least compared to the vainglorious Billy Mitchell—does make it easier for the viewer to understand how one could get caught up in this sort of competition. What King of Kong truly “documents” is the innate human tendency toward supremacy and perfection, exemplified through a seemingly simple video game. Steve stepped up to a challenge that had lain dormant for nearly two and a half decades, with practically no other motivation besides a curiosity of his own hidden talents. That is not to say he will ever be able to pay his bills by playing Arcade games. Yet, if a mere science teacher can inspire millions of people across the world to follow their dreams, then perhaps that is worth something more than his salary.

CONCLUSION: An uplifting barrel of monkeys.

The Victorious Steve Wiebe in his garage

PLEASE do yourself a favor and watch this film. Here is the basic premise. The film centers on 2 rival “gamers” that in 2006 are trying to set the all-time high score in the seemingly irrelevant original Donkey Kong arcade game. You have a classic battle between Good and Evil.

The antagonist of the film- Billy Mitchell.

Arguably the worlds most famous competitive gamer. You might know him as the first man ever to get a perfect score on Pacman, or more likely you might not know him at all. I don’t know want to ruin the movie for you but think of if Lucas Wunsch fucked Lucas Wunsch and had a kid. That kid would be Billy Mitchell.

A few fun facts about Billy

-He always wears an American flag tie (he has his reasons...which you will have to watch the film to find out)
-Mitchell was voted "Dweebus Maximus Dorkus of both the 20th and 21st centuries".
-He has a minion of loyal followers who are somehow ever dorkier than him.

The protagonist of the film is mild mannered Steve Wiebe.

A complete life failure who cries quite a bit. After you get to know him you really can’t help but route for this pathetic family man. He has honestly failed at everything he has ever done in his entire life, but he has one last chance to vindicate his existence on this planet. You guessed it the 1970's arcade game DONKEY KONG!!!!!!!!!!!!

King of Kong is just about the dorkiest movie you'll ever admit to absolutely loving. You couldn't find more nerds at an ALA (American Library Association) conference, well, maybe. King of Kong documents underdog Steve Wiebe's attempt at breaking the world record hi-score in the classic arcade version of Donkey Kong. I told you, huge dorks.

Steve Wiebe is a high school teacher, father, husband, hard-working, and all around nice guy with just about the worst luck a guy could have. The current world record holder, Billy Mitchell, has been handed control of a restaurant chain from his parents, is shady, manipulative, and in desperate need of shaving that stupid beard and cutting the 80's hair. Steve has video-recorded himself (which is standard in the video gaming world) shattering the world record. Normally, that would be good enough, however, Steve was taking on a monolith in the gaming community, Billy. So some of Billy lackeys come to Steve's house and dismantle his game because they thought he had to be cheating (clearly no one is better than Billy). Steve then tries to face Billy on 3 different occasions, to which Billy makes excuses every time. In one instance they are in the same arcade but Billy won't sit down and play or even acknowledge Steve's presence.

King of Kong takes viewers into world they probably knew very little about. You don't even have to like video games to love this movie, it has the likeable underdog and the evil champion plus a slew of very exotic characters. My personal favorite is Mr. Awesome, you have to see him to believe it. Add this movie to your short list of must see films!

In this corner, Gamer of the Century, world record holder at one time or another of five internationally recognized high scores on some of the world's most well known video games, including Pac-Man and Donkey Kong.  His recognized Donkey Kong record has stood for 25 years, Billllllllly Mmmmmmitchell!

And in this corner, a newcomer to the Donkey Kong universe and father of two.  A gifted athlete and musician and a Jr. High science teacher, claiming to have beaten the all time high score on Donkey Kong in his garage, Steeeeeeeve Weeeeeeeeeeibeeee!

Steve Weibe and Billy Mitchell share very little in common save their savant-like talent for Donkey Kong.  Mitchell has the most ridiculous haircut I've ever seen, resembling Darth Vader's helmet, which is oddly appropriate.  He is calculating, manipulative, and successful.  More arrogant than a Donkey Kong champion should ever be, he's been a legend in the arcade gaming community for over 25 years, and is now a hot sauce tycoon who speaks in overly thought-out riddles and Machiavellian clichés.  At one point he even declares  himself as controversial as the abortion issue.

Weibe is intelligent and gifted, but has struggled to put it all together, starting with a disappointing pitching performance in a high school championship baseball game.  The day he and his wife signed papers on their house, he was laid off from his job at Boeing.  Quiet and unassuming, his failures have stuck with him and he's looking for a chance at validation.

The battle begins when Weibe's video tape of his record breaking Donkey Kong score, which he mailed to the recognized arbiter of all things classic arcade, Twin Galaxies, was called into question.  Only a live score could be verified beyond a shadow of a doubt, he was told, a rule that apparently only applies in certain cases.  Weibe travels to Funspot in New Jersey for a big gaming event sponsored by Twin Galaxies in an attempt to square off with Mitchell face to face and beat his score in public.  Funspot is a haven for nerdery; a lot of paunches, bad hair, bad skin, black jeans, and facial hair.

I don't want to give too much of the story away.  I'll tell you that Mitchell doesn't show up at Funspot, but a video tape of his apparent latest record-breaking game comes out and is accepted as legit, even though Weibe's tape was rejected.  The Twin Galaxies crew and a lot of their sycophantic disciples are a pretty protective bunch and Weibe is the outsider trying to break into this strange world.  He's treated shabbily by most of these snobby dorks at first (they constantly mispronounce his name as weeb when it should be pronounced wee-bee), but after he doggedly continues to travel to these events to prove his legitimacy, even to Mitchell's hometown, they come to respect him, and even like him.

Really, this isn't a movie about Donkey Kong.  It's about the drive to succeed and be recognized for your accomplishments on their own merits (even if it's something as inconsequential as a video game) and not because of who you are or who you know.  Don't get me wrong, the movie is hilarious in its absurdity, but it works on a deeper level as well. 

A good documentary should let its subjects tell the story by showing them just as they are and not manipulate to affect the viewers perspective.  There were some moments that seemed a little contrived, but on the whole I think they played it pretty straight.  Even if you're not into video games (or nerds) this is definitely worth the hour and twenty and is one of the best movies from 2007.

Here's a trailer:

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0923752/

This review contains minor spoilers.

I am surprised at how long it has taken me to finally sit down and watch this movie. Being an avid gamer, getting a degree in Game Development and aiming to work in the game industry, you would think I would have rushed to see this at the first possible moment. I think what happened was I actually knew too much - I am perhaps too entrenched in the gaming lifestyle. I knew the story, I knew the players and I am extremely familiar with the games, and so - in an odd way - I almost felt like I had already seen the movie. It went from a film I was excited to see, to a film I knew I would watch eventually - it was no longer high on my list. It is a shame too, since the film is highly entertaining.

The one person - in my mind - that can make or break a documentary, is the Editor. Sure the Director is important, and the subject matter has to be at least somewhat intriguing, but the Editor has the most the ability to push a normal documentary into something amazing. King of Kong was so well edited that it flowed and peaked just like a normal feature film. The right shots were put in just the right spots in order to achieve the desired emotions and story development. And while I think the film could have been a lot better, the editing saved it from being too mundane.

The thing that I most often hear about this film was that the characters seem so ridiculous that it is hard to believe they are real people. Billy Mitchell is the embodiment of this phenomenon. He is a jerk of incredible proportions with an ego to match, and he is so overly condescending that you almost find yourself laughing at everything he does and says just because it is so absurd. On the other hand Steve Wiebe is incredibly down on his luck, extremely nice and wants so badly to just get some recognition that he seems almost like a charicature. He has his faults and vices but in the end is is very likeable and you can't help but feel glad when something actually goes his way.

I think the parts I enjoyed most were when someone was describing donkey kong strategy, and the problems people face on the different levels. It is extremely interesting to see the well thought out methods people use to get around each stage. So I definetly enjoyed the film; it had its slow moments but overall it was entertaining and interesting. I would recommend it to documentary fans, anyone interested in gaming, or just people who like a good fall and redemption story.

Pick of the Week:

King of Kong - One of the best, or at least most entertaining documentaries of last year, this chronicle of the battle between the two best Donkey Kong players in the world, Steve Wiebe and Billy Mitchell, is a titanic struggle between good and evil. Mitchell comes out as a coniving and cowardly villain and Wiebe a lovable sad-sack and it's their stark differences that create this Shakespearean battle. Well worth a watch even if you couldn't care less about Donkey Kong.

Also Out:

Jumper - The pretty awful looking Doug Liman vehicle which I mentioned in the Region 1 picks briefly last week. It's saved for me by Rachel Bilson being in it but from what I gather from reliable source Tom, this is just headache-inducing SFX foolishness.
Peep Show: Season 5 - Still probably the most consistently strong sitcom on British television behind The Mighty Boosh, this one proves further proof that Mitchell and Webb are great performers when someone else writes their material.
Californication: Season 1 - I've written about this a couple of times on the site and why not? It's foul-mouthed, dirty fun but occasionally manages to side-step the limitations of its sex-comedy roots to provide some really sweet moments of pathos to go along with the ride.
Definitely Maybe - I'm yet to see this but a guy I work with who is a notorious misanthrope who said this was a very passable romantic comedy which translated means that this is some sort of rom-com genius.
WAZ: Extreme Sleeve Edition - I honestly couldn't care much less about this terrible looking film but what the hell is an Extreme Sleeve?
Semi-Pro - Will Ferrell tries to be Ron Burgundy as a basketball player and Woody Harrelson sucks the life out of the comedy by acting like he's in a serious, Ron Shelton-without-the-comedy sports movie. Half funny, half depressingly awful.
Mouth to Mouth - Another early Ellen Page curio in which she goes all GI Jane with the hair playing a young girl seduced by a cult. It look vaguely interesting.

You need to watch this. Preview video here.