Kotaku
The King of Kong documentary has been making the rounds this year in various film festivals around the US and now there is a controversy over how one of the movie's "characters" was portrayed. In the movie, two men (Billy Mitchell and Steve Weibe) are trying to be crowned the King of Donkey Kong. Mitchell has held the title of the highest score in Donkey Kong up until recently, when Weibe and a documentary crew set out to challenge it.
Just from looking at the trailer, it's pretty easy to tell who the director thinks the real hero (come on, one possibly works at a fast-food restaurant and the other is a science teacher). Mitchell hasn't even seen the movie, knows that he has been casted the villain from reading the reviews and press. Now he is speaking out in an article by MTV along with friends and colleagues who have come out to clear the air. According to Twin Galaxies' top scorekeeper, Walter Day:
When I saw the film, I was very upset. I saw the dynamics of stress between Billy and Steve and all those other people. At first I was mad at the players, mad at me and mad at everyone. Then I went away and sent [the filmmakers] an e-mail and said, 'Look, you got the plot all wrong.'
Tales of tweaked arcade circuit boards, skewed storylines, and made-up plots are just the tip of the iceberg in this video game drama. It's definitely a fun read for anyone missing "The OC".
Ex-'Donkey Kong' Champ Finally Speaks After Getting Bruised By New Doc [MTV Movie News]
Comments
Now _that_ paints the hobby in a losers' light. Thanks Billy, Thanks Steve.
For the love of...
IT'S DONKEY KONG!
Well, what did you expect? Real duelling is illegal now! And we're nerds. We're not gonna think of sports or guns as a way of settling something; no, to nerds, the first thing that will come to mind is a video game. I suggest they switch to something really truly hard like playing Tetris on level 99 or something.
Reminds me of a This American Life story. I eat this slice of life shit up.
I dunno, the grizzled old purist in me laments the days when your high score was a badge of honour - I think its great that Twin Galaxies still keeps a tab on this stuff and to those that have the stamina and single-mindedness to play these old games around the clock in pursuit of the perfect score - fair enough - I salute you!
Petty squabbling is never nice to see though - if Mitchell really wants to prove who's boss he should just go for it and shatter Weibe's record. In the meantime, I've just discovered the awesome kat5200 Super System emulator and I'm having a blast trying to break my old scores from way-back-when ;^)
Some people have WAY TOO MUCH free time on their hands... I mean, I love video games and all but I'm sure there more important things in this life than worrying about some silly DK record.
Some people can't afford a current-gen console methinks.
Mitchell, seriously. Get OUT of here. You look like a hippie version of Chuck Norris. You got a high score on an ancient video game like twenty five years ago. Your 15 minutes were up a million minutes ago. GO back to hawking your crappy hot sauce...maybe that dopey video game referee guy can follow you around and proclaim it a new record every time you sell a bottle to some unsuspecting schlub. Cut it out, Mitchell!
I'm rooting for Billy. I know you still got the skills man, let's see you astonish the world once again!
Wait, Kenny Loggins is the Donkey Kong champion??!!
Just watch the movie. Instead of listening to this guy bitch and whine about it, go check it out and see what you think about it.
While they could have cut it to make him look worse there's plenty of stuff that he does that makes himself look like an ass (and the Twin Galaxies guys look like they're fawning over him).
It's a great movie and I highly recommend it.
@Boxelder: I love that show
and ya... can't get enough of this stuff
Go see "King of Kong" and try to be unmoved. Can't be done.
So it's a documentary that builds story, conflict and characters through selective editing? Much like, oh, pretty much every other documentary ever made? Have these guys never seen a Michael Moore film?
Its freaking Donkey Kong...
Must be a matter of pride I guess.
Billy hasn't had the DK record since 2000 anyway. It's just a false story to make the movie good. I saw Billy playing DK at CGE 2005 and he was totally intense and his entourage was keeping people away from the machine. The article is wrong, there was a stock DK machine at CGE 05.
Fuck the science teacher.
I want my champions to have attitude and the ability to rock.
Besides, lets see that Steve guy get records in some of the other games that Mitchell has. I read he submitted a 6hour video of a perfect Pac-Man run.
GTFO Weibe
"Casted"? Is that even a verb?
@aDEADguy:
I second that, I've seen the movie and even if you dont like video games or care about DK its still a really good, compelling motion picture.
I respect the high-score days, because I remember those days well. However high-scores are extinct in todays games, unless you count flash-games.
All I know is, I bet I could pwn Billy in CS:S
How could Mitchell be the villain? I mean look at him! It's Jesus!
Billy Mitchell is the greatest video gamer of all time. Period. This is not a disputable fact. I just wish he would register a few more scores:
http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&p=28206
I am sure he could top a lot of gaming great Robert Mruczek's scores, which are amazing in their breadth and depth:
http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&p=12949
Mitchell's accomplishments in Pac-Man set a standard for classic gaming and his other classic scores are just amazing. And his hot sauce is delicious.
http://www.800hotsauce.com/
Billy Mitchell doesn't "possibly work[s] at a fast-food restaurant" in the same sense a 15 year old works at a fast-food restaurant. He owns a few of them.
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