The Ecstacy of Order: The Tetris Masters (documentary)

[atarilovesyou]

*note: I did a search for other threads, but came up with nothing...so before I go on a rant , can somebody post a link if there's already one devoted to this documentary? Merci! (I probably spelled ecstasy wrong, didn't I)

Edited April 12, 2014 by atarilovesyou

[atarilovesyou]

Nobody?...well alrighty then!

 

First off, I love video game docs. Mind you I haven't really watched a lot, but that's only because I don't think there's that many commerical level documentaries made about classic video games. I'm probably wrong about that, but here's what I've seen: King of Kong (of Kourse) and Chasing Ghosts. I really liked them both, even though CG is pretty quirky in a lot of ways. I still liked it though, and any info to me is better than none.

 

So when I stumbled upon somebody mentioning a Tetris doc here on AA, I had to track it down. Watched it.

 

LOVED IT. There are some spoilers from this point on, so if you'd like to watch it first, then do so. Ok?....on three, two, one: ok, you're back? DANG! Let's continue.

 

I am always surprised by how docs can get me to change my view and get me thinking. I've always liked Tetris, but I've never loved it and am really not very good at it. And it's not for lack of trying, I really don't seem to have the right stuff when it comes to that game (as my wife can attest, she kicks my ass. Literally, with a big ol' BOOT). The Tengen version of Tetris was one of the 'must own' physical copies in my NES collection, and I wasn't ever partial to the Nintendo version. This was mainly due to the lack of two player simultaneous play. After watching TEOO (tetris doc), they tweaked me as to why it's the definitive console version, as well as the one that all serious Tetris players play. Turns out that the Tengen version tops out in terms of speed, and there are people who can make that happen....turning the game into a relative marathon-only score. I don't like how that sits, now that I've watched TEOO. And after playing both versions, I now realize why the Nintendo one is better. IMO, anyway.

 

So! Let's talk character development. What I liked about KoK was that you really had antagonist vs protagonist, and TEOO has it too...but not quite. Each of the Tetris Masters has just enough info on them, and you really want them to succeed! And as a long time old school gamer (maybe a lil TOO old school), when they mentioned Thor Akerlund (sic), I wasn't quite sure what to think! Of course we all know about Thor, at least any fan of the NES knows. But to have him be a dark horse, behind the scenes guy in this doc was absolutely brilliant...and when he shows up, instead of being some kind of antisocial gaming freak, he comes across as very, very human. I realize that docs can manipulate things (as those who believe that KoK falsely portrayed the character of Billy Mitchell), and maybe Thor isn't as nice as this doc portrays him, but it's that human element that got me hooked. This doc didn't even need Walter Day!

 

I don't want to get into the details about the film, other than I really liked it and it kept me quite riveted, possibly more so than the first two docs I mentioned, but there was something that it didn't quite get right (even though it in no way affects my overall enjoyment and appreciation of the film)...and that's the ending.

 

In KoK, we all know that they tacked on an ending right when you thought that Steve wasn't going to be able to dethrone Billy. BUT WAIT!!!..and then they drop the good news on you, high fives all around, roll credits (even though I realize that even the ending was creatively assembled, and there were other players in the race for that top Kong score, and all that...no matter, in the context, watching that for the first time was as classic as any movie I've ever watched). The problem I found with the ending for this Tetris doc is that they tried to copy KoK in their own way...you see that Thor, for whatever reasons, didn't win the tournament. And if you were rooting for Thor to come back, prove the naysayers wrong, fight the good fight and all that, well...that doesn't happen...at the tournament at least They then seque into a little scene of videotaped footage where Thor, a month later, finally proves that he got to level 30 and maxed the score and did exactly what those at the tournament thought was impossible.

 

And for a moment, it worked!...that ending felt ok with me. Roll credits. But...they could have made the drama a bit more raw. It literally feels tacked on, in a much less dramatic way than KoK did. I don't quite know why, and it's purely my opinion, but the ending just doesn't give me the satisfaction that it should have. Maybe I wanted a bit more commentary from Thor...maybe the other players. Maybe I wanted him to be able to say, "SEE, you mothers?...I did what I said I said I did, I really am that good and here's the proof!"....but just thinking on it now, perhaps that would have also been the wrong move. I don't know. Like I said, I liked this film a lot and will track down a DVD of it sometime (if they do so...Chasing Ghosts still has not, been a long time now).

 

And if you haven't seen it, I really do recommend it.

 

I hope you guys have some comments, I'd like to hear em'. Thanks!

[jaybird3rd]

Thanks for posting this review! I stumbled across this documentary some time ago, but I had a few other docs that I wanted to buy first, and I'm afraid I forgot about it afterward. As it happens, I had planned to take some time this summer to research Tetris and develop my skills in it, so this is a very timely reminder. I just checked the official site, and apparently they are offering DVD editions and other merchandise.