Movie Week continues with two movies that are not so much translations of video games into silver screen masterpieces as they are a look at games and game culture. They’re also not exactly the most well known of the bunch, and I think they deserve a major nod.
Movie 5: Press Start
I actually feel a little bad posting about this in a series called “Best of the Worst”, because this is one of the most original and hilarious game movies I’ve ever seen. The first thing I would like to point out about Press Start is that is was shot in Chicago and right here in Champaign (you might recognize the Vet Med building late in the movie). Released in 2007 by Dark Maze Studios, it’s an independent film that parodies video games in general in an actiony, adventurey, comedic sort of way.
Press Start follows the adventures of Zack Nimbus, your average suburban kid with gravity defying hair, as he and two members of the Resistance search for the three Relics that will help to end the reign the evil Count Nefarious Vile.
What’s so very funny about this movie is that the entire thing operates on video game logic, and while no specific games are ever mentioned (in fact they don’t ever use the words “video game”), you’re hit repeatedly over the head by the constant vague, and not-so-vague, references and stereotypes. The low budget actually adds to rather than takes away from the film… and it features Daniel and Carlos Pesina, two of the motion capture actors from the original Mortal Kombat game.
As an added bonus, leading up the the release of the movie, Dark Maze Studios offered up some “prequel” Flash-toons on their website, called Bonus Levels, many of which are also included in the special features section on the DVD release. There were plans to continue the animated episodes, but the site hasn’t updated since January, and I’m not sure if that’s due simply to the time involved in making the episodes, or a permanent hiatus.
And after you’re done with the film, watch it again with the various commentaries on. Some of them are almost as funny as the movie itself.
Movie 6: La Maquina de Bailar
If this title doesn’t sound the least bit familiar, I’m not surprised. La Maquina de Bailar was released in Spain in 2006, and as far as I’ve heard, didn’t go much farther than that… which is a pity, because it’s a really funny (if cheesy as hell) movie. Those of you out there who have had a couple semesters of Spanish in school can probably see from the title where this is going…
For those of you who opted for French or German instead of Spanish, “la maquina de bailar” is literally, “the dance machine”. Yes, this movie is focused entirely on Dance Dance Revolution. And better yet, it’s a comedy.
My Spanish is a little rusty, so I probably missed some of the finer points of the movie (unfortunately, I’ve never been able to find a subtitled version), but essentially the story centers on Dani, a teenager working in a supermarket (which is coincidentally, run by a crime lord) who spends his off-time with friends at the local arcade playing DDR. Dani is asked to care for the store owner’s very valuable albino boa constrictor… and since this is a comedy, I’m sure you can guess what happens to the snake.
Suffice it to say, Dani finds himself in hot water. His solution? Recruit a group of DDR players to form a troupe, call in an ex-disco dancer turned arcade manager to coach them, and enter the upcoming international DDR tournament and beat the best player in the world. Why? To replace the snake of course. At any rate, hilarity ensues. This movie actually has a very similar tone to The Wizard. It’s sort of a combination coming-of-age, boy-meets-girl, dance-for-your-life kind of movie.
In short, the premise is completely and totally absurd, the situations range from serious to slapstick, and the climax involves a DDR-off. What’s not to love about this movie? It’s freakin’ DDR: The Movie. It’s a stupid movie that’s supposed to be stupid, pure and simple. I love it when films don’t take themselves too seriously.
The only downside is that it apparently didn’t do so hot in Spain, which means that it’s not real likely to see an overseas release… which also means that if you’re going to watch it, it’s a) going to be in Spanish, most likely sans subtitles, and b) probably not going to be a legal copy because it’s damned hard to find it to import.
Stick around for Part 4, coming tomorrow
Nikki Blight: is still trying to find that damn princess... when she's not writing fresh code for the217.com.
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Nikki Blight
is still trying to find that damn princess... when she's not writing fresh code for the217.com.