Tetris Takes Over The Big Screen: Brian Kelley
There's a moment of panic right before I head out to the theater. What
if nobody likes the movie? What if nobody wants to compete in the
tournament? What if any one of thousands of things goes wrong? There's a
rumble of thunder as I walk outside to my car. They've predicted
storms, rain, flooding, the apocalypse. It seems fitting for my
current state of agitation...
But I'm getting way ahead of myself. Flash back to Austin Film
Festival, October 2011 when I sit down for the second screening of
ECSTASY OF ORDER: THE TETRIS MASTERS. Buzz is strong coming out of the
premiere and the anticipation of a documentary on what was a childhood
obsession has driven me to a point of nearly unbearable anticipation.
The lights dim, the movie plays, and the pre-formed grin on my face
only grows in size such that my cheeks hurt by the time it is over.
ECSTASY OF ORDER: THE TETRIS MASTERS is an entertaining-as-hell
documentary, a loving celebration of a universally loved game and a
nail-biting quest to crown the champion of Tetris. It's everything one
could hope for given the subject matter and it ranks up there not only
with the best of gaming documentaries but of entertaining
documentaries of recent memory. I want others to see this movie, I
talk about it non-stop with everyone I run into and the answer to the
inevitable question is, "I don't know." The question of course being,
" Well, how I can see it?"
It's a normal day at the office in February 2012 when a Tweet catches
my eye. It's about something called Tugg. I skim through the article -
choose the movies that play at your theater; working with exhibitors
like Alamo Drafthouse, AMC, Regal, etc.- and my initial reaction is
pretty much my typical response for these types of things: skepticism.
So, of course I immediately fill out an application to become a
promoter.
When it comes time to work with Tugg and pick a movie, I
describe my tastes and favorite genres and receive a list of films
from the super helpful Mikaela. I scan through the list not knowing
what exactly I'm looking for but knowing I need to find something with
broad appeal since I don't have a built-in movie group and will rely
on grassroots techniques to fill seats for my first event. Then I spot
it, right there almost at the bottom of the list and I immediately
fire off an email to Mikaela asking one simple thing, "Can we hook up
an NES in the theater at the Alamo Drafthouse?"
A date has been set, my Tugg page is active and I've made a grand
promise: reserve a ticket to my screening of ECSTASY OF ORDER: THE
TETRIS MASTERS and I guarantee not only a great movie but a
drama-filled in-theater Tetris tournament with a real NES hooked up to
the giant movie screen. Response is slow at first, but soon it catches
it on. Before I know it, we've confirmed the event and then a short
time later the unexpected happens- the event sells out. 118 tickets
sold, 118 people are going to show up to my screening. The day of the
tech check at the Alamo Drafthouse is filled with wires, cartridge
blowing, and anticipation. After 90 minutes and 3 projectors tried,
the Alamo projector scientists have Tetris playing on the movie
screen. It's really going to happen.
So, back to my agitation. With impending bad weather, I expect a few
no-shows, but nightmares have also given me a glimpse of the worst case
scenario. I imagine the movie ending and everyone walking out, leaving
me and two other people to play a game of Tetris in awkward silence.
Of course, I wash these fears away with a few brewskies at the nearby
Highball before the event. When I get to the theater, I see a curious
thing.
A line is already forming and it's not just my friends who I've
threatened into being there (or else!). There are excited people
waiting to sit down and enjoy ECSTASY OF ORDER and play a little
Tetris. My fears subside almost completely. For 2 hours the enjoyment
of these people will be in my hands and you know what? It will all be
okay.
And of course it was. I can take no credit for the wonderful ECSTASY
OF ORDER. All that goes to director Adam Cornelius. The audience ate
it up with laughter and cheering aplenty.
31 people signed up to play in the Tetris tournament. While I wish we had all night to play, we had limited time so I started everyone at level 15. It's sadistic, I
know, but everyone had fun, even those who just stuck around to see who
would become our Austin Tetris champion.
In the end, our winners were
Dan (with 29,440 points), Adam (24,044) and Todd G. (14,451). Prizes
included a copy of Tetris for NES in its original box!
I'm no longer a skeptic. How could I be after being able to share a
great movie and some nerdy fun with a packed room full of people?
Without Tugg, I have no idea when my friends and fellow Austinities
would have had a chance to see ECSTASY OF ORDER. I'm happy to have
been able to share it with at least one audience and I'm already
working on new ideas for movies/events that Tugg can make possible.
-- Brian Kelley, Austin, TX
Follow Brian on Twitter to join his next event!
