Computer Chess (2013) |
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Computer Chess (2013) |
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| BUY IT |
| General | Extras | ||
| Category | Comedy |
Audio Commentary-Deep Blue programmer, Murray Campbell Audio Commentary-Stoner, Kent Osborne Featurette-Andrew Bujalski Meets Hollywood Executive (2:48) Featurette-Andrew Bujalski on Computer Chess (2:35) Featurette-How to Operate a Sony AVC-3260 (4:29) Featurette-8 Computer Chess Reference Games (50:23) Featurette-Hot Old Personal Computers (3:17) Trailer-30 + Accent trailers including Computer Chess |
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| Rating |
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| Year Of Production | 2013 | ||
| Running Time | 87:55 (Case: 97) | ||
| RSDL / Flipper | Dual Layered | Cast & Crew | |
| Start Up | Ads Then Menu | ||
| Region Coding | 1,2,3,4,5,6 | Directed By | Andrew Bujalski |
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Studio
Distributor |
Accent Film Entertainment | Starring |
Kriss Schludermann Tom Fletcher Robin Schwartz Bert Herigstad Myles Paige |
| Case | Amaray-Opaque | ||
| RPI | ? | Music | Collie Ryan |
| Video | Audio | ||
| Pan & Scan/Full Frame | Full Frame | English Dolby Digital 2.0 (224Kb/s) | |
| Widescreen Aspect Ratio | None | ||
| 16x9 Enhancement |
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| Video Format | 576i (PAL) | ||
| Original Aspect Ratio | 1.33:1 | Miscellaneous | |
| Jacket Pictures | No | ||
| Subtitles | None | Smoking | Yes |
| Annoying Product Placement | No | ||
| Action In or After Credits | Yes, song with closing credits | ||
In the early 1980s a number of programmers who had developed computer chess programs attended a convention in Texas where they tested their code as computers played chess against each other, the most successful program going on to play a human opponent. Things did not go smoothly for all: the early computer chess programs tended to make idiosyncratic moves, programmers got frustrated, smoked dope, argued about the ability and future of A.I. and got locked out of rooms. The computer convention also had to share space with a couples’ encounter group, with some interesting interactions.
None of this is real. Although such contests did occur Computer Chess is in fact a mockumentary, written and directed by Andrew Bujalski and filmed in black and white (except for one small section) in the 4x3 aspect ratio to look as if it was an home video made in the early 1980s. In the way of home movies, Computer Chess has little structure, it does not really explain or introduce characters, and most of the footage consists of mock interviews and fragmentary conversations between people that feels unstaged and real. This is very much an ensemble piece with few participants standing out except perhaps Peter (Kriss Schludermann, Les (Tom Fletcher), the only female programmer Shelly (Robin Schwartz), Luke (Bert Herigstad) and the obnoxious Pagageorge (Myles Paige), adding to the sense of the film’s reality.
Computer Chess can be hit and miss: it is often funny, but sometimes a bit dull, such as the running joke about one programmer trying to find a room, and the small colour segment seems pointless. Nevertheless, Computer Chess is a fun look back at the chunky personal computers at the dawn of the computer age, TVs with internal antennas, computer geeks and wild hair. Computer Chess is an intriguing idea, developed in an interesting way and is certainly one of the most unusual films of the year.
Computer Chess is presented in a full frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1, the original ratio. It is 16x9 enhanced.
The black and white print of Computer Chess was filmed using the Sony AVC-3260 video cameras of this era, and it has been manipulated to add marks, scratches, artefacts and grain. Some shots are out of focus, in others the subject slips out of frame, there are jump cuts and contrast and brightness varies, all intentional. This adds to the fun and nothing added is overdone. The blacks and grey vary, and shadow detail can be indistinct but this look is what the filmmaker wanted.
There are no subtitles.
The video is as the filmmakers intended so the scores have been adjusted to reflect this.
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The film’s audio is an English Dolby Digital 2.0 track at 448 Kbps and there are two audio commentaries, both Dolby Digital 2.0 at 224 Kbps.
This film consists mostly of interviews and conversations, plus some music, but adds the never to be forgotten sound of the clack of the early PC keyboards. My system placed a little music and ambient noise in the rears, but this is not a film that requires anything other than clear dialogue, which it mostly provides except in one scene by the pool when music and outside noise made it difficult to hear what is being said. There is also deliberate hiss and hum in some sections. There is no sub-woofer use.
There is no original score as such, instead the music consists of folk sounding songs by Collie Ryan and others, plus a bit of Mozart.
Lip synchronisation is mostly fine, but again there are some deliberate unsynchronised bits of dialogue.
The audio track is as intended.
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On start-up there were trailers for It’s a Disaster, Noobz, In the Shadow, The Conspiracy and The List that collectively run 11:00. A total of 30 trailers of Accent Film Entertainment releases can be selected from the menu - most of the start-up trailers are repeated and we do get a trailer for Computer Chess. There is a “play all” option.
Murray Campbell was a programmer who participated in over 10 computer chess conventions and was part of the team that developed the Deep Blue program at IBM that in 1997 defeated chess World Champion Garry Kasparov. He points out what looks genuine and authentic in the film, and what doesn’t, and talks about the development of chess programs and gaming programs generally. Occasionally dry, but an interesting listen.
I can listen through most commentaries, but not this one, which I think is supposed to be comic. He coughs, makes noises, jokes, mutters inconsequential asides and says nothing of interest about the film in the sections I tried to listen to. If anyone works out the point of this, let me know.
A staged meeting where Bujalski pitches his film to a studio executive with other things on his mind.
Bujalski is interviewed by a computer about his film. B&W.
DP Mattias Grunsky demonstrates the features of the Sony AVC-3260 camera used to shoot the film.
Replays of eight chess games revealing the advance in computer chess programs, with narration setting the scene. I found this extra fascinating from a historical perspective, but I suppose it helps if you enjoy chess! The games are:
Game 1: Kotok-McCarthy (Stanford Uni) vs The Moscow Institute of Theoretical Physics (1966-1967). The first recorded chess game between computer programs.
Game 2: Belle vs Chess 4.7 (1977). A game from the 2nd World Computer Chess Championships in New York.
Game 3: Grandmaster David Levy vs Chess 4.7 (1978). Human vs computer in Toronto, Canada. The human won.
Game 4: Cray Blitz vs Belle (1983). The development of big supercomputers supported by corporations. A game from the World Computer Chess Championships in New York.
Game 5: Deep Thought vs Hitech (1988). Supercomputers start to come of age.
Game 6: Hitech vs Deep Blue (1995). Developing the Grandmaster machine: a game from the World Computer Chess Championships, Hong Kong.
Game 7: Garry Kasparov vs Deep Blue (1997). The best human against the best computer: the first game from the series in New York, won by Kasparov.
Game 8: Deep Blue vs Garry Kasparov (1997). The human falls: the second game from the series in New York, won by the computer which went on to win the series.
Film of 6 early personal computers. Music only, no captions.
NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.
The Region 1 US release of Computer Chess is identical to our all region release, except for being in the NTSC format. There is no Region 2 UK DVD release listed on sales sites. Buy local.
Computer Chess may not be to everyone’s taste, but it is certainly one of the most unusual films of the year. If you are interested in early computing, chess, or just looking for something different, Computer Chess is well worth seeking out.
The video and audio are as the filmmakers’ intended, the extras are extensive and worthwhile.
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| Review Equipment | |
| DVD | Sony BDP-S580, using HDMI output |
| Display | LG 55inch HD LCD. This display device has not been calibrated. This display device is 16x9 capable. This display device has a maximum native resolution of 1080p. |
| Audio Decoder | NAD T737. This audio decoder/receiver has not been calibrated. |
| Amplification | NAD T737 |
| Speakers | Studio Acoustics 5.1 |