''Press Start'' is a 2007

independent film An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, i ...

produced by Dark Maze Studios. It stars Joshua Stafford, Peter Davis,

Daniel Pesina Daniel Pesina (born December 1, 1959) is an American martial arts expert and a former freelance employee of Midway. Pesina was born in Chicago, Illinois to Mexican born parents and have study martial arts since the age of 10. Pesina started ...

, and

Carlos Pesina Carlos Pesina (born November 15, 1967) is an American martial artist and employee of NetherRealm Studios. He is most recognized as the actor who played Raiden (Mortal Kombat), Raiden in ''Mortal Kombat (1992 video game), Mortal Kombat'', ''Mortal ...

. The film is a video game parody adventure comedy. It was released on DVD on September 25, 2007.

Production

The film was shot in Champaign and Chicago, Illinois. ''Press Start'' is scored by

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

video game music

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

Jake Kaufman Jake Kaufman (born 1981; also known as virt or virtjk) is an American video game music composer. After starting out creating arrangements and remixes of video game soundtracks, he began his commercial composing career in 2000 with the score t ...

. The two characters played by Daniel and Carlos Pesina in ''Press Start'', Sasori and Lei-Gong, are pastiches of their respective characters in the original ''

Mortal Kombat ''Mortal Kombat'' is an American media franchise centered on a series of video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992. The development of the first game was originally based on an idea that Ed Boon and John Tobias had of making a v ...

'' game, Scorpion and Raiden. A sequel, ''Press Start 2 Continue'', was released in 2011.

Focus

''Press Start'' focuses its parodic tone primarily toward the era of

8-bit In computer architecture, 8-bit Integer (computer science), integers or other Data (computing), data units are those that are 8 bits wide (1 octet (computing), octet). Also, 8-bit central processing unit (CPU) and arithmetic logic unit (ALU) arc ...

and

16-bit 16-bit microcomputers are microcomputers that use 16-bit microprocessors. A 16-bit register can store 216 different values. The range of integer values that can be stored in 16 bits depends on the integer representation used. With the two mos ...

video games, but references more modern games as well. Games parodied range from '' Donkey Kong'' to '' Halo''. The film also satirizes all aspects of gaming, including collectible card games, Saturday morning cartoons,

comic books A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...

, and trends of turning games into breakfast cereals.

Synopsis

''Press Start'' tells the story of a suburban youth in a videogame world who discovers his adventurous, if berserk, destiny when he's recruited by an ill-tempered ninja and a tough-as-nails space soldier to save the world from a tyrannical, but comically insecure, sorcerer.

Cast

* Joshua Stafford as Zack Nimbus * Peter A. Davis as Count Nefarious Vile *

as Sasori *

as Lei Gong * Lauren Chambers as Sam * Al Morrison as Lin-Ku * J.W. Morrissette as Johnson * Andy Dallas as Shopkeeper * Michael Kleppin as G. Fourman * Ben McDuffee as Telegram Man * J.R. Thomas as Uncle Lou * Meagan Benz as Zippy (voice) * Jane F. Cox as Life Lady * Arin Hanson as Forest Guardian (voice) * Jennifer Zahn as Villager

Bonus Levels/Adventures

While in production and post-production, a series of web shorts called ''Press Start: Bonus Levels'' (known as ''Press Start Adventures'' following the movie's release) were released on the film's website and Newgrounds. The series was created and animated by screenwriter Kevin Folliard and produced by Press Start director Ed Glaser. The pilot episode was directed by Folliard, while the following episodes were directed by Glaser. Original music is composed by Jake Kaufman. They premiered on April 28, 2006. Since, there's been a new episode on the last Friday of every following month. The episodes feature numerous visual gags and video game parodies. The cartoons were created as a way to generate hype for the feature film by introducing people to the world, characters, and humor of ''Press Start''. They are also noted by their lack of budget constraints allowing more artistic freedom to be taken with the action and effects than that seen in the feature film. Back story, inside jokes, and running gags are further flushed out in the animations than what could be used in the film. A number of notable videogame voice actors have guest starred in the series as well, including

's John Turk (who took over the ninja roles portrayed by Pesina), and David Humphrey, the original voice of Shadow the Hedgehog. The animations take place before the events of the movie, similar to two made-for-DVD animated prequels: Van Helsing: The London Assignment and The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury. The animations started out being nonlinear and do not progress after one another. Notably missing is the character of Zack Nimbus who, in terms of the film, has yet to be made aware of his destiny. However, on November 24, 2006 the shorts began a five-part miniseries which led directly into the feature film. The shorts have since been hosted on the comedy media website That Guy with the Glasses, continuing new episodes now taking place after the film's conclusion, now known as Press Start Adventures. Count Vile is now depicted as being in

Hell In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hell ...

, and the character Zack Nimbus appears, as well.

Critical reception

'' PC Gamer'' wrote that the film was "a surprisingly well-written parody of video game conventions". ''Movie Cynics'' makes note that if a filmmaker were to do everything possible to make a bad movie, Ed Glaser has succeeded and that Glaser has not only made a bad movie, but he has made an "awesomely bad movie...that pokes fun at video games." And in its being so bad, the "end result was a film that is a quintessential awesomely bad movie that is full of videogame references and is fun from beginning to end."

Sequel

In 2011, a direct-to-video sequel was made entitled ''Press Start 2 Continue'', also produced and directed by Ed Glaser.

References

External links

Official websitePress Start AdventuresYahoo! Games Article
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Press Start 2007 films 2000s parody films American independent films American parody films 2007 comedy films Films about video games 2000s English-language films 2000s American films 2007 independent films