My interest in movies usually tends toward high-concept, low-thought commitments; I've never been ashamed to admit that blockbusters are my bag. I'm also a bit of a video game fiend however, which probably accounts for why I was so taken with Seth Gordon's excellent documentary, "The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters." It's one of those "truth is stranger than fiction" tales, following a pair of serious arcade gamers as they vie for the world record setting "Donkey Kong" high score.
Gordon did a great job of painting a great story around these two figures, so much so that I'm always keen to check out anything his name is attached to. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the next "anything" might be a movie adaptation of Frank Portman's young adult novel, "King Dork." Gotta love that title.
Don't let the "young adult" categorization fool you. "King Dork" is quite literally explores sex, drugs and rock & roll in relation to high school life. The focus is Tom Henderson, a 10th grade outcast who finds peace from the constant harassment of his peers in his musical interests. What's interesting about the novel is the writing style; Tom's dialogue is minimal, with his character developing primarily through a first-person inner monologue.
Gordon is currently "in negotiations" to take on the project. He's got a few other things currently lined up, including a feature adaptation of "Kong," a Kentucky Derby-centric heist flick ("Suicide Squad") and "for the boys" comedy ("Mr. Romance"). "King Dork" could be a big score for him though, especially with Will Ferrell's and Adam McKay's Gary Sanchez Productions handling the project for Sony.
Have you read "King Dork"? Seen any of Seth Gordon's work? What do you think about this potential pairing?
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