The Dungeon Masters

Documentary Feature, Special Screenings
D: Keven McAlester

If a group of friends gets together once a week for years to swap stories and share a meal, they’re sociable. Put a Dungeons & Dragons rule book in the middle of the table, and suddenly they’re written off as socially malformed. Rather than picking apart the world of role-playing games, director McAlester’s documentary takes three gamers and shows how the tabletop fantasy fits into their lives. He doesn’t shy away from exploring the inherent geekiness of gamers, and recovering role-players may suffer pangs of recognition at the archetypal stretched-out Warhammer T-shirts and all-corn-snack diet. But his film cuts with sensitivity through the nerdy facade to the dedication its subjects show to their hobby. Its ultimate message may be that, rather than gaming being a way for misfits to escape from reality, rolling the dice and spinning yarns may be what is finest and most creative about them.

Friday, March 20, 9:30pm, Alamo Ritz

This article appears in March 20 • 2009.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.