The Dungeon Masters
A documentary on three Dungeons & Dragons enthusiasts and their lives.
Keven McAlester's second feature documentary, The Dungeon Masters, follows three self-described gamemasters—Scott Corum, Richard Meeks, and Elizabeth Reesman—and explores the role of Dungeons & Dragons in their lives. Premiering at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival, the film also screened at South by Southwest and AFI Dallas. Blonde Redhead composed the score, with cinematography by Lee Daniel.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Keven McAlester
- Producer
- Brian Gerber
- Jeffrey Kusama-Hinte
- Kel Symons
- Music
- Blonde Redhead
- Cinematography
- Lee Daniel
- Editing
- Christine Khalafian; Victor Livingston
- Released
- 2008
- Runtime
- 87 minutes
- Country
- United States
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- The film is a commentary on the frail psyche of the American middle-class.
- It examines the subculture of gamers and role-playing games, specifically Dungeons & Dragons.
- The documentary explores how harsh realities of life impede on the rich worlds of fantasy for the three enthusiasts.
Reception
Rob Vaux of mania.com commented that the film keeps the audience in the trio's corner, pulling for them despite self-inflicted wounds or surface impressions. He noted that McAlister structured the documentary after classic fantasy novels, with rising challenges leading to moments of darkness and eventual triumph, demonstrating how the game teaches lessons on life. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 67% based on reviews from 6 critics.
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