About time ! Geek culture has been despised and neglected for years. This TV documentary is the very first one ever made in France about this subject. Being a geek myself, I found it extremely interesting.
Of course, this documentary talks about the "pittoresque" aspects of the geeks : grown-up people who disguise themselves as Spider-Man, who can spend a lot of money for the latest Warhammer collectible, etc.
It would have been easy to study only that aspect, and then let many viewers think that geeks are merely mad people, out of touch with reality.
But the two directors have been more farsighted. They've asked interesting questions about the real meaning of geek culture. What people's passions mean in our western societies. For instance, you don't spend days and nights playing "World of Warcraft" just because you're a lunatic. According to the type of life you've got, you can have very good reasons to love that game. Social pressure is tremendously high in our countries : being committed to a passion is a way to escape it.
This documentary also tears down clichés : geeks aren't necessarily people who spend their entire life behind computer screens, buried in their cellars. It also rightly points out that geek culture isn't confidential anymore : the success of movies like "Spider-Man" or "Matrix" proves it. Despite those clear facts, some critics and scholars still think (and therefore show their ignorance) that "Lord of the Rings" (novel and movies alike) is a merely a CGI entertainment for children.
A French documentary definitely worth watching !
Of course, this documentary talks about the "pittoresque" aspects of the geeks : grown-up people who disguise themselves as Spider-Man, who can spend a lot of money for the latest Warhammer collectible, etc.
It would have been easy to study only that aspect, and then let many viewers think that geeks are merely mad people, out of touch with reality.
But the two directors have been more farsighted. They've asked interesting questions about the real meaning of geek culture. What people's passions mean in our western societies. For instance, you don't spend days and nights playing "World of Warcraft" just because you're a lunatic. According to the type of life you've got, you can have very good reasons to love that game. Social pressure is tremendously high in our countries : being committed to a passion is a way to escape it.
This documentary also tears down clichés : geeks aren't necessarily people who spend their entire life behind computer screens, buried in their cellars. It also rightly points out that geek culture isn't confidential anymore : the success of movies like "Spider-Man" or "Matrix" proves it. Despite those clear facts, some critics and scholars still think (and therefore show their ignorance) that "Lord of the Rings" (novel and movies alike) is a merely a CGI entertainment for children.
A French documentary definitely worth watching !
