Super Awesome Blog

A few years ago I saw a documentary about Star Trek’s fans and Star Trek conventions called “Trekkies.” It took an unabashed look at Star Trek’s fans and focused on several who most would believe have taken it too far.  As a Star Trek fan myself I found the entire experience to be  interesting and in some ways unsettling.

I’ve been to Star Trek conventions (where at least once I wore a uniform), I may own a few shirts that have a logo or two on them, and I have an unnaturally encyclopedic knowledge of all manner of Star Trek minutia.  This said, many (not all) of the people chosen in “Trekkies” appeared to be the most highly distilled form of Star Trek fans, giving homage to the origin of the word fan: fanatic. The documentary wouldn’t have been as interesting otherwise of course. Monster Camp is a similar experience, especially if you roleplay like my friends and me.

In a way I’ve always thought of roleplaying as a blend of “playing” like when you were a child, and telling a story collectively.  Most roleplayers, myself included, usually play in their living room or around a kitchen table with game books and other tomes piled up and character sheets scattered in front of the players. There is one director of the story, a Game Master (GM) and a game session usually lasts a couple hours.  Monster Camp takes it more than a few steps further.

The documentary follows a group of Live-action Roleplayers, or  LARPers , who are members of the New England Roleplaying Orginization (NERO)   The players of NERO like to roleplay, only in full costume (usually), outside, and in large numbers.  They are pretty dedicated, at times in the movie the temperature drops below 0, yet they remain in costume throughout.

During the course of the documentary it looks like most people are having a lot of fun, but you get a sinking sense throughout that things aren’t quite right with many of the players.  The leader of their chapter constantly complains about one thing or the other, from not enough directors (kind of like game-masters) to drama between many of the players.

Speaking of drama, this movie’s players have a lot of it (and not the thespian kind.)  From petty jealousy about a rival’s  girlfriend to a couple that had met and broken up during their LARPing, it’s sometimes surreal.  It serves as an interesting reminder that many of these players are real people and that occasionally their real life problems enter their game.

It’s also pretty clear that some players are severe escapists.  Some notable examples are Carter, who lives with Brandon. Brandon graduated from High School, works at a grocery store, and seems to be putting off going to college.  Carter lives with Brandon, apparently for free, doesn’t have a job and plays World of Warcraft when Brandon is gone, and video games when he’s there.  Dave, one of the directors plays WOW constantly to the point that his daughter told him he needs to spend more time with her, and less on WOW.  His solution? Make a new computer and install WOW on it so they can play together.  I’m not sure this is exactly what his daughter had in mind.  In the end he makes the poor decision to buy the local chapter of NERO, which I’m sure will only divide him from his family responsibilities further.

It’s not all bad news though. Interestingly a number of parents seem to play NERO with their kids.  Kelly (or Evad the Cook) brings his teenage daughter with him.  They appear to have a pretty healthy relationship and it looks like they’re both really into it.  Kelly even says he’s doing it because he wants his daughter to remember him as “cool.”  Pretty awesome.

OVERALL

Through a mirror darkly indeed.  Just like Trekkies, I saw reflections of myself in this movie… usually disturbingly so. I think my friends and I will be sticking to the kitchen table.  The film is very well made and fun, the people are complicated and interesting, and the subject matter is bizarre enough to keep your attention.

5 Dice Out Of 5   (Super Awesome)