Heroes & Villains in Happy Gilmore (1996) & The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)

In this episode our focus is on Heroes & Villains and our Twin Feature is Happy Gilmore (1996) & The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007).

When thinking of classic character types, there is a good chance the hero and the villain are the first that come to mind. Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader, Batman & The Joker, Chief Martin Brody & The Shark who terrorised Amity Island. Instantly recognisable archetypes that have become ingrained in the media we watch. And when looking at cinema through this structuralist context, it's easy to see how those underlying narrative concepts are present, and incredibly similar, even in the most unassuming of places, namely a brash 90s sports comedy, and a niche arcade gaming documentary.

Sources:

Hayward, S. (2006), Cinema Studies: Key Concepts. 3rd Edition. London: Routledge ...