The Dungeon Masters is a documentary that could have very easily fallen into mocking its subjects. The Dungeons and Dragons and live action role playing communities are made up of socially awkward, emotionally damaged, and sometimes mentally handicapped individuals. There were moments throughout the film when I admittedly laughed and looked questioningly at my husband as if to ask, “Are these people for real?” By the end of the film, however, I had empathy and understanding for these people who choose to live life a little too much in their fantasies.
The Dungeon Masters follows Richard, Elizabeth, and Scott, three Dungeons and Dragons dungeon masters, over one year’s time starting at the 2006 Gen Con and ending with the 2007 Gen Con. During that time, they face everyday challenges like paying their bills, looking for work, and dealing with significant others who are sometimes frustrated with the amount of time they spend gaming. Richard becomes fed up with the negativity from fellow gamers. Elizabeth falls in and out of love. Scott struggles to finish his first novel and produces a cable access show to promote himself. The film mostly sticks to tabletop Dungeons and Dragons, though they do show a few LARP (live action role play) battles.
The Dungeon Masters is directed by newcomer Keven McAlester. He approaches his subjects with respect in that he allows his subjects to simply tell their stories. In day-to-day interactions, people might dismiss these gamers outright. As the film unfolds, however, the audience gets glimpses into the people behind the swords, make-up, and costumes. One of the film’s more surprising reveals comes from Elizabeth, a young woman who dresses up as a drow-elf and covers her skin in a dark colored paint mixture. In the realm of fantasy, female drow-elves are immensely powerful creatures. She tells the camera very matter-of-factly the horrors that she lived through, and it is immediately clear why she wants to escape into a world of fantasy where she is completely in control of her destiny.
One reason why I really loved this film was the way McAlester made these people relatable when he could have easily exploited them for cheap laughs. Instead, he shows the good and the bad parts of their hobby evenhandedly. While it may not be healthy to disconnect from the real world, these dungeon masters are shown as creative, charismatic performers who put their energy and talent (yes, talent) into making a uniquely fun experience for the other players. I might find their scenarios a bit goofy, but then again, I am a musical theatre nerd. As the saying goes: "different strokes for different folks."
There is a moment near the end of The Dungeon Masters when each of the film’s three subjects experiences a life-changing event which alters how they view their hobby and their life as a whole. Richard gives up gaming entirely because he says that it isn’t fun anymore. He packs up his books and concentrates his efforts on his conversion to Judaism. Elizabeth breaks up with a boyfriend and lands her dream job. She tells the camera that she wants a man who will love her for who she is, not because of her hobbies, and she is tired of dating children. In a truly heartbreaking scene, Scott gets a call from his literary agent, and she tells him that his fantasy adventure novel isn’t good enough for publication. Defeated, he gives up on his dream of being a professional writer.
Like Richard, Elizabeth, and Scott, everyone has gone through a major life transition where they have had to reevaluate their life, like an older child giving away their toys, a struggling actor giving up on their dream, or estranged lovers deciding to go their separate ways. In this way, The Dungeon Masters was a bittersweet look at people who are more like me than I would have initially believed, and this film has become one of my favorite films I have seen so far this year.
DVD Bonus Features
I didn’t expect The Dungeon Masters to have much in special features, so I was pleasantly surprised. The DVD comes with the film’s trailer and a number of deleted scenes including a fantastic interview with a PC gamer who got into gaming to escape the reality of his brother’s drug addiction. I know that the interview would not have worked in the overall narrative of the film, so I am so glad that they included it in the special features.
"The Dungeon Masters" is on sale August 3, 2010 and is not rated. Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Fantasy, Indie. Directed by Keven McAlester. Starring Elizabeth Reesman, Richard Meeks, Scott Corum.
