ditzel@ssc-vax.UUCP (Charles L Ditzel) (09/23/83)
Just finished seeing an interesting documentary about chess.
As usual I wasn't disappointed by the movie's producers...
naturally none of the Hollywood studios would touch such
a subject...it was produced by the Film Board of Canada.
I have never been disappointed by them and I wasn't tonight.
They attempted to give an interesting look at the world of
the chessplayer. It centered mostly on world class players.
The movie,"The Great Chess Movie", centered in on the
personalities involved in chess, the constant intrusion
of politics into chess, and the importance of unknown "forces"
in chess (psychology,ESP,'the force',etc). Its dialogue was
provided by the articulate Canadian master Coudari and an
exceedingly bright French chess columnist/artist Arrabal
as well as numerous chess players.
Initially a number of portraits or descriptions of leading
chess personalities were provided ...Victor Korchnoi, Anatoly
Karpov, Bobby Fischer, etc.
It provided some interesting stories...
At the Bagiou match between Karpov and Korchnoi how Karpov
waited until the sixth game to spring a psychologically
destructive surprise on Korchnoi. It seems that up to the
sixth game, Karpov would arrive amd the players would shake hands
before the game. For the sixth game Karpov arrived and sat down
Korchnoi who was there extended his hand and was met with
a rather disrespectful look. Korchnoi seemed frozen in time
with his hand extended in the air. Korchnoi the traditionalist
for whom formality is part of the game became very upset and
played a horrible game. In fact he lost this crucial game and
the match (by one point!).
Again in Bagiou, Korchnoi took a liking to an Indian religious
sect from which he was given "white magic". Some sort of good
luck , etcetera. He would meditate with them and do yoga exercises.
They came to his match. The Russians became very upset. Korchnoi
who was behind when 5-2 rallied and tied it 5-5. It is very
humorous to see this Soviet bureacracy in action trying to oust
these Ananda Marga members from the auditorium. It is ironic to see
these Marxist-Leninists who don't believe in "spirits" crumbling
and shaking about these 'dangerous' people.
The movie is interesting, funny, hokey, sad, and makes you
angry at times. The best actors are people being themselves.
Something that I believe Hollywood for the most part has forgotten...
and many of us also...we seem so hungry for the next good hi-tech movie.
Human personality is subservient to good special effects in alot of
the recent movies.
The movie has alot of interesting things to say about Anatoly
Karpov...most of them fairly unpleasant. Although the Karpov personality
is hardly an endearing one. It is also decidedly critical of the whole
soviet apparatus.
An interesting anecdote: A young Russian grandmaster Ivanov was trying
to prove himself to the right people so that they would send him abroad and
he could then defect. All he needed to to was beat Karpov. He played his
heart out and came up with an incredible variation and played it....at
the last moment he realized (but too late) that there was one saving/drawing
move which Karpov could play. Karpov in his eagerness to win , missed it,
and Ivanov won. He was scheduled to play abroad. They gave him his ticket
and as he said he didn't look at the ticket because he didn't want to appear
too eager. At the first opportunity he defected.
I'm sure you won't see this movie at the same theatre you saw 'Star Wars'
but look for it...it's a fun movie.