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He’s probably one of the most famous chess players in the world and one of the greatest chess players of all time. But sadly he is no longer with us. This movie allows us to relive some of Bobby’s greatest moments both on and off the chessboard – via Liz Garbus’ wonderful directional work, courtesy of Dogwoof productions.
Despite Bobby becoming the youngest grandmaster of his time in 1958, at the age of 14, and astonishing everyone with his creative play and incomparable chess understanding, he had his own troubles, which affected his game. This movie not only allows you the opportunity to see footage of this American chess hero but also a chance to try and understand Bobby’s feelings during his rollercoaster of a life. Liz includes interviews with Bobby and those who were closest to him, allowing us to discover the true feelings of his associates.
There were two pre-screenings for Bobby Fischer Against the World held in London on Thursday 14th April and Tuesday 26th April 2011. Both screenings were well attended, with appearances at the first by GM Gawain Jones, WIM Sue Maroroa and G-Star Raw model himself, GM Magnus Carlsen. The second screening was more for the journalists, so mainly non-chess players. It was great to hear how the production moved them. For most, they had heard of Bobby Fischer – some even knew his legendary book My 60 memorable games – but they had not realised the drama surrounding the 1972 World Championship match with Spassky.
The build-up stories to the match are chosen well by Liz Garbus and create incredible suspense, even for those who were previously aware of the events. The chess analysis is covered at a sufficient level for most to follow, allowing the viewer to be fully engaged in the action. The non-chess playing journalists were excited to discover the extent that chess could captivate a nation and the depth to such a complicated game. Liz portrays this nicely in the production. This movie is well worth seeing, whether you are a chess player or not. You find out how his paranoia drove away his friends and family and despite being a genius at the chessboard, he still had a lot to learn.
The movie is released in cinemas on the 15th July 2011 with a special premiere event on the 5th July 2011 where Nigel Short will give a simultaneous exhibition.
You can read more about the film company who produced this movie at www.dogwoof.com
Sabrina Chevannes
Watch the official Doogwoof trailer (just over one minute)
The Dogwoof film spotlights the thrilling 1972 match between Fischer and Boris Spassky. Breaking down the historic tournament game by game, Garbus deftly highlights the parallels between the 21-game marathon and the tense geopolitics of the Cold War era, with the eccentric Brooklyn boy facing the brilliant Soviet-sponsored grandmaster.
Match of Millennium – Boris Spassky vs. Robert James Bobby Fischer
[Courtesy of Darko and Mararlene]
The match started on July 11, 1972. The world chess championship between Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer at Reykjavik in 1972 was the most widely publicised and eagerly analysed beforehand of any chess match to date. It seized the attention of the world's press and media in general in unprecedented fashion and inspired more books and column inches than any chess contest before or since.
Liz Garbus, director of "Bobby Fischer Against the World," explains
what sets the documentary filmmaking community apart from the rest of the entertainment
business: support, not competition.
Two additional featurettes will be available on HBO On Demand.
“The Fight for Fischer’s Estate” (seven minutes) tells the story of the many claims to Fischer’s two-million-dollar estate, featuring exclusive interviews with Marilyn Young, his Filipino girlfriend, Jinky Young, her daughter, claimed to be Fischer’s daughter by Marilyn Young, and Russell Targ, Fischer’s American brother-in-law. Also included is archival interview footage of Miyoko Watai, the Japanese woman who claims to be Fischer’s wife. Since Fischer’s death in 2008, these parties have been fighting for control of the estate. Two years later, after battles in Icelandic courts, his exhumation and subsequent DNA tests finally laid the matter to rest.
“Chess History” (five minutes) explains the origins of the game, its infinite complexity and enduring popularity. The segment features a wealth of unusual archive footage, plus interviews with Garry Kasparov, a respected chess authority and one of the best players of all time; Susan Polgar, a five-time women’s world champion, who provides a brief “lesson” on the various powers of the pieces and basic rules of the game; and noted chess authors David Shenk and David Edmonds.
Press release
To celebrate the release of the documentary Bobby Fischer Against The World (in cinemas from 15 July), we are brimming with excitement at the news that we can offer all you budding chess players a once-in-a-lifetime chance to play former UK champion and Grandmaster Nigel Short – this is an opportunity not to be missed!
On Tuesday 5 July, we will be hosting a special London premiere event in which we've challenged former World Number 3 Nigel Short to play 20 opponents in a simultaneous exhibition match. YOU could be one of the lucky 20.
There's TWO easy ways to enter:
We'll be announcing more opponents for Nigel in the coming weeks, along with further details of this exciting launch – stay tuned, invite your friends and start practising your moves!
Best Wishes,
The Dogwoof Team
