TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW: "GAME OVER"
 

ENTERTAINMENT

By CHRIS WEED

The Terrapin Times Staff Writer

            With the migration of Hollywood moviemakers across the border, interest in film has made the Toronto International Film Festival the largest film festival in North America. With over 1000 screenings, this year’s festival on Sept. 4-13 offered a full menu for any movie lover’s palette - from big budget premieres to experimental wackiness to science fiction thrillers, and to my favorite, thought-provoking documentaries. Even with so many films, the lines formed early and I found myself discussing films not only with local film buffs but a local movie producer, who gave me a quick peek inside “the biz.”

            This year’s documentary programme [sic], Real to Reel, was top notch, and the film “Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine” by Vikram Jayanti offered a new edition in his series of films on unique individuals. This film was a retrospective of Gary Kasparov’s loss to IBM’s Deep Blue in May of 1997. What may sound like a boring film about chess moves and computer algorithms was actually a thrilling film about the rivalry of Kasparov vs. IBM and Kasparov’s perceived machinations of the IBM team. Most striking was the insight offered into the psyche of Gary Kasparov, a man considered to be the best chess player of all time.

            The film begins with a biography of Gary Kasparov’s life intertwined with the story of a charlatan who created a machine two hundred years ago that could play chess. The machine, “The Turk,” contained a hidden midget that, during its heyday, actually beat Napoleon Bonaparte in a game. This machine in the movie represents Kasparov’s view of what precipitated his loss to IBM’s Deep Blue.

            In a previous match and during the first game of the rematch, Kasparov beat Deep Blue easily; however, during the second game the computer dominated and played moves unexpected of a computer opponent. The computer played brilliant moves that allowed short term losses to achieve a broader strategic advantage. Kasparov, for the first time ever, conceded defeat: to a computer, no less. Kasparov could only conclude that a human Grand Master had intervened to defeat him.

        Chess Player Gary Kasparov

            Kasparov demanded changes to the future games and this film documents for the first time that, when not accommodated, Kasparov actually quit the match. IBM ultimately coaxed him back to finish the match; however he was so unraveled by the second game that he went on to lose the match. Kasparov was never able to acknowledge the defeat and concentrate on the future games, and through the rest of the match he continued to harp on the second game. IBM, unwittingly, had found Kasparov’s Achilles Heel. And to add insult to injury, it was discovered after analysis of the second game that Kasparov could have easily played the game to a draw. Kasparov had allowed the computer to affect him enough to overrule his better judgment.

            The rest of the film documents the extent of Kasparov’s paranoia about the IBM team’s trickery. Kasparov labels IBM as an evil corporation intent on screwing the little guy, namely him, to achieve a multi-billion dollar rise in stock price following the match. The accusations come across about as believable as a vagrant complaining about being wronged by “The Man.” It is amazing to see the extent of denial that Kasparov embraces to reconcile his loss. This film effectively captured the real human emotions in a game that seems more suited for a dispassionate mental exercise.