Fantastic Fest 2010

This film is part of Fantastic Arcade. Fantastic Arcade badgeholders get priority access to these screenings and Fantastic Fest badgeholders are also free to attend.

"...one of the best music documentaries I have seen in years." Brian C. Gibson, Filmschoolrejects.com

"...if you're a fan of the music or a videogame enthusiast in general, than this movie is a must see." Eric Moro, IGN.com

"...a perfectly entertaining and legitimate look at a new musical trend..." Scott Weinberg, Cinematical.com

BLIP FESTIVAL: REFORMAT THE PLANET is a feature length documentary which delves into the movement known as chiptunes, a vibrant underground scene based around creating new, original music using old video game hardware. Familiar devices such as the Nintendo Game Boy and Nintendo Entertainment System are pushed in new directions with startling results.

Using New York as a microcosm for a larger global movement, "...Reformat the Planet" maps out the genesis of the first annual Blip Festival, a four day celebration of over 30 international artists exploring the untapped potential of low-bit video game consoles. With floor-stomping rhythms and fist-waving melodies, trailblazers of the chiptune idiom descend upon Manhattan to pen a new chapter in the history of electronic music.

If you enjoy the film, check out the Fantastic Arcade closing night party at THE HIGHBALL (1142 S. Lamar) for DATAPOP 4.0: MUSIC OF THE NINTENDO GAMEBOY!

If you haven’t heard any 8-bit music, I feel bad for you. Artists have taken the music from computer and gaming consoles like the Nintendo Gameboy and Atari Commodore 64 and tweaked it like a mad scientist to create a sound unlike anything you’ve heard. What results in concert is an organic and absolutely infectious set of beats that will take you back to the days when cheat codes and Trapper Keepers were the hit, while also keeping you on the dance floor until the early hours. It’s an event The Highball is proud to present.

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