Arcade Attack: Silverball Heroes vs. Video Invaders

Via IMDB:
"Half documentary - half animation, this is a killer little film about arcade games from the late 70s. Actually, the main focus is on pinball wizard Geoff Harvey and Space Invaders and Defender champion Stephen Highfield. Harvey shows off his massive collection of pinball machines and provides us with a little history about their evolution- and of course demonstrates his stuff. Highfield shows off his skills as a video arcadist, tells us why he loves games like Space invaders and Defender and explains his philosophy behind playing them. Both men have an adamant adoration for their preference which has led them to form an oppositional hate for the other. Highfield thinks there is no skill involved- no "mind" to fight against- in pinball, while Harvey thinks that Space Invaders is just another annoying reason to be glued to the "idiot box" and feels that it should be shot into space for the "moonmen" to play. The whole argument culminates with the game characters exploding from the pinball machines and TV set into the "Edwardian Dream" world, from which they move into an animated world where a mighty battle ensues. This is a fun, arty and funny film with lots of great animation and special effects."

[@MartinLCollins]

I remember this being on HBO once in a while between movies back in the early 80s. I have been looking for this for ages!

[@Nexus974]

Same here!

[@mikerowsdower9896]

"Something short and special" is what HBO called those when I was a kid. Same place I saw Hardware Wars and Closet Cases of the Nerd Kind.

[@Notown-lj5nq]

martin collins when i found this on KZbin, i got excited because I also use to see this on HBO. there was only HBO,CINEMAX, and MTV. SHOWTIME came later on. I was like 10yrs old back then.

[@mechazookie]

Thank you for finding this. I thought I had imagined this short

[@simon12332]

This is facinating! I really liked the guy talking about Defender!

[@dantescanline]

This is quite a bizarre concept for a film, but it's definitely a unique style of presentation!

[@LostPhotograph]

Thank you so much for uploading this. Amazing.

[@KainoaBlackeagle]

I remember seeing this on HBO in the 80's. It's ha such an impact on me. So mesmerizing.

[@nimoysrazor]

This played in cinemas as a short feature before the main film. Glad someone finally uploaded it.

[@kirkhenry2652]

I remember this from when I was a kid; it was on HBO in between movies I think...kind of has a Heavy Metal movie / Dungeons and Dragons vibe going on. thanks for posting.

[@arymonem]

Very cool!

[@NicholasChorba]

I was looking for a documentary. Not quite what i was looking for.

[@Antpeople1]

Oh, not late 70's? it said 1982 at the end (the year I was born.)

[@playinglikeameng7163]

10:40, in todays day and age to think that someone would prefer to sit and play space invaders on an ancient tv to a beautiful pinball machine is absolutely mindboggling..just shows how brain warping technology is

[@bubbythebear6891]

I love both honestly. I'd do a game of one and then a game of another. In the case of Space Invaders, I'd probably pick the pinball more often though.

[@Antiriad2097]

If I'm honest, I've put far more time into Space Invaders and its various knock offs than pinball over the years.

[@bhq3860]

Disco Heat.

[@Roadent1241]

Who's come in from seeing this on Ashens' livestream?

[@tyberiusjaxx2321]

Me

[@scottmcanally3119]

Me

[@DoctorCreepy]

Saw this on Nightflight years ago!

[@koguma.newyork1]

there was a longer version of the animation battle

[@TILTSundays]

TILT FOREVER!

[@diegoreds]

They Need Have Remake this Anime Short with Pinball Classics like: (Sorry Taking out Official Licensed ) “Fire Power,”’”Black Knight 2000,””Haunted House,” “Pinbot,” “Funhouse,” “Earth Shaker,” “Whirlwind,” “Mid Evil Madness,” “Scared Stiff,” “High Speed,” “Fishing Tales,” l”Cactus Canyon.” “Tales of Arabian Nights.” & “Theater of Magic.”

[@amazingdany]

Whoa, creespter bobbling sailor puppet.

[@tomhogan9046]

What you on about froggy

[@ajboomer1347]

What is the pinball table at 5:29? The video quality is so poor I can't even make out the title! I tried Edwardian Dreams, but it came to nothing on the internet!

[@tomhogan9046]

The Pinball face was hand painted by an artist called Johnny cobra to match the tattoo design

[@ajboomer1347]

@@tomhogan9046 It was my mother who asked me about that pinball table while watching this documentary with me, so I'll tell her it doesn't officially exist. Thank you nonetheless!

[@ernietorres182]

Video wins!