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“I haven’t seen The Wrestler, but I understand it’s a very sad movie about a washed-up pro wrestler. For me, though, it’s always going to be a very sad movie about the washed-up NES Pro Wrestling, thanks to the appearance of this lookalike game.

Surprisingly, motion graphics artist Kristyn Hume and programmer Randall Furino created a real game for the movie’s video game sequence.”

Read more at Tiny Cartridge:

EDIT Kotaku has a great behind the scenes on how the game was made:

“It reminded me to keep everything simple, not to ‘over-write’ the track. I think I made about 6 completely different versions, each one more simplified than the previous arrangement and different sound events.”

“The director opted for the the most simplified version i believe.”

That track, titled “8-bit Wrestler,” is barely audible in the final cut, but Feinberg has made a version available on YouTube.

While Wrestle Jam may not be a technical marvel, a month’s worth of work from its two creators, plus Feinberg’s score, went into making the NES game convincing as a narrative device.

“Given the prevalence of video games, you would think you’d see more of it,” commented Robert Denerstein, former film critic at the Rocky Mountain News. “Advances in technology, like the introduction of the cell phone, have made things possible in storytelling that weren’t possible before.”

“I think it’s something you’ll see more of,” Denerstein added. In the case of The Wrestler, the film critic says the references to the NES and Call of Duty 4 add a sort of poignancy, helping to make narrative leaps.”