There’s a new indie movie about our industry’s Walter Day, but its focus isn’t so much about the Golden Age of video games and chronicling high scores as it is about unrequited love and never giving up on your dreams.
Called “Arcades and Love Songs – The Ballad of Walter Day,” the movie was screened March 28 at The Art Theater in Long Beach, Calif., and RePlay was there for the showing and following Q&A session with Day and producer/co-writer Ed Cunningham. Even video game record-holder Billy Mitchell was on hand, along with many of Day’s long-time friends and fans. What a night!
Walter, for those unfamiliar, was a key figure in the height of the video game boom through his Twin Galaxies arcade in Ottumwa, Iowa, and the International Scoreboard where the high scores were recorded. But it was also during that time that he had his heart broken, and that lost love caused him to hear in his head, not just snippets, but complete songs with lyrics, music…the whole thing. Also, we aren’t talking about just a handful of songs, but many of them – 138 to be exact.
With that inspiration also came a desire to one day record and perform the music. And that’s what he set out to do, jettisoning his trademark referee shirt in favor of fashionable attire worthy of a performance. Longtime friends rallied to help and at age 74, Walter Day has embarked on a music career, proving, as the movie poster says, “It’s never too late.”
We won’t spoil it for you – you’ll want to see it. Additional theater screenings are in the works as are plans to bring it to a streaming service. The best way to track how to see it is at the movie’s website: www.arcadesandlovesongs.com. We’ll also have a full story in our May issue.
