Tetris movie

No characters, no setting, no context—there's not really a story to adapt from 'Tetris,' unless, of course, you add in the Cold War.

Alexey is obviously stifled and suffering in Moscow, but in Tetris, he rarely gets to speak and dream for himself, as Henk is always speaking and dreaming for him. This is where Tetris instead becomes a Cold War dramedy about the immiseration and corruption of the Soviet Union, culminating in its dissolution under Gorbachev. The rights dispute over Tetris is reframed as a contest of post-Communist alternatives: Mirrorsoft’s crony capitalism and Nintendo’s benevolent consumerism. But as wild as this sounds on paper, in Tetris, the dispute is too tedious to appreciate. Alexey is skittish, and Henk is overwhelming. The setup is initially pretty funny: Nikolai places Henk and Kevin in different rooms on opposite ends of a stuffy government building and scurries back and forth between them, hoping the men don’t notice they’re both on-site negotiating with him and being played against each other in real time. But Tetris and Super Mario Land went on to become the second- and third-bestselling games, respectively, for the original Game Boy (below only the Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow set of games). Furthermore, Henk and his allies at Nintendo must contend with a competing claim to the distribution rights for Tetris asserted by the corrupt game publisher Mirrorsoft, led by the infamous U.K. “But if you want to sell millions of Game Boys to absolutely everyone, young and old, around the world, package it with Tetris.” This is the closest Tetris gets to giving a broader perspective on the culture and business of video games in the late ’80s, and even then, the big picture is spotty and incomplete. Super Mario Land also played a huge part in popularizing Nintendo and the Game Boy in the West (though the game is now largely overshadowed by its sequel, Super Mario Land 2). Robert, we keep hearing, has a direct line to Mikhail Gorbachev (Matthew Marsh), but more importantly, he’s got his Moscow-based business partner Robert Stein (Toby Jones) hoodwinking the foreign trade ministry and its computer electronics division, ELORG. Henk’s business plan for Tetris is simple enough: buy the global distribution rights from the game’s creator, Alexey Pajitnov (Nikita Yefremov), strike a deal with Nintendo to get the game published on a popular console, and make everyone rich.

Let's just lay this out at the top: Tetris is a fun movie. Equal parts heist film, corporate espionage picture, and underdog story, all wrapped up in a tale ...

I haven’t seen the latter two (and I’d guess BlackBerry is a bit more skeptical of corporate life than either Tetris or Air), but there is something … The heroes are globetrotting entrepreneurs, brave Soviets who want more for their society, and a video game company that is too pure to engage in the skullduggery of corporate bribery. A celebration of the triumph of the neoliberal will, perhaps.

"Tetris" (streaming on Apple TV+), starring Taron Egerton as Henk Rogers, is the origin story of the 1980s video game. But how much of it is real?

"Whenever we're in the same jurisdiction, we meet up for a bottle of wine. Likewise, the film's climactic car escape to the airport, similar to the The "Tetris" car chase with pursuing Russian spies cuts to video game-like animated segments. Pajitinov didn't make a cent off the game when Tetris' popularity first spread like wildfire on floppy discs but started earning tech-mogul royalties when Rogers finally secured handheld game rights, which eventually went to Nintendo. Rogers' beautiful Russian translator Sasha (Sofya Lebedeva) even turns out to be a KGB spy in "Tetris." Rogers is shown getting roughed up by a KGB thug and having his Levi's blue jeans stolen off his body, forcing him to trudge through the snow to his hotel in his underwear. It was like, 'Why did you say this?' It was clear they were listening to me," Rogers says of his business dealings. Rogers says the scene where his translator warns him not to enter ELORG's Moscow headquarters showed the real fear he felt on the trip. " And the vast majority of it is true, which is a big reason why I wanted to tell this story." "I didn't travel all of this way not to go through those doors," says Rogers. The Tetris origin story is complicated and legally fraught. He discovers his life-altering agreement wouldn't be honored by the state-owned ELORG software company, starting a frenzied intellectual rights battle.

Tetris is based on the true story of the wild rights battle over the Russian video game, but the AppleTV+ release takes some huge creative liberties.

Even though Henk's story is true, it is only his version of the story, and the Tetris movie is based on that account alone. At the very end of Tetris, Henk sends Alexey a ticket to San Francisco, which is packaged with a Game Boy, and it ends with them reuniting at San Francisco airport and embracing each other with open arms. However, the console had not been released in the United States yet, and Henk did convince Nintendo to package Tetris with the Game Boy's U.S. Many other details in Tetris are completely unbelievable, and although it is hard to say for certain, are very likely false. Henk did help Alexey sort out his visa and move to the U.S., but it was not to San Francisco. In the late 1980s, Henk spent his week in Russia speaking with government officials in Elorg and bonding with Alexey. Epic car chases in the USSR, betrayal in the KGB, and the constant threat of death fill the AppleTV+ release, but it is hard to believe that a game as simple as Tetris caused such a riotous legal battle. After getting the rights to Tetris, Henk, Alexey, Howard, and Minoru speed to the airport whilst being chased by the KGB. Robert Stein, the Maxwells, and Henk all really did fight over the rights, and Henk really did travel to the Soviet Union to win them. That is exactly how the game's conception happened in real life too, but there is one missing piece to the story - literally, as the real creator originally designed Tetris with pieces made of five squares. In real life, the Game Boy had already been released in Japan before Henk met with Nintendo. In order to do that, however, he must first get the rights to the game himself, which proves to be an almost impossible task.

Apple TV+'s new original movie, 'Tetris,' is an engaging ride for those who spent years organizing those colorful blocks, as well as for those video game ...

However, it's also an engaging ride for anyone who wishes to learn a bit more about how this game got into the hands of so many people around the world. Editor-in-Chief Jillian Quint said, “We had a family Game Boy and all fought over who got to play it before bed... Here at PureWow, we had plenty of editors who were transported to their childhoods merely upon hearing the title. But while many of these titles have succeeded to a varying degree, the new [Apple TV+](https://www.purewow.com/entertainment/best-apple-tv-shows-entertainment-editor-picks) movie, [Tetris](https://go.skimresources.com?id=27667X859343&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftv.apple.com%2Fus%2Fmovie%2Ftetris%2Fumc.cmc.4evmgcam356pzgxs2l7a18d7b&xcust=tetris%20review), feeds off a generation's childhood memories in the best way possible. Tetris shows how the handheld rights for the game became a global competition, with various companies believing they owned the rights, but the documentation indicated otherwise. But the 2-hour movie is so much more than a story about colored blocks.

'Tetris' explores the true story behind the late 1980s legal battle that led to the classic video game becoming an international phenomenon.

Rogers also cemented a friendship with Pajitnov during his time in Moscow and eventually helped him to profit from the game he had invented. A tense three-way battle over the rights to the game ensued between Rogers, Stein, and Mirrorsoft owner Robert Maxwell (played by Richard Allam) and his son Kevin Maxwell (Anthony Boyle). Rogers’ arrival in Moscow with the Nintendo Famicon version of Tetris led to the revelation that Stein had been trading rights he did not own. Like in the movie, after Tetris was ported to the IBM PC in 1985 and began to spread throughout the Soviet Union, Hungarian businessman Robert Stein (played by Toby Jones) made an attempt to secure the computer rights to the game for his company, Andromeda Software. You’re not allowed to speak to anyone.’ And I said, ‘Well, I didn’t come all this way to stand in front of the door and go back to Tokyo to get a visa. Rogers went on to land a deal with Nintendo via his company Bullet-Proof Software, and Tetris for the Nintendo Famicon console was released in late 1988. “I am about to walk in the door and my interpreter says, ‘You can’t go in there,'” Rogers told Baird and written by Noah Pink, follows Henk Rogers ( [Taron Egerton](https://time.com/5591284/rocketman-elton-john-movie-review/)), a Dutch game designer who, after learning about Tetris at a 1988 Las Vegas tradeshow, traveled to Moscow to secure the game’s licensing rights from behind the Iron Curtain. [Apple TV+](https://time.com/6262001/extrapolations-review/) movie streaming March 31, explores the true story behind the late 1980s legal battle that led to the classic video game becoming an international phenomenon. It was in Moscow that Rogers met Alexey Pajitnov (played by Nikita Efremov), a software engineer at the Soviet Academy of Sciences who created the original Tetris on a rudimentary Electronika 60 computer. However, the contract expressly forbid Stein from licensing the rights to the arcade and handheld versions of the game, as well as any other mediums The puzzle game—which requires players to fit together geometric shapes composed of four squares to form horizontal lines—skyrocketed to popularity so quickly that in 1994, writer Jeffrey Goldsmith coined the term the [Tetris Effect](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20121022-the-psychology-of-tetris) to explain the psychological phenomenon that occurs when people devote so much time and attention to something that it begins to pattern their thoughts, mental images, and dreams.

Despite being based on one of the most inoffensive and family-friendly games of all time, the Tetris movie is rated R. Starring Taron Egerton, ...

However, in the case of Tetris, the decision may have an unexpected silver lining. The MPA's decision regarding Tetris rating is reflected in rating agencies around the world. This explained why Tetris is rated R, in spite of its more family-friendly branding. Likewise, Canadian regulators have marked the movie as an 18A, although this age limit is self-applied. As demonstrated by [the Tetris trailer](https://screenrant.com/tetris-movie-trailer/), the story is much more frenetic and action-packed than many viewers might expect from a biographical legal drama. As a result of this historical angle, Tetris is about much more than brightly colored blocks slotting neatly on top of one another – going some way towards explaining its slightly surprising rating.

In an interview with IGN, The Tetris Company co-founders Alexey Pajitnov and Henk Rogers discuss the Tetris movie and reflect on that period of their lives.

The video also reveals a Nintendo Switch OLED Model The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom edition will be available on April 28, 2023, with a Nintendo Switch Pro controller - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom edition and Nintendo Switch carrying case - Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom edition available on May 12, 2023.The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will be available on Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023.](/videos/the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-official-gameplay-demonstration) I did go to the Soviet Union before the fall of the Iron Curtain, and it was very different than it is today, certainly. But when the pair was invited to the premiere in Austin, it was a different story. "I did go to Arakawa and I did convince him to pack in Tetris," Rogers recalls. I was really warmed up by the acceptance of the public. Later on, we gave up to this Hollywood stuff to be in the movie, deciding that we will kind of accept or do the good compromise on everything, which might not happen, but might happen in this particular circumstance." Pajitnov also eventually made his way to Japan, where it seems Rogers gave him a pretty overloaded schedule with the media, as Pajitnov recalls: "He tortured me a lot when I was invited to Japan. The journey stretches from Japan to Russia, as Rogers encounters high-profile figures from Nintendo like Hiroshi Yamauchi, Minoru Arakawa, and Howard Lincoln while also dealing with the challenges of conducting business in Soviet Russia. When I realized that we are at the same mission in this world, we kind of became friends. Pajitnov reflected on initially meeting Rogers when he came to Russia in an attempt to acquire the rights for Tetris. The pair recently sat down with IGN to discuss their memories of Tetris' origins, and how the movie adaptation differs from what actually happened. I'm a better driver than Alexey,'" Rogers jokes, referring to a car chase that takes place during the movie.

As fact-based movies go, "Tetris" plays like a Cold War espionage thriller, which merely underscores the crazy amount of globetrotting intrigue that ...

The business aspect and the ’80s framing in some respects mirrors another movie arriving soon, Add to that Russia’s current war in Ukraine and the film possesses a timeliness that goes beyond just another Egerton helps hold it all together as a believable everyman, straddling the line between nerve and pigheaded foolishness. Rogers at first seems blissfully unaware of the danger to which he’s exposing himself, or the watchful eyes that could cause trouble for Pajitnov. Starring Taron Egerton, this Apple TV+ movie, like the game, is colorful and engaging enough that it’s hard to take your eyes off the screen. A P.T.

Tetris star Taron Egerton discusses what appealed to him most about the script, what made filming difficult, & talks directing & upcoming projects.

I have my own idea that I would like to pitch to Matthew, and I think that will be happening soon but he has the wheels in motion on a big idea of his own. It's the role that made my name, so I suppose, in a way, I just want it to be absolutely right if we do it again, and I want the story to do justice to the part that really changed my life. It's the worst thing in the world,” and it's– I mean, look, First World problems, but it's just very uncomfortable and itchy, and there's just something about having something in the front-middle of your face that really puts you in a bad mood. So, I can't believe that in the years between Eddie the Eagle and Tetris, which was probably about five or six years in terms of production dates, that I forgot how uncomfortable it is and deigned to wear one for an entire shoot. I found it was so interesting that you filmed this movie in Scotland in, I believe, Aberdeen, which had the architecture for Russia. Even down to the fact that Henk [Rogers], Robert Stein, and Maxwell, the younger Evan Maxwell, all turned up a log on the same day, is true So, yeah, I mean, if you were to put a crude percentage on it, I think 85, 95% of it it's true. EGERTON: I mean, I was insistent on doing that because I don't grow a very strong mustache, so I had to wear a fake one, but… It was the scene in the first Kingsman where I am strapped to the track in one of the Kingsman test exercises, and he is stood over me in a parka directing me, but he's directing me in quite an emphatic way. You know, it was divided up into chapters that were sort of crude representations of the process of engaging in a game. And whilst I can't say anything about it because it's – well, least of all because it's in the process of being created – it's a completely different role for me, and a very fresh challenge, and I think in some respects, I think it could feel like a kind of sister piece to Black Bird, which is cool. I know it's so generic, but how much did you know, and how much were you surprised it was actually real? EGERTON: I ain't buying a bottle of whiskey that Matthew is going to enjoy.

Director Jon S. Baird talks about turning Tetris into a thrilling drama with Taron Egerton as the man who brought the game to the west.

There were versions of the film where it was overwhelming and it was too much and almost like was pulling out the thriller into more of a gimmicky thing. And then a lot of it went in, and we probably found it was a bit too much so we pared it back. There’s a lot of prep that went into that and a lot of testing. In terms of the computer graphics stuff, that was in a script. Now I appreciate it more, I think, because I know the story and how hard it was to get to the world you know. It wasn’t called “Tetris,” at the time it was called “Falling Blocks,” but we thought that “Tetris” was probably a title that would get people in a bit more, just kind of fool them into thinking it was a film about a computer game but it’s not really at all. We’ve sort of came up through the ranks at the same time, and we’ve both got the opportunity to do this film at a higher budget at the same time. And I think the compelling thing about the “Tetris” game itself is the simplicity of the game. But when it came to “Tetris,” Matthew was probably busier with the “Kingsman” prequel at the time. I was working with them on one of the “Kingsman” scripts before and worked quite closely with him on that. But it gave us time to refine the script, and in particular the ending, to have a more fast-paced conclusion. And at the same time, Noah [Pink, screenwriter] had this script and it was almost there.

Tetris is one of the most popular, timeless games of all time and an Apple TV+ movie, starring Taron Egerton, reveals it almost unbelievable origin story.

What makes Tetris 'the perfect game'? Experts break down an addictive classic. Nikita Efremov sorting pentomino pieces next to a computer in "Tetris.".

“I think Tetris, in many ways, was responsible for the success of the Game Boy,” said Fullerton. “I’ve got OCD [obsessive-compulsive disorder], and it really appeals to me, this game, because you compartmentalize everything, and then it disappears.” “It encapsulates a lot to say it’s the perfect video game,” said Tracy Fullerton, a USC professor and the director of its Game Innovation Lab. “The technology was mind-blowing back then.” This original Tetris was a computer game that eventually made its way to arcades and consoles. “It’s the godfather of all those types of game. And the film’s version of Rogers describes it as “the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.” “There’s no such thing as a perfect game,” said deWinter. Because you know what blocks are coming, but every time it’s a little different, and every time you play, it ends up a little differently.” Baird (“ [Stan & Ollie](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-stan-and-ollie-review-20181227-story.html)”) from a script by Noah Pink (“ [Genius](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-genius-review-20170425-story.html)”), the film follows Rogers (portrayed by [Taron Egerton](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-11-05/taron-egerton-elton-john-rocketman)) after he is so dazzled by Tetris, which he stumbles upon at a game expo, that he bets everything on its success. “And we need to play more, I believe.” [the center of “Tetris,”](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-03-29/tetris-review-taron-egerton) out now on Apple TV+ after premiering earlier this month [at SXSW](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-03-09/sxsw-2023-film-tv-what-to-watch-for).

Apple TV+'s spy-thriller “Tetris” delves into the incredible true story behind the creation of the iconic strategy game. The film depicts the risk-taking ...

The real-life heroes who outran the KGB to bring Tetris to the world reveal the true tale that inspired the new Apple TV movie. It's a wild ride.

But I was really surprised that the movie is really compelling. In the end, Pajitnov has been cajoled into an Armani jacket and Prada shoes, and the pair retired to his house with a bottle of wine. He looks at Russia and can only hope that a movement will re-emerge to echo the changes of the late ’80s and early ’90s. To Rogers’ surprise Pajitnov approaches him at the end of the meeting and arranges to meet in secret later. Few ordinary people in the West realise in 1989 that the Soviet Union is on the brink of collapse. “I wanted to smile to him and be friends with him because he’s the creator of this great game,” says Rogers. “Basically I was invited for a routine meeting with some kind of con artist, or adventurer who pretends to be a businessman for Tetris,” he says. Skip forward half a decade to the start of the ’90s and Tetris is among the most played games on the planet. “I was looking for games to publish in Japan at the time. He boards a plane to Moscow, planning to put that silver-tongued charm to work in persuading Elektronorgtechnica (Elorg), the Soviet Union’s central organisation for the import and export of computer software, to sign off on his Nintendo deal. Rogers just has to get the handheld rights, and his games company is set to hit the big time. At the Moscow Medical Institute, they have a productivity problem – which, in a society where the state owns the means of production, is skating close to treason.

The film is a biographical drama about the origins of the puzzle video game, but earlier plans were for a fantastical adventure with magical elements.

"I'm sure there's a lot of things in there that they think, Oh, it's not quite right. "We couldn't get them across to the U.K. And then people watch the movie and they'll say, 'Wow this has nothing to do with the game that I fell in love with,' and then so they even p***** those people off." He continued, "We don't get to talk to those kids. The perestroika spirit and dark time of this communist era. "We had a lot of fun. Yeah, it's a game, but it's a movie about people. Tetris started shooting in late 2020, when strict COVID-19 rules were in place, meaning Pajitnov and Rogers couldn't be present during the shoot. That's according to both the creator of the game and the man who helped spread it globally: Tetris Co. Over the decades since the game's release, there have been a number of near-misses for a Tetris movie, with wildly different tones. "I've seen a lot of computer game [movies] go very strange," Rogers told Newsweek. They are the executive producers of Tetris, now available to watch on Apple TV+.