I'm fascinated with chess in movies
and not just because I played chess in middle school
and competitively in high school
and college
chess is so interesting because of how much meaning it can have in film
whether it's through analogy, metaphor, or even a plot device
filmmakers love using the game to add to their stories in a way no other game can
so, let's play
1: I'll teach y'all if y'all wanna learn 2: c'mon man nah c'mon we're right in the middle of a game
the most basic use of chess is for an analogy
it's usually used to associate something with patience, or precision
boxing's a chess game, y'know? gotta pick my punches to take 'em down
Independance Day sets up the main character as a chess player
and he references the game throughout the film
ah it's like in chess
first you strategically position the pieces,
then when the timings right, you strike
the next step is to use chess to show somebody as smart
and this is where filmmakers get clever
in 2001: A Space Odyssey, Hal's intelligence is established in his ability to beat humans in chess
the importance of this scene is somewhat lost on modern movie-goers
because computers have been beating the best chess players for the last twenty years
but in 1968, it showed that Hal was not only intelligent, but very powerful
if you look at the scene more closely, it also foreshadows an important plot point
when this supercomputer tells the human the better choice
HAL: I'm sorry Frank, I think you missed it
Queen to Bishop 3, Bishop takes Queen
Knight takes bishop, mate
through chess we see the computer disagreeing with the human,
and making a better move for him, showing very subtly that the computer can conflict with and outsmart him.
this foreshadows the plot quite nicely
I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that
Hal actually makes a mistake while talking about the game
his move suggestion, queen to bishop 3, is impossible in this position
so Hal does have the forced checkmate, but is declaring it incorrectly
now you could say this was either a mistake on Kubrick's part,
or, more interestingly, Kubrick is very subtly foreshadowing Hal's eventual breakdown
the duel between Hal and Frank Pool brings me to my third point
chess works nicely to represent a battle between two people
this can be as discreet or symbolic as you like
in Sherlock Holmes, the montage of the chess game with actual conflict makes the idea pretty obvious
it's a battle of wits. but the events of the game almost always stand for something more
chess is a very versatile game; Pixar made a short with the entire plot revolving around a chess battle
for example, it's popular to use chess to show a person's sacrifice
maybe the most literal instance of this is Harry Potter
Knight to H3
Sherlock goes for a queen sacrifice in his game, directly mirroring Sherlock's plan to stop Moriarity
The winning strategy sometimes necessitates sacrifice
to go one step further, you can even let the chess pieces themselves serve as metaphors for what's happening in the movie
Magneto fights with the powerful rook and knight pieces, but Professor X wins by sacrificing his powerful pieces, and
using his pawns to checkmate
these moves reflect each player's worldview
Magneto's strong pieces represent him fighting with mutants against the humans,
while Professor X fights with the pawns, showing his desire to work with and trust the humans
this metaphor serves the movie nicely, because in chess a pawn can actually mutate into a knight or rook
and this metaphor is further supported when humans are referred to as pawns throughout the X-Men movies
in chess, the pawns go first
I think chess metaphors are most powerful when they add to the story
in The People VS OJ Simpson, Shapiro and Johnny Carson both have chess sets in their offices during
the episode where they decide to make their defense arguments center around race
in one shot, the chess set is right in the foreground
here we see an obvious choice to have this chess set as the focal point in the shot
and I think it may mean something
of course, I hesitate to read too far into this, but it's worth nothing that chess is a battle between black and white pieces
and in the context of this scene, about black vs white people, that makes for a powerful visual
and adds to the idea that this trial was a battle centering on race
maybe the perfect summation of all these techniques comes from this chess scene in the tv show The Wire
D essentially uses chess to explain the drug trade
the rooks are the stash, the queen is the muscle, and the king is top dog
they even go so far as to naming the pieces after actual people in their gang
But he ain't got no hussle
but the rest of these motherfuckers on the team, they got his back
and they run so deep, he really ain't gotta do shit
like ya uncle
yeah, like my uncle
the pawns are described as the soldiers, and in reality, these kids are the soldiers in their gang
and so they naturally identify with the pawns
what's interesting is what Vaulus's question is after he learns about the panws
they like the front lines, they be out in the field
so how do you get to be the king?
it ain't like that
see, the king, stay the king
aight? everything stay who he is
as the pawns they always have to serve the king no matter what
even if they get to the other side of the board
if you catch, the other dude's king
and trap it, then you win
alright but if I make it to the end
I'm top dog
nah yo it ain't like that
through chess we learn about the drug trade, and how its hierarchy is as strict as the rules of a board game
no matter what, these characters are trapped in their roles with no way to escape
they get sacrificed for the king, and no matter how they play, they never get to be in charge
the pawns, man, in the game, they get capped quick
they be out the game early
unless they some smart ass pawns
in movies, the use of most games is one dimensional
bingo is there to establich you're in a retirement home
if you're playing Dungeons and Dragons, the characters are stereotyped as nerdy
but with chess, there's almost always more to analyze
so get out there and make a move
where's His Majesty?
oh, sir, the king is playing chess
Chess?
I hate chess!
thanks for watching