Fame (Fanboy Game)

So this is a fun little game I like to play when I start to get bored on the ol’ Internets.  I call it Fame.  It’s something I’ve kind of played with and toyed with over the years and can be quite challenging at times and extremely easy at others.  And here at last I think I shall share it in hopes that others will enjoy it as well.

Here’s how to play.

First, go to IMDb.com.  Now, think of an actor or director whose page you would like to look up.

Now go to that page — WAIT, WAIT, there’s a catch.  You cannot type in that person’s name in the search bar to find them.

No, you must somehow reach their page using only what is available on the IMDb homepage and you can only use your mouse.

So let’s say you wanted to look up, oh, say, Summer Glau’s page.  You must first think of every single movie or television show she’s been in and then use that to some how make a connection to something that is listed on the homepage.  For Glau it is a bit of a challenge since she’s not an extremely huge actress.  What you must do then is think of all the slightly bigger actors/actresses/directors she’s worked with to help you along the way.

In writing this post I’ve already found a connection.  On the left hand side of the homepage IMDb has a “Tops At the Box Office” section.  The #4 movie currently is Gamer.  I click the link that brings me to Gamer’s page where I find that film’s star, Gerard Butler, listed under the “Cast” section.  I then follow that link to his page.  From there I go under Butler’s filmography until I find 300 and follow that link as well.  Under the “Cast” list I find Lena Headey, follow the link, and — BOOM! — listed under Headey’s filmography is Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.  I click again and who should I find under the “Cast” list?  None other than Ms. Glau herself.  One last click and I’m done.

Again, it’s not always so easy.  The IMDb homepage is always changing: things that are on there this week probably won’t be by the next.  By this time tomorrow I doubt Gamer will still be listed in the top five.

It’s a fun little game that challenges your fanboy trivia knowledge (if you could call it knowledge).  As far as difficulty levels go, I leave that to you.  Perhaps you can choose even more difficult stipulations such as only being able to click on actors, or maybe if you screw up along the way you won’t allow yourself to go back a page or two and work only with what you’ve got.

I suppose it’s in the same vein as that whole Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon type of thing, but it’s a slightly different challenge (not just connecting one actor to Kevin Bacon) and can go on for as long as it has to.

But without further digress, I leave it to you to enjoy.

Go kill some time!