<I>The Masters of Disaster</I>
date: label: Date
content: 1985
name: label: Directed by
content: Sonya Friedman
label: Written by
content: Sonya Friedman
label: Produced by
content: Pat Wetmore
label: Distributed by
content: Indiana University Audio-Visual Center, American
label: Subject of
content: Bob Cotter, American
label: Subject of
content: Anthony Allen, American
label: Subject of
content: Derrick Thomas, American
label: Subject of
content: John Patterson
label: Owned by
content: D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
notes: label: Caption
content: This film was a part of the Washington D.C. Public Library's circulating 16mm film collection housed at the Martin Luther King Jr. Central Library. The collection is particularly noted for the wide variety of African American and African diaspora content.
label: Description
content: A documentary film with the title The Masters of Disaster. It consists of a single reel of color 16mm polyester film with optical sound.
label: Description
content: The film profiles an Indiana elementary school chess team that calls themselves The Masters of Disaster. In the opening scene, elementary school teacher and chess coach Bob Cotter is seen practicing with the team while criticizing one of the boys, Thomas, for prioritizing basketball over chess; Cotter also motivates the young men in his monologue. In one scene, some of the boys tell an interviewer what they would say to President Reagan in the event that they met him, and in the subsequent scene they are seen with President Reagan in the Oval Office. Additionally, several of the boys' parents describe the impact chess has had on them. Towards the end of the documentary, one of the boys, Rabbit, defeats the mayor of the city in front of a packed auditorium.
place: label: Place used
content: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
label: Place filmed
content: Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Documentary films
label: Topic
content: Education
label: Topic
content: Film
label: Topic
content: Youth
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: DC Public Library Film Collection
label: Classification
content: Time-based Media - Moving Images
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Transferred from the DC Public Library
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2017.55.88.1a
objectType: label: Type
content: sound films
label: Type
content: color films (visual works)
label: Type
content: short subjects
label: Type
content: 16mm (photographic film size)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: polyester film
label: Dimensions
content: Duration: 27 Minutes
label: Dimensions
content: Length (Film): 950 Feet