Scrabylon (2003)

• 72%
• 2003
• Documentary
• Scott Petersen
• John D. Williams Jr
• Joel Sherman
• Brian Cappelletto

"Scrabylon" is a documentary on the cutthroat world of tournament Scrabble®. Featuring the most fierce anagrammers, rack balancers, and bingo experts in competitive Scrabble®, "Scrabylon" delves deep into this sometimes wacky, sometimes odd, always compelling subculture. Shot primarily during the World Scrabble® Championships in Las Vegas, "Scrabylon" features players from around the globe and gives an up-close look at why people get so obsessed with that seemingly benign game played at countless kitchen tables. "Scrabylon" spotlights GI (gastrointestinal) Joel Sherman, the world's only professional Scrabble® player - so named for his various stomach ailments; Jim Geary, a quick-witted professional gambler and all-around gamesman; Matt Graham, a stand-up comic from New York City; Chris Cree, a funny Texan who once won $256,000 gambling in Las Vegas during a Scrabble tournament; Joe Edley, the Zen Scrabble master and only 3-time National Scrabble® Champ; Brian Cappelletto, an options trader and the first Scrabble prodigy; Robin Pollock Daniel, a trained psychologist and the highest-rated woman on the Scrabble® scene plus many other eccentric characters. The glue between all these players is John D. Williams, Jr., the Executive Director of the National Scrabble® Association, who describes in great detail the quirks, strategies and personalities of this fascinating group of individuals.