User reviews

As you can see from my score, this movie is not just perfect, it is mind blowing. (I give it 9.5 but the rating system doesn't do .5). Compared to the AVGN movie you may have seen put about these days, this movie is actually AWESOME. Let me explain.

In order to get an idea of the history of retro machines, first you must present the story from the eyes of the kids and teens who made the games, and why they made them. Then you must bring in the story of the UK games industry, moving through the BBC and ZX spectrum range, and the frontier of Memory Vs the imagination. Then the Commodore C64, and the frontier of audio. Finally the Amiga, as the final frontier of game-play and graphics. Then 'the console gap' which lead to the modern day; where games are now versions of revisions. In short, this documentary covers it all, from the eyes of the makers who made it happen. Rather than an emotional roller-coaster, instead this is a soft and gentle deep thread of fascination from end to end. Everything about Crash and Zzap64! is in there; which was written by young adults of my own age-group (something I didn't realise at the time!), and even though every topic is here, we as an audience get the feeling of only just skimming the surface.

The games are far and wide (I recognised about half), and include many hits from the three big machines, ZX, C64, Amiga. (NES and SEGA also feature, as well as PS4). In the Amiga section they feature many 3D games: such as Stunt Car Racer, Midwinter and Mercenary III. I thought the Amiga content flew by quite quickly, but there were a lot of Amiga guys throughout the whole movie, talking about the general idea and logistics of producing games.

The whole production feels like it was produced with so much love and affection, the homage to the period so vivid it's almost as though its still here with us. A time when we could all be friends, together as gamers, having fun, living a dream. If you are reading this message, YOU were there; now you can relive those times again and again forever.

The extra material in the Special Edition is also worth a look for C64 and Amiga fans, with Jon Hare on Sensi Soccer (5mins), Mike Montgomtery on creating Speedball 2 (almost 6mins). The making of Shadow of the Beast (8mins), Peter Molyneux on Populous (15mins). David Braben talks about the original Elite (31mins), plus there are a rake of C64 related materials, including 17mins of Geoff Crammond talking about The Sentinel, and his time on the BBC Micro with games like Super Space Invaders and Revs. And even an extended interview with the legend Matthew Smith and his days with Manic Miner (6mins). Plus more! As you can tell, I think this is the most glorious tribute to that whole period, period! So gather all your friends around and make this a celebration. This one is definitely worth watching.

If you're reading this, you're a kindred spirit. A fan of classic games, and game history. A passionate soul, and as such will not need too much in the way of description. Just simply know if you are of that ilk, this Documentary is one of the best of the topic of gaming history, and just unmatched in terms of the UK industry. It just covers just about all you would want it to and all you can reasonably expect it to unless it was to become a TV series. From the games to the people behind them, to those magazines you loved of the time, it's superbly done. There are slight omissions there, but very few and to bring those up would be very nit picky indeed. It is just a stunning labour of love. And opt for the special edition, and you will get another disc featuring interviews and extended interviews with many of those on the first disc, covering some of those old favourites like Elite and Sentinel. There aren't many Documentaries that cover the UK market, although there are a couple that do the US one quite well. This well and truly fixes that, and goes on to be probably the best one ever done in my opinion. I was so close to giving this 10/10. If you have a passion for this subject you have to have this. Enough said.

This documentary is one of the best video game / old computer films I have ever seen. Very professionally filmed, with picture quality second to none. Sound is perfect, and as each person is interviewed - dialogue is seamless and creates a sense of story unmatched by any other documentary in any genre.

If you love nostalgia in computer games, and love retro gaming as a whole this film is for you. It'll take you back to your childhood and is great for younger generations to appreciate and learn about games from the past that shaped their future.

A joy to watch.

This for me has to be one of the greatest, well made documentaries I've ever seen. For the best part of 2·5 hours I was glued to the TV. There are some great interviews with key people from the birth of the games industry in the UK, combined with game footage and a great soundtrack. For a retro gamer like me it took me back to my childhood and great memories. However, you don't need to be a gamer to enjoy this, it is simply an excellent documentary. Check out the bonus disc too, some extended interviews and insights not in the main film! The highlight for me was seeing the great Matthew Smith, most famous as the man behind Manic Miner.

This is an excellent documentary film featuring many of the pioneers from the UK computer games industry, which started at the end of the 1970s. The film contains interviews with people filmed in the present day reflecting back on their careers, many of whom are still in the games industry. I recognised many of the personalities featured but for some I knew the game but not the person behind it, so it was good to put faces and names to the games that I loved playing and to hear how the games came about.

I found the film fascinating because it gives insight into what went on behind the scenes at these companies and how they were started on a shoestring but became incredibly successful, with each one having a different story to tell. As a child growing up I typed in computer listings into my ZX Spectrum and Amiga and played many of the games featured, so this film was of great interest to me. I'd recommend this film to anyone interested in the history of the UK games industry or who remembers playing games on early computers as this is a really well put together production. The Special Edition is worth getting for the extended interviews.

I love this film. Not only for its in-depth and fascinating recap on the UK game industry starting in the 80's, but because its edited as a true story.

The flow of the film starts at the introduction of computers in the home and works its way through the home programmer, the initial reselling and publishing of games into the more serious side of struggling business and eventually where we're going today. Its a fantastic journey that touches on a bit of everything and its one I can relate to having grown up in that whole era.

If you want one of the best documentaries about the early games industry, then this is the one you seriously should be watching. Immensely enjoyable and very much re-watchable... :)

Just finished viewing this,and it made the hair on my back stand up.Apart from a few glaring omissions (probably from people saying no to participate in this documentary rather than the makers not asking) it is a thorough analysis of the emergence of the gaming industry,and takes us through it's ups and downs and rebirth of gaming as we now know it.Conspicuously it rather glazes over the Amiga days,but that is most likely due to the up coming new documentary from the creators of this.

Can't praise this enough.Having lived through the 8-bit days,and later the 16-bit (read Amiga),it really is like revisiting the glory days.

One last thing:The ending is one of the best I've seen in a documentary.

Go on,give this one a try.

I have to say that I absolutely loved 'From Bedrooms to Billions' – it's marvellous! I discovered it on Netflix and watching it bought back so many great childhood memories – a truly wonderful 2.5hr's of time-travelled viewing with Pong and Dizzy =)

I'm no film critic or games industry professional but as someone who enjoys documentaries, in my opinion, it is not only the best documentary in the gaming genre but probably the best narrative/account of an industry/market development 'end-to-end, or at least from beginning to the present day' – I can't think of another documentary that captures/frames an industrial/business movement/growth in as concise or interesting way.

I think it's recommended viewing for anyone interested in technology or business, let alone gaming.

It has earned a place in my select DVD collection, amongst acclaimed viewing like The Wire and Fight Club, and true greats like Carl Sagan's Cosmos and Black Sky (the brilliant documentary about Burt Rutan's development of SpaceShipOne, now known as Virgin Galactic).

From Bedrooms To Billions is one I'll certainly show, discuss and leave to my grandchildren =)

What can I say about this film that has not already been said ?

I was lucky enough to grow up through this age, playing the games, becoming a computer geek, even being an Amiga 'scene' demo programmer in my late teens which led to a career as a computer programmer.

This film documented my childhood into my 20's, and any computer kid of the 70's included, as such I can't recommend it enough to people of our generation - but more importantly to those of the younger generation to see where it all began as to move forward you must always look back first.

Looking forward to the new 'Amiga years' film A lot.

As a die-hard Commodore 64 and Amiga fan from the UK, it would have to take something monumentally good and extraordinary for me to rate this 10 out of 10, but From Bedrooms delivers. The movie is packed with nostalgia, more than any other film I have ever seen, and begs the watcher to play it again and again - each time discovering more. Everything you would hope for is covered, and more, with two-and-a-half hours of pure nostalgic pleasure.

ZX Spectrums! Commodore C64 and the Commodore Amiga feature in this epic journey; from the dawn of the bedroom coder, and those incredibly long type-in magazine listings; leading to modern gaming on the Playstation and PC. From Bedrooms is very historically accurate with facts, and doesn't try to hype myths and stories, but presents everything matter-of-fact and from the people who made it all happen. As UK film-makers, the team guide the story mainly in terms of UK development, and focus closely on the aspects of making computer games which shaped the course of history.

Gracious Films have truly delivered a breathtaking Movie, an order of magnitude better than I was ever expecting, and something which any fan from that era would love. It also makes a perfect gift for a best friend on Birthdays and Christmas, so why not order a number of copies and share your discovery to all your friends.

Pros: a brilliant look at the early 80s British game industry. Cons: doubles as The Big Book of British Smiles.

The narrative of this ambitious documentary is driven entirely by the interviewees as they reminisce on those heady days. The movie is host to an impressive line-up of movers and shakers from the cottage industry's hey-day. The roster includes many of the major players which is a fine achievement in itself and it feels like a real treat to have them all in the same place speaking so candidly.

The movie's focus is the story of how and why bedroom coding was able to grow and flourish so rapidly, only to be effectively hijacked by the corporate suits in later years. While this is interesting enough in itself, ample time is also devoted to the culture which developed around gaming, computer game magazines, as well as a few anecdotes along the way. The filmmakers have done extremely well to find a positive angle on which to end the film, giving us something to look forward to and thereby elevating to more than a rose-tinted nostalgia piece. Not that there's anything wrong with nostalgia of course, this movie has it in spades.

This Director and Producer really know how to make great Documentaries. This is the first in a series of 3 about the birth of the UKs Home Computer/Gaming scene. They interview key players in the industry, discussing the rise and fall of Sinclair, Commodore etc. Mathew Smith of Manic Miner fame is interviewed along with loads and loads of Game Makers. The other 2 Documentaries in the series deal with the Sony PlayStation and the Amiga....and dare I say those too are excellent. There is one other Documentary in the pipeline specifically about the ZX Spectrum. These are very specific, informative and very well made Docos with great production values and rammed with information. Indeed each one it over 2hs 30mins in length.