Written and produced by Irene Chin and directed by Kurt Vincent, THE LOST
ARCADE, is an intimate story of a once-ubiquitous cultural phenomenon on the
edge of extinction, especially in New York City, which once had video arcades by
the dozen. These arcades were as much social hubs to meet up and hang out as
they were public arenas for gamers to demonstrate their skills. But by 2011, only
a handful remained, most of them corporate affairs, leaving the legendary
Chinatown Fair on Mott Street as the last hold-out of old-school arcade culture.
Opened in the early 1940’s, Chinatown Fair, famous for its dancing and tic tac
toe playing chickens, survived turf wars between rival gangs, increases in rent,
and the rise of the home gaming system to become an institution and haven for
kids from all five boroughs. A documentary portrait of the Chinatown Fair and its
denizens, THE LOST ARCADE is a eulogy for and a celebration of the arcade
gaming community, tenacity, and Dance Dance Revolutionary spirit.
The Lost Arcade was broadcast on SBS ONE at Thursday 26 October 2017, 13:00.