Deathbed Vigil and Other Tales of Digital Angst, The

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The Deathbed Vigil and Other Tales of Digital Angst
Deathbedvigil.jpg
The Deathbed Vigil and Other Tales of Digital Angst DVD Cover
Format Video (VHS)
Genre Documentary
Origin USA
Language English
Release Date 14 July 1994
Running Time 124 min
Production
Created by David Haynie
Directed by David Haynie
Produced by David Haynie
Written by NA
Screenplay by NA
Distributed by Frog Pond Media
Narrated by NA
Starring David Haynie
Music by NA
Cinematography by David Haynie
Edited by David Haynie
Production Company Frog Pond Media
Location(s) West Chester, PA, USA
Original Channel NA
Additional Information
Based on NA
Topics Technology, Computers, Hacking
Follows NA
Precedes NA
Associated Video NA
Website frogpondmedia.com/dbv

The Deathbed Vigil and Other Tales of Digital Angst is a documentary of the days surrounding the bankruptcy of Commodore Computer, some of the people involved in making the Amiga systems, and where it all went wrong.

Synopsis

In the 1980s, the Commodore 64 started the era of ubiquitous personal computing, becoming the best selling personal computer of all time. In the mid 1980s, Commodore launched the Amiga series, the most advanced personal computer system of the era, and the first personal computer that could work with video as well as text or audio.

By mid 1994, Commodore was gone.

This is a story of the days surrounding the bankruptcy of Commodore Computer, some of the people involved in making the Commodore and Amiga systems, and where it all went wrong. Shot over a couple of days prior to Commodore's bankruptcy, and the day immediately afterwards, this is an insider's view into the various events at Commodore's Engineering headquarters in West Chester, PA. This includes a short tour of the facility, a lunch after more than 50% of the employees were fired, and the namesake "Deathbed Vigil" event, the day after the surprise bankruptcy filing.

May contain variations in audio and video quality. This film was shot on 8mm videotape with consumer video gear, before the days of image stabilization, and much of it was shot handheld. Audio is similarly limited. Although it has been digitally remastered for DVD, it is subject to the limitations of the original equipment. This film also preserves the original editing, which was done in the very early days of desktop video, on an Amiga 3000+ computer controlling a tape to tape edit. So this does not represent the quality one would expect from a recent low-budget production. This was a taste of the promise of "desktop video" that the Amiga first made possible, the start of the era of personal video publishing.

Downloads

Film User Format Link Notes
The Deathbed Vigil (1994) NA [ Archive.org]

External Links