The Rubber Keyed Wonder – a new feature-length documentary about the legendary Sinclair Spectrum – is coming to the DCA in Dundee for its Scottish premiere on Sunday 24th November 2024.
In the late 1970s, British inventor Sir Clive Sinclair envisioned creating an affordable home computer that could change the world. In 1982, Sir Clive released the ZX Spectrum home computer, selling millions of units worldwide and quickly seeing his invention become one of the most important technological developments of its time.
The Speccy opened the door to a world of digital possibilities for millions of people. From Dad doing the home accounts to Mum saving her recipes on cassette, the possibilities seemed endless (in a utopian, though very period-specific, gendered vision of the role of technology), the ZX Spectrum’s low price-point, wide availability and the inclusion of BASIC code in the games magazines of the period, meant that the computer played an enormous role in the early days of game development.
The Rubber-Keyed Wonder features rare archive material and tells the story of the creation and development of the ZX Spectrum, as well as an amazing array of the games developed on the Spectrum including Jet Set Willy, Knight Lore, Chuckie Egg, Ant Attack, Saboteur and many, many more!
Written and directed by Anthony and Nicola Caulfield, the team behind the incredible From Bedrooms To Billions documentary series, The Rubber Keyed Wonder is a homage to the huge impact and influence the Speccy had on the formation of the entire British games industry.
Dundee – Land O’ Speccys
The Spectrum had more significance for Dundee than any other city across the United Kingdom, as the machines were manufactured at the Timex Factory in the city.
Local legend has it that many of the computers ‘failed QA’ or simply fell off the back of a lorry, giving Dundee a head start in game development, that continues to this day.
Scottish Premiere
Starting life as a Kickstarter project, the documentary smashed its original goals, raising over £100,000 from nearly 2,000 backers worldwide.
Now the movie will have its Scottish premiere at the Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre on November 24th with an extra Q&A with the filmmakers and an appearance by Sandy White, the creator of the cult classic Ant Attack.
Tickets are available now, at a cost of only £10 (£7 concession). Book yours now and grab the chance to learn more about one of the most important pieces of technology in the history of gaming.