PAX '07: Uwe Boll publicizes Postal, plays blame game

By Tom Magrino, GameSpotPosted Aug 25, 2007 12:43 am PT

Controversial filmmaker makes a surprise appearance to trumpet his latest movie; says lackluster game plots are the reason his game-to-film adaptations aren't critically well-received.

SEATTLE--As the first of several planned Q&A sessions with Penny Arcade founders Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik wound down, the duo announced that they had a very special guest to toss to the lions of this year's Penny Arcade Expo. While the team said they had initially planned to offer up very special guest Jack Thompson to provide a counterpoint to the day's offerings, Holkins dejectedly revealed that they could not work out an agreement with the controversial Florida lawyer. With that intro, his stead took the stage, and it turned out to be none other than widely reviled game-to-film adaptation specialist Uwe Boll.

Uwe, in the flesh.

Director of such roundly panned game-to-film adaptations as BloodRayne and Alone in the Dark, Boll took to the stage to trumpet his latest artistry, Postal. Though the filmmaker's presence initially stunned the crowd, who were in extremely jovial spirits following the aforementioned Penny Arcade Q&A, many quickly regained their senses and made a mass exodus in protest.

However, many more hung around to get their first look at Postal, a reel of which Boll was quick to run. The preview began inside the cockpit of one of the fated aircraft destined for the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. After patting themselves on the back for a job well done, two terrorists get into a heated debate regarding the exact number of virgins promised to them in the afterlife. At which point they call up Osama bin Laden, who kindly informs them that it will be "20." Case closed.

The scene then transitions to what appeared to be a Department of Motor Vehicles office. Within, a disgruntled individual forced to give up his spot in line due to inaccurate paperwork begins to shoot up the place, as attendants passively look on behind their shield of bulletproof glass. After some hammy dialogue about the world needing to come together in unity by filling their hands with hugs and not guns, the screening ended.

According to Boll, the film is designed to be a parody of the current political climate that, in his view, is defined by religious extremists on all sides. He also hopes that the film will help break the taboo of referencing 9/11, as well as promote healing on the subject through humor. He feels that it is his best work yet, primarily because he has put a lot more effort into this script than in films prior.

After Boll's explanation of the film, several conventiongoers stepped up to the Q&A mic to launch acerbic insults at the self-styled auteur, as well as ask a few genuine questions. In response to several questions that essentially distilled to, "Why do you keep making bad movies?" Uwe offered several explanations.

First, Boll said that the stories in his films are lacking due to the fact that his source material isn't good to begin with, offering up House of the Dead as an example. He went on to say that Sega had approved the film's script, and that it ended up making $80 million worldwide, yet only took about $7 million to make.

Boll also claimed that because his movies continue to make money, they are therefore a success. In the case of BloodRayne, he said that the movie diverged from the game so drastically because it was intended to be a trilogy. As such, he wanted to fill in backstory for the character with the first installment.

Boll concluded his appearance by simply stating, "I go my own way, I'm not going with the system."

691 Comments

  • Keirnzyboy

    Posted Oct 5, 2009 6:47 pm PT

    I'm sorry but that man is a waste of life. Sooo fail!

  • colts99

    Posted Sep 28, 2008 12:09 am PT

    Uwe Boll eh?

  • gangsterjc

    Posted Jul 18, 2008 12:14 pm PT

    your really think im guna buy the movie for the movie? nooo i I WANT THE POSTAL 2 GAME INSIDE!

  • feartrain999

    Posted Jun 29, 2008 1:54 pm PT

    I really think the movie industry should start investing their money into something else; You would think they would of by now, or at least 3 Uwe Boll films ago... (Of course I don't exactly know how the 'complete' movie industry process works)

    Then they can tell him, "Now you can do it ALL your own way Uwe, and not with our stupid system... Since your bad movies seems to be everyone else's fault, maybe it's time you just make them for you and get a good review finally."

    Also, to the guy that made the comment about Uwe being an idiot cause he made the Alone in the Dark movie before the game released... Are you serious!? I really, really, REALLY hope your 9 years old man... Serious.

  • XRockStarDaveX

    Posted May 28, 2008 9:55 am PT

    I'll just kill you with the master sword. you need to take the hint H..I..N...T you CANT MAKE MOIVES!!!

  • kanharn

    Posted Feb 26, 2008 5:19 am PT

    Get a job your good at Boll, Everything you direct turns to rubbish, Now you blame the games, Its funny, all these games made millions of pounds and yet your films lose money. Now you want to F**k up classics like Alone in the Dark. Your a HACK.
    Boll quote "I go my own way, I'm not going with the system."
    and that's why Boll, all your work is to the standard of a Blind film student.

  • the_monkey_god

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 7:32 am PT

    Boll do us all a favor and go shoot your self.

  • Kronom

    Posted Nov 9, 2007 10:24 am PT

    "this guy is an idiot alone in the dark game aint out yet and he already made the movie"

    That comment was more stupid than Boll

  • Night_Frost

    Posted Oct 8, 2007 4:13 pm PT

    Wow...he finally realized that on his own? Good job Mr. Boll, you deserve a Razzy for just being Boll. Seriously, save yourself the death threats and embarassment and stop making films

  • aimmy79

    Posted Sep 19, 2007 6:08 am PT

    jack saab89....you know...alone in the dark is a very very very old franchise.

  • jack_saab89

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 3:44 pm PT

    this guy is an idiot alone in the dark game aint out yet and he already made the movie and he is saying that it sucked can i go kick his ass plz ?

  • Sireph

    Posted Sep 5, 2007 4:24 am PT

    "Uwe Boll could be the worlds worst director."

    Don't say that! Don't you know? He goes his own way. While most directors strive to make good movies, he makes really, really bad movies and gives game-film adaptions a bad name. Have some respect for a man's vision!

  • woolston

    Posted Sep 4, 2007 5:24 am PT

    Uwe Boll could be the worlds worst director.

  • Omihalcon

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 7:57 pm PT

    There is a big difference between being controversial and different and just being tasteless and talentless. he's a hack

  • bdub20791

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 2:28 pm PT

    i think he tries.

    this is the saddest part.

  • rob_dAmAgE

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 4:57 am PT

    from what i'veseen of the postal movie so far- i can't wait!

  • elite_pliskn

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 3:40 am PT

    I hope Uwe Boll burns in hell

  • -T_F_U-

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 3:25 am PT

    Ever heard the phrase “a bad workman always blames his tools”.

    If your source material is so weak why do the project?? What a numpty!!

  • Steel_Rain777

    Posted Sep 1, 2007 10:49 pm PT

    Uwe Boll just plain sucks End of story

  • reverendyates

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 8:19 am PT

    I love controversial and offensive material. Keep it up.

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