15 minutes with Dr. Uwe Boll

[bandersnatch]

Globe Technology conducted an interview (http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050714.gtbolljul14/BNStory/AtPlay/) with our favorite movie director, the good doctor, Dr. Uwe Boll.

The interview covers his movie adaptions of both BloodRayne and Dungeon Siege, his favorite game and why he doesn't make his movies for gamers. Below are some of the more interesting exchanges in the interview.



@Play: Games are often criticized for their one-dimensional plots and characters. How do you tackle the challenge of trying to craft deeper characters and more compelling plots?

UB: It's tough. Take the hardcore gamers. The characters are way more real in the world of hardcore gamers who have played the game for hundreds of hours. They have the movie in their heads, they've built it on their own. These guys are always very disappointed in the movies.

@play: Your films are starting to attract bigger names. How do serious actors and Oscar winners feel about working in a movie based on a videogame?

UB: It depends. You have people who have never played videogames, like Stephen Dorff and Tara Reid and Ben Kingsley and Ron Perlman. But there are also actors like Christian Slater, who is a big videogame fan. And Michelle Rodriguez; she played Soul Calibur with Vin Diesel while they were shooting The Fast and The Furious. It's a mixed up situation. With the younger actors I talk about the game, with Burt Reynolds I don't talk about the game. He likes his part in Dungeon Siege and doesn't give a s--- about the video game.

Found via GameInsider (http://www.gameinsider.com/comments.php?id=1011&catid=1)

[Carnifex]

UB: It's tough. Take the hardcore gamers. The characters are way more real in the world of hardcore gamers who have played the game for hundreds of hours. They have the movie in their heads, they've built it on their own. These guys are always very disappointed in the movies.
Hmmm, he has a point. Then again, most non-gamers hate his movies too :D

[Liquidize105]

It's a good interview. He sounded almost like he knew what he was doing.

[bean19]

UB: Absolutely. But it also depends on the game. Far Cry, for example, has a great story, and we're using the actual game plot. But for Alone in the Dark I couldn't use the game's plot. I had to do something new. It was too boring otherwise. And House of the Dead … well, where is the story? [laughs] We had to make a story out of a zombie attack.

What? Farcry had a plot?

I never got beyond "kill all the bad guys" and then watch an incomprehensible cut-scene.

[Subbacultcha]

I'll watch the Doom movie, even though it is almost guaranteed to be a turkey. I'm interested in how the pseudo-FPS elements are going to be used (if you've seen the trailer you'll know what I mean). Something innovative from Uwe Boll? We shall see...

[Chandler]

Uwe Boll had nothing to do with Doom.

[Zeal]

Can someone just ban this nut from Hollywood already.

[Subbacultcha]

Uwe Boll had nothing to do with Doom.

Hmm... you're right. "Uwe Boll" and "lame video game-based movie" are words that seem so inseparable that the association is almost reflexive. I apologise to all those involved in the Doom movie for tarnishing your names.

[StGeorge]

"[Burt Reynolds] ... doesn't give a s--- about the video game." Well Uwe, that makes two of you!

[Xerxes]

Has this guy ever played a video game... I am not mad at him, I'm made a video game publishers signing their characters soul away...

I can imagine him and what ever movie studio keep bothering with this guy going in a game studio in slow motion, played to classical music of course. Pointing out which character they want followed by the slapping of chains around character's neck. Leaving money on somebody's desk and walking out. This character, sold to a fate worse than slavery, is then dragged out looking as sad as Jet Li in Unleashed.

Did Uwe Boll direct Super Mario?

[insidious]

This guy's a Doctor? In what?!

Re: Super Mario Bros. - No he didn't direct.

[Heretic Machine]

Uwe Boll news needs to go the way of Jack Thompson posts...

[Ravana]

give me 15 minutes with Uwe Boll and I'll give you the greatest snuff film ever

[Alexious]

Uwe Boll news needs to go the way of Jack Thompson posts...
Hear, hear!

Let's just ignore these movies like the rest of the world does.

[megaman]

yea..y is he a doctor?

[bandersnatch]

yea..y is he a doctor?

He has a PHD in literature.

[Xerxes]

Hmmm somebody should send Jack some of Uwe's movies. Then Jack can finally fight a REAL evil of the world. If a kid was ever to watch one of those movies, just wow... I don't even want to think about it.

[novicius]

I wince as I post this but he hasn't received the sort of budgets necessary to make a 'Spiderman'-quality movie. Now apparently he doesn't have the vision to work wonders on a smaller budget, which is unfortunate - a Whedon-esq director who is fed video game plots for movies would go a long way towards providing satisfactorily enjoyable flicks.

But this guy is the like the anti-Joss...

[danhoo]

This quote from the interview both amuses me and bothers me:

With Dungeon Siege, for the first time I won't advertise the fact that it's a video game-based movie. We're doing a big epic with big emotion. If people liked Dances With Wolves or Braveheart, they'll like this movie.

Amusing, because he's comparing his stuff with Dances with Wolves or Braveheart. Bothersome, because, if, as he states, it's going to be an epic where the connection to the game is loose at best, and they're not even going to market that tie-in, then why bother using the title "Dungeon Siege" at all? Call it "Dr. Boll's Fantasy Epic" and change the names and settings around a bit. It feels like he's just using the video game licenses to sucker audiences who might have heard of the game.

[Xerxes]

Serenity looks amazing, $40 million.
Spiderman was hyped ass(not in a totally bad way), $140 million.
Equilibrium, not shabby at all for only $20 million.
AVP, aside from the bad plot, directing, story, acting, etc... $45 million
Underworld, bah, $23 million

Uwe:
House of the Dead, $7 million
Alone in the Dark, $20 million
Bloodrayne, $17 million
Dungeon Siege, $60 miilion

Two things, why did his budget get ramped up for DS, and did you know he doesn't write most of these crappy movies (according to IMDB) just directs them... O_o

[Chagrinful]

I agree with danhoo why should he hamper his creativity with a bad video game licence if hes not going to even tout that its based on that game. This man is a genius! He needs MORE MONEY! /sarcasm (just incase, you didn't get it)

Well its good to see they're finally letting the retarded people have a chance in hollywood, must be a progressive program, movies by tards or something. If I were doing an inperson interview with him I'd start by putting on a hat made of meat, just to show him how serious I take him.

[fitbabits]

Someone needs to kick the good doctor's bollocks so hard that they replace his eyes. Hopefully that will be enough to dissuade him from ever getting behind the camera again. Tit!

[balamoor]

He has a PHD in literature.

So does the loser/flake that works at the Quikee Mart across the street. :rolleyes:

[shpanky]

Why are you giving this loon even more press? This is why he hasn't disappeared from the industry...nerds like us keep talking about him. This guy is a no-talent hack, and shouldn't be given anymore press than he's already had. Leave it for someone who's up and coming who is actually GOOD?

[bean19]

Dungeon Siege, $60 miilion

Two things, why did his budget get ramped up for DS, and did you know he doesn't write most of these crappy movies (according to IMDB) just directs them... O_o

The 3 reasons his budget got ramped up for Dungeon Seige:

Ray Liotta
Mathew Lillard
Burt Reynolds

[Xerxes]

Ok, none of those guys have been in a decent movie in like forever.

[GrinR]

Paging Derek Smart! Paging Derek Smart! Will the good doctor please maintain his title as "most idiotic games industry figure"?

[netcraazzy]

I now know what I will name my character when Peter Moleyneux's The Movies finally comes out!

[Hyperglide]

The 3 reasons his budget got ramped up for Dungeon Seige:

Ray Liotta
Mathew Lillard
Burt Reynolds

Ray Liotta was in GTA: VC, he must like doing VG related work. Oh and he was great in that game, granted it was just voiceover work. I heard Narc was a good little indie movie too with him and Jason Patric. The other two actors you mentioned, I agree with Xerxes, haven't done anything good EVER!

[Stooby]

I can't help but think he had someone else answer these questions for this interview, or had someone else take what he said and make it not sound retarded. The was the most coherent interview Uwe Boll has ever been a part of.

[B_Money]

So does the loser/flake that works at the Quikee Mart across the street. :rolleyes:

Apu? No, his pHD is in mathmatics. From Caltech, no less. Calcutta Technical Institute.

[bean19]

Ray Liotta was in GTA: VC, he must like doing VG related work. Oh and he was great in that game, granted it was just voiceover work. I heard Narc was a good little indie movie too with him and Jason Patric. The other two actors you mentioned, I agree with Xerxes, haven't done anything good EVER!

Well, whether or not you like them, they're big enough names to bring people into theatres. Thus a studio was willing to give him more money.

[Xerxes]

Nooooooo bean19, there has to be another reason. Do they get a tax break for crappy movies?

[balamoor]

Apu? No, his pHD is in mathmatics. From Caltech, no less. Calcutta Technical Institute.

Ohhhh I must be thinking about the Geek that owns the Comic/game shop down the street then, or is his Phd in Folk lore and Mythology? :rolleyes:

[bean19]

Nooooooo bean19, there has to be another reason. Do they get a tax break for crappy movies?

lol.

I'm pretty sure you already know, but for those who might be reading this along with us, I'll explain.

Studios are willing to put more money into movies that have actors in them that can be featured in previews as these movies are more likely to draw more viewers to the box office.

[Xerxes]

Yeah we know that. Ray Loita is a ok actor. But come Scooby and Smokey? Did anybody watch Wing Commander? Did Uwe direct Wing Commander?

You know what's sad, they could give this guy a $200 million dollar budget. It could star tom cruise and tom hanks. I'm sorry uwe is just not quality.

[bean19]

Yeah we know that. Ray Loita is a ok actor. But come Scooby and Smokey? Did anybody watch Wing Commander? Did Uwe direct Wing Commander?

You know what's sad, they could give this guy a $200 million dollar budget. It could star tom cruise and tom hanks. I'm sorry uwe is just not quality.

I was never debating that point. I've never enjoyed any of this director's films and I've often been pissed off by the incredible license he takes with the original intellectual property in order to make such peices of crap.

Just pointing out why this movie got a big budget.