"So what are you expecting from the movie,Schindler's List?"

[Zeus]

http://www.cinescape.com/0/editorial.as ... j_id=50697

Man, he's just setting himself up now......

[Blotus]

This guy is the source of much amusement for me.

[Shellie]

Sounds like he's going to pull a Jay and Silent Bob.

*knock knock*
"Are you bollsucks525?"
"uhh..yeah."
"Suck this, bitch!"

Is the guy just a big gaming fan who has the means to turn his fav games into movies, or is he just a guy whos trying to catch the video game movie wave...

[Kupek]

I admit I sympathize with the man, even if I think his movies (probably) suck. Everyone thinks his work so far is crap, which can't be easy to deal with. Is he going to agree with the crowd, or rationalize it away? I know what I'd probably end up doing.

I've never seen one of his movies, and I doubt I ever will. I can barely sit through the trailers for them, I don't think I could force myself to watch the whole thing.

[Nev]

I should read the interview before going ahead...

...but if *that many people* think your products are horrible, whatever they are, to me that says it's time for some introspection - "perhaps there are valid points to what people are saying" - and not self-defense. It's the old "if ten people tell you you're drunk, lay down" thing.

If there were a sizable portion of Uwe Boll fans out there in addition to his numerous detractors, I might be willing to consider his defensive statements in a more serious light. However, I'm not aware of any such group...

[Ishamael]

I didn't realize there was this much Boll-hating going on. The guy does make a good point though - it ain't like he's going for high cinema here. In a way, he kind of reminds me of Kevin Smith striking back at Internet "fans".

[Nev]

Matter of degree. I understand that Boll's films - unlike Kevin Smith -are nearly universally hated.

I don't like him because with that being the case, then game movies get a bad rap, and good games (like Metal Gear Solid) don't ever get a shot to crossover to movies. Games are finally getting the plots to get some respect, but we need lowest-common-denominator doofuses like Boll to get out of the way.

Seriously, I mean, who keeps funding this guy? His movies are filled with special effects...and I don't think there's any way his movies make any money.

[Zeus]

I admit I sympathize with the man, even if I think his movies (probably) suck. Everyone thinks his work so far is crap, which can't be easy to deal with. Is he going to agree with the crowd, or rationalize it away? I know what I'd probably end up doing.

I've never seen one of his movies, and I doubt I ever will. I can barely sit through the trailers for them, I don't think I could force myself to watch the whole thing.

Watch House of the Dead just for the shittiness of it all. It's so bad, it's a lesson on how not to make a licenced movie. It's so amazingly bad it's actually entertaining to watch just to see how much worse it's about to get.

For one who's seen some of his movies, this guy does deserve all the flack he's getting. I have no idea how he's still able to make movies....

[Kupek]

I didn't realize there was this much Boll-hating going on. The guy does make a good point though - it ain't like he's going for high cinema here. In a way, he kind of reminds me of Kevin Smith striking back at Internet "fans".

That's a bogus argument. A movie doesn't have to profound or "high cinema" to be <i>good</i>. Case in point, one of my favorite action comedies, The Long Kiss Goodnight, has a ridiculous premise, but is all kinds of awesome.

[Nev]

I don't think many people disagree with Boll regarding concept, and you're right, Kup, movies (and games) work with all sorts of concepts - high, low, and in-between. But I think the majority of Boll's criticism comes in regarding his executions of said concepts. You can make a fun lowbrow action movie - from a video game - without getting hated on. Doom is a pretty good example, for instance.

[Torgo]

Watch House of the Dead just for the shittiness of it all. It's so bad, it's a lesson on how not to make a licenced movie. It's so amazingly bad it's actually entertaining to watch just to see how much worse it's about to get.

For one who's seen some of his movies, this guy does deserve all the flack he's getting. I have no idea how he's still able to make movies....

I watch shitty movies for fun every now and then, but I was seriously ofended by House of the Dead. The fact that game companies allow this tool to make movies shows that they're only out for a quick buck(then again, how many of those were quality games). Nothing wrong with that, of course, and I actually admire his shrewdness, but he's mucking up my industry, and that just doesn't sit well with me. I hope the closing of that German tax code loophole puts him down for good.

And I'm just glad that at least Konami is taking the Silent Hill movie very seriously.

[Nev]

Do you work in movies, Torgo?

[Torgo]

I wish.

I was referring to the gaming industry.

[Nev]

Errrr. Do you work in gaming?

[Torgo]

I don't work in gaming, but I am a longtime follower, if that counts.

[Nev]

Ah yea. Like my friend Dave. He doesn't want to work in gaming because the hours are too long, but he travels to E3 every year.

[Ishamael]

I didn't realize there was this much Boll-hating going on. The guy does make a good point though - it ain't like he's going for high cinema here. In a way, he kind of reminds me of Kevin Smith striking back at Internet "fans".

That's a bogus argument. A movie doesn't have to profound or "high cinema" to be <i>good</i>. Case in point, one of my favorite action comedies, The Long Kiss Goodnight, has a ridiculous premise, but is all kinds of awesome.

There's high cinema, there's good cinema...and then there's House of the Dead. How can anyone bother getting offended by this? I thought Boll's comparisons to comic book source material vs video game source material was quite good. Calling it "source material" is pretty funny in fact. It's not like he went an hosed great novel or play.

[Ishamael]

I watch shitty movies for fun every now and then, but I was seriously ofended by House of the Dead. The fact that game companies allow this tool to make movies shows that they're only out for a quick buck(then again, how many of those were quality games). Nothing wrong with that, of course, and I actually admire his shrewdness, but he's mucking up my industry, and that just doesn't sit well with me. I hope the closing of that German tax code loophole puts him down for good.

And I'm just glad that at least Konami is taking the Silent Hill movie very seriously.

How do you know they're taking it seriously? Throwing a lot of money at a movie does not mean it's being taken seriously.

[Zeus]

And I'm just glad that at least Konami is taking the Silent Hill movie very seriously.

How do you know they're taking it seriously? Throwing a lot of money at a movie does not mean it's being taken seriously.

One, Konami execs are actually producing (not just exec producing) this film if I'm not mistaken. Two, watch the trailer, they actually "got it" without making it lame, like nearly every other game movie trailer ever (even RE looked bad to me, but I liked the film). Three, they flat out said they weren't gonna just have the film made Boll-style, they were gonna make sure it was made properly. And they said it on multiple occassions.

[Kupek]

I thought Boll's comparisons to comic book source material vs video game source material was quite good. Calling it "source material" is pretty funny in fact. It's not like he went an hosed great novel or play.

I thought it was a cop-out. "My movies only suck because of what they're based on!" No, your movies suck because you made them that way. What he did or did not do to the source material is irrelevant.

[Nev]

I thought Boll's comparisons to comic book source material vs video game source material was quite good. Calling it "source material" is pretty funny in fact. It's not like he went an hosed great novel or play.

I thought it was a cop-out. "My movies only suck because of what they're based on!" No, your movies suck because you made them that way. What he did or did not do to the source material is irrelevant.

Amen!

[Zeus]

I thought Boll's comparisons to comic book source material vs video game source material was quite good. Calling it "source material" is pretty funny in fact. It's not like he went an hosed great novel or play.

I thought it was a cop-out. "My movies only suck because of what they're based on!" No, your movies suck because you made them that way. What he did or did not do to the source material is irrelevant.

Even with a bad story, you can fall back on good pacing and production values to make the movies tolerable and he really doesn't even have that.

[Zeus]

Since Boll-Bashing is the new Shrinolympics main event, here's a listing of everything he's been involved in:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0093051/

Of those, I've only seen House of the Dead, so it's the only one I can comment on. And the comment is: it's one of the worst movies I've ever seen and a lesson in how to not make a licenced movie.

Hopefully with my dish now I'll be able to see Alone in the Dark and soon Bloodrayne so I can have an opinion with a much stronger base. But the lone movie I've seen doesn't give me a warm, fuzzy feeling about the positive prospects of those or his future directing endeavors.

[Nev]

All three of his movies so far have been in the IMDB bottom 100. That takes a special mix of inability and self-delusion, I think.

[Zeus]

All three of his movies so far have been in the IMDB bottom 100. That takes a special mix of inability and self-delusion, I think.

But that's also a skewed audience who votes there

[Nev]

Granted, but I don't think they're wrong in this case. Of course, I haven't seen the films in question...

[Ishamael]

And I'm just glad that at least Konami is taking the Silent Hill movie very seriously.

How do you know they're taking it seriously? Throwing a lot of money at a movie does not mean it's being taken seriously.

One, Konami execs are actually producing (not just exec producing) this film if I'm not mistaken. Two, watch the trailer, they actually "got it" without making it lame, like nearly every other game movie trailer ever (even RE looked bad to me, but I liked the film). Three, they flat out said they weren't gonna just have the film made Boll-style, they were gonna make sure it was made properly. And they said it on multiple occassions.

I'm going to give you a million dollars. Yeah I know you haven't seen it, but you believe me right?

Anyway, I've heard all I need to hear to know that it will almost certainly suck or if we're lucky, merely be forgettable. This isn't really going out on any limbs though - most movies suck or are forgettable.

I don't think any director goes out of his way to make a crappy movie -not even the great Boll. Movies die a thousand deaths along the way. If even a 10th of what you said is true, I can just see a million Konami execs running around the sets and script meetings trying to be director so that this movie has "it". In an effort to protect the franchise, all they're going to do is ruin just like every other movie by committtee.

[Nev]

An advertising imp!

Get the anti-imp juice, Sine.

[Shellie]

BALETED!

[Torgo]

Anyway, I've heard all I need to hear to know that it will almost certainly suck or if we're lucky, merely be forgettable. This isn't really going out on any limbs though - most movies suck or are forgettable.

I don't think any director goes out of his way to make a crappy movie -not even the great Boll. Movies die a thousand deaths along the way. If even a 10th of what you said is true, I can just see a million Konami execs running around the sets and script meetings trying to be director so that this movie has "it". In an effort to protect the franchise, all they're going to do is ruin just like every other movie by committtee.

Yeah, they're throwing millions into it, but at least it seems that they're spending wisely. The director, Christophe Gans(Brotherhood of the Wolf) plays videogames and is a fan of the series since the first game. The screenplay is by Roger Avary(Pulp Fiction), and the composer(one of them, at least) did the music for the games. It's true that all this doesn't guarantee a quality film, but I can't think of a better crew to work on a movie adaptaion of my one of favorite series.

Here's an excerpt from an EGM review:

EGM: Did the stigma of working on a videogame-based film deter you?

Christophe Gans: Of course it w as challenging, but it was impossible for me to do Silent Hill and not be serious about it. It’s much easier to adapt Doom, even if it turns out to be a disaster- as we’ve seen (recently)- then to adapt Silent Hill. If you want to adapt Silent Hill, you must be ready to face all of the complexity of the story. For a lazy director, like the one who directed Doom, Silent Hill would be too big of a piece to swallow. I dreamed of adapting this game when I first started playing the first one six years ago. I prepared for this for years, knowing that every fan in the world would wait for me with an ax. I will be sniped when I go to buy my games at my favorite store if I do a bad job. And I understand that. I’m a fan of the games myself-I admire the work of Akira and his friends, and I feel like someone who joined the group and tried to transport that amazing piece of art into a different medium. I love the fandom, and I understand these people and how tense they get when they hear, “Your favorite game is going to be adapted by some French guy.” (Laughs)

And I agree with Zeus. Judging from the trailer, they're doing a swell job so far. From what I've seen, they at least got the set design and monsters (especially Pyramid Head) done right.

[Zeus]

Here's an excerpt from an EGM review:

EGM: Did the stigma of working on a videogame-based film deter you?

Christopher Gans: Of course it w as challenging, but it was impossible for me to do Silent Hill and not be serious about it. It’s much easier to adapt Doom, even if it turns out to be a disaster- as we’ve seen (recently)- then to adapt Silent Hill. If you want to adapt Silent Hill, you must be ready to face all of the complexity of the story. For a lazy director, like the one who directed Doom, Silent Hill would be too big of a piece to swallow. I dreamed of adapting this game when I first started playing the first one six years ago. I prepared for this for years, knowing that every fan in the world would wait for me with an ax. I will be sniped when I go to buy my games at my favorite store if I do a bad job. And I understand that. I’m a fan of the games myself-I admire the work of Akira and his friends, and I feel like someone who joined the group and tried to transport that amazing piece of art into a different medium. I love the fandom, and I understand these people and how tense they get when they hear, “Your favorite game is going to be adapted by some French guy.” (Laughs)

And I agree with Zeus. Judging from the trailer, they're doing a swell job so far. From what I've seen, they at least got the set design and monsters (especially Pyramid Head) done right.

What I'm impressed with was they way they did the transformation from the regular world to the alternate world. It's the alternate world that would very easily turn out to be lame and stupid but they seemed to stick with it in terms of making it look like the game, so it's actually looking quite good. That place HAS to be freaky and a little icky in order for the movie to be effective IMO

[SineSwiper]

One, Konami execs are actually producing (not just exec producing) this film if I'm not mistaken. Two, watch the trailer, they actually "got it" without making it lame, like nearly every other game movie trailer ever (even RE looked bad to me, but I liked the film). Three, they flat out said they weren't gonna just have the film made Boll-style, they were gonna make sure it was made properly. And they said it on multiple occassions.

Yeah, when I watched the trailer, it didn't feel like a "video game movie" (whatever the hell that means). It was like a regular movie, but they happened to have Silent Hill's material in there. Of course, I haven't played Silent Hill, but I think the rest of you know what I'm talking about.

[Zeus]

One, Konami execs are actually producing (not just exec producing) this film if I'm not mistaken. Two, watch the trailer, they actually "got it" without making it lame, like nearly every other game movie trailer ever (even RE looked bad to me, but I liked the film). Three, they flat out said they weren't gonna just have the film made Boll-style, they were gonna make sure it was made properly. And they said it on multiple occassions.

Yeah, when I watched the trailer, it didn't feel like a "video game movie" (whatever the hell that means). It was like a regular movie, but they happened to have Silent Hill's material in there. Of course, I haven't played Silent Hill, but I think the rest of you know what I'm talking about.

Try playing the game before you see the movie (original). If the trailer is as good as the rest of the film, it should be an excellent translation. Plus, it's just a great game