The Biz Interview: Uwe Boll
Throughout his career as a filmmaker, Uwe Boll has never shied away from controversy or been afraid to make a statement through his films or in interviews. Rampage: President Down represents his newest and last film as a director, so we caught up with Uwe Boll to hear his candid opinions on his legacy, challenges for today’s independent filmmakers, and film critics.
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What can you tell us about your newest film?
My newest film, Rampage: President Down, is also my last film as a film director. It finishes the story around Bill Williamson, the biggest terrorist on US soil of all times. This time he kills the US president and starts a revolution where the rich (are) getting killed.
What can audiences expect from the film?
It is (an) action film but also a very political film because the terrorist, played by Brendan Fletcher, is a mass murderer but his political opinion is right. He points out correctly that the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer and the only way to change that will be to kill the rich. They will not give up their wealth peacefully.
What was your biggest challenge in making the film and how did you overcome it?
First of all, we wanted to shoot 2015 in winter but Brendan was still filming The Revenant with (Leonardo) Di Caprio… So we pushed everything to winter 2016 and finally could do it. We also had to film undercover in DC to show the White House. They would never let us film there because in our film we attack the White House.
What film-related books and authors have been influential to you in your career?
I [grew] up with the classics – John Ford, William Wyler, Orson Welles, etc. I (have) watched over 14,000 movies and read over 400 film books.
What is something that people would be surprised to know about you?
That I never lived in the USA… and I never had a Hollywood agent or manager but i still made movies with stars like Jason Statham or Ben Kingsley.
How would you like people to remember you and your films?
They should watch them and enjoy them. There were just B-movies to have fun like House of the Dead or Alone in the Dark… but there [were] also very important and political movies like Darfur, Assault on Wall Street, Auschwitz or Rampage.
What is the biggest issue for filmmakers today and how would you solve it?
The market for individual small films are dead. There is only money from the studios and big TV shows left. A movie like Rampage now doesn’t recoup more [than] $500 worldwide. So it (is) impossible to make any money.
What is your current opinion of movie critics?
They are mostly PR writers by the studios.
What other projects do you have in the works?
Nothing… it is over.
Where can we find out more about you and your film?
I hope the movie and a lot of my other movies are on iTunes, Netflix etc… and check out www.bollflix.com
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Thanks to Uwe Boll for speaking with us!
Rampage: President Down is now available on iTunes.
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