Postal
Interview with Director Uwe Boll from 2007 prior to the release of the film.
Uwe Boll took time out from his work on his new film “Tunnel Rats” to answer some questions about his film “Postal” for the readers at Skewed and Reviewed. I want to again thank Uwe for taking the time to keep us updated.
As a very controversial game series, I can imagine “Postal” had its share of challenges to bring to the screen. How did you decide to address the subject matter of the game and boil it into a film that audiences could relate to?
Uwe: I wanted to make a departure from the drama/horror/action films I’d been recently making. I made the creative decision to present the feature POSTAL as an extremely dark comedy. As a genre, comedy provides the opportunity for one to explore controversial and politically volatile subjects. If you make people laugh , you can address forbidden topics with a harsh and brutal approach.
How difficult was it to work with comedy, when so much of your previous work has focused on fantasy and horror?
Uwe: I began my career in 1992 with a dark comedy called GERMAN FRIED MOVIE. The film included jokes about the Iraq war. I seem to have come full circle. POSTAL is perhaps the most hard edged and politically incorrect movie ever made. It is filled with racism, religious and political jokes, as well as lewd sexual humor. The film POSTAL has no boundaries; nothing is spared or sacred. Audience members who enjoyed BORAT or TEAM AMERICA will love POSTAL.
How did you come to cast Zack Ward as the Postal Dude and what qualities does he bring to the role that made him perfect for the part?
Uwe: Zack Ward originally auditioned for the role of the police officer, a part which was ultimately given to Chris Spencer. Zack’s audition was so convincing we offered him the role of ‘Dude’. Zack Ward is a very creative, edgy performer, who commits 100% in every scene.
The game is rife with topics to make fun of ranging from extremists, to authority figures. How difficult was it to capture the scope and tone of the game and yet inject humor into the film?
Uwe: I was sitting in Vancouver and simply wrote the original draft with a free spirit. My thoughts and writing were completely uncensored. Ratings and sales were the furthest thing from my mind.
You appear as yourself in the film. What can you tell readers about the scene and was it in any way difficult spoofing yourself and doing action sequences?
Uwe: I had a lot of fun as the Nazi owner of ‘The Little Germany Theme Park’. There’s been numerous accusations on the internet, that my films are financed with Nazi Gold. I took advantage of this bit of internet press and announced in the film POSTAL, that my movies are in fact financed with Nazi Gold.
I have heard that Verne has a mishap with some monkeys. What can you tell readers about this scene as well as the scenes you shot with Verne?
Uwe: Verne gets gangbanged by a thousand monkeys. It hurt him a lot! Monkeys have BIG dicks.
You have quite a diverse cast in the film, can you tell the readers about some of your favorite moments in the film as well as some of the cast members you enjoyed working with, as I imagine it was hard not to keep from laughing during much of the filming.
Uwe: We laughed our asses off. There are only two movies in my career where I’ve enjoyed coming to set every day; IN THE NAME OF THE KING:Dungeon Siege and POSTAL. I couldn’t wait to start work. Dave Foley naked , Larry Thomas as Osama Bin Laden..the list goes on….what fun. I don’t have a favourite moment. This is my best film to date.
Since action is a large part of the film, how over the top did you decide to go compared to your other films, and what challenges did you face in staging some of the films battle scenes?
Uwe: POSTAL is filled with realistic style violence. Only a few explosions and scenes are over the top. In general , we took a very straight forward approach to the film. In one scene we took the liberty of shooting 30 children postal style and still managed to avoid an over the top directorial approach.
How was working with Vince Desi in the film as I do believe that this was the first time you had worked on film with anyone who had been a part of a games development as well as with a person in a penis suit.
Uwe: Vince Desi was very easy going and a complete professional. His character attempts to kill me in the context of the film. I imagine it’s a rather heart felt fantasy on the part of some game creators.( especially after viewing my film version of their work.)
Based on the trailer for the film that has come out on the net, there has been some good buzz for the film, especially from people who have not been fans of your film . There has been a must see vibe to this film since the trailers have come out. Do you think that more people are finally catching on to you and your films and deciding to see them first before speaking out against them? If so, to what do you attribute this?
Uwe: I felt it was time for people and critics to stop passing judgement on my work, without having seen the films. I’m noticing a recent change in the overall reception to my work. I’ve created a wide range of movies, produced, written and managed to grow from one film to the next. There is a social relevance to films like HEART OF AMERICA, POSTAL and TUNNEL RATS and some of my work is designed purely for entertainment value.
I’ve worked on big budget ie. $60 million on IN THE NAME OF THE KING and small budget films. I have worked with big stars and lesser known performers. I’ve done comedy, horror, action, sci fi, drama, a war film and even a western. Apparently there are 5000 Boll haters on the net. If given a chance, who knows, mabe some of them will become Boll supporters. I have a number of yet to be released films to sway their minds. I ‘ve progessed as a filmaker, I pursue unconventional and unusual storilines and present films that would otherwise be blocked from audiences by the studio system.
During the time I was on set, I noted a very upbeat attitude. It seems that the cast and crew were really enjoying making the film and some of the dark humor of the project. Do you worry that in this ultra- sensitive age, some less enlightened viewers will not grasp that fact that the film is a parody and will think that you are making fun of certain races, events, or people?
Uwe: One takes the potential risk of offending audience members with every new film. In POSTAL, we chose to send up every forbidden topic. We laugh and abuse all groups, religions and political parties with a sense of equality. Some people will find the film humerous and entertaining, and others may be deeply offended. On one hand we make jokes at George Bush’s expense and on the other we take the piss out of environmentalist, tree hugging, yoga supporters. No one is spared.
