Bollwerk

One of the most hated, currently (still) working directors is fellow German self-made-man Dr. Uwe Boll.
(pictured on the left. copyright: Kinostar)

However, Boll is a good business man and found a way to cash in on a stupid german tax-gap which is thankfully now closed. It was this tax-law which allowed him to finance his films outside of Germany without fearing to pay the losses out of his own pocket. His idea to purchase small money film-rights for video games was not stupid either.

Boll is often compared to the other "worst director of all times", Ed Wood. I think this is a lazy comparison in the same way as I think that the label that is attached to Wood is just lazily repeated, unreflected lore.

I do think that both directors are/were totally oblivious to the reception of their work. While Wood´s enthusiasm made him blind to the fact that his films were not up to par with others, Boll seems to be unaware of decent films, let alone art in the first place. It is as if the whole concept of good film making has passed him by.

Another thing Boll has learned from his fellow "bad directors" is the gift of self promotion. For good or bad, he found a way to link his name and face to his notoriety. So when he was recently asked about the online petition to stop him from filmmaking by Fearnet.com he upped the ante by explaining that he would consider it a deal after one million signatures (the current count was 18.000).

Wouldn´t it be a better idea if people decided to stop seeing his films instead of signing useless online-petitions?

The air might get thin for Dr. Boll anyway after his latest onslought of cinematic garbage is only considered a hit in the third-world.

But speaking of the third-world: John Waters once claimed that his films, which once were considered as absolute garbage, didn´t have budgets that would feed entire countries.
Boll boasts about his big budgets when he is asked about the difference between his films and the TROMA productions.

Does he really not get it? I guess the petition is not such a ridiculous idea after all.
Sign here.