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PROTEST OVER NARNIA
BREWING
As if there were not better things in the world to be concerned
with, protest has erupted over the new film, "The Chronicles
of Narnia: The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe". The film
is based on the novel by C.S. Lewis and depicts the adventures
of four siblings in a magical land called Narnia.
Groups have protested the films strog Christian themes such as the symbolic
Jesus character portrayed by the heroic Lion Aslan, as well as the death
and rebirth subplot to name but a few.
A member of a protesting group who did not wish to be named told me that
to him "the film was little more than a "Christian recruiting
film" and "undermines all other beliefs as secondary" Other
members of the group also cited the notion that the story emphasises that
only through accepting Jesus can one be saved and overcome obstacles and
the if you are not with us, you are against us mentality.
Others have cited the film as a strong entertainment piece that emphasizes
love, family, and the notion that all should live in harmony.
Lewis became a Christian late in life and authored his books with Christian
references and metaphors, yet his tales were loved and appreciated by readers
of all faiths and backgrounds.
POSTAL, the World's Most Outrageous
Videogame to Become Major Motion Picture!
Infamous Film Director Uwe Boll Signs
Suicide Pact with Game Developer
Running With Scissors
Tucson, AZ Start
firing those AK-47s into the air because POSTAL
(http://www.gopostal.com/),
the game franchise that politicians, parents groups, countless cowardly reviewers
and over a dozen sovereign nations don't want you to play has just become
the latest game to make the
transition to the big screen.
Running with Scissors (RWS), the world's most dangerous software company,
has signed an appropriately apocalyptic deal with renegade filmmaker Uwe
Boll (http://www.boll-kg.de/)
to bring the most controversial franchise in gaming history to the screen
in all its blood-drenched, ironic glory.
Despite everyone from Steven Spielberg to Microsoft announcing big money
deals involving films based on video games, this new partnership between
controversial figures in the game and film industries is destined to become
the most incendiary game-to-film deal yet.
"Uwe Boll is the perfect producer-director to make POSTAL," affirmed Running
With Scissors' CEO Vince Desi. "He understands the subject matter and has
an appreciation and affinity for controversy and political incorrectness.
POSTAL has always been about reason and insanity, violence and motivation;
producer-director Uwe Boll is simply the right guy to
bring that vision to the screen."
The man behind the camera, Hollywood outsider Uwe Boll ranks POSTAL as
his personal, all-time favorite video game. "I see it like a mirror for our society
-- funny, violent, absurd!" he declared. "So then the movie must be powerful,
strange, and so full of the game's political incorrect outrageousness
that if we do it correct, we will all probably end up in
jail!"
Boll has already produced and directed a series of films inspired by
videogames, including "Alone in the Dark", "House of the Dead", and the upcoming "Bloodrayne." Boll
is currently on-location in Canada shooting the cinematic version of "Dungeon
Siege."
The POSTAL saga extends back to 1997 when the original game was singled out
by Sen. Joe Lieberman as the poster child for mindless violence in video
games. This, in turn, led to it subsequently being blacklisted at retail
outlets across America. Taking a no-holes barred approach the relentless
crew at Running With Scissors has built the POSTAL series into
a thriving licensing vehicle, from thongs and baby tees to coffee mugs and
posters, while selling over a million units worldwide on PC.
In the decade since its original release, the POSTAL series has become a
cult classic in America and a major success overseas in countries such as
Japan and Russia. It was then followed by the even more successful sequel,
POSTAL 2, as well as numerous add-on disks, including the multi-player Share
the Pain and the recent Apocalypse Weekend.
POSTAL is scheduled to begin shooting in 2006 for a 2007 release, which
will coincide with the 10th anniversary of the original game's debut.
'Running With Scissors will be creatively involved in this film," Desi vowed, "from
casting to the script."
For information on POSTAL products and gear, visit our site www.gopostal.com
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR
CHARLES BAND INTERVIEWED
As
part of his multi-city tour, I recently spoke with Producer/Director
Charles Band , founder of Full Moon Pictures Full
Moon about the past, present, and future of
his independent horror classics. I want to thank
Mr. Band for taking time from his busy schedule
to speak with us in this exclusive for Skewed and
Reviewed:
GVK: How
did the tour come about?
CB: With
the changing face of the film industry, many independent
film makers are facing tougher times trying to get
their releases into video stores. 25 years ago, you
could get independent horror films into theaters
where today, major studios are releasing this style
of film into theatres and creating them with larger
budgets. We used to be able to get our films into
the video stores but with some chains controlling
as much as 40% of the shelf space, it becomes a struggle
to find your audience. Since 90% of my work has been
horror, the tour came about like a rock band, as
we have to sell our craft live and emphasize that
we are a living, breathing studio.
GVK: How
long is the tour?
CB: At
the moment it is 18 cities in 24 days. We plan to
conclude the tour in Philadelphia on Halloween. I
also plan to do this sort of tour a couple of times
next year so I am literally a Band on the run.
GVK: Since “Retro
Puppet Master”, there was a change from your
classic style, how and why did this come about?
CB: Over
a period of about 3-4 we made worse and worse films.
Mostly due to using young directors who lacked experience
and shooting digitally, we saw a drop in the usual
quality of our films. Another reason is that I stepped
aside creatively which is a move that I regret.
GVK: Is
this how films started to end up on the Sci Fi Channel?
CB: Yes,
the rights to “Puppet Master” were sold
to Sci Fi, simply for the money. I regret it deeply.
At the time it seemed the right thing to do, as we
needed to get the funds, but it was a mistake. Thankfully,
we have a new partner involved in the studio, new
films in the works, and one of the requirements is
that I be involved in all future releases.
GVK: What
can you tell me about the new films?
CB: I
plan to release 6-8 films a year for the next few
years, I will be involved with all of them, and we
also will be going back to the classic style of the
early 90’s, shooting on 35 mm film. It is risky,
but it is the best thing to do.
GVK: Are
there any plans to continue some of the classic series
in the next few years?
CB: Absolutely,
we have a new”Puppet Master” planned,
a new “Subspecies”, and I am meeting
Jeffrey Combs tomorrow for lunch to talk about a
new “Dr. Mordrid”. Also, I am friends
with Tim Thomerson and we are looking into a new “Dollman” film.
It will be a bit risky with “Subspecies” as
the dollar is not as strong as it was, and with “Transylvania” and “Romania” being
emerging locales, the costs have risen.
GVK: Any
thought of doing a new “Arcade” as with
the C.G.I. of today, you could do some very innovative
things?
CB: “Arcade” was
a costly film and yet it was a terrific film. Megan
Ward who worked on this as well as “Crash and
Burn”, and “Trancers 2” for us
was very good, and like Helen Hunt and Demi Moore
who got started in our film, she had a nice start
to a good career.
GVK: Since
you are going back to the classic style of old, will
fans see a return of the fan club and video zone
in future releases?
CB: Absolutely.
We in many ways championed the extras before DVDs.
When you deal with a studio as we did back then for
distribution, the costs associated with adding 30
minutes of behind the scenes materials as well as
trailers and interviews was an issue as when it comes
time for replication, you are charged for the length
of the film and the extras were included as part
of the running time. Now, in the age of DVD’s,
you will rarely find a release that does not include
some sort of bonus features.
GVK: What
does 2006 hold for you?
CB: We
plan to release 8 films, and do two more tours and
see how it goes. We are also looking at new ways
to get more of the films into the hands of the public.
To many fans, $20.00 is still $20.00 and if they
will be spending this on films, they will focus on
major studio releases. It would be nice to sell them
for $8.00-$9.00 on the website as long as we cover
costs and make a little bit of money, we are good.
The goal is to get the films into the hands of the
fans and to create films that they will like.
GVK: Thank
you, I really appreciate it. |
Tucson, AZ The following statement was issued by Vince Desi, CEO of Running With Scissors, the developers of the POSTAL game franchise. The recent knife attack in a synagogue in Moscow and the subsequent deluge of disinformation from attorney Jack Thompson along with international news agencies has placed Running With Scissors in a position where they must respond:
“In this case, the hypocrisy and irresponsible anti-game zealotry has never been more obvious. Mr. Thompson ignores the fact that the assailant was enthralled by a racist book that espouses anti-Semitic hatred.
“Throughout our company's history, we’ve diligently avoided behavior that might be seen as exploiting a real life tragedy. We extend our sincere sympathies to the victims and their families. Despite our renegade image, we have ALWAYS maintained that violence belongs in videogames, NOT on the streets. Real life violence is reprehensible and unacceptable. We wish no ill upon anyone, not even Mr. Thompson, despite his despicable, self-serving campaign to spread misinformation and hateful invective about Running With Scissors and POSTAL, in particular and the entire videogame industry in general.
“Running With Scissors believes that videogames serve as an outlet for aggressive tendencies, not as their instigator. POSTAL is a social parody in the form of a videogame. If games turned players into murderers we’d be up to our necks in corpses. The independent POSTAL franchise has been a convenient scapegoat for misinformation and outright fabrications by “journalists” and politicians throughout its history.
“Unlike other violent videogames on the market, POSTAL makes no attempt to defend or justify violence committed by the player. Points aren't awarded for shooting someone in the face. There are no missions based on slaughtering innocent bystanders. You play in a detailed environment and are given simple tasks such as buying milk and cashing a paycheck. As in the real world, the player may find weapons in that environment if they seek them. And, just as in the real world, the choice of what to do with those weapons is yours. Misuse results in severe consequences, in POSTAL you’re always held accountable. In our opinion that makes POSTAL 2 the most politically correct game ever made.”
-Running With Scissors
OUR NEW MESSAGE
BOARD IS LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thats right our new message boards are up, ideal for getting
the latest news when I am away from the office and unable
to update the webpage. Also a great place to discuss the latest
Movies, games, DVDs, and other contests.Please click the Forum
ticket.
INDIANA JONES 4 - SUMMER
OF '07
During a
recent promotional tour, a source who is very close to
the production confirmed that the script for Indiana
Jones 4 has
been approved by Lucas, Spielberg, and Ford. The Source (Whose Identity
I am protecting) said that the current status is that contracts
are being negotiated and the ball is rolling.
I have learned that
the deals are heavily back loaded with the three principals
getting points, or a share of profits from ticket, DVD, and other
revenue. Other interesting points is that currently, Sean Connery
is not slated to appear in the new film.
This is great news for
fans who feared the worst when the last script was rejected
by Lucas. I learned that the main concern was that the
film took to long to get to the action, and that the final hour
of the proposed film would have been too expensive.
Look for Indiana
Jones 4 in the Summer of '07
Postal may be coming to the big Screen.
Highly Controversial Computer Game Postal 2 and the new
Add on Pack Apocalypse Weekends may be headed to the silver
screen. The game creators, Running With Scissors has been
approached by studios to see if the title Character the
Postal Guy will be making the move to the big screen.
The game centers
on a week in the life of a disgruntled slacker known
as The Postal Dude. Players
control the title character through a fictional Arizona town
on such routine errands as cashing a paycheck, getting
some milk, and picking up a car part. Naturally things do
not go as planned and battles with enemies ranging from
book burners to naturalists ensue.
The game has gained
much controversy due to the graphic nature of the games
violence and its biting and some say offensive humor
that takes shots at everything from the police to terrorists
and women.
Word has come in that the new script
for Indiana Jones 4 has been approved by Spielberg and Lucas. The
dynamic duo is waiting for the final ok from Harrison
Ford in order to start filming for a 2007 release. After many issues
with the script, lets hope this time it flies.
A TRILOGY OF TRILOGIES?
Speaking
of George Lucas, Who just was awarded a Lifetime
Achievement award, the Master Jedi himself let slip recently
that he does have an idea for a new Star Wars Trilogy. Word
is that should Lucas ever get around to it, the story
would follow a great Sith Battle a few hundred years before
the current series and would have a Younger Yoda in
the cast. Lucas was quick to say
it may not ever get made and if it does, someone else would have
to do it, as at best he would do the story and produce.
URBAN AVP2?
Since so
many have asked about and AVP 2 and with the confirmation
of early production on the film at FOX. Speculation is for an urban
based battle, where thanks to a nice explosion, and a cover
up, the Alien presence would stay a secret thus protecting the continuity
of the Alien film series. E-mail me for more details.
RAMBO 4
He's
Back, Sly Stallone is back in "Rambo
4" with filming to start in Jan 2006. Word
is Rambo takes on White Supremacists.
Details to Come.
OUTRAGE OVER
CHINESE "GEISHA" CONNECTION
Protest
is brewing by the Japanese community
prior to the release of Producer Stephen Spielberg’ screen
adaptation of “Memoirs of a Geisha” Chief
amongst the protest is the casting of Chinese, Malaysian,
and Asian actors and actresses in the rolls
of Japanese characters and primarily with Chinese
actress Ziyi Zhang in the lead. Based on
reported production information the film also features
Michelle Yeoh of Malaysia, Li Gong of China, and
Kenneth Tsang of Hong Kong China in the film many
if not all portraying Japanese Characters.
Group
Member Jessica Burkard of a local
group in Seattle has said there is “complete
and utter outrage” in the Japanese community
over this, and they like other groups of Japanese
decent are calling for and planning a boycott of
the film. “Knowing
the history between China and Japan, the
group finds it “highly
insulting” that the filmmakers would cast
Chinese talents in the parts of Japanese characters.
Burkard explained you would not cast people of African
American or Hispanic heritage as Caucasians.
The perception is that we (Chinese and Japanese)
look alike, and are the same, well we do not and
are not the same and filmmakers should not make
sweeping generalizations that are insensitive to
our culture and heritage.
This is not the first time that Spielberg
has worked on a film based on Japan as his “Empire of the
Sun” and to a lesser extent “1941” films looked
at the war as both as drama and a comedy. Burkard went on to say
that they have been in contact with other groups on a local, national,
and international basis who share the same concerns and plan to
boycott the film as well. In response to the issue of non-Japanese
actors in the film director Rob Marshall recently stated that
he wanted the best actors for the parts.
INTERVIEWS |
Interview
with Writer Director Kevin Smith Get
the Rest>>
Interview with Writer
Director Stuart Gordon for Screamfest Get
the Rest>>
Interview With Bill
Goldberg For "The Longest Yard" Get
the Rest>>
Interview with Writer
Director Kerry Conron for Sky Captain and the World
of Tomorrow Get
the Rest>>
Interview
with Uwe Boll for "Bloodrayne and Dungeon Siege" Get
the Rest>>
Interview with Chase
Masterson for Creature Unknown Get
the Rest>>
Interview with Tom
Jane for the Punisher Get
the Rest>>
New
Section!!!! My upcoming events section is the place
to go to see where I will be doing my next live events. Live
Events>>
Interview
with David Carradine for "Kill Bill Volume 2" Get
the Rest>> |
EVOLUTION
OF JURASSIC PARK
Also, in a very rare promotional appearance
locally, Evolutionary Biologist Dr. Jack Horner confirmed
that he has begun work on Jurassic Park 4. Dr. Horner is
a well-respected archeologist who has discovered more new
species than others in his field. He has been used as an
advisor on several Discovery Channel specials as well as
all 3 Jurassic Park films. Dr. Horner is credited with
the change in the T-Rex in Jurassic Park 3 that showed
the creature to be more of a scavenger than a hunter based
upon the latest findings. Although
he did not have details of Jurassic Park 4, Dr. Horner
did confirm that he is involved and has been working
on it.
Contact
Me gareth@nwlink.com
The
Charity below, Childs Play is a great organization
that helps children in need. I am proud to announce
that they will be the official charity of my sites
as well as the IAFC.
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