The Post goes Postal on Uwe Boll
Uwe Boll isn't exactly what folks call a "critics' darling," and that's not due to any prejudice harbored by jaded film reviewers. Not merely satisfied with desecrating gaming franchises with B-movie rejects such as BloodRayne and Alone in the Dark, Boll has physically accosted those who have hated on his work. All in good sport, of course. And while it could be argued that Boll's films are a crime against humanity, it's up to the courts to decide if the much-maligned game-to-film auteur has now committed an actual crime in a publicity stunt for his latest film.
As reported by The New York Sun, The New York Post filed suit against the German "filmmaker" in the US District Court of Manhattan earlier today due to the marked similarities between its Web site and two promotional sites Boll launched for his latest game-to-film sensation, Postal. In the suit, The Post states the two sites are a "brazen and unlawful infringement of the New York Post's valuable intellectual property." The Post has petitioned the Court to prohibit Boll's use of the two Web sites, transfer the domain names to The Post, and award the newspaper unspecified damages.
According to the The Post, the spat began when the newspaper ran in its April 15 edition an article that called Postal "the first mass-marketed film to mock the tragedy of 9/11." Boll responded by launching the two sites, which exhibit a similar layout, color scheme, and moniker as the The Post's Web site. However, Boll's sites display inflammatory images of Middle Eastern terrorists and self-promoting stories, as well as links to various photo-ops promoting Boll's film. A disclaimer at the bottom of the page reads, "ACHTUNG! SATIRE!"
For those keen on witnessing a train wreck, Boll's parody sites also peg Postal's release date as October 4, a Thursday.