I’ve been jamming to this in my car 24/7!

It’s been a couple of days since the leaked audio of Christian Bale flipping out at the DP, during the shooting of Terminator: Salvation. I have to say that it’s really sad to see Batman get mad like this. There was a saying in The Dark Knight, “You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

Since the leak, people have been attacking and defending his actions. On one camp, you have the people saying that Bale is psycho and that his behavior is unholy. Check out this LA Times blog that thinks Christian Bale and Harry Knowles (AintItCool) is in the wrong. And on the other camp, you have the people saying that everyone makes mistake and that Bale was just unfortunate to have his tirade be leaked online for all the masses to listen and laugh. Harry Knowles defends Bale’s actions. You can check his reasons here. Even the Today Show had a segment where the cast and crew sat around the couch to listen to the audio and the cast saying that they would never verbally abuse the crew.

For me, I can’t really say anything about who’s in the wrong. Maybe this DP was being an asshole in the past and Bale just couldn’t hold it in anymore. Maybe Christian Bale is a jerk for lashing out in front of the crew. I agree that Bale did go too far by threatening the DP, but I want to know why it happened and why it was leaked until now, since the audio was recorded in July of 2008. But we know now that Bale does have some temper issues, but tell me, who hasn’t? We’ve all had our moments where we cussed out or got mad at someone. I know I have. Let he/she who is without furious anger cast the first stone.

Update: 02-05-2009

Here’s some more info on the many that are defending Christian Bale’s outburst.

Here’s one from Whoopi Goldberg:
“We don’t know if this [incident happened] at the end of the day, we don’t know how many hours [he had] been working. It’s tough. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I too have gone off on people, because if you’re a professional, you know what you’re not supposed to do.”

Ron Howard
“Director Ron Howard was on Howard Stern today discussing his daughter Bryce Howard’s reaction to the Christian Bale rant. Bryce Howard was filming a scene opposite Christian Bale the night of the rant. Ron Howard told Stern his daughter Bryce called him immediately following the freak-out and said she had “a really weird night” on the set.

Ron Howard says he has listened to the Christian Bale rant and understands what Bale was going through. Ron Howard says it was a very intense scene and the director of photography was disturbing the set, which is a big-time no-no in Hollywood. Ron Howard says Christian Bale is a very emotional actor and felt awful about the rant and apologized to everyone on the set the next day. The DP of the film was never fired. Bryce Howard and Christian Bale went on to film the rest of the movie without any drama.”

Bryce Howard
“This man is just a gentleman, an amazing person. I adore him and I just can’t wait to be with him next week. (His character) John Connor is a very intense character… and so misinterpretations could happen, but every experience I’ve had with Christian has been like, ‘I’m not worthy to be in your presence.’ I have not had an experience like this before with an actor.”

Harry Knowles
“Bale had indeed warned the DP on multiple occasions about messing with lights while the cameras were rolling, and Bale was in the midst of a painful scene with Bryce, what was described to me as being the emotional center of the film and his character for the film.

Now, the reason I know all of this is because the person that was there, felt that it should be made perfectly clear that Christian Bale was the utmost gentleman and cool guy on set. And the DP really was doing something that professional DPs with experience just don’t do. Not during a performance.”

Bruce Franklin
“If you are working in a very intense scene and someone takes you out of your groove…It was the most emotional scene in the movie, and for him to get stopped in the middle of it. He is very intensely involved in his character. He didn’t walk around like that all day long. It was just a moment and it passed.

This was my second movie with Christian, and it has always been a good experience with him,” added Franklin, who also worked with the actor on 2000’s Shaft. “He is so dedicated to the craft. I think someone is begging to make some noise about this, but I don’t think it’s fair. The art of acting is not paint by numbers, it’s an art form. “

Rob Delaney (WB Spokesman)
Gotta love the WB!

And finally, here’s an article all about Shane Hurlbut, the man himself who pissed off the dark knight.
http://motion.kodak.com/US/en/motion/Publications/On_Film_Interviews/hurlbut.htm

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