Much Ado about a Tantrum

I just can’t help but blog about this. I’m laughing as I write this actually. I just got off from a heated “wall-to-wall” debate with my friend on FB (yes folks, Facebook) about the infamous Christian Bale Temper Tantrum on the set of Terminator Salvation. In gist, if I had to say anything about it – I think this is much ado about someone merely having a bad day at work. What’s the big deal?

Okay, as you all know by now, an audio tape of Bale screaming out curses to a DP (Director of Photography) or if you prefer the term Cinematographer, named “Shane,” has made its way into the Internet and by now has been the hot topic on water cooler stations everywhere in the Western world, and yes also in Facebook. The tape was a clear audio recording of Bale throwing a major hissy fit after Shane (the DP) “accidentally” walked into the set while the actor was doing a scene. Bale got very pissed, so pissed that his whole cursing monologue lasted about 4 minutes.

The world was shocked. Or at least those who care a bit about Hollywood lives. Debates are on-going as I write this. Some people have already labeled him as a primadonna douchebag… some have stated their boycott of his future films…etc etc… Okay, here’s the thing… I’m not saying that what Christian Bale did was ENTIRELY RIGHT… BUT, I think that once again, people are only quick to judge this fella just because he’s an “actor,” C’mon guys, he’s just human. Anybody and everybody can have a bad day at work. We’re all entitled to our tantrums. The only unfortunate thing that I see in this instance is the sorry fact that Bale is “not just” an actor… he’s a CELEBRITY! He’s just not ANY actor… he just happens to be Christian Bale – the star of the highest grossing film last year. Recording this on tape was definitely good material for any thriving entertainment show. I don’t know who started this unwritten rule about celebrities’ lives being a public possession but this sure has cultivated a gazillion-dollar gossip industry. Come to think of it, if this event happened in your office, would you have cared to record it and send it to the World Wide Web for everybody to feast on? I figured not.

Don’t get me wrong. I feel sorry for Shane. Who knows maybe something was probably just on his mind that day that made him utterly absent-minded. However, as someone who’s had experience in TV production (filming et al) I would have to admit that what he did was also a mortal sin. He was the DP for crying out loud. Technically on set, the DP supervises the camera and lighting crews. His job is to make a GOOD SHOT. And if we base this solely on who was doing his job and who wasn’t, I’m sorry to say but Shane definitely deserved a pink slip. I agree that Bale should not have exploded that way but hey, that’s where differing personalities come in. Some people may be more forgiving while some people just go ballistic like Mr. Bale. We each have our own temperaments.

Puh-leez this isn’t the first time that an actor went stark raving mad on the set. This is very common, folks. Believe me. I’ve been in this industry long enough to see my own versions of Bales and Shanes. Truly there are a lot of factors at play in this scenario. First you’ve got an “actor” whose main job is to get into character. People who aren’t familiar with the nitty-gritty of this craft wouldn’t ever understand how difficult it is to ACT… to make a character ALIVE just so you the VIEWER would find the film BELIEVABLE and in the end get your money’s worth.

If this was really a BIG DEAL in a negative way then this infamous audio tape should have already been released soon after it was recorded in July 2008. Don’t you think that it’s rather “coincidental” that the tape’s out for public consumption just when Terminator Salvation is due in theaters a few weeks from now? I really believe that this will not make a dent on the ticket sales of the movie, and not even a scratch on Bale’s career. The fact that it’s on the news… the fact that this story have stirred people to react on Facebook, and everywhere else… the fact that I’m blogging about this (duh) is proof that the spin doctors who are behind this PR stunt has the cat in the bag. We all took a bite on their bait.

The thing is Hollywood doesn’t care about the morals of its people. So why should we? Hollywood wants us to react EXACTLY this way. By now, admit it or not, you’re already curious about THAT particular scene. Deep inside, you are now intrigued how that scene actually turned out in the final cut. Hollywood capitalizes not only on talent but on trash. Heck, it’s difficult to sell movies you know. PR costs serious cash. You all still watched and found Robert Downey Jr. great in” Iron Man“, right? I’m sure some of you still watch Charlie Sheen on “3 and a Half Men”… Do I even have to mention that notorious Mickey Rourke just won a Golden Globe? And don’t you realize that it only took Britney a year or so to go from being bald and panty-less to having a svelte comeback? Didn’t you ever think for a while that she just deliberately had everyone for a ride, or better yet a SHOW of her freaky life, and earn “secretly” from the tabloid headlines? Isn’t it too convenient that her new album is called “Circus”? I don’t know about you but it’s not just Britney messing with our heads – it’s the whole of Hollywood! The thing is, Hollywood knows that people easily forget, and in so doing forgive (blindly). And we can say pretty much the same thing about how we elect our leaders in this country.

What I’m basically saying here is that it’s quite OA for people to prematurely boycott and slander these actors for their human mistakes and tragedies when in the first place these actors didn’t claim EVEN ONCE that they were SAINTS. We can and we should criticize government officials and elected politicians for atrocious display of etiquette and corruption for after all their main job calls for integrity. Leaders lead while actors act. Period. How the actors are in “real” life outside the characters that they’re portraying for us to enjoy in their films is basically none of our business. Why are we complaining now when someone's JUST DOING their job?

Let us not forget that it was not Bale’s idea to tape the moment. In fact, that incident happened in a private place and time. It should have just remained within the confidentiality of the production staff. If Bale did that in front of a viewing crowd then that would have made him totally out of line. But honestly, if we have to debate on this on the grounds of logic and technicality, it’s none of our business if hardworking serious actor Bale got pissed off with absent-minded Shane. In the privacy of their work area, Bale was just doing his job and Shane was not. Unfortunately, Bale has now been subjected in a trial by publicity. Even if we take Bale’s domestic turbulence with his mom and sister, I still believe that we should be more careful in passing judgment on celebs like him. We all don’t know what exactly happened between them. And you know how complicated some family matters are. I get ballistic on my family too.

We should just appreciate, judge and criticize these actors for their work. For after all, that’s what they’re just supposed to do. We even don’t know whether Bale and Shane has had a rift prior to this one. For all we know maybe Shane was the douchebag. Just because he’s the Non-Celebrity here doesn’t automatically make him an Underdog Hero… the protagonist to the antagonist of Bale… the api… the Mara Clara… (okay I’m digressing)… but you get my point? We don’t know all the facts. And we cannot simply pass a complete judgment of Christian Bale based on a 4 minute hissy fit. I’ve had longer temper tantrums than that.

I’m not a BIG BIG Bale fan but I admit I have respect for his dedication to the craft. I really think that anybody who has not seen him in “The Machinist” (directed by Christopher Nolan) doesn’t have the smallest right to misjudge him AS AN ACTOR. This dude has been acting since he was like 7 yrs old. If you haven't seen his 1987 "Empire of the Sun" (directed by Spielberg) then you don't know where this guy's passion for acting is coming from. He knows what the job is all about. If you’ve never been on a film set or a TV production set and have never experienced enduring loooong taping hours then I think you don’t have the right to say that going berserk is unacceptable. I’ve been there. It’s tiring. The pressure is tremendous. It’s crazy. On a lighter note, if there’s one thing I regret about this temper tantrum monologue, Bale should have done it in his Batman voice. Hahaha.



P.S. By the way, the recording was not done intentionally. I mean, who would have expected for something like this to happen. The recording was probably extracted from the recording machines that were rolling during that time. The producers sent the tape to their Insurance company because they feared that Bale would really drop out of the project altogether. This was supposed to be private. So whoever unethically leaked this to the media is the bigger douchebag! The Batman is not entirely a Bad Man!