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[Anton Sugar]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/22/christian-bales-american_n_329874.html

We hope that no one is really as soulless as Patrick Bateman, but Christian Bale's performance in 2000's 'American Psycho' was so frighteningly believable he must have had some real-life inspiration. Turns out Bale studied Tom Cruise's mannerisms to bring the clean-cut murder addict to life.

The movie's director, Mary Harron, revealed in an interview with BlackBook:

We talked about how Martian-like Patrick Bateman was, how he was looking at the world like somebody from another planet, watching what people did and trying to work out the right way to behave. And then one day he called me and he had been watching Tom Cruise on David Letterman, and he just had this very intense friendliness with nothing behind the eyes, and he was really taken with this energy.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/22/christian-bales-american_n_329874.html

Suddenly, it all makes sense.

 

[John Dunbar]

Tom Cruise is a better actor than Bale.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Tom Cruise is a better actor than Bale.

 

[Stinkles]

At least Tom Cruise never went batshit insane while he was supposed to be working on a set, yelling and gesticulating wildly.

 

[SUPREME1]

At least Tom Cruise never went batshit insane while he was supposed to be working on a set, yelling and gesticulating wildly.

Jumped on Oprah's couch like a loon.

Made secret Scientology tape laughing insanely.

 

[Google]

At least Tom Cruise never went batshit insane while he was supposed to be working on a set, yelling and gesticulating wildly.

Yeah, Tom Cruise has never been batshit insane.

Anyone catch Cruise on Jonathan Ross earlier on this year promoting Valkyrie.

What a surreal interview, watching a grinning Tom Cruise for 35 minutes, reacting to Ross' feverish fandom.

 

[RBelong2Us]

Tom Cruise is a better actor than Bale.

If that was true, why does Bale in American Psycho and Machinist shit on every performance that Cruise has ever done?

Tom Cruise is always Tom Cruise in his movies. Heck, he played a German in a movie while still sounding EXACTLY the same as he always does.

 

[Leunam]

Jumped on Oprah's couch like a loon.

Made secret Scientology tape laughing insanely.

And he knew he was being taped.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Sounds about right to me.

edit: I read this report on set visit to one of Cruise's movies a while back and the writer talked about meeting him. He wrote that when they met Cruise just had this intense interest in him. Cruise made it seem like he was the only person in the world and was really nice to him. But as soon as Tom shifted his attention to something else, it was as if the writer no longer existed.

He's kind of always come across that way to me. He's really intense in his focus, but outside of that there is nothing.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Pretty sure OuterWorldVoice was being sarcastic.

 

[Google]

Tom Cruise is always Tom Cruise in his movies. Heck, he played a German in a movie while still sounding EXACTLY the same as he always does.

What's your point?

It was the directors decision. You dont think Cruise could handle a German accent?

 

[John Dunbar]

If that was true, why does Bale in American Psycho and Machinist shit on every performance that Cruise has ever done?

Someone hasn't seen Magnolia and Born on the Fourth of July.

 

[I <3 Memes]

At least Tom Cruise never went batshit insane while he was supposed to be working on a set, yelling and gesticulating wildly.

he just had this very intense friendliness with nothing behind the eyes

 

[RBelong2Us]

What's your point?

It was the directors decision. You dont think Cruise could handle a German accent?

When has Tom Cruise handled any accent in his career?

 

[Zeliard]

Damn, that's fucking cold. :lol

But I guess that explains why Tom Cruise was so good in Collateral.

If that was true, why does Bale in American Psycho and Machinist shit on every performance that Cruise has ever done?

I like Bale but I think Cruise in Magnolia beats out of all Bale's performances. One of the great supporting performances of the 90s and also Cruise's best.

 

[Miau]

Tom Cruise is a better actor than Bale.

John Dunbar
correct about everything

 

[LakeEarth]

At least Tom Cruise never went batshit insane while he was supposed to be working on a set, yelling and gesticulating wildly.

No just setting up scientology booths on-set to bother the staff.

Spoiler

I know he's joking.

 

[RBelong2Us]

Someone hasn't seen Magnolia and Born on the Fourth of July.

Actually I have. I don't think theres one good Cruise movie I have not seen yet.

 

[Solo]

If that was true, why does Bale in American Psycho and Machinist shit on every performance that Cruise has ever done?

You just outed yourself as having never seen Magnolia, Born On The Fourth Of July, or Collateral.

 

[FleckSplat]

I like Bale but I think Cruise in Magnolia beats out of all Bale's performances. One of the great supporting performances of the 90s and also Cruise's best.

That wasn't acting, amirite?

 

[Google]

When has Tom Cruise handled any accent in his career?

My point stands, do you honestly believe Tom Cruise couldn't handle a German accent.

The entire film had neutral accents.

 

[RBelong2Us]

My point stands, do you honestly believe Tom Cruise couldn't handle a German accent.

The entire film had neutral accents.

Don't think he can. At least not one that will really feel authentic.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

My point stands, do you honestly believe Tom Cruise couldn't handle a German accent.

The entire film had neutral accents.

I havn't seen Valkyrie yet, but maybe they wanted to avoid another Robin Hood situation where everyone was speaking in an appropriate (if not accurate) accent except the lead.* Maybe they figured that since Cruise couldn't do a good German accent, they should just have everyone do their own thing. I don't know, that's just speculation.

edit: This has gotten kind of off topic as I don't think Bale was commenting about Cruise's acting ability, just the way he acts as a person. And in that regard, he's pretty damn accurate.

* - Well the lead and Connery's excessively Scottish, Richard I.

 

[Stitch]

he played an asshole in magnolia. that's not so hard. he basically played himself.

 

[C4Lukins]

You just outed yourself as having never seen Magnolia, Born On The Fourth Of July, or Collateral.

I would add Interview with the Vampire to that list. Not the greatest movie of all time, but he had a great performance.

 

[Google]

Don't think he can. At least not one that will really feel authentic.

Because Tom Cruise cant act?

 

[Solo]

he played an asshole in magnolia. that's not so hard. he basically played himself.

He played an asshole with more nuance than Bale could even dream of.

 

[RBelong2Us]

Honestly, how can anyone defend Cruise's ability to put on an accent in films?

The one movie he tried to do that, he failed incredibly miserably (Far and Away).

 

[yacobod]

i'm sorry but bale is wildly overrated on these boards

he's never struck me as being particularly great, and he's easily the weakest part of the new batman movies, which gaf adores him for

he's easily a tier below the best hollywood leading males, i.e. crowe, dicaprio, depp, downey, pitt

 

[Solo]

What do accents have to do with any of this?

i'm sorry but bale is wildly overrated on these boards

Indeed. Since hes starting getting recognition for deserving older work, hes been turning in worse newer work, too.

 

[SUPREME1]

My point stands, do you honestly believe Tom Cruise couldn't handle a German accent.

The entire film had neutral accents.

I think there's a very high probability that the the film was made with neutral accents, so the Ultra-Mega-Superstar wouldn't have to try.

*shrug*

 

[RBelong2Us]

Because Tom Cruise cant act?

what in the world does his overall acting ability have to do with his inability to handle an accent?

He's a good and at times great actor but the dude cannot put on an accent for the life of him.

 

[John Dunbar]

What do accents have to do with any of this?

A lot of people irrationally think accents equal good acting.

 

[SUPREME1]

What do accents have to do with any of this?

:lol :lol :lol

They write themselves!

 

[Solo]

I think there's a very high probability that the the film was made with neutral accents, so the Ultra-Mega-Superstar wouldn't have to try.

*shrug*

Theres a very high probability that the film was made with neutral accents because Bryan Singer was smart enough to realize that we didnt need another movie filled with terrible fake German accents.

 

[squidhands]

What's your point?

It was the directors decision. You dont think Cruise could handle a German accent?

Seriously? If that was a choice made by Singer (apart from casting Cruise in the first place), it makes me lose a lot of respect for his choices as a director.

EDIT: So everyone in the movie had a neutral accent? I haven't seen the film (or really wanted to), but in the few previews I've seen Cruise talks just like he always does.

 

[SUPREME1]

A lot of people irrationally think accents equal good acting.

Or, if an actor can do an incredible acting job while pulling off an accent, it would showcase his or her talent on a whole new level?

 

[Zeliard]

What do accents have to do with any of this?

I think people are just saying that Bale is superior with accents, which is true.

But that's not the be-all/end-all of acting ability. I think Tom Cruise has a lot more range, particularly emotional range, than Christian Bale. It's easy to hate Cruise due to his ridiculous off-screen antics and general shitty opinions on things, but I think he's a strong, underrated actor.

 

[Google]

what in the world does his overall acting ability have to do with his inability to handle an accent?

He's a good and at times great actor but the dude cannot put on an accent for the life of him.

I'm arguing your fucking point that you believe him to be a shit actor, because the director of Valkyrie decided NOT to use accents in the film.

You've changed tact in this thread from

If that was true, why does Bale in American Psycho and Machinist shit on every performance that Cruise has ever done?

 

[Blader]

i'm sorry but bale is wildly overrated on these boards

I don't think that's really true anymore. When he lost his shit on the T4 set, GAF turned on him pretty quickly. :lol

 

[raebu]

i'm sorry but bale is wildly overrated on these boards

he's never struck me as being particularly great, and he's easily the weakest part of the new batman movies, which gaf adores him for

he's easily a tier below the best hollywood leading males, i.e. crowe, dicaprio, depp, downey, pitt

It depends on what you've seen Bale in, imo. I like him as Bruce but it's definitely not his best acting. He was fantastic in The Machinist and The Prestige.

Not to mention Downey (post-rehab) and Pitt are pretty bad actors. Downey talks too fast and generally has a sarcastic tone, while Pitt is just dull.

 

[Solo]

I just think Tom Cruise has a lot more range, particularly emotional range, than Christian Bale.

And at the end of the day, thats all that matters. Cruise is a better actor. Bale can take on as many accents as he likes, but that doesnt make him more talented.

 

[SUPREME1]

Theres a very high probability that the film was made with neutral accents because Bryan Singer was smart enough to realize that we didnt need another movie filled with terrible fake German accents.

So, he made a concious decision to make the film even mores less authentic.... by having german characters speak with American accents?


Brilliant!

 

[Jacobi]

THE FUNNY THING ABOUT THIS IS THAT PATRICK BATEMAN GETS TO MEET TOM CRUISE IN AN ELEVATOR - AT LEAST IN THE BOOK

 

[Zeliard]

It depends on what you've seen Bale in, imo. I like him as Bruce but it's definitely not his best acting. He was fantastic in The Machinist and The Prestige.

Not to mention Downey (post-rehab) and Pitt are pretty bad actors. Downey talks too fast and generally has a sarcastic tone, while Pitt is just dull.

You're insane. Downey has done some of his best work the past few years.

 

[RBelong2Us]

I'm arguing your fucking point that you believe him to be a shit actor, because the director of Valkyrie decided NOT to use accents in the film.

You've changed tact in this thread from

My point was that I think Bale in those two movies, showed more than Cruise ever has.

That does not take away from the fact that Cruise has put out a lot of good performances in his career.

Never did I once say he was a bad actor.

 

[jon bones]

i'm going to have to prep for my halloween costume by watching cruise interviews :lol

 

[John Dunbar]

So, he made a concious decision to make the film even mores less authentic.... by having german characters speak with American accents?


Brilliant!

This has always been a ridiculous argument. The movie is set in Germany and the characters still speak English. Accents would not make it more "authentic" but merely highlight the fact they're not speaking the right language.

 

[Solo]

So, he made a concious decision to make the film even mores less authentic.... by having german characters speak with American accents?


Brilliant!

Actually, its a very good choice. Id much rather have the actors speaking their native tongue, using the device that they are supposedly speaking in German, and that we can understand german, than be laughing my ass off through 2 hours of gutwrenchingly terrible fake ZEE GERMANS accents.

 

[Google]

So, he made a concious decision to make the film even mores less authentic.... by having german characters speak with American accents?

A bad German accent is funny.

An American playing a German need not be.