West to East.

current spotlight on Christian Bale.

his choice of working in China at the moment, than with Hollywood. With the tips thanks to Steven Spielberg for recommending him.

"One of the reasons I was excited was that this will up Christian's exposure in China. It could be China's Saving Private Ryan." - Bale's agent Whitesell

just finished making the most expensive Chinese movie ever, the historical epic, The Flowers of War. Based on an American finding himself in the middle of a war, and conflict with the Japanese. Based on the Rape of Nanking, time period 1937.

anti-mainstream, politics, war, history, china's face on the line. why the heck would the government green light this piece? well director Zhang Yimou gives some thoughts_

"The story of the Rape of Nanking has been told before in films, and is a very political and serious subject...but what intrigued me about this story was that it's actually told from the female perspective, so it's more humane and has a personal touch...[essentially] this movie is about who we are as humans, and what we would do to save other people, the government actually supported it."

haha. Bale's culture clash is a most interesting read. reminds me of exchange =P

After the 14-hour flight from Los Angeles to Nanjing, China, Bale found it downright unnerving. Sets are usually noisy hubs, not mausoleums."There were a couple of hundred people just staring at me. Even Yimou was whispering. I thought to myself, 'I guess this is how it's done in China,' " Bale recalls. "It turns out they'd all gotten together the day before and said that in the States, everybody is quiet on the set. I told them, 'Please, start shouting.' "

One of the more awkward moments of the shoot came when Zhang asked Bale if he would instruct the first-time actors. Bale was stunned, since no director he's ever worked with would tolerate such an intrusion."Yimou explained that it's different in China, and that the more experienced actor is considered rude if he or she doesn't tell a less-experienced actor how to do a scene," Bale says. "What we had was a culture clash of what's acceptable, and what's not. I mean for me to tread on Yimou's toes would be incredibly arrogant. I just couldn't do it. At the same time, I didn't want to be perceived as being rude myself." Bale came up with a plan -- he was willing to leave the set and speak to an actor, but only if Zhang came along.

full article *link*

Trailer_