Old Story: Bale and Nolan

Marco 的前言： 因為 Nolan 是個會說故事但是沒給演員機會表現的導演，所以我並不怎麼希望 Christian Bale 與 Christopher Nola 繼續合作。但那種合作的默契以及與導演之間的互動，是我很喜歡 Christian Bale 的地方。好的導演是有辦法看出演員的才能的，Nolan 當初啟用了一個不曾拍過大片的獨立電影演員的慧眼，是我喜歡 Nolan 的地方。（雖然他描寫女性的方面真的弱到會在我臉上畫出三條線）

Source: By Scott Bowles, USA TODAY
LOS ANGELES — Whatever you do, don't call them the Dynamic Duo.
（不管你想怎麼說，就是不要稱他們為創意倆人組）

節錄其中 Nolan 與 Bale 相關比較多的地方。

Nolan 說「當我們決定要進行這個計畫，我們就想說一個如字面意義的故事。當看到一個裝扮成蝙蝠模樣的人在打擊犯罪，那個城市的人會對這樣的人有怎樣的看法？當一個裝扮成小丑的人坦承犯下殺人罪時，這個城市的人會怎樣看他？」

至於他們的努力是否有了結果，還是要靠觀眾決定，可以確定的是讚揚之聲已經響起。

蜘蛛人的導演 Sam Raimi 表示「他們以現實的方式說故事。Chris [Nolan] 並沒有使用過多的特效，他總是用模型或者是化妝；而 Christian 就是個優秀的演員 -- 一個如果你想認真拍部好電影時，你會希望雇用的好演員。」

同台的演員 Maggie Gyllenhaal 說，認真的態度對他們來說可是易如反掌「一到拍片的現場，他們之間有種速成的默契。有時候你就是要能夠趕得上他們，因為他們就是來工作的。」

但若把這兩位紳士放進一間房間，那他們的差異 -- 以及他們的玩心 -- 都變得顯而易見。

Nolan 幾乎都以西裝之姿出現，而你要運氣夠好才看得到 Bale 穿西裝；Bale 傾向用率直的態度表達意見，不管是要表示他的讚頌或者是批評，而 Nolan 則是比較婉轉老練，較為諷刺。（註：Christian Bale 與 Christopher Nolan 這兩個英國人是兩個很極端的。Bale 是率直不矯情的，而 Nolan 可能是因為身為導演要與很多人接觸，所以練就他比較老成的態度，雖然 Nolan 年紀只稍長 Bale 三歲多。Bale 也曾表示對 Nolan 成熟的敬佩。）

舉例來說好了，已經與 Nolan 合作多次的 Bale 說「因為 Memento 的關係，我成了他的頭號影迷。沒幾個導演願意拿那種題材來表現，並真的在上面努力。」

而 Nolan 則是「我真的不想跟他合作。他帶給我痛苦。」（註：這就是 Nolan 很狡猾的地方。你不知道他是否說真話還是假話。連 Bale 在 Times Talk 的訪談中也補充說「我想 Nolan 已經看我看到煩了。」）

但之後他又立即補充說「事實上，在看了他在 American Psycho 的表現之後，我就知道我想找他合作。我第一次看那部電影時，其中的暴力讓我震驚。但在看過第二次之後，我理解到它是個非常有趣的故事。要不是有極度的才能，你是無法將那種極度荒謬的暴力表現得如此風趣。那也是我要在蝙蝠俠中表現的。」

這對搭檔是有個共同的意識：就是對於蝙蝠俠傳統的尊崇。

「那是個表徵，那是個經典。」Nolan 說「負責這個受到眾人熱愛的角色會帶來恐懼，但 Christian 卻從容的接下這項任務。」

除了，或許吧，這部電影的票房。

Bale 只是回答說「老實說，我壓根不在意。因為，講真的那壓力不在我身上，電影是導演們說故事的媒體。如果一部電影賣得好，那就是導演的本領；如果賣得不好，那就是導演的問題。」

Nolan 隻手遮著嘴唇，咳了一聲假裝他對這個回答的不以為意。

這對夥伴說他們已經開始準備第三部續集「當你找到一個能夠信賴的導演，你就會想用力地抓住他不放。」Bale 說。

這番話羞紅了 Nolan 的兩頰，也讓緊繃的氣氛變得緩和。

接著 Bale 又說「但若你要稱我們為創意搭檔，那 Nolan 就得去扮演羅賓了。」

原文在此：
"When we set out to do this, we wanted to make a story that took everything at face value," Nolan says. "How would a city respond if you really did have a man, dressed like a bat, fighting crimes? How would people react if there really were a man, dressed as a clown, committing psychopathic murders?"

It remains for audiences to judge if they've pulled off the feat. But accolades are already rolling in.

"They've given everything a realistic sense," says Spider-Man director Sam Raimi. "Chris doesn't use many special effects; he uses models and makeup. And Christian is simply a great actor — something you have to have if you're going to take these movies seriously."

Seriousness, says Knight co-star Maggie Gyllenhaal, was never a problem. "They have a shorthand between each other that makes them ready to go the moment you come on set," she says. "Sometimes you have to catch up, because they're all business."

But put them together in a room, and their differences — and playfulness — become clear.

Nolan is rarely seen without a suit. Good luck putting Bale in one. Bale tends to answer questions with an earnestness, regardless of whether he's praising or criticizing. Nolan is more diplomatic, if more wry.

Bale, for instance, on why he continues to team up with Nolan: "I became a huge fan of his on Memento. There are so few directors willing to take a genre and really put a twist on it."

Nolan: "I really didn't want to work with him. He's a pain."

Then he quickly adds: "Actually, I knew I wanted to work with him when I saw him in American Psycho. The first time I saw it, I was kind of in shock by the violence. But the second time, I found it quite funny. You have to be extremely talented to take that kind of absurd violence and make it funny. That's what I wanted for Batman, too."

The one thing the pair do share: an utter reverence for the Batman legacy.

"It's iconic, it's classic literature," Nolan says. "It makes it daunting to tackle something that's so beloved, but Christian never took that lightly."

Except, perhaps, how well the film sells.

"To tell you the truth, I really don't care," Bale says. "Because, truthfully, the pressure isn't on me. Film is a director's medium. If a movie does well, it's to the director's credit. If it does poorly, it's his fault."

Nolan puts a hand to his mouth, feigning a cough to mask a disparaging remark.

The two say they are ready to begin a third installment. "When you find a director you trust, you hold on to him for as long as you can," Bale says.

He catches Nolan blushing and breaks the tension.

"But if you do call us the dynamic duo," Bale says, "he has to be Robin."