Christian Bale vs. Leonardo DiCaprio

[matrix_ghost]

Oh give it up already, its pathetic. He makes movies that are released in autumn, his only reason to make them is because of the Oscars? 90% of the great movies are released in the last 4 months of the year. 4 of those is directed by Martin Scorsese. You dont think he just love working with him. DiCaprio is not in charge of the release date anyway.

How is it pathetic ?
You think when an agent and/or an actor get a script , they can't see oscar potential ? You are right in saying that dicaprio isn't in charge of the release date ( as proven by Shutter Island). It is the studio. But he canchoose a movie that the studio considers oscar material.
That he chooses to work with someone like Scorcese is all fine and dandy. But Scorcese isn't someone who has just begun making movies. He's had a pretty long career before DiCaprio started to work with him. A long career filled with movies that have gotten Oscars (nominations).
Out of my head. Taxi Driver has been nominated for oscars , Ragin Bull won oscars , Color Of Money also won an oscar for newman . Good fellas , Cape Fear. All movies that have had Oscar (nominations).
And while Scorcese tries his hand at different genre's as opposed to the crime flicks he's usually associated with , none of his movies have a commercial appeal like spielberg has with something like indiana jones or jurassic park. When you make a movie with scorcese , you know acting abilities are going to get tested.
And like all good directors , he will able to bring out those abilities out of you.

That is why i do think that DiCaprio is going for the best oscar. Not to mention that post gangs he choosesdirectors who have made numerous critically acclaimed movies for a broad public. Scorcese of course but also Edward Zwick , Ridley Scott and Sam Mendes and is either the lead actor or co-lead if you will ( Body of Lies , Departed).

Compare that to Bale. The timeframe between The Gangs Of New York and now , excluding his commercial flicks like T:s And Batman , the movies where critics noticed his acting performances were directed by guys like Brad Anderson ( Machinist) , David Ayer ( Harsh Times) , New World ( Terrance Mallick) , Rescue Dawn ( Werner HErzog) , James Mangold ( 3:10 To Yuma) and Michael Mann ( Public Enemies).
Out of that list the only director who can be placed in the same league of famous director that are known by the general audience is Michael Mann.
Ask you're average movie goeer who Werner Herzog , David Ayer or Brad Anderson is and 9 out of 10 times they don't know who they are .
Not to mention the fact that Bale was also a supporting character is 3:10 To Yuma , Public Enemies , New World.

So you prefer actors that only does movies just for the money like Christian Bale.

So it seems i pushed your buttons.
When you cool down you might consider this
1) don't draw conclusions on things i or for that matter anyone hasn't said.
2) i didn't say that Bale doesn't do movies for the money. Nor did i say that DiCaprio does those. THe only conclusion i can make based on what i posted earlier is that DiCaprio is definately going for the Best Oscar nod and that Bale makes or tries to make movies which will test him as an actor yet it isn't a priority to get an oscar let alone be nominated . Anyone in Hollywood can tell you that you can give one heck of a performance as an actor but if the studio isn't willing to spend millions promoting the movie for the oscars , chances are you won't even get noticed . Look at what happened with Sam Rockwell in Moon. Many critics have hailed his performance as Oscar worthy yet he's completely absent from the Oscar lists.
From what i can see , the studios usually tend to support either the critically acclaimed commercial movies (like say Blood Diamond or District 9) or the smaller (indie) fare that are typically released during the oscar season ( There Will Be Blood , Doubt) and also in 90% of the cases made specifically for the oscars ( again There Will BE Blood , Doubt). I honestly don't see Bale starring in any of those movies nor is he or his agent making an effort to actively search for those roles.
There are always exceptions like Public Enemies but like i said...exceptions

Its a cliche how comicbookfans cant understan how an actor would do a movie directed by the greatest director in the world, starring some of the greatest actors in the world, instead of a stupid mindless action film or a superhero movie.

1) again cool down .
2) i'm not a comic book fan in the sense that it's my primary genre. . It's one the genres i likeout of several but i'm not a Bale defender at heart. Don't generalise people. This is a debate between Bale and DiCaprio. I can't help it Bale starred in the Batman franchise. Try to understand that instead of throwing a tantrum. This debate could easily been between Depp or Daniel Day Lewis and you'd still get a response like you gave just now.

 

[redfirebird2008]

So you prefer actors that only does movies just for the money like Christian Bale.

So you respond to one ******ed statement with another ******ed statement? Those in glass houses...

Do you honestly believe Christian Bale did movies like The Machinist, Rescue Dawn, or the upcoming The Fighter simply for the money? The man put his body through hell for those three films.

 

[Rac]

At the moment I like DiCaprio more. Bale has kinda got stuck in his angry mode (The Prestige, TDK, T4, Public Enemies)... Last time I was delighted by his acting was in I'm Not There.

 

[Laderlappen]

How is it pathetic ?
You think when an agent and/or an actor get a script , they can't see oscar potential ? You are right in saying that dicaprio isn't in charge of the release date ( as proven by Shutter Island). It is the studio. But he canchoose a movie that the studio considers oscar material.
That he chooses to work with someone like Scorcese is all fine and dandy. But Scorcese isn't someone who has just begun making movies. He's had a pretty long career before DiCaprio started to work with him. A long career filled with movies that have gotten Oscars (nominations).
Out of my head. Taxi Driver has been nominated for oscars , Ragin Bull won oscars , Color Of Money also won an oscar for newman . Good fellas , Cape Fear. All movies that have had Oscar (nominations).
And while Scorcese tries his hand at different genre's as opposed to the crime flicks he's usually associated with , none of his movies have a commercial appeal like spielberg has with something like indiana jones or jurassic park. When you make a movie with scorcese , you know acting abilities are going to get tested.
And like all good directors , he will able to bring out those abilities out of you.

That is why i do think that DiCaprio is going for the best oscar. Not to mention that post gangs he choosesdirectors who have made numerous critically acclaimed movies for a broad public. Scorcese of course but also Edward Zwick , Ridley Scott and Sam Mendes and is either the lead actor or co-lead if you will ( Body of Lies , Departed).

Compare that to Bale. The timeframe between The Gangs Of New York and now , excluding his commercial flicks like T:s And Batman , the movies where critics noticed his acting performances were directed by guys like Brad Anderson ( Machinist) , David Ayer ( Harsh Times) , New World ( Terrance Mallick) , Rescue Dawn ( Werner HErzog) , James Mangold ( 3:10 To Yuma) and Michael Mann ( Public Enemies).
Out of that list the only director who can be placed in the same league of famous director that are known by the general audience is Michael Mann.
Ask you're average movie goeer who Werner Herzog , David Ayer or Brad Anderson is and 9 out of 10 times they don't know who they are .
Not to mention the fact that Bale was also a supporting character is 3:10 To Yuma , Public Enemies , New World.






So it seems i pushed your buttons.
When you cool down you might consider this
1) don't draw conclusions on things i or for that matter anyone hasn't said.
2) i didn't say that Bale doesn't do movies for the money. Nor did i say that DiCaprio does those. THe only conclusion i can make based on what i posted earlier is that DiCaprio is definately going for the Best Oscar nod and that Bale makes or tries to make movies which will test him as an actor yet it isn't a priority to get an oscar let alone be nominated . Anyone in Hollywood can tell you that you can give one heck of a performance as an actor but if the studio isn't willing to spend millions promoting the movie for the oscars , chances are you won't even get noticed . Look at what happened with Sam Rockwell in Moon. Many critics have hailed his performance as Oscar worthy yet he's completely absent from the Oscar lists.
From what i can see , the studios usually tend to support either the critically acclaimed commercial movies (like say Blood Diamond or District 9) or the smaller (indie) fare that are typically released during the oscar season ( There Will Be Blood , Doubt) and also in 90% of the cases made specifically for the oscars ( again There Will BE Blood , Doubt). I honestly don't see Bale starring in any of those movies nor is he or his agent making an effort to actively search for those roles.
There are always exceptions like Public Enemies but like i said...exceptions



1) again cool down .
2) i'm not a comic book fan in the sense that it's my primary genre. . It's one the genres i likeout of several but i'm not a Bale defender at heart. Don't generalise people. This is a debate between Bale and DiCaprio. I can't help it Bale starred in the Batman franchise. Try to understand that instead of throwing a tantrum. This debate could easily been between Depp or Daniel Day Lewis and you'd still get a response like you gave just now.

And you are telling me to take it easy

So you respond to one ******ed statement with another ******ed statement? Those in glass houses...

Do you honestly believe Christian Bale did movies like The Machinist, Rescue Dawn, or the upcoming The Fighter simply for the money? The man put his body through hell for those three films.

No I think he did those just to get an Oscar. Atleast according to matrix_ghost
[BLACKOUT]No I dont really believe he did it for the money[/BLACKOUT]

 

[BatMatt]

Bale has pretty much openly said that he does big roles like Terminator, Batman, ect so that he can afford to take the small paying roles such as Rescue Dawn which are the projects he is really passionate about but still can support his family financially. Personally, I see no problem with that.

 

[redfirebird2008]

Bale has pretty much openly said that he does big roles like Terminator, Batman, ect so that he can afford to take the small paying roles such as Rescue Dawn which are the projects he is really passionate about but still can support his family financially. Personally, I see no problem with that.

If he still has to worry about finances then WB hasn't been giving him a fair shake.

 

[BatMatt]

Well funny enough I don't believe he got compensated completely for Terminator, I'm not saying he's not well off, just what he has said.

 

[Crook]

Leo's past movies haven't been that great financially either

Great? No. But he undoubtedly carried the films he starred in, to monetary success. Bale has yet to do that.

Look at whose films are consistently in the spotlight. If Bale was such a name, he could headline films that no one would see if his name weren't on a poster.

That he chooses to work with someone like Scorcese is all fine and dandy. But Scorcese isn't someone who has just begun making movies. He's had a pretty long career before DiCaprio started to work with him. A long career filled with movies that have gotten Oscars (nominations).
Out of my head. Taxi Driver has been nominated for oscars , Ragin Bull won oscars , Color Of Money also won an oscar for newman . Good fellas , Cape Fear. All movies that have had Oscar (nominations).
And while Scorcese tries his hand at different genre's as opposed to the crime flicks he's usually associated with , none of his movies have a commercial appeal like spielberg has with something like indiana jones or jurassic park. When you make a movie with scorcese , you know acting abilities are going to get tested.
And like all good directors , he will able to bring out those abilities out of you.

That is why i do think that DiCaprio is going for the best oscar. Not to mention that post gangs he chooses directors who have made numerous critically acclaimed movies for a broad public. Scorcese of course but also Edward Zwick , Ridley Scott and Sam Mendes and is either the lead actor or co-lead if you will ( Body of Lies , Departed).

Again, I have to ask how this is twisted into a negative aspect of his career decisions. Leo has the incredibly rare opportunity of picking and choosing every facet of a production he takes part in. He's specifically chosen to surround himself with proven artists, who are acclaimed. That's just plain smart and logical. I can't think of any scenario where that wouldn't be a good choice.

Guess what, anyone that goes into the entertainment industry, wants acclaim. Either from their peers, or from the audience. You make these products so they are seen and heard. Anyone saying otherwise is too humble for their own good, or outright lying. Leo has chosen the safe route, but it's all stemmed with integrity.

Compare that to Bale. The timeframe between The Gangs Of New York and now , excluding his commercial flicks like T:s And Batman , the movies where critics noticed his acting performances were directed by guys like Brad Anderson ( Machinist) , David Ayer ( Harsh Times) , New World ( Terrance Mallick) , Rescue Dawn ( Werner HErzog) , James Mangold ( 3:10 To Yuma) and Michael Mann ( Public Enemies).
Out of that list the only director who can be placed in the same league of famous director that are known by the general audience is Michael Mann.
Ask you're average movie goeer who Werner Herzog , David Ayer or Brad Anderson is and 9 out of 10 times they don't know who they are .

Ask any average moviegoer three films that Scorsese, Mendes, Zwick, or Nolan have made, and I guarantee they wouldn't be able to do it. Name recognition doesn't matter much in that case. It's strange you even brought up mainstream on this topic, because directors are far from being recognized. How many directors does the general public actually "know"? It can't be more than 10. But anyway, I'm rambling.

Since we're questioning Leo's penchance for chasing Oscar potential, I question those who don't think Bale has (subtly) been doing the same thing. Machinist had no credible crew, but Bale lost a record-breaking amount of weight to do the role. It was a complete physical transformation, even more glaring than DeNiro and Theron's famous roles. You don't think he saw the potential recognition for achieving this?

David Ayer wrote Training Day, and considered Harsh Times his passion project. What he always envisioned Training Day to be, with his complete control. You don't think Bale saw the blatant similarities to Denzel's position?

Malick barely makes movies, but he did do the Thin Red Line. The movie scored pretty high on the Oscar nominations. Bale was a supporting role, but I bet he wouldn't have minded being apart of a celebrated movie.

Herzog. Not a famous director in the Academy, but Bale had another opportunity here with the starring role. He again lost weight and had a reasonable amount of extreme method acting because of the nature of the role, and the entire concept of the film was Oscar-bait material.

James Mangold, director of Girl, Interrupted and Walk the Line. 'Nuff said.

Michael Mann. Gangster movie. Johnny Depp. Marion Cotillard. John Dillinger. By all accounts, this could have been the Goodfellas of our time with how much gleaming potential this production had from the get-go. I don't even need to go into detail of why Bale could have conceivably wanted to be apart of this film. It's so obvious.

You sum up his last 6 or so years in non-mainstream films, Bale has been gunning for credible material and potential accolades just as much as DiCaprio has. If it wasn't the director, it was the picture. If it wasn't that, it was the role.

Difference? Leo succeeded. So he gets analyzed more.

 

[-JKR-]

They're both good actors, but I prefer Bale. I can't really connect to Leo's characters and performances as much as Bale's. Leo focuses too much on the technical aspect. He still delivers, yet I prefer other actors (such as Bale, in fact)...

 

[Brother Jack]

Bale has pretty much openly said that he does big roles like Terminator, Batman, ect so that he can afford to take the small paying roles such as Rescue Dawn which are the projects he is really passionate about but still can support his family financially. Personally, I see no problem with that.

The only movie that I think he totally did for the money was Terminator, and as we all know that backfired, meaning he's not likely going to do it again. Taking on Batman had to do with the strength of the script and director, not that the pay check wasn't an incentive.

But this isn't a debate on who's the bigger movie star, it's who's the better actor.

 

[Figs]

Just wanted to throw this out there.

First off, I'm a huge Bale fan. The question this thread asks isn't an easy one. Bale has done some damn good films and gave great performances, especially with American Psycho and The Machinist. I do prefer Leo a bit more though. His performance as well as the film itself, The Aviator is one of my favorites and I think he was fantastic in that.

I know there are films that are considered Oscar bait but so far I don't think most of the films Leo has been in qualify as Oscar bait. What's Eating Gilbert Grape might be considered one but at that age I highly doubt Leo was already expecting to get an Oscar rather than trying to get his name out there for more work. With that being said, for the people who say he is only trying to get an Oscar. Did you ever stop to think that maybe he not only is a great actor but knows a good movie when he sees one? I think it comes down to talent and good taste.

I was somewhat excited and at the same time disappointed when it was announced Bale signed up for Terminator Salvation. Other than Batman I was hoping he would have stuck to smaller films or at least films that were more thought provoking. For this reason I slightly hold it against him but that doesn't mean I dislike him now or think he's not as good of an actor as I used to believe. I just can't really think of a film Leo did that was somewhat of a step down in his career. He hasn't really done any big budget blockbuster action films. There's Inception but knowing Nolan that will have action but themes within it that will make you think.

 

[Excel]

I LOVE Bale.

But this isnt close.

 

[Bunker]

Bale has been on a very steep decline lately while Leo has done nothing but turn in one great performance after another. Bale can easily tip the scale back in his favor with a couple more great character roles, though.

 

[redfirebird2008]

Bale has been on a very steep decline lately

By my count, he's had one bad choice lately. Hardly a "very steep decline" overall.

 

[Bunker]

Maybe "steep decline" was a little harsh, but his dynamic leading performances have become few and far between lately, while Leo has been on a proverbial role. Bale's still one of my favorite actors and I'll see anything he's in, but if I had to choose an actor to that can carry a movie almost single-handedly, I'd pick Leo easily.

 

[redfirebird2008]

Maybe "steep decline" was a little harsh, but his dynamic leading performances have become few and far between lately, while Leo has been on a proverbial role. Bale's still one of my favorite actors and I'll see anything he's in, but if I had to choose an actor to that can carry a movie almost single-handedly, I'd pick Leo easily.

DiCaprio is a showier actor, but that doesn't mean he's a better actor. It's two different styles of acting and they are both good for different reasons. I watched The Aviator and 3:10 To Yuma tonight. This scene in particular is better than anything from DiCaprio's performance in The Aviator:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPiT4sd8Zlo


DiCaprio's biggest strength is that he has a good eye for strong scripts and he makes so much damn money that he doesn't have to worry about selling out. When you're getting paid $20 million to work with the likes of Scorsese and Nolan, it's a nice situation to be in. He's taken care of financially while also maintaining artistic credibility.

 

[Christopher Nolan]

i doubt di caprio gets $20 million for every movie.

 

[Cmill216]

Christopher Nolan, you've worked with both of these guys. You tell us. Who's better?

 

[redfirebird2008]

i doubt di caprio gets $20 million for every movie.

Depends of course. Revolutionary Road, no. Shutter Island? Probably.

 

[Spider-Who?]

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/53/SKYL.html

its out dated, so i'm sure the numbers are higher, but it says his average pay check is $26 million.

 

[Poetic Chaos]

Easily Leo for me. His movies are better and he's just as talented with his performances.

 

[Spider-Fan]

Leonardo DiCaprio is definitely the better actor. Bale is great, but he has been out acted recently and is on a bit of a decline outside Batman films. Plus, he seemed to phone it in for T4. You never see Leo phone it in. Leo has been nothing but great in all his movies since he first started working with Scorsese. Bale has not had an Oscar winning worthy performances since American Psycho. Leo has deserved the award several times, on the other hand. He may also warrant a nomination for Shutter Island.

 

[Iceman]

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/53/SKYL.html

its out dated, so i'm sure the numbers are higher, but it says his average pay check is $26 million.

That's annual earnings (in this case 05 - 06) so can include any number of films. Still big bucks though!

 

[DACrowe]

At the moment I like DiCaprio more. Bale has kinda got stuck in his angry mode (The Prestige, TDK, T4, Public Enemies)... Last time I was delighted by his acting was in I'm Not There.

He was angry in The Prestige and Public Enemies? The former I did not get that very much (that was more Hugh Jackman's character who was bitter) and that was not him at all in Public Enemies. You also forgot Rescue Dawn and 3:10 to Yuma in his recent list. But I agree while he has been doing solid (but unexceptional) work as of late and a couple of bad films (T4, mainly) DiCaprio has been doing stellar work since The Aviator. Still.

 

[redfirebird2008]

He was angry in The Prestige and Public Enemies? The former I did not get that very much (that was more Hugh Jackman's character who was bitter) and that was not him at all in Public Enemies. You also forgot Rescue Dawn and 3:10 to Yuma in his recent list. But I agree while he has been doing solid (but unexceptional) work as of late and a couple of bad films (T4, mainly) DiCaprio has been doing stellar work since The Aviator. Still.

What's the other bad film other than T4? I see a pretty damn solid recent filmography outside of that one. If you want to say Public Enemies sucked, fair enough. If we're going by that rationale, then Body of Lies also sucked. Both of those movies failed to live up to their hype IMHO, but neither of them are truly bad films.