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(Image Source: CNN)

 
BY SHELLY YANG
 
 
ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO
 

Right before his new film “The Flowers of War” premiered in China on Friday, Hollywood star Christian Bale made headlines, but not for a last-minute promotion.

Accompanied by a CNN camera crew, he traveled eight hours to visit the blind Chinese human-rights activist Chen Guangcheng, who came under house arrest after speaking out against forced abortions. But he was stopped by plainclothed guards, who shoved and punched Bale and the crew, and even followed them after they drove away.

“I mean, this doesn’t come naturally to me. But this was just a situation I said ‘I can’t look the other way.’ … What I really wanted to do is shake the man’s hand and say ‘thank you,’ and tell him what an inspiration he is.”

“The Flowers of War,” stars Bale as an American mortician who attempts to help a group of Chinese women during the 1937 Japanese invasion of Nanking. Because of the film’s demonetization of the Japanese and partial funding by the Chinese government, it’s been criticised as Chinese propaganda.

A writer for the Christian Science Monitor says Bale’s visit to Guangcheng might be an attempt to distance himself from those complaints.

“His successful televised bid to draw world attention to the illegal detention of one of the sharpest thorns in the Chinese government’s side has certainly undercut such criticism.”

CNN defended sending a crew with Bale, saying Guangcheng is a newsworthy figure. But the BBC reports, some media critics weren’t happy with the network’s involvement.

“CNN said Bale had invited them to join him on the trip. … But the broadcaster's role drew criticism from some who say it raises questions about the distinction between journalism and activism.”

The Flowers of War is said to be the most expensive China-made movie ever at $100 million, and its best hope for the Academy Awards. But a writer for the Huffington Post says the video of Bale being roughed up for visiting a dissident puts the government in a tough spot.

“The chances of the government successfully suppressing the viral distribution of the video in China are just about zero. So the more they market the movie, the more they throw a spotlight on their own injustice and corruption.”

Suppressing the video really does look like a lost cause, since the story blew up on Twitter and Weibo, China’s version of Twitter.

One cartoonist called Rebel Pepper released a cartoon, titled “Pandaman vs Batman.” And the LA Times has another Weibo comment making light of Bale’s visit.

"Batman couldn't do it alone. But if he takes Spiderman, Superman, the Hulk, Wolverine, Captain America and Harry Potter, they can get it done right?"

China has now censored references to the video. Neither Chinese officials nor the film crew including Director Zhang Yimou have commented on the story.
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Christian Bale Blocked From Visiting Chinese Activist Chen

December 17, 2011
(2:42)
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Batman star Christian Bale attempted to visit Chinese human rights activist Chen Guangcheng, but was allegedly pushed, punched and forced to leave.
   
Sources:CNNChristian Science MonitorBBCHuffington PostMSNBCLos Angeles Times
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