Christopher Walken: Difference between revisions

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Christopher Walken (born March 31, 1943) is an Academy Award winning American actor of stage and screen, in a career spanning more than 50 years. A prolific actor, he has appeared in over 100 movie and television roles, notably including ''[[A View to A Kill (Film)|A View to A Kill]]'', ''At Close Range'', ''[[The Deer Hunter]]'', [[David Cronenberg]]'s ''[[The Dead Zone]]'', ''[[King of New York]]'', ''[[Batman Returns (Film)|Batman Returns]]'', ''[[True Romance]]'', ''[[Catch Me If You Can]]'' and ''[[Pulp Fiction]]'', as well as music videos by recording artists such as Madonna and Fatboy Slim.
Christopher Walken (born March 31, 1943) is an Academy Award winning American actor of stage and screen, in a career spanning more than 50 years. A prolific actor, he has appeared in over 100 movie and television roles, notably including ''[[A View to A Kill (Film)|A View to A Kill]]'', ''At Close Range'', ''[[The Deer Hunter]]'', [[David Cronenberg]]'s ''[[The Dead Zone]]'', ''[[King of New York]]'', ''[[Batman Returns (Film)|Batman Returns]]'', ''[[True Romance]]'', ''[[Catch Me If You Can]]'' and ''[[Pulp Fiction]]'', as well as music videos by recording artists such as Madonna and Fatboy Slim.


Walken appeared as the [[Archangel Gabriel]] in the first three ''[[The Prophecy (Film)|Prophecy]]'' movies, as well as his frequent guest-host appearances on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' (seven in all, though six of them [the ones from 1990 to 2003] have his recurring sketch "The Continental" and all six of them have monologues in which Walken sings and dances; the one from the [[Writers Strike]]-shortened 33rd season has neither of these), his most notable being ''[[Spell My Name With a The|The]]'' Bruce Dickinson in the ''[[Memetic Mutation|"More Cowbell"]]'' sketch and [[Casanova Wannabe]] The Continental ([[Weird Al Effect|based on an actual TV character from an obscure 1950s show; but most people wouldn't know that]]). In the United States, films featuring Walken have grossed over $1.8 billion. He has also played the main role in the Shakespeare plays ''Hamlet'', ''Macbeth'', ''Romeo and Juliet'', and even ''Coriolanus''. Famous film roles were Nikanor "Nick" Chevotarevich in ''The Deer Hunter'' (for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor) and in ''[[Pulp Fiction]]'', as Captain Koons, a Vietnam War veteran, which has since become a pop culture icon, [[One Scene Wonder|despite his appearance being less than five minutes in length]] (many of his roles probably count for being "best thing in the movie"). In fact, his prolific film appearances relate to his own policy of ''never'' turning down film roles unless he's too busy, finding that each and every role is a learning experience. One can only wonder what he learned from ''[[Gigli]]''...
Walken appeared as the [[Archangel Gabriel]] in the first three ''[[The Prophecy (Film)|Prophecy]]'' movies, as well as his frequent guest-host appearances on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' (seven in all, though six of them [the ones from 1990 to 2003] have his recurring sketch "The Continental" and all six of them have monologues in which Walken sings and dances; the one from the [[Writers Strike]]-shortened 33rd season has neither of these), his most notable being ''[[Spell My Name With a "The"|The]]'' Bruce Dickinson in the ''[[Memetic Mutation|"More Cowbell"]]'' sketch and [[Casanova Wannabe]] The Continental ([[Weird Al Effect|based on an actual TV character from an obscure 1950s show; but most people wouldn't know that]]). In the United States, films featuring Walken have grossed over $1.8 billion. He has also played the main role in the Shakespeare plays ''Hamlet'', ''Macbeth'', ''Romeo and Juliet'', and even ''Coriolanus''. Famous film roles were Nikanor "Nick" Chevotarevich in ''The Deer Hunter'' (for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor) and in ''[[Pulp Fiction]]'', as Captain Koons, a Vietnam War veteran, which has since become a pop culture icon, [[One-Scene Wonder|despite his appearance being less than five minutes in length]] (many of his roles probably count for being "best thing in the movie"). In fact, his prolific film appearances relate to his own policy of ''never'' turning down film roles unless he's too busy, finding that each and every role is a learning experience. One can only wonder what he learned from ''[[Gigli]]''...


His distinctive style of speaking, including random pauses, wild enunciation and a tendency to change voice pitch at random, have made clips from his movies subject to a great deal of [[Memetic Mutation]], and he's probably the third most-imitated actor out there, after [[Sean Connery|Connery]] and [[Arnold Schwarzenegger|Ahnold]]. ("Diz gai... is un-FUCKING-believable!") He doesn't actually sound much like most of his impersonators. You're still...imagining!...this article...in his illustrious voice! <ref>Good News...Everyone! I just fucked you up!...badly!</ref>
His distinctive style of speaking, including random pauses, wild enunciation and a tendency to change voice pitch at random, have made clips from his movies subject to a great deal of [[Memetic Mutation]], and he's probably the third most-imitated actor out there, after [[Sean Connery|Connery]] and [[Arnold Schwarzenegger|Ahnold]]. ("Diz gai... is un-FUCKING-believable!") He doesn't actually sound much like most of his impersonators. You're still...imagining!...this article...in his illustrious voice! <ref>Good News...Everyone! I just fucked you up!...badly!</ref>
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* ''[[Joe Dirt]]'' - Clem, the [[Almighty Janitor]] who threatens [[Kid Rock]] with a [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|soldering iron]]
* ''[[Joe Dirt]]'' - Clem, the [[Almighty Janitor]] who threatens [[Kid Rock]] with a [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|soldering iron]]
* ''Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead'' - "One minute you're huggin' trees. The next, you're chuggin' cock."
* ''Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead'' - "One minute you're huggin' trees. The next, you're chuggin' cock."
* ''[[Scotland PA]]'' - Lt. McDuff
* ''[[Scotland, PA]]'' - Lt. McDuff
* ''[[Suicide Kings]]'' - Charlie Barrett
* ''[[Suicide Kings]]'' - Charlie Barrett
* ''[[King of New York]]'' - Frank White
* ''[[King of New York]]'' - Frank White
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* ''[[Balls of Fury]]'' - Feng
* ''[[Balls of Fury]]'' - Feng
* [[Fatboy Slim]]'s "Weapon of Choice" video.
* [[Fatboy Slim]]'s "Weapon of Choice" video.
* And being the ''[[One Scene Wonder]]'' king of kings : Example ''Romance and Cigarettes''. He turns up, sings "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEH5zmAtLks Delilah]," sings "Red Headed Woman," fucks off again, and the best part of the movie is over.
* And being the ''[[One-Scene Wonder]]'' king of kings : Example ''Romance and Cigarettes''. He turns up, sings "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEH5zmAtLks Delilah]," sings "Red Headed Woman," fucks off again, and the best part of the movie is over.
* ''[[Man On Fire (Film)|Man On Fire]]'' - Rayburn. ("A man can be an artist... in anything, food, whatever. It depends on how good he is at it. Creasey's art is death. He's about to paint his masterpiece.")
* ''[[Man On Fire (Film)|Man On Fire]]'' - Rayburn. ("A man can be an artist... in anything, food, whatever. It depends on how good he is at it. Creasey's art is death. He's about to paint his masterpiece.")
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* [[Kindhearted Cat Lover]]
* [[Kindhearted Cat Lover]]
* [[Large Ham]]
* [[Large Ham]]
* [[Mean Character Nice Actor]]
* [[Mean Character, Nice Actor]]
* [[One Scene Wonder]]: When he's not playing a major role, of course. He is one of the patron saints of One Scene Wonders along with [[Peter Stormare]].
* [[One-Scene Wonder]]: When he's not playing a major role, of course. He is one of the patron saints of One Scene Wonders along with [[Peter Stormare]].
* [[Rule of Sean Connery]]
* [[Rule of Sean Connery]]
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[[Category:Films of the 1990s]]
[[Category:Films of the 1990s]]
[[Category:Christopher Walken]]
[[Category:Christopher Walken]]
[[Category:Trope]]

Revision as of 12:40, 9 January 2014

I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!
I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!

 "I make films that no one sees. I've made films that I myself have not seen."

Christopher Walken (born March 31, 1943) is an Academy Award winning American actor of stage and screen, in a career spanning more than 50 years. A prolific actor, he has appeared in over 100 movie and television roles, notably including A View to A Kill, At Close Range, The Deer Hunter, David Cronenberg's The Dead Zone, King of New York, Batman Returns, True Romance, Catch Me If You Can and Pulp Fiction, as well as music videos by recording artists such as Madonna and Fatboy Slim.

Walken appeared as the Archangel Gabriel in the first three Prophecy movies, as well as his frequent guest-host appearances on Saturday Night Live (seven in all, though six of them [the ones from 1990 to 2003] have his recurring sketch "The Continental" and all six of them have monologues in which Walken sings and dances; the one from the Writers Strike-shortened 33rd season has neither of these), his most notable being The Bruce Dickinson in the "More Cowbell" sketch and Casanova Wannabe The Continental (based on an actual TV character from an obscure 1950s show; but most people wouldn't know that). In the United States, films featuring Walken have grossed over $1.8 billion. He has also played the main role in the Shakespeare plays Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and even Coriolanus. Famous film roles were Nikanor "Nick" Chevotarevich in The Deer Hunter (for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor) and in Pulp Fiction, as Captain Koons, a Vietnam War veteran, which has since become a pop culture icon, despite his appearance being less than five minutes in length (many of his roles probably count for being "best thing in the movie"). In fact, his prolific film appearances relate to his own policy of never turning down film roles unless he's too busy, finding that each and every role is a learning experience. One can only wonder what he learned from Gigli...

His distinctive style of speaking, including random pauses, wild enunciation and a tendency to change voice pitch at random, have made clips from his movies subject to a great deal of Memetic Mutation, and he's probably the third most-imitated actor out there, after Connery and Ahnold. ("Diz gai... is un-FUCKING-believable!") He doesn't actually sound much like most of his impersonators. You're still...imagining!...this article...in his illustrious voice! [1]

As pointed out by the top quote, Christopher Walken doesn't cherrypick with the roles he takes. He just plain loves making movies.

A former professional dancer, which he got to show off in the 2007 rendition of Hairspray, as well as the aforementioned Fatboy Slim video, which consists solely of him dancing in an empty hotel.

Notable for:

Real Life Tropes:

The Rule of Walken: It needs more cowbell. No exceptions.

  1. ↑ Good News...Everyone! I just fucked you up!...badly!
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