Watch Christopher Walken recite
Lady GaGa’s “Poker Face” on this video and you will catch the actor in one of his trademark WTF moments. But why is this guy so funny? Is it those random, offbeat inflections in his voice, or the strange, almost
extra-terrestrial appearance he exudes with that large forehead and those big fish-like eyes? Whatever it is, one thing is certain: this guy is the shiznit.
Today he is best known for his smaller, quirkier parts, which helped cement his reputation as one of the strangest comedians in Hollywood. That being said, Walken can literally do anything, including sing and dance. More than
anything, Walken gets his kicks from hearing people say, “WTF?” Here is our list of Christopher Walken’s top 15 WTF moments.
As Captain Koons in Pulp Fiction (1994)
Everyone remembers the scene in Pulp Fiction when Christopher Walken shows up at young Butch’s house to give him his dead father’s watch. By the time Walken gets to the part about Butch’s father and how he put the watch “in the one place he knew he could hide something … his ASS!” we are in hysterics. That’s called delivery. Walken is probably on-screen in Pulp Fiction for a total of four minutes. Without him, the movie wouldn’t be the same.
Walken’s Dance Routine in Fatboy Slim’s “Weapon of Choice” (2001)
Watching Walken in this video for the first time is kind of like catching a glimpse of Superman flying: What … The … F?
Christopher Bleeping Walken. In this WTF? moment he dances, whirls, and flies around the Los Angeles Marriott hotel in a music video for Fatboy Slim’s song “Weapon of Choice.” Not only is he very good, he is unusually spry and athletic for such an old man. And the look on his face? Pure ecstasy. In addition to his dancing skills, Walken shows us sides of his personality in this video that we rarely get to see. Walken also steals yet another show, this time from the musicians (the song is best known for its’ music video).
Click here to watch the video!
As Nick in The Deer Hunter (1978)
One of the most dramatic moments in The Deer Hunter comes when Christopher Walken’s character, Nick, suffers a mental breakdown while he's recuperating in a hospital during the Vietnam War. This scene would be touching for even the most cynical viewer. It’s a downer, plain and simple. But you gotta respect Walken. It’s very difficult for any actor to capture the horror and intensity of an event like the Vietnam War. Walken does this so convincingly that the actor playing the doctor looks like he wants to give him a BJ: out of respect. Nobody watching this movie in 1978 would have been able to foresee Walken as the quirky comedian he has become. Another notch in a very long belt of accomplishments.
As Whitley Strieber in Communion (1989)
There are few scenes that haunt us, toy with us, and stick in our subconsciousness like the one in Communion where Christopher Walken gets abducted by aliens. The extra-terrestrial theme of the movie is perfect for Walken because he actually looks like he’s from another planet. You know, the same one Michael Jackson was from.
As Duane Hall in Annie Hall (1977)
Want to know how to make a WTF? Christopher Walken moment even better? Put Woody Allen in the scene with him. We’re not exactly sure if Allen knew what he was getting when he decided to employ Walken in Annie Hall, but he must have been more than pleased with the result.
Over the years there have been numerous guests who have bombed on Saturday Night Live (Derek Jeter). A few of them have been able to keep up with the seasoned improvisers and the shows have been very good. Then there have been other guests, such as Christopher Walken, who have trumped the SNL cast and delivered performances we will never forget.
“I coulda used a little more cowbell,” Walken says during a 2000 skit where members of the SNL cast are dressed as Blue Oyster Cult, running through a rehearsal of “Don't Fear the Reaper.” Will Ferrell, who isn’t “feeling the cowbell,” resists, at least at first. Then Walken yells, “Look! I gotta fevah!! And the only pascription is moah Cowbell!!!!” Cowbell? Really? WTF?
Watch the skit here!
As Cousin Bo in Romance and Cigarettes (2005)
At the very beginning of this scene, Christopher Walken is talking to Susan Sarandon in a diner about his love of women. Sarandon poses the question, “What really happened between you and Rose?” At this point Walken starts to unravel, and despite all the quirkiness we are reminded that the man can act.
Then, all of a sudden, the song “Delilah” starts playing and the movie becomes a music video for the next couple of minutes … with Walken as the lead singer.
WTF??!! Seriously. It seems as if Walken is the go-to weirdo. Hollywood just gives him all the roles that no other actors understand or have the balls to play.
As Johnny Smith in The Dead Zone (1983)
It doesn’t get more WTF than the scene in The Dead Zone , where Christopher Walken wakes up from a coma after being in a car accident only to discover … drum roll please … he has special psychic powers! Directed by David Cronenburg, the same guy who helmed The Fly and Friday the 13th , this is another example of a movie where Walken kills with his weirdness.
As ‘Feng’ in Balls of Fury (2007)
Our next WTF? Christopher Walken moment was when he signed on to do Balls of Fury. Um … why would Walken ever agree to this movie? There is no way that he could have read this script and thought it seemed funny. And who is this lead actor, Dan Fogler?? Are you kidding me!!??
The truth is that Walken doesn’t care; he has had secondary roles in lots of crappy movies. All his agent had to say was, “Look, you’re gonna play a guy named Feng. He runs an underground table tennis tournament. Sometimes the matches end in death …”
As Clem in Joe Dirt (2001)
Ah yes. This performance is perhaps the purest example of Walken’s comedic genius. Although he’s only in the film for a few scenes, his random, nuanced performance as a high school janitor is enough to steal the film away from the scraggly SNL veteran David Spade.
As The Headless Horseman in Sleepy Hollow (1999)
In Sleepy Hollow, Walken plays the Hessian Horseman who gets his head chopped off and later terrorizes all of Sleepy Hollow as the legendary Headless Horseman. Walken’s dominant presence is cemented during a brief three minute sequence at the beginning of the movie (the only part in the film where he has a head).
“Walken Family Reunion” on SNL (2008)
At this point you’re probably asking yourself: What could be better than watching Christopher Walken perform? How about an entire Christopher Walken family? Whoa whoa whoa. An entire family of Walken’s? WTF?
Click here to watch the video!
As Peina in The Addiction (1995)
Long before Hollywood’s vampire obsession had come full circle in the form of films like Twilight and TV shows like “True Blood” and “The Vampire Diaries,” Christopher Walken played a vampire by the name of Peina in a movie called The Addiction. In the film, Walken delivers one of the eeriest, most chilling monologues … ever.
As Frank White in The King of New York (1990)
In
The King of New York, Christopher Walken plays Frank White, a former drug trafficker who has just been released from Sing-Sing prison. When Frank realizes that his neighborhood became increasingly rundown and dangerous while he was in jail, he decides to turn things around by killing off his former competition and stealing their drugs to finance a new hospital for the needy.
One of the best scenes is when Walken meets with Arty, one of his former competitors, while a group of drug dealers are playing blackjack.
Watch this clip here!
As Gabriel in The Prophecy (1995)
Christopher Walken plays archangel Gabriel in The Prophecy, which doesn’t really amount to much more than a terrible date movie. Actually, it amounted to three terrible date movies, because after the first one they made two sequels. The gist of the film is that there is a war in heaven and Walken plays a fallen angel who is trying to overthrow … uh … God, we guess. Or maybe JC?
Either way, that isn’t the point. The point is that Walken is brilliant as the fallen angel who wavers between tactful diplomat and enraged psycho. Our WTF moment comes when Walken starts to interrogate Simon (Eric Stoltz) about the whereabouts of a soul that will end the … never mind. It doesn’t matter why Walken is interrogating him, that isn’t the point. The point is, how.