# what are Christopher Walken's biggest moments? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 29, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079 "2006-01-29T15:30:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/1 "2006-01-29T15:30:57Z")
I just watched the movie Suicide Kings, which was pretty lacking overall, but at least had an interesting Walken character. After a quick glance at Walken’s IMDB list, two things struck me: 1. He does not seem very picky about the movies he appears in. 2. Even if he’s in a good movie, his role usually isn’t the lead. What would you say are Walken’s finest and most memorable moments in his movie career? I loved his effort in the 1985 Bond movie **A view to kill**. The movie was tame, but Walken really stood out. Max Zorin is still my favorite Bond villain. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/2 "2006-01-29T15:34:16Z")
Not a movie, but his starring role in The Weapon of Choice video was pure genius. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/3 "2006-01-29T15:37:16Z")
I’m sure winning the best supporting actor Oscar in [The Deer Hunter](http://imdb.com/title/tt0077416/awards) counts as a highlight. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/4 "2006-01-29T15:50:41Z")
His performance as a gangland boss in Abel Ferrara’s **King of New York** is excellent. Even his dancing in that film is sinister. ---
**Author:** ![bigdfrombigd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df705f/32.png) [@bigdfrombigd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bigdfrombigd)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/5 "2006-01-29T15:57:00Z")
I loved him in “More Cowbell”. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/6 "2006-01-29T15:58:06Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Not a movie, but his starring role in The Weapon of Choice video was pure genius. Seconded. This is why I opened the thread, actually… ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/7 "2006-01-29T16:07:38Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Not a movie, but his starring role in The Weapon of Choice video was pure genius. And available at the iTunes Music Store. Well worth the $1.99. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/8 "2006-01-29T16:09:44Z")
His story of Butch’s dad’s watch in _Pulp Fiction_. The scene with Dennis Hopper in _True Romance_. It’s been too long to recall much about the whole movie, especially his part, but I can’t wait for _Brainstorm_ to come back around. Natalie Wood’s last one. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/9 "2006-01-29T16:10:34Z")
I’d have to say his scene with Dennis Hopper in True Romance is a career highlight, as is his monologue in Pulp Fiction (both written by Quentin Tarantino). Fatboy Slim’s “Weapon of Choice” music video (directed by Spike Jonze) and the now-famous Saturday Night Live “More Cowbell” sketch have to be comedic highlights. His small but memorable role in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall (his first major role, if I’m not mistaken) is pretty well-loved, as well. ---
**Author:** ![marymargaret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@marymargaret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marymargaret)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/10 "2006-01-29T16:11:19Z")
> [@bigdfrombigd](#): > > I loved him in “More Cowbell”. That is exactly why I opened this thread. Pure comedic genius. ---
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/11 "2006-01-29T16:14:07Z")
> [@bigdfrombigd](#): > > I loved him in “More Cowbell”. DAMN YOU - you beat me to it. That is one of my favourite CW moments. ---
**Author:** ![Ensign\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/12 "2006-01-29T16:30:00Z")
My favorite is a long way back: his brief role as the crazy brother in **Annie Hall**. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/13 "2006-01-29T16:54:25Z")
I know it was a bit of a “B” movie, but his role as Gabriel in _The Prophecy_ was pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/14 "2006-01-29T16:55:17Z")
Did any of you see The Prophecy? He was great as the angel Gabriel. And he was fun in Blast from the Past. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/15 "2006-01-29T16:56:18Z")
What, no love for **The Dead Zone**? He got to exercise a lot of acting chops in that: romantic vulnerability, physical frailty, despair, anger, self-pity, horror, and political assassination. That, and his Eurotrash slimeball from SNL’s “The Continental” skits. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/16 "2006-01-29T16:58:00Z")
We ought to give prizes for multiple posts with the same roles mentioned. I have counted three thus far. Did anybody see the Stephen King _Dead Zone_? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/17 "2006-01-29T16:59:08Z")
DAMN!!! This is freaking me out! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/18 "2006-01-29T17:05:28Z")
Okay, can anybody else remember the bit on _Inside the Actors Studio_ when James Lipton is describing when he and Walken and somebody else were walking in a dangerous part of Manhattan and were accosted by a bunch of Black street toughs. The leader of the gang came right up to Walken, got up in his face and said something like, “Damn, man. You are the coolest White dude on the planet.” Also, no mention of Walken is complete without paying tribute to the guys who do such great impressions of him: Kevin Spacey, Kevin Pollak, and others. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/19 "2006-01-29T17:27:15Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Also, no mention of Walken is complete without paying tribute to the guys who do such great impressions of him: Kevin Spacey, Kevin Pollak, and others. Jay Mohr’s is my favorite. Was Jay the first? I never saw anybody imitate Walken before he did on SNL. FYI, Pollack does the "Aristocrats’ joke as Walken in that documentary that’s on DVD now, I found that pretty funny. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079/20 "2006-01-29T17:43:42Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Also, no mention of Walken is complete without paying tribute to the guys who do such great impressions of him: Kevin Spacey, Kevin Pollak, and others. Yeah, can’t forget Jay Mohr! But that’s interesting that Spacey and Pollak both do such great Walken impressions. Can you imagine how much fun The Usual Suspects might have been if those two, Stephen Baldwin, Benecio Del Toro, and Gabriel Byrne read ALL their lines Walken-style? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-christopher-walkens-biggest-moments/342079.md?page=2)