Top 10 Christopher Walken Performances
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ต.ค. 2012
- Top 10 Greatest Christopher Walken Performances
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Christopher Walken has portrayed both leading men and notorious villains, and never fails to leave his scene stealing mark on every film he appears in. Join www.Watchmojo.com as we pick the ten best Christopher Walken roles.
List Entries and Rank:
#10. Whitley Strieber “Communion” (1989)
#9. Gabriel “The Prophecy” (1995)
#8. Caesar, the Exterminator “MouseHunt” (1997)
#7. Mr. Smith “Nick of Time” (1995)
#6. Johnny Smith “The Dead Zone” (1983)
#5. Don Vincenzo Coccotti “True Romance” (1993)
#4. Frank Abagnale, Sr. “Catch Me If You Can” (2002)
#3. ? - บันเทิง
I watch some movies ONLY because Christopher Walken is in them.
Dune137
Me too i.ncredible actor what a bout c.walken in the godfellas.the movie was for him !!! No walken in a lot of classics 1incredible such an expressive talent.
Have you seen, puss in boots? Not the animated one
Dune137 who doesn‘t
Same here~
King of New York.
The performance from "The Deer Hunter" was an "all-timer". If he did NOTHING else, that performance put him at the top of any list of the best actors in the world. Fortunately, we have so much more. What an American treasure!
I love his character's name in that movie. It just rolls off the tongue.
4 years later, I, agree, with, yous.
It would be awesome to see. Jack Nicholson also. I still think Hopkins gets the edge though. Walken, while playing a crazy person well, still makes you want to chuckle. Nicholson, while playing a crazy person well, is too enraged to have ever become a doctor.
5:32 Yo recuerdo esta escena es de la película Tiempos Violentos (1994).
It's all in his eyes. You're terrified and fall in love all at the same time.
Mel Gibson called him the Antichrist and said he “floats” like a Count (Dracula)
So true ,so true I was born 30 yrs too late for this man😭
Words of wisdom Rachel!
@@xosamskylar Really !?
@@deab1676 yes in an interview
At Close Range! What an underrated movie and a stellar performance by Walken
This was pure evil. Plus it was based on a true character.
I was coming here to say the same thing! What a memorable, chilling performance.
Absolutely... Great movie too. I am always shocked at how few people know about it
Oh, man, yea! SO underrated.
My favorite movie all time ! I like it so much I have a playlist of it on my channel . Epic movie .
How in the world can 7 Psychopaths NOT be on this list? Really? He was UNFORGETTABLE in this movie!! Walken is a real American treasure!!
Yes! I totally agree I’ve just commented saying the same, I was really shocked it wasn’t on there!
Let's hope Christopher Walken's Padishah Emperor in Dune Part II becomes one of his most iconic roles! 🤞
Turns out it wasn't
He has criminally under used
Love Christopher Walken but he was completely casted wrong in Dune.
That voice, that voice!! One of the few actors who can utter one syllable, and you would know that it's Christopher Walken.
He was absolutely brilliant in Biloxi Blues as the Drill Sgt. Him and Broderick made that movie a guilty pleasure.
It's like Africa hot
"Don't bullshit me, Jerome...I have an all-faiths calendar in my barracks room..."
The Deer Hunter one of the most powerful performances ive ever seen
I still watch it. Love it. When I first watched it back in the 80s Nicks death affected me for weeks.
Dogs of war was his best role badass movie
forgetting your parents birthday , greatest acting I've seen in a long time , The Beat
@@juliemarkey254 Yes that movie is a such a superb piece of cinema history. Nicks death was tragic but you could’ve seen it coming the war broke him permanently.
@@brandocommando7729 I so wanted him to make it home. I believe it was a war none of us should have been at. 🇦🇺🇺🇸😔
Sleepy Hollow, he didnt say a word in that movie and was fantastic.
Ramza1987 I love that movie with Johnny Depp , Christina Ricci
I remember his best line: RRRRRAAAAWWWRRR!!!
Omg!!!! Now i knew it! I always thought he looks familiar! I really loved sleepy hallow
He is the best! I love this film because of this ending scene with Christopher... he is so lovely crazy! 😅
Agreed!
He was also outstanding in Seven Psychopaths, I could watch that movie again & again just for his performance 😁
Yep great movie he as always brilliant and throw in Woody, Sam Rockwell & a cameo from Tom Waits it is very much a repeat watch
I just saw that movie last year for the first time. Now it's a favourite (along with
The Princess Bride and The Gods Must Be Crazy.
Vincent Coccotti takes it for me in True Romance. Apart from the fact the cult film had more stars than the milky way, his scene in the parked trailer with Hopper was beyond excellent. You could literally feel every emotion both characters were going through in that scene. It's hands down one of the greatest movie scenes and one of the greatest films of all time.
My personal favorite Walken role was in Seven Psychopaths. The movie was a blend of comedy, drama, and suspense, and Walken was right at home in it.
thanks. that would be #1 to me!
But that’s not a classic and it’s no true romance
Is there any question about this amazing actor? He is golden every time he appears on screen. Anybody who disagrees, go fuck your selves.
"PUT YER HANDS UP!" (demeaningly)"No." It was absolute brilliance every second he was on screen
@@maryamnaseer478 that while scene was brilliant
Put your hands up!
No.
What? Why not?
I don't want to.
But i have a gun...
I don't care
Can you imagine if he had played Hannibal Lecter??
pls no
+DBZ Moments, Movies, music and more ! Hell yeah!!!
interesting
Hellou Clairice, how ya doin'?
:V
betoen Aaaaaaaaagggggghhhhhh😧🐑
He is by far, my favourite Bond villain.
Nobody else comes close.
His final scene where he hangs by his fingernails is cinematic history.
There's are a few more but hell yeah..
Absolutely nailed the nazi genetic ubermensch psycho
That scene where he kills of his henchmen
That's how I first discoved him,, I thought he was amazing and creepy.
Suicide Kings. Definitely one of my favorites.
His role in "Deer Hunter" was one that has stayed with me for a very long time.
It crushed me for weeks. I still watch it. It’s a masterpiece but when Nick dies I’m gutted again.
All the actors in The Deer Hunter were great
"Blast From the Past" would have definitely been one of my top ten of his. Brilliant quirkiness at its finest.
They use lawn furniture as a comeon. Love it!!
Such an underrated classic of a film. Cracks me up everytime. :)
Clyde Bear.....agreed......absolutely 👍
Joe Dirt: "Hey, you're talkin' to my guy all wrong. It's the wrong tone. Do it again, I'll stab you in the face with a soldering iron!"
"What if I am?"
"What.. What if we're his family!?"
Anthony Benedetti/Clem Doore/Gert B. Frobe is a highly underrated character
One of the greatest actors of all time, can’t wait for Dune 2
Max Zorin from A View To A Kill and Max Shreck from Batman Returns. Both of them are truly great (and in my opinion, sadly overlooked) villain portrayals.
Pop Films And part of the reason in my opinion is Walken's performance as the villain.
+The King of the Monsters I totally agree, Max Zorin should have been on the list.
What's missing here? The "Weapon Of Choice" music video where he told the whole thing without words in magnificent dance.
Agreed
*****
Yea i use it but you have to be careful a lot of add ware.
the dancing was only dancing, it's only his persona that makes the film clip, without his persona it's only another douche dancing.
Gee Foo You're right, he was acting in it too: all crushed and defeated at the start, slowly lighting up as he felt the beat, then becoming out-and-out euphoric when he flew.
Dancing is where he started as a child, he's really good at it still.
I can’t believe Blast From the Past wasn’t mentioned. He played his character perfectly.
Me too!!! One of my all time favorite movies and he's a big part of it.
His performance in The Deer Hunter left a mark on me.
He is so charismatic and ethereal. His character in The Deerhunter had me in tears. I could watch him read the phone book. He was made to be an actor. It's not on your list, but I loved him in Stand Up Guys too. And going totally leftfield the video for Fatboy Slim's Weapon of Choice where he's dancing is pure genius.
My favorite actor ever. He is accomplished and humble.
Did we fail to mention "At Close Range?" A movie, loosely based on a true story, that shows another great performance by Mr. Walken.
It wasn’t loosely based. It was almost spot on
@@frankiepalmisano4272 not really bro. I felt that way too but learned a lot about the case. I'm actually friends with Bruce Jr and his daughter Stephenie. I'm also very good friends with James Sampson Jr. His father and uncle were both murdered by the gang. He also has an aunt who had a child with James Johnston ( Chris Penn's character) . The child was born and given up for adoption because of these events. Fortunately he turned out to be a great kid and had a very good life. Sorry I can ramble about this case for hours. But my point is that there were some major differences between the film and the events. If this case interests you then I highly recommend the book Jailing the Johnston Gang. It is an awesome read!
His best performance is from Pulp Fiction! That monologue from him is delivered very well and transitions perfectly from dramatic to absolutely hilarious! 🤣
5 minutes and he steals the whole film.
Tarantino specifically wanted Walken for that cameo, because he did the same thing with Tarantino's script for True Romance!
I still think King of New York though is his best. He is unhinged in that movie.
@@lonestar6709 Pulp Fiction is a movie which contains the funniest and coolest scenes ever. in a row, one after the other. the gimp scene, the toaster scene, the Bar scene with Vincent and Bruce Willis meeting the first time, and the traffic light scene with Marsellus - to name a few. That is why it is one of the best movies ever and everyone who doubts that, proves himself an idiot when it comes to movies. It is Tarantino's best. The Chris Walken scene is one of them and it's great, but it doesn't steal the whole film.
When he talks about Denzel's character in Man On Fire, how death is his art and he's going to paint his masterpiece. Brilliant.
Yep. That's one of his most memorable scenes for me. The screenplay and his delivery of it is what helped to propel the intensity that the following scenes put forth. One of my favorite movies all time.
YELP---the way he said"This is his Masterpeace(piece) the Way the expression-the body Language. I was Ranger NAM and almost had same encounter. I broke down and shook for minutes for seeing the almost Exact situation He was IN---I was IN.. Saw it on Hollywood Strip-3rd row upper balcony
SEVEN. PSYCHOPATHS.
“Nothing to do with the hallu-cino-gens”
You're god damn right.
such an underrated movie, it hurts....
The Deer Hunter: De Niro, Walken and Streep. Amazing.
Love Deer Hunter and I'm so glad Walken is an Oscar winner.
Though it was a supporting role, his performance in "Man On Fire" is vastly underrated.
true dat!
Creasy's art is death, He's about to paint his masterpiece.
Absolutely.....
Look up the lion speech in Poolhall Junkies. A relatively unknown, and not very great, movie, but Walken makes it enjoyable.
+Chris Mason I was just about to suggest that speech. Love Poolhall Junkies. No one else could have pulled that off as well as Walken.
was about to say the same thing
The Deer Hunter will always be my #1. The whole cast was phenomenal.
Walker is one of my favorite actors. His eyes are mesmerizing and he has the ability to catch your interest and keep it. I may have a slight crush on him😀
He was great in "At Close Range" with Sean Penn. 1986 based on a true story. Excellent work.
In my opinion, Walken is simply one of the greatest actors of all time!
Deer Hunter is a masterpiece of filming, and he makes this so.
My first memory of Christopher Walken was "Brainstorm" with Natalie Wood. That movie was awesome and thought provoking. His character showed so much depth, I was hooked after that.
Whoa! No major beefs here.
His Oscar winning performance in "The Deerhunter" was shattering in a great film loaded with great performances.
But, my favorite Walken is his "Johnny Smith" in David Cronenberg's brilliant adapt of Stephen King's "The Dead Zone". He perfectly portrays a character that is absolutely haunting & heartbreaking. This is a movie that often gets overlooked. (it's one of my top 10 favorite movies of all-time.) I'm glad this on your list.
I was certainly surprised - and very glad - to see it on here. I love "The Dead Zone".
Bawled like a fool for several days after that viewing
Walkens is one of the best actors of ALL TIME. Regardless the movie, actors, screenplay, director, or producer- he delivered-- big time.
Understated & under-rated.
understood, but rated just fine, classic and... secretly inspirational
Walken
One of the greatest actors of all time. Respect the G. O. A. T.
The Dead Zone is a great movie, script with a great performance.
"The ice! Is gonna! Break!"
☝🏻
No All American Murder?
No Joe Dirt?
No McBain?
But really, Christopher Walken needs a Top 25.
at least
His Deerhunter performance is definitely number one. I'm surprised no mention of Close Range.
Yes. It is very genial too
That he had so many prime performances said a lot. He was stunning in Biloxi Blues, with a take on drill instructor totally unexpected. His Dogs of War take was also unexpected, as he was a merc with more thought than just a payday, trying to rectify a co-opted country.
Very Brando-ish in that role.
How do you not have the lion speech in here somewhere from poolhall junkies? One the single most amazing speeches ever in any movie. And the intensity in his voice when he says "hyenas" gives me chills every time.
I would've loved to see Walken play Randall Flagg in The Stand.
I know right!
+Mark Lysle he was scary as hell
THE CONTINENTAL
I've got a fever
The only cure? MORE COWBELL!!! i hate to admit, i'm obsessed with that skit.
Many of us love the cowbell bit.... classic
and the only prescription is MORE COWBELL
And the cure is more cow bell..
Tom Y Mad Cow????
"Pennies From Heaven" in that wonderful dance scene!
YES oh my God.
'Communion' was the first thing I ever saw him in, but 'King of NY' made me respect him. (Lawrence Fishburn too). But when I found out he was gonna be Gabriel, the "archangel", I had to tell my friends about him. We became a whole neighborhood of Christopher Walken fans! 'The Prophessy' trilogy. Everyone should watch them!
Guy is a freakin legend.
Christopher Walken "my fave movie quote" in True Romance: I'm the Antichrist.
You've got me in a vendetta kind of mood. You tell the angels in heaven
you've never seen evil so singularly personified
as you did in the face of the man who killed you. My name is Vincent Coccotti.
His "Mr. Continental" on SNL
was fabulous and classic
You forget how great a Bond villain he was in a View To A Kill. A pure psychopath.
he will always be The King of New York to me. while almost all of his characters have had strong appeal this one was the best for me. he truly showed us his passion for acting in this film. the villain with compassion to help others and use millions in drug money to fund hospitals in poor districts etc. impressive portrayal in my opinion
This list needs more cowbell
At Close Range with Sean and Christopher Penn.. One of his best. He played a villain and it was AMAZING. Should have been listed over some of these others.
He NAILS all his parts . He makes ya beleive its a REAL character..cuz NO ONE could make that stuff up.
"At Close Range" is when Walken became one of my favorite/most memorable actors.
+Jason Farrell I couldn't agree more! Not only was At Close Range his BEST performance, it was his scariest! To live with a controlling, , emotionless, lawless father like that is very realistic and believable. I honestly cant believe it wasn't on this list, let alone NOT #1. Sean Penn's best performance, imo, as well.
+Jason Farrell I couldn't agree more with you guys . I can't understand why WatchMojo overlooked this defining role.
I agree.
At Close Range was based on a true story. The man Walken portrays was named Norman Johnson and he and his gang operated in Lancaster county Pa. near the Maryland and Delaware borders.
Amazing. I heard that too. Based on a true story. I saw something -just last night...
Christopher Walken on the actors studio. Sean penn would do that movie, At Close Range, but he had to have CW as the father.
The blond-haired Max Zorin in A View To A Kill was an amazing performance, yet not even top 10 for you guys? One of the best Bond villains ever created. I mean, having a dissenting associate dropped out of his airship, maniacally machine-gunning his own construction workers, and then ending with that memorable death off the Golden Gate bridge.
I say the one you missed was At Close Range.with the Penn brothers. 💜
Ohh yea, that was also a stelar performance indeed (the mustache was on point hehe). Btw, one other movie I really like (its really a genuinely interesting movie) is Dogs of War... He portrayed a mercenary while leading a military coup for revenge.
I love the way he speaks!☘🐾
The Deer Hunter was my introduction to this fabulously entertaining wild man and I've been hooked ever since. Cow bells, baby? Need more cow bells.
As Zorin in A View to a Kill. One of my favorite James Bond villains.
he is possibly the best. a classic bond villan. phsycotic, insane and money and power mad. just brilliant.
Agreed. Definitely one of the top three. Arguably the best.
Legend playing so many iconic roles. (In the voice of the man himself) "But y'know...i gotta say...you got the top spot...just perfect...POW!". Seriously though, his portrayal in Deer Hunter is to this day breathtaking
His portrayal of the sergeant in Biloxi blues was on point.
Every performance was Christopher Walken's best performance. Even in the films that sucked...he didn't.
Have you seen Balls of Fury or Click? The movie didn't suck in their genres, nor did he but you have to question why he took the roles he took in those movies. They didn't really utilize him at all.
Greg i loved the movie click. And him in that role too. I thought i saw him in ghost rider as the last villain the old guy in the end but it wasnt him. I think he would have fit that role so good.
How about his SNL 'more cowbell' skit? Even that was brilliantly done. And that tap dance scene in Pennies From Heaven is a favorite. Walken is like Jack Nicholson-----both have the creepy, menacing thing down, but are incredible actors at everything else they do too.
He had one great line in the Batman movie when he was stunned that Michele Phifer didn't die.."Next time I'll throw her out a higher window"
"why are you dressed up like batman" was my favorite line
Thank you for putting his work in Deer Hunter at number one. What he did in that film is beyond stunning.
Good list. However where is Max Zorin from "A View to a Kill"?
Grzegorz Rogowski Yep.
That should have been one of the honorable mentions!
Thats what I said
Definitely! That laugh and the look on his face before he falls to his death.
HOW THE FUCK CAN AT CLOSE RANGE NOT BE ON THE LIST.
Suicide Kings.
agreed. great movie. old school
Abso-fukin-lutly one his best
ALSO THE RUNDOWN! ??
nah nah .... His Sergeant Toomey in "Bioloxi Blues" is probably the best supporting role peformance in cinema history!
I can never get enough of him! Lots of great performances are missing here
You Forgett A View to a Kill! This Movie, King of New York and Dead Zone are my Favorite!
He was great in Dogs of war, too. A nearly forgotten, but good movie.
Honestly, I think this list needs more cowbell
or some of "The Continental"
I was going to say the same. LOL But I thought i'd better scroll through the comments to see if someone else hadn't already said it because it's just so obvious.
True Romance scene with Dennis Hopper. Priceless, amazing, acting at it's best.
Rusty Kuntz oh yes, now I remember, sorry for the momentary lapse of memory. Walken called Hopper a cantelope, after being called an eggplant. Great lines.......as we both agree.
They both improvised that part of the movie. Both great actors!
Walken is amazing in everything he does
And of course Dennis Hopper was just phenomenal.
Yes. I just love how both of them acted in that scene. They were both actually really laughing! (Stated by Chris Walken in an interview of the movie) said that Dennis was making him crack up the whole time they filmed it xD
Dennis Hopper was a piece of work. He was quite an excellent photographer as well.
Love Christopher Walken acting and dancing!
Love Christopher Walken, The Deer Hunter is my favorite movie of all time. I put his acting up there with Pacino and DeNiro.
I agree, SNL, More cowbells! Balls of Fury was just fun. I love him in any part! My mother sat next to him In an airplane. She was teary eyed & devastated over my youngest brothers death. She said he was very gentlemanly and probably would have spoken to her if she were not so oblivious. She knew he was a nice person because he fussed over her to get her blankets and water. He spoke sweetly to his wife about remodeling their home. They have cats. They were headed to NOLA. What a star!
I read an inteview decades ago about how weird people think he is, and he said something along the lines of acting is just a job that he does to pay his mortgage just like regular people do. Like people are shocked he has bills like they do.
I think based on all the comments there needs to be a part 2
+harvey banks I think based on his performance skills he would be a better president than Bush ever will be
+Hugo Stiglitz I think you may have misunderstood @girlzeyeview's comment. She was agreeing with you. When she said "you", she was referring to the narrator, who was talking so much. There was no hostility or judgment.
Walken as the “The man with the plan” in Things to do in Denver when you’re dead is super underrated. Every scene with him is classic Walken
TTDIDWYD is one of my favourite of this genre. Super underrated is right.
You should do a part two for this absolute legend that incorporates his role in 7 Psychopaths. That movie was criminally underrated...
Agreed. That was amazing. As was "Hairspray"...such an amazing spectrum of performance!
Too much talk over Walken's lines!
She can't stop yapping. unwatchable
Some good picks, for sure, but I would have included his performance in "At Close Range" in the mix as well.
I have to agree! At close range, was an AMAZING performance!
I just made a comment about this movie being one of my all time fav's.. :)
No wonder why Jigsaw still can kill people after death, Christopher Walken was Jigsaw all this time
Biloxi blues- "relieve me of my pistol, private" scene
The Deer Hunter.....his performance is one of the best of this century.It is a film that there are certain parts that I still can't get through without crying........how many years...40?...every generation in the family have seen this film......it is part of o ur history!
Just stop talking.
Agreed!!!!
I loved him in King of New York. Cold blooded is an understatement. He is an exceptional actor. No one even comes close. So intense. Love you Christopher.
Two lesser known but amazing Walken films and my favorites: The Comfort of Strangers and The Funeral. ♥
"Communion" introduced me to and absolutely SOLD me on Walken... and I haven't looked back since.
He is BRILLIANT in that movie.
Haven't seen Mouse Hunt, among others, but according to Nathan Lane, Walken's presence in that film...'was, alone, worth the price of admission.'
AllisterCooper2008 That film is underrated in general.. but yes, Walken probably was the most memorable part of that movie.
+AllisterCooper2008 Dude, I was 7 when I watched that film. But even I thought his acting skills were phenomenal back then
Juneval Good for you. You have taste! I first saw C Walken in this war film which took place in Africa called The Dogs of War. You ought to check out his weapon, it was bad ass. I haven't seen anything like it before or since then.
AllisterCooper2008 Hm... never saw that one. His acting skills in The Reaper were top of the league though. I know it's just a video game, but damn, didn't think he could ace a character that well. Was better than his acting in Mouse Hunt, you should check that out too
It came out in 1980, I watched it twice. That's the first movie of his that I saw. Not much into video games but to me, my fave performance of his was in True Romance :). I didn't like the remake of Stepford Wives, but of course he's moved on to better movies than that :).
How did they leave out At Close Range? Both Walken and Sean Penn delivered phenomenal performances.
Absolutely !!
"He'd be damned" line from Pulp MUST be included.
Deer Hunter was SPOT ON!
The father in "At Close Range" is one of his top 5 performances of all time, without question.
Walter Nave most definitely. the coyote monologue before he shot his own son is easily one of the most chilling, intense scenes to ever hit the screen. totally underrated film.
True story as well. Fk'd up
Walter Nave Yes!!! I can't believe that didn't even make the list! He was so Great (to hate) in that movie.
I had to put the kitchen scene in the comments. I couldn’t let this list go by without it. I forgot how good the part ‘death of Tommy’ was. That speech was fantastic
@@jamesbailey1009 Brad Whitewood(?)
I walked by him once on the west side of Manhattan - may have been Amsterdam Ave. - and there he was standing next to me on the corner waiting for the light to turn. I am not much of a star-gazer, but hey, this is Walken we are talking about. This was around the late 1980's and I still remember as yesterday. He was and is a cool cat.
"I'm a very powerful man.." Wedding Crashers, with that stare