“I’m very aware of rhythm. It’s constantly there. Musical theatre includes the audience more. For me the audience is another character in the film or play. I’m always aware of it.”
For anyone who has been a dedicated fan of Christopher Walken for more than one decade know that, despite most of the creepy roles he plays, the man can dance.
Initially trained as a dancer in musical theatre at the Washington Dance Studio, the American actor and director dropped out of school at Hofstra University after getting the role of Clayton Dutch Miller in an Off-Broadway revival of Best Foot Forward with Liza Minnelli.
Since then, Walken has appeared in over 100 films and television shows, including Annie Hall, The Deer Hunter, True Romance, Pulp Fiction, and The Prophecy. He has been a popular guest-host on Saturday Night Live, having hosted 7 times, appearing in the ever-popular “More Cowbell” sketch with Will Ferrell and Jimmy Fallon.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/536145
But roles in films like Herbert Ross’s musical Pennies From Heaven is where he got to show off his musical theatre training, doing a tap-dancing striptease.
Walken also appeared in Fatboy Slim’s 2001 music video, Weapon of Choice, where he was the solo performer in the whole video, dancing through a deserted hotel lobby. Directed by Spike Jonze, the video won six awards at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards
Now Huffington Post video editor Ben Craw has put together a fabulous dance mash-up made up of 57 of Walken’s films, including the above-mentioned Pennies From Heaven, Hairspray, Wayne’s World 2, and King of New York (where he reportedly improvised the dance moves on the spot).
Despite having online popularity, Walken is not a fan of modern technology.
“You’re talking about the internet, I suppose? I don’t have a computer, or a cell phone. I’m a Luddite,” Walken told the British edition of Esquire magazine when asked about footage of him found online.
“I live in a place that’s a bit isolated. When you get older you’re not aware of all sorts of things, like new music. There’s lots of stuff that just doesn’t come under my radar.”
However, despite the fact that the 70-year old actor may never see the new mash-up dance video, we are sure glad it’s out there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNaau2uPFqI
Image via YouTube