Christopher Walken on Acting Like Christopher Walken | Hacker News Reader

Christopher Walken on Acting Like Christopher Walken

nytimes.com

101 pointssamclemens44 comments

" Every once in a while — certainly not often — I’ll be looking out the window, and I’ll think, I feel pretty good. My bills are paid, my wife is healthy, the weather’s nice. That’s really all I care about: when, apropos of nothing, I happen to look out the window and think, This is good. "

For a person who doesn't get zen. He has it at times it seems.

How is this zen at all?

Being happy and not desiring anything?

Not really sure if being rich and popular but not depraved and greedy really classifies as zen

I mean, the quotation includes a list of things he desires.

I think many people use zen to mean “at peace”. A zen moment is one where everything feels ok.

All his bills are paid. His wife is healthy. In this moment, he’s at peace.

He demonstrates being content in the current moment, and being present in that contentment. This doesn't mean emotionless, but does mean recognizing that all states are transient - happy and sad. It also doesn't mean a lack of self-improvement goals, but may mean a lack of material goals. This is my understanding, as a Zen beginner.

"I read all that but like I say, every time I think seriously about it, my cat comes and swipes his tail across my face." In my mind, this is nearly a koan if you meditate on it.

The Walken Koan: A student approached the master known as 'The Weapon of Choice' while the master was dancing, and interrupted him to ask "Master, I read these many books on Zen, but I am not sure what Zen is. What is Zen?"

The master looked at the student and answered "I read all that but like I say, every time I think seriously about it, my cat comes and swipes his tail across my face." The master then resumed dancing.

I got a kick out of his role in the music video for "Weapon of Choice" by Fatboy Slim.

Absolutely the best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCDIYvFmgW8

Spike Jonze’s stories about directing that music video are a great listen: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C8Yz9OLXu8Q. I never knew Christopher Walken had a dance background!

It's one of my favorite dance videos of all time. The bemused expression on his face as he's dancing is priceless. Not to mention a pretty decent track from Fatboy Slim.

Christopher Walken worked in a number of Broadway shows so it's not surprising he can dance.

Check out this compilation of him dancing in different movies. Excellent editing...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kAB3vYeWIM

cheap ripoff of a Fred Astaire number: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1Qlukngx-g&t=15s

> Even my dentist at one point, when he was doing my teeth, told me about a script he’d written.

Define: captive audience.

I'm sure he knows the drill.

(Credit to Owl City for that one.)

This is the clip mentioned in side note 7, I believe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OEXbaJHDkE

I'm wondering about the movie Walken mentions afterwards, the one where he got his hair dyed. Which one would that one be?

maybe "A View to a Kill"? [1]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Zorin

Probably wrong, but I immediately thought Sleepy Hollow.

People always cite Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance in reference to Zen, but then I know they didn't read the book, which explicitly states in the Foreward that it's not about Zen, and only a little bit about motorcycle maintenance.

"I've always resented punctuation" is a quote I can only read in the voice of Walken.

"I've always resented ... punctuation?"

“I’ve always, RESENTED… punctuAtion”

Nailed it.

I honestly never cared much for his role in Pulp Fiction, just seemed forced and contrived. But I really enjoyed his scene in True Romance.

I thought it was brilliant because --Walken being so obviously so over the top-- at first you think the whole scene is just a gag, to get a laugh at that punchline (which was hilarious).

Then you realize that the ridiculous anecdote was actually deeply significant to Butch, and explains why he doesn't leave Marsellus behind, and of course why he has to go back for his watch at the end.

... to get a laugh at that punchline (which was hilarious).

I LOL'd to tears, but I was the only person laughing in a full theatre, so my girlfriend was mortified.

What is the punchline? Dysentery?

I'm also curious about the GP comment that the story explains why he didn't leave MW behind

> What is the punchline? Dysentery?

The whole "ass" bit: "So he hid it in the one place he knew he could hide somethin'. His ass. Five long years, he wore this watch up his ass."

> I'm also curious about the GP comment that the story explains why he didn't leave MW behind

It's right at the beginning of the speech:

"Hello, little man. Boy I sure heard a bunch about you. See, I was a good friend of your Daddy's. We were in that Hanoi pit of hell over five years together. Hopefully, you'll never have to experience this yourself, but when two men are in a situation like me and your Daddy were, for as long as we were, you take on certain responsibilities of the other."

https://genius.com/Quentin-tarantino-pulp-fiction-prelude-to...

Interesting, thanks! I've seen the movie 100 times and never considered the relationship between what Bruce Willis ends up doing re MW and the CW speech...

(There is a funny "how it should have ended" that makes fun of how he left such an important watch in the care of his flakey girlfriend in the first place)

I mean basically going back to get the watch is what saved his life cause after saving Marcellus there weren't any hitmen looking for him, although there was the loose end of Vincent's dead body in his apartment - hopefully the Wolf cleaned that up.

“Yeah, we cool.”

khazhoux explained the context very well. I'd add that what clicks for me is how the story is building up until it reaches an absurd level, kind of "how the hell did we get to this" coupled with Walken's straight face. You start to wonder if that's a joke, then you realize it is, from Tarantino.

Wait, isn't his appearance just a campy cameo as Butch's father?

I just watched The Deer Hunter (1978) for the first time, which Walken described as kicking off his fame.

If you haven't seen it before, it's long but worth a watch. Left me longing for more older films, like the original Rambo, Empire of the Sun, or The Razor's Edge. They don't make movies like that anymore.

I just read a tiny snippet of Christoper Walken during then 1960s about when he was aboard the yatch with Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood.

I believe it was in the 80s. And I wonder if Walken is ever going to tell what really happened then.

This guy and SNL ruined "Fear the reaper" for me.

I still love Walken though.

I gotta have more Walken.

You just need to "explore the space".

I have to admit, I probably can't hear that song now and not notice the beat of the cowbell in the background.

I would never have noticed the cowbell in the original song, it's mixed so quietly. Now it's all I can hear.

And every other song with the least hint of cowbell, as well.

I saw Blue Öyster Cult in 2020. The lead singer/guitarist's mother in law had recently died, and they dedicated their performance of Fear the Reaper to her memory.

> Somebody said to me once, “The truth is good, but interesting is better.”

I love this quote. Can't find if it's a known reference?

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