Christopher Walkin dancing in FatBoy Slim video

Posted by NeatMathematician126@reddit | GenX | View on Reddit | 55 comments

I saw this video years ago, and it recently popped up in my YouTube home page.

Rewatching it I was like, "Dang, how did an old coot like Christopher Walkin dance like that?"

Then I looked up his age. He was 57 yo. Same as me.

I had this back and forth in my head.

"Wait, who are you calling old??"

"Sorry, dude, but like, he looks kind of old." Pause "No offense".

"No offense!!? Are you crazy? I could totally do that dance today."

Looking down, unable to make eye contact, I tell myself, "Yeah, obviously. You could definitely tap dance on a table top. I mean, because you're in great shape."

This whole thing took 2 seconds. Then I said, you who'd love to hear this? Reddit!

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nereaders@reddit

He studied old school for theatre, so tap was one of the things that he learnt. More skills, more work. He just never got much of an opportunity to use the skill. He also helped with the choreography for the video.

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Thatstealthygal@reddit

Similarly, Absolutely Ancient Mikhail Baryshnikov was only mid 50s in Sex and the City.

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conscientiousrevolt@reddit

Looking down, unable to make eye contact, I tell myself, "Yeah, obviously. You could definitely tap dance on a table top. I mean, because you're in great shape."

Unironisally absolute cinema!

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ofthrees@reddit

Then I said, you who'd love to hear this? Reddit!

i love you so much

i've always been a fan of walken. i mean, i LOVE him. when this video came out, even though i'd not theretofore given a single shit about fatboy slim, i was an instant fan for that casting.

at the time, i didn't think much about him dancing other than "how cool is it that he's in this video."

at 52 with everything creaking, i have newfound respect.

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MisterNighttime@reddit

It’s a good story, but I have to say that it’s the “you know who’d love to hear this?“ bit that got the laugh out of me.

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ZweitenMal@reddit

He was a child star here in NYC. His family-owned bakery was a few blocks from there I live now. It’s a hardware store now. It’s right by the subway so he and his brother could scoot right over into midtown for gigs.

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mssmish@reddit

He's a dancing machine https://youtu.be/3kAB3vYeWIM?si=jISxwXykwpndKux6

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Ambitious-Writer-825@reddit

I just love that video. Can't even imagine how many times I've watched it. I could watch him dance all day!

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mssmish@reddit

Such spot-on editing!

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TenderLA@reddit

Thank you!

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tahoochee@reddit

I rented lots of children’s videos for my girls way back in the 1980’s . One video was a “Puss in Boots” short film with CW as the cat. He danced his ass off and totally blew me away.

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MrsRalphieWiggum@reddit

At the 2001 VMAs, "Weapon of Choice," which featured Christopher Walken, was nominated for Best Dance Video but lost to 'N Sync's "Pop". I remember one of the members of ‘N Sync saying that FatBoy Slim was robbed

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SorryDog254@reddit

Then you what? Fell off the table? Dude!

Chris Walken made his bones when we were children. That Stephen King Zone movie and The Deer Hunter; good grief!

he played Russian Roulette and brought out the best in Meryl Streep and Bobby De Niro.

He probably dances the cha cha on the head of a pin along with all the other angels - why would you try??

Oh, sorry - I forgot where I was (on the GenX subreddit)

Dance your ass off!

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Griphonis-1772@reddit

The Dead Zone is one of the best 80s supernatural thrillers based on Stephen King novel!

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charliefoxtrot9@reddit

That's some baseball level of statistical hedging. nice.

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watts6674@reddit

It makes me miss the Housemartins!

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Strong_Medium_6646@reddit

I love the Housemartins!

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charliefoxtrot9@reddit

is it Happy Hour Again?

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mcburloak@reddit

His dancing in King of New York is a personal fav.

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jenorama_CA@reddit

When this video was all the rage, me and my bestie were at Dodger stadium at Wango Tango and this was just playing on a loop between acts.

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Moontoya@reddit

He trained under Fred Astaire & the Washington dance theatre

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BarrenVixen@reddit

Correct, though I think he had a stunt double for some of the flippy/aerial bits.

Top tip for folks trying to replicate the dance: be very careful doing the flippy shit in slippy taps. I did many an unintentional split and ate a lot of flooring doing so at least in my youth.

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Illustrious_You_6210@reddit

Honestly, the dancing can help old parts like us keep flexible, lose a few pounds, and quit bitching about how bad are joints feel all the time. Plus, it's whimsical and fun. I prefer salsa myself, but tap very well could be your weapon of choice against the onslaught of time.

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CraftLass@reddit

Ballet, ballroom, and Latin here. All true. And I'm often the youngest person in the room for ballroom, so that's fun at 49! My stepmpm got me into it, she started lessons in her 60s.

My grandpa took aerobics classes into his 80s. He only stopped when his dementia made it impossible. His classmates were all women in their 30s and 40s. He was able to play hard with all the grandkids! Only adult who could keep up with us in the pool. :D

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Illustrious_You_6210@reddit

Grandad knew what was up.

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SorryDog254@reddit

I see what you did there, “weapon of choice,” lol

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Illustrious_You_6210@reddit

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gothfru@reddit

Irish step dance here. Dancing is good for you!

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flyingmooset@reddit

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Illustrious_You_6210@reddit

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prebisch78@reddit

Walkin’ or dancin’?

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I-use-to-be-cool@reddit

This song brings me to one very specific place in time in my apartment around 99'-2000!!

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DPax_23@reddit

He grew up in a vaudeville family and was a professional dancer.
That video is full of cutaways. He's not doing all that.

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ChronoMonkeyX@reddit

Some shots are clearly his head imposed on a dancer's body.

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Kestrel_Iolani@reddit

Yeah, he hasn't been able to float like that for years.

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tanhauser_gates_@reddit

He was a dancer before he was an actor. Fatboy Slim somehow knew about thus and pulled him in. I didn't until the video came out. I was shocked/impressed.

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BarleyBo@reddit

Ever notice how every character Walken has played in a movie does a dance move somewhere in the film?

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froction@reddit

He was also a lion tamer.

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DjScenester@reddit

Christopher Walken has stated he treats dialogue as music and often has a musical rhythm in his head while acting, which influences his unique, hesitant, and melodic delivery…

He was made for this music video

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