Search - Saturday Night Live - The Best of Christopher Walken on DVD

Not the Best of Christopher Walken, But Worth It

The JuRK | Our Vast, Cultural Desert | 09/26/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I love Christopher Walken on SNL. Along with Alec Baldwin's first appearances, most of Tom Hanks', John Malkovich's, and especially Kevin Spacey's, I think they are the best shows ever.
But this DVD disappointed me.

Of "The Continental" sketches, the funniest and best is still the first one they ever did. And it's not here.
There are two other Continentals from the show and, in the Extras, there's another that shows both what the P.O.V. camera sees and what the audience sees (making this DVD worth seeing).

The favorite "Cowbell" sketch is already on the Best of Will Ferrell (volume 1). The "Lovers" sketch, which I've never been a fan of, appears on volume 2 of Will Ferrell's Best.
So, for real SNL fans, we already have these.

Another gripe I have is that substandard sketches from more recent shows appear (like the Lifeboat and Centaur sketches) when earlier sketches have been completely ignored. Chris as Rainbow Head on a late 80's show was much funnier.
Like with Will Ferrell 2, it just doesn't feel like anyone really worked very hard putting this collection together. And I really don't think it's just a matter of taste.

But the Fonzie sketch in the Extras is great.
"

Some Filler Sketches, But Mostly Very Funny

Anthony Nasti | Staten Island, New York United States | 03/16/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Christopher Walken has hosted "Saturday Night Live" six times. He has given the show some of its most hilarious moments, such as the Blue Oyster Cult sketch and "The Continental". Thankfully, the good people at "Saturday Night Live" decided to give Walken his own "best of" dvd. It is very funny, though there a few flaws.

The majority of the sketches ont his dvd are very funny. The best sketches are the two "Continental" bits, "Ed Glosser: Trivial Physcic" (my favorite and a parody of his role in the "The Dead Zone"), "Hardball", the Mango bit, Rita Del Vechio, the cowbell sketch, his monologue with Jimmy Fallon, "Pranksters" and the Census questioning.

The downside is there are several sketches that are not great that should have been left off. The "Centaur Interview" is amausing but not really funny. I liked the double-entendre in "Colonel Angus" but Walken doesn't appear in it until the end, and by that time the joke has run its course. The "Lifeboat" sketch is to absurd for his own good, and not a favorite. What I would have loved to see was Chris as Rainbow Head on "Attitudes" from is first episode in early 1990. And what about the first "Continental" sketch? It was, as one reviewer, pointed out, the best one.

The extras are surprisingly interested. The "Fonzie" sketch is hysterical, and the angel sketch is really entertaining as well. "The Continental" making off is a very intriguing at how this seemingly complex sketch comes into being. Overall, a very enjoyable dvd. Now when will they release "The Best Of Tom Hanks"?"

I've got a fever...

T. Ittig | Atlanta, GA United States | 10/22/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"And the only cure is MORE COWBELL!! I agree with some of the other reviewers here... They did leave out some classic sketches (rainbow head, for example). However, this dvd is still worth watching/owning for the classics that ARE included. I watched this by myself and couldn't help but laugh out loud during the "Pranksters" sketch. Christopher Walken is one of the masters when it comes to the deadpan straight man. I would have given it 5 stars if the sketches were a little more intelligently chosen. Worthwhile, but not perfect."

Not the Best of SNL Walken

lilfestival | Portland, OR | 10/25/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Christopher Walken is, in my opinion, one of the best hosts of SNL to grace the show. And this DVD doesn't do his appearances justice. He barely appears in the "Colonel Angus" skit, and the DVD extras aren't really worth looking at. It's also a let down to see so many skits cross over between the 25th anniversary edition & other "best of" discs. A show that's been on so long should put a little more into their realeases.
All let-downs aside, there are hilarious moments in the Walken DVD that are worth watching. The "Captain of the Boat" was a favorite when I first saw it and I'm glad to see it here."