- Waltz earned the Best Actor prize for the role in Inglourious Basterds.
- Carnage shows Waltz’s mastery at commanding the center of the screen.
- Waltz received his second Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Tarantino’s western Django Unchained.
Before his big performance in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, Christoph Waltz probably wasn’t well-known to you unless you were familiar with a few obscure European television series. Waltz earned the Best Actor prize for the role in the movie, which was shown at the Cannes Film Festival, and it wasn’t long before he was well-known among artists. Hans Landa not only became one of Tarantino’s most recognizable characters right once, but he also swiftly rose to the top of the list of all-time great movie villains.
Waltz’s quick typecasting in a number of other nasty parts comes as no surprise, and for good reason. Waltz is undoubtedly a versatile actor, but his ability to be both funny and terrifying has allowed him to play a number of famous villains. It’s no small feat that he makes The Three Musketeers from 2011 as well as The Green Hornet entertaining to watch! After recently directing Georgetown, his first full-length movie, Waltz demonstrated that he could direct with the same finesse as he could act.
In the upcoming Amazon series The Consultant, Christoph Waltz will play another significant role, offering fans another tasty bad guy role to savour. You must see some of the classic Christoph Waltz films listed below.
‘Inglourious Basterds’ (2009)
Tarantino’s first historical film, Inglourious Basterds, doesn’t shy away from the horrors of World War II and the Holocaust. Waltz delivers the movie’s most memorable sequence right off the bat as Landa gradually builds the suspense by revealing that he sees the Jews trying to flee from him.
Waltz steals every scene while reminding the spectator of how brutal this man’s wickedness really is, repeatedly savouring Tarantino’s brilliant wordplay. The unexpected suggestion he made to give up his position in order to flee clearly foreshadows Landa’s unavoidably cruel fate.
‘Carnage’ (2011)
Roman Polanski’s Carnage, a comedy that is meticulously staged in a single room with the same precision as the play that served as its inspiration, showcases Christoph Waltz’s mastery at commanding the center of the screen. Waltz and Kate Winslet play the cunning, affluent guests visiting Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly’s wonderfully plain home as they discuss their kids’ playground altercation in the movie, which centers on a well-intentioned encounter between two sets of parents. Waltz lets the amusing tension build up as each of his crude comments makes it worse.
‘Water for Elephants’ (2011)
It’s not surprising that Waltz began his career as a stage actor because he has a certain theatricality about him that makes even his most iconic characters more compelling. Who else would be ideal to play the ringmaster of a carnival, as he demonstrates the art of performing in Water for Elephants? A few more subtle instances where he demonstrates sympathy for the animals in his care balance out some of his more sensational crowd appearances.
‘Django Unchained’ (2012)
Waltz received his second Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Tarantino’s western Django Unchained, which once more placed him in the middle of a terrible historical event. Waltz’s captivating portrayal of the German bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz, who uses cruelty against slave owners, was an unexpectedly uplifting performance.
Although Waltz and Jamie Foxx have great chemistry, it’s watching him square up against the particularly repulsive Leonardo DiCaprio that reveals two performers at the height of their abilities.
‘Big Eyes’ (2014)
Waltz effortlessly blends into Tim Burton’s unique manner, but he also finds a way to use his villainous persona to consider a real-life incident. Waltz demonstrates how Walter Keane preyed on a genius’ naivete with his initial attractiveness by passing off his wife Margaret’s (Amy Adams) work as his own for years. Waltz is a representation of toxic masculinity since Keane’s jealousy drives his rage.
‘Horrible Bosses 2’ (2014)
It’s impressive that Horrible Bosses 2 was able to expand on the plot of the original movie so well because most comedy sequels rapidly come off as rehashes. Waltz wasn’t exactly cast against type in his portrayal as the avaricious manufacturing mogul Burt Hanson, but it’s odd how many brilliant, Oscar-winning actors appear in both movies.
Having said that, Waltz completely destroys the scenery, and the center trio’s stupidity is made funnier by his blatant manipulation. Waltz and Chris Pine are hilarious as a pair of evil father-son actors; even though they wind up on opposing sides, they represent two privileged sides of the same coin.
‘Spectre’ (2015)
Since he first appeared in You Only Live Twice, Dr. Blofeld has gone on to feature in a number of 007 escapades, making him one of the most recognisable Bond villains of all time. Waltz succeeds in bringing something fresh to the character by portraying him as a spiteful son out to bury Bond due to a long-standing grudge.
Waltz skillfully balances intensity and camp in Spectre, which is a bit more family-friendly than the previous Daniel Craig Bond movies. In No Time To Die, he also reappears for a single, iconic sequence that serves as the character’s epilogue.
‘The Legend of Tarzan’ (2016)
The Legend of Tarzan works so much better than it should have because David Yates took the ideal approach to updating and considering the background of a legendary character. Waltz’s portrayal of Belgian Colonel Léon Rom in the movie personifies a more nuanced view of history that is woven into the narrative.
Rom is a fascist agent assigned to colonize Columbia, and Waltz makes the most of his wickedness by highlighting the perils of racism, slavery, and institutionalized hatred. Margot Robbie’s remarks as Jane makes fun of her captor help Waltz to convey the naiveté of a guy without love in his heart.
‘Downsizing’ (2017)
Downsizing by Alexander Payne is a bit of a catastrophe because it juggles a variety of thematic cliches and fantastic actors with no real understanding. But there are some brilliant moments in this strange tale of a man (Matt Damon) who shrinks himself in order to live in a tiny test colony.
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