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Chris Walas(I)

  • Special Effects
  • Make-Up Department
  • Actor
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Chris Walas
Chris Walas is an American film director, special effects expert, and make-up artist. He was born in Chicago, Illinois.

Walas rose to fame in the 1980s, with effects for films such as "Airplane!" (1980), "Dragonslayer" (1981), and "Return of the Jedi" (1983). In the film "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981), Walas created the effects for a scene where the Nazi villains' faces melt from the intense heat generated by the Ark of the Covenant. In 1984, Walas was credited for the design of the gremlins in the film "Gremlins", a film that grossed 153.1 million dollars at the box office.

After creating the creature effects for "The Fly" (1986), Walas was invited to direct the sequel film "The Fly II" (1989), His directing debut earned about 39 million dollars at the worldwide box office. His only other credit as a film director was the horror comedy "The Vagrant" (1992), depicting a man who believes himself stalked by a stranger. The film received a limited release in 8 movie theaters.

In the 1990s, Walas film credits for effects and make-up included such films as the black comedy "Arachnophobia" (1990), the science fiction film "Naked Lunch" (1991), the virtual reality-themed science fiction film "Virtuosity" (1995), and the erotic thriller "Jade" (1995). None of them was particularly successful.

Walas' special effects were less in demand in the 2000s. His last film credit to date was creating the angels for the horror film "Dark Heaven" (2002).
Bornc. 1955
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Bornc. 1955
IMDbProStarmeter
See rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Won 1 Oscar

Known for

The Fly (1986)
The Fly
7.6
  • Special Effects
  • 1986
Enemy Mine (1985)
Enemy Mine
6.8
  • Special Effects(Chris Walas Inc.)
  • 1985
Gremlins (1984)
Gremlins
7.3
  • Special Effects(Gremlins)
  • 1984
Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington in Virtuosity (1995)
Virtuosity
5.5
  • Makeup Department
  • 1995

Credits

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IMDbPro

Special Effects

  • Chris Walas and Kian Doughty in Made You Look (2018)
    Made You Look
  • Jonathan Kos-Read, Douglas Tait, Erroll Shand, Sasha Jackson, and Jiahang Su in Journey to the Forbidden Valley (2017)
    Journey to the Forbidden Valley
  • Jason 'Wee Man' Acuña in Elf-Man (2012)
    Elf-Man
  • Naked Lunch (1991)
    Naked Lunch
    • (uncredited)
  • Charlie Sheen in Hot Shots! (1991)
    Hot Shots!
  • Christopher Lee and Jenilee Harrison in Curse III: Blood Sacrifice (1991)
    Curse III: Blood Sacrifice
  • Arachnophobia (1990)
    Arachnophobia
  • The Fly II (1989)
    The Fly II
  • House II: The Second Story (1987)
    House II: The Second Story
  • The Fly (1986)
    The Fly
  • Enemy Mine (1985)
    Enemy Mine
  • Gremlins (1984)
    Gremlins
  • Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, Warwick Davis, David Prowse, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Carter, and Larry Ward in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
    Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
  • Peter MacNicol and Caitlin Clarke in Dragonslayer (1981)
    Dragonslayer
    • (as Christopher Walas)
  • Airplane! (1980)
    Airplane!

Makeup Department

  • Dark Heaven (2002)
    Dark Heaven
  • Jade (1995)
    Jade
  • Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington in Virtuosity (1995)
    Virtuosity
  • Universal Studios Florida: Now Open 9AM to 9PM (1990)
    Universal Studios Florida: Now Open 9AM to 9PM
    • (uncredited)
  • Tales from the Crypt (1989)
    Tales from the Crypt
  • DeepStar Six (1989)
    DeepStar Six
  • The Kiss (1988)
    The Kiss
  • Enemy Mine (1985)
    Enemy Mine
  • Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Wolf Kahler, Ronald Lacey, and Terry Richards in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
    Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
    • (as Christopher Walas)
  • Dennis Quaid, Barbara Bach, Shelley Long, John Matuszak, and Ringo Starr in Caveman (1981)
    Caveman
    • (as Christopher Walas)
  • Scanners (1981)
    Scanners
  • Galaxina (1980)
    Galaxina
    • (as Christopher J. Walas)
  • Barbara Bach, Claudio Cassinelli, and Richard Johnson in The Island of the Fishmen (1979)
    The Island of the Fishmen

Actor

  • Chris Walas and Kian Doughty in Made You Look (2018)
    Made You Look
  • Will Ryan and Nick Santa Maria in The Adventures of Biffle and Shooster (2015)
    The Adventures of Biffle and Shooster
  • Bride of Finklestein
  • DeepStar Six (1989)
    DeepStar Six
    • (uncredited)
  • Starstruck (1979)
    Starstruck
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Personal details

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    • c. 1955
    • Chicago, Illinois, USA
  • Publicity listings
    • 4 Interviews
    • 1 Article

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