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IMDbPro

Chris Walas(I)

  • Special Effects
  • Make-Up Department
  • Actor
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
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
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
Bornc. 1955
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 3 wins & 4 nominations total

    Known for

    Jeff Goldblum in La Mouche (1986)
    La Mouche
    7.6
    • Special Effects
    • 1986
    Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. in Enemy (1985)
    Enemy
    6.8
    • Special Effects(Chris Walas Inc.)
    • 1985
    Zach Galligan and Howie Mandel in Gremlins (1984)
    Gremlins
    7.3
    • Special Effects(Gremlins)
    • 1984
    Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington in Programmé pour tuer (1995)
    Programmé pour tuer
    5.5
    • Makeup Department
    • 1995

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Special Effects



    • Magnus Danger Magnus in Emu War: A Subtle Examination of the Sheer Caucasity of Colonialism (2024)
      Emu War: A Subtle Examination of the Sheer Caucasity of Colonialism
      • Emu Miniature Advisor
      • 2024
    • Chris Walas and Kian Doughty in Made You Look (2018)
      Made You Look
      5.6
      Short
      • special effects
      • 2018
    • Jonathan Kos-Read, Douglas Tait, Erroll Shand, Sasha Jackson, and Jiahang Su in Journey to the Forbidden Valley (2017)
      Journey to the Forbidden Valley
      5.1
      • creature design: Yeren
      • special makeup effects designer
      • 2017
    • Jason 'Wee Man' Acuña in Elf-Man (2011)
      Elf-Man
      3.5
      • special effects prosthetics designer
      • 2011
    • Le Festin nu (1991)
      Le Festin nu
      6.9
      • special creatures & effects (uncredited)
      • 1991
    • Hot Shots! (1991)
      Hot Shots!
      6.7
      • animal special effects/prosthetics
      • 1991
    • Panga, le sorcier vaudou (1991)
      Panga, le sorcier vaudou
      4.0
      • creature design
      • 1991
    • Arachnophobie (1990)
      Arachnophobie
      6.5
      • creature effects supervisor
      • 1990
    • La Mouche 2 (1989)
      La Mouche 2
      5.2
      • effects designer and creator: Chris Walas Inc.
      • 1989
    • House II: la deuxième histoire (1987)
      House II: la deuxième histoire
      5.4
      • makeup and creature effects designer
      • 1987
    • Jeff Goldblum in La Mouche (1986)
      La Mouche
      7.6
      • creature effects
      • 1986
    • Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. in Enemy (1985)
      Enemy
      6.8
      • aliens creator and designer: Chris Walas Inc.
      • special creature makeup and effects director: Chris Walas Inc.
      • 1985
    • Zach Galligan and Howie Mandel in Gremlins (1984)
      Gremlins
      7.3
      • creator: Gremlins
      • 1984
    • Le Retour du Jedi (1983)
      Le Retour du Jedi
      8.3
      • creature consultant
      • creature design & effects (uncredited)
      • 1983
    • Peter MacNicol and Caitlin Clarke in Le Dragon du lac de feu (1981)
      Le Dragon du lac de feu
      6.6
      • close-up dragon: ILM (as Christopher Walas)
      • 1981

    Makeup Department



    • Dark Heaven (2002)
      Dark Heaven
      2.8
      • creator: angel
      • 2002
    • Jade (1995)
      Jade
      5.3
      • special makeup effects
      • 1995
    • Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington in Programmé pour tuer (1995)
      Programmé pour tuer
      5.5
      • special makeup effects
      • 1995
    • Universal Studios Florida: Now Open 9AM to 9PM (1990)
      Universal Studios Florida: Now Open 9AM to 9PM
      Video
      • special makeup effects artist: Brundlefly (uncredited)
      • 1990
    • Les contes de la crypte (1989)
      Les contes de la crypte
      8.0
      TV Series
      • special effects makeup
      • 1990
    • M.A.L. : Mutant aquatique en liberté (1989)
      M.A.L. : Mutant aquatique en liberté
      5.3
      • creature effects
      • 1989
    • The Kiss (1988)
      The Kiss
      5.4
      • special makeup effects artist
      • 1988
    • Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. in Enemy (1985)
      Enemy
      6.8
      • special makeup effects artist
      • 1985
    • Les Aventuriers de l'arche perdue (1981)
      Les Aventuriers de l'arche perdue
      8.4
      • special makeup effects: ILM (as Christopher Walas)
      • 1981
    • Barbara Bach and Ringo Starr in L'Homme des cavernes (1981)
      L'Homme des cavernes
      5.8
      • creator: abominable snowman (as Christopher Walas)
      • 1981
    • Scanners (1981)
      Scanners
      6.7
      • special makeup
      • 1981
    • Galaxina (1980)
      Galaxina
      3.7
      • special makeup effects (as Christopher J. Walas)
      • 1980
    • Barbara Bach, Claudio Cassinelli, and Richard Johnson in Le Continent des hommes poissons (1979)
      Le Continent des hommes poissons
      5.3
      • special makeup effects: additional sequences, US version
      • 1979

    Actor



    • Chris Walas and Kian Doughty in Made You Look (2018)
      Made You Look
      5.6
      Short
      • Creature
      • 2018
    • Will Ryan and Nick Santa Maria in The Adventures of Biffle and Shooster (2015)
      The Adventures of Biffle and Shooster
      8.5
      • 'Charles Gemora' as Schlomo, the Gorilla
      • 2015
    • Bride of Finklestein
      Short
      • 'Charles Gemora' as Schlomo (the Gorilla)
      • 2015
    • M.A.L. : Mutant aquatique en liberté (1989)
      M.A.L. : Mutant aquatique en liberté
      5.3
      • (uncredited)
      • 1989
    • Starstruck (1979)
      Starstruck
      4.2
      TV Movie
      • Mary-John
      • 1979

    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Alternative names
      • Christopher J. Walas
    • Born
      • c. 1955
      • Chicago, Illinois, USA
    • Publicity listings
      • 4 Interviews
      • 1 Article

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